Title: Heir to the Throne by Random Inspiration and alter3d.c0re
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: romance, humor, harlequin, marriage of convenience (sort of), hints of angst
Length: Epic (~58,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
For reasons that really don't matter at this junction, Ichigo is next in line to be king of Soul Society (just go with it). As part of his coronation, he has to get courted by a representative of each of the four noble families and then marry one. Guess who the Kuchiki family is putting forth as a potential bride. (Hint: Ichigo likes to call her 'midget'.)

This is a whole barrel of fun. It's a bit silly at times and there's enough cheese for a whole boatload of sandwiches, but Ichigo and Rukia are cute, the representatives are entertaining, the 'courting' done by the two non-Rukia canon characters is hilarious (and only has a small potential for fatalities), the evil OC isn't terribly evil (and her attempts to break up Rukia and Ichigo mostly provide fodder for more cuteness), and nearly every named character in Bleach manages at least a cameo. If you're in the mood for some humor tinged with a hint of wackiness and maybe a touch of crack, this is the fic for you.

Heir to the Throne

Title: Heir to the Throne by Random Inspiration and alter3d.c0re
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: romance, humor, harlequin, marriage of convenience (sort of), hints of angst
Length: Epic (~58,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
For reasons that really don't matter at this junction, Ichigo is next in line to be king of Soul Society (just go with it). As part of his coronation, he has to get courted by a representative of each of the four noble families and then marry one. Guess who the Kuchiki family is putting forth as a potential bride. (Hint: Ichigo likes to call her 'midget'.)

This is a whole barrel of fun. It's a bit silly at times and there's enough cheese for a whole boatload of sandwiches, but Ichigo and Rukia are cute, the representatives are entertaining, the 'courting' done by the two non-Rukia canon characters is hilarious (and only has a small potential for fatalities), the evil OC isn't terribly evil (and her attempts to break up Rukia and Ichigo mostly provide fodder for more cuteness), and nearly every named character in Bleach manages at least a cameo. If you're in the mood for some humor tinged with a hint of wackiness and maybe a touch of crack, this is the fic for you.

Heir to the Throne

Title: Heir to the Throne by Random Inspiration and alter3d.c0re
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: romance, humor, harlequin, marriage of convenience (sort of), hints of angst
Length: Epic (~58,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
For reasons that really don't matter at this junction, Ichigo is next in line to be king of Soul Society (just go with it). As part of his coronation, he has to get courted by a representative of each of the four noble families and then marry one. Guess who the Kuchiki family is putting forth as a potential bride. (Hint: Ichigo likes to call her 'midget'.)

This is a whole barrel of fun. It's a bit silly at times and there's enough cheese for a whole boatload of sandwiches, but Ichigo and Rukia are cute, the representatives are entertaining, the 'courting' done by the two non-Rukia canon characters is hilarious (and only has a small potential for fatalities), the evil OC isn't terribly evil (and her attempts to break up Rukia and Ichigo mostly provide fodder for more cuteness), and nearly every named character in Bleach manages at least a cameo. If you're in the mood for some humor tinged with a hint of wackiness and maybe a touch of crack, this is the fic for you.

Heir to the Throne

Title: Heir to the Throne by Random Inspiration and alter3d.c0re
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: romance, humor, harlequin, marriage of convenience (sort of), hints of angst
Length: Epic (~58,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
For reasons that really don't matter at this junction, Ichigo is next in line to be king of Soul Society (just go with it). As part of his coronation, he has to get courted by a representative of each of the four noble families and then marry one. Guess who the Kuchiki family is putting forth as a potential bride. (Hint: Ichigo likes to call her 'midget'.)

This is a whole barrel of fun. It's a bit silly at times and there's enough cheese for a whole boatload of sandwiches, but Ichigo and Rukia are cute, the representatives are entertaining, the 'courting' done by the two non-Rukia canon characters is hilarious (and only has a small potential for fatalities), the evil OC isn't terribly evil (and her attempts to break up Rukia and Ichigo mostly provide fodder for more cuteness), and nearly every named character in Bleach manages at least a cameo. If you're in the mood for some humor tinged with a hint of wackiness and maybe a touch of crack, this is the fic for you.

Heir to the Throne

Title: Heir to the Throne by Random Inspiration and alter3d.c0re
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: romance, humor, harlequin, marriage of convenience (sort of), hints of angst
Length: Epic (~58,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
For reasons that really don't matter at this junction, Ichigo is next in line to be king of Soul Society (just go with it). As part of his coronation, he has to get courted by a representative of each of the four noble families and then marry one. Guess who the Kuchiki family is putting forth as a potential bride. (Hint: Ichigo likes to call her 'midget'.)

This is a whole barrel of fun. It's a bit silly at times and there's enough cheese for a whole boatload of sandwiches, but Ichigo and Rukia are cute, the representatives are entertaining, the 'courting' done by the two non-Rukia canon characters is hilarious (and only has a small potential for fatalities), the evil OC isn't terribly evil (and her attempts to break up Rukia and Ichigo mostly provide fodder for more cuteness), and nearly every named character in Bleach manages at least a cameo. If you're in the mood for some humor tinged with a hint of wackiness and maybe a touch of crack, this is the fic for you.

Heir to the Throne

Title: Heir to the Throne by Random Inspiration and alter3d.c0re
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: romance, humor, harlequin, marriage of convenience (sort of), hints of angst
Length: Epic (~58,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
For reasons that really don't matter at this junction, Ichigo is next in line to be king of Soul Society (just go with it). As part of his coronation, he has to get courted by a representative of each of the four noble families and then marry one. Guess who the Kuchiki family is putting forth as a potential bride. (Hint: Ichigo likes to call her 'midget'.)

This is a whole barrel of fun. It's a bit silly at times and there's enough cheese for a whole boatload of sandwiches, but Ichigo and Rukia are cute, the representatives are entertaining, the 'courting' done by the two non-Rukia canon characters is hilarious (and only has a small potential for fatalities), the evil OC isn't terribly evil (and her attempts to break up Rukia and Ichigo mostly provide fodder for more cuteness), and nearly every named character in Bleach manages at least a cameo. If you're in the mood for some humor tinged with a hint of wackiness and maybe a touch of crack, this is the fic for you.

Heir to the Throne

Title: Setting Sun, Rising Moon by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: future-fic, angst, humor
Length: Epic (~48,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
Ichigo dies. Which in the Bleach universe just means that it's time to go to Soul Society and be a shinigami full-time. The good news is that Rukia is there to greet him when he dies. The bad news is that, after a nasty break-up decades before, he and Rukia have no idea where they stand with each other. Lots of angsting and thick-headedness ensues.

I didn't realize this until after I'd finished the fic, but Jania has written all three of the Bleach stories I've recced to date. As with her other fics, the writing is great, the characterizations are brilliant, and the flashbacks (inevitable when a story begins with a person dying) are deftly handled and surprisingly interesting. Best of all, however, is her dialogue, which is tone perfect and shines with awesomeness; I'd be happy to read an entire fic with nothing but Jania's dialogue.

For those who, like me, are a bit wary of anime/manga fandoms, this is a good story to see just how much potential can be mined from the fandom by a skillful author. A highly enjoyable tale.

Setting Sun, Rising Moon

Title: Setting Sun, Rising Moon by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: future-fic, angst, humor
Length: Epic (~48,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
Ichigo dies. Which in the Bleach universe just means that it's time to go to Soul Society and be a shinigami full-time. The good news is that Rukia is there to greet him when he dies. The bad news is that, after a nasty break-up decades before, he and Rukia have no idea where they stand with each other. Lots of angsting and thick-headedness ensues.

I didn't realize this until after I'd finished the fic, but Jania has written all three of the Bleach stories I've recced to date. As with her other fics, the writing is great, the characterizations are brilliant, and the flashbacks (inevitable when a story begins with a person dying) are deftly handled and surprisingly interesting. Best of all, however, is her dialogue, which is tone perfect and shines with awesomeness; I'd be happy to read an entire fic with nothing but Jania's dialogue.

For those who, like me, are a bit wary of anime/manga fandoms, this is a good story to see just how much potential can be mined from the fandom by a skillful author. A highly enjoyable tale.

Setting Sun, Rising Moon

Title: Setting Sun, Rising Moon by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: future-fic, angst, humor
Length: Epic (~48,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
Ichigo dies. Which in the Bleach universe just means that it's time to go to Soul Society and be a shinigami full-time. The good news is that Rukia is there to greet him when he dies. The bad news is that, after a nasty break-up decades before, he and Rukia have no idea where they stand with each other. Lots of angsting and thick-headedness ensues.

I didn't realize this until after I'd finished the fic, but Jania has written all three of the Bleach stories I've recced to date. As with her other fics, the writing is great, the characterizations are brilliant, and the flashbacks (inevitable when a story begins with a person dying) are deftly handled and surprisingly interesting. Best of all, however, is her dialogue, which is tone perfect and shines with awesomeness; I'd be happy to read an entire fic with nothing but Jania's dialogue.

For those who, like me, are a bit wary of anime/manga fandoms, this is a good story to see just how much potential can be mined from the fandom by a skillful author. A highly enjoyable tale.

Setting Sun, Rising Moon

Title: Setting Sun, Rising Moon by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: future-fic, angst, humor
Length: Epic (~48,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
Ichigo dies. Which in the Bleach universe just means that it's time to go to Soul Society and be a shinigami full-time. The good news is that Rukia is there to greet him when he dies. The bad news is that, after a nasty break-up decades before, he and Rukia have no idea where they stand with each other. Lots of angsting and thick-headedness ensues.

I didn't realize this until after I'd finished the fic, but Jania has written all three of the Bleach stories I've recced to date. As with her other fics, the writing is great, the characterizations are brilliant, and the flashbacks (inevitable when a story begins with a person dying) are deftly handled and surprisingly interesting. Best of all, however, is her dialogue, which is tone perfect and shines with awesomeness; I'd be happy to read an entire fic with nothing but Jania's dialogue.

For those who, like me, are a bit wary of anime/manga fandoms, this is a good story to see just how much potential can be mined from the fandom by a skillful author. A highly enjoyable tale.

Setting Sun, Rising Moon

Title: Setting Sun, Rising Moon by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: future-fic, angst, humor
Length: Epic (~48,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
Ichigo dies. Which in the Bleach universe just means that it's time to go to Soul Society and be a shinigami full-time. The good news is that Rukia is there to greet him when he dies. The bad news is that, after a nasty break-up decades before, he and Rukia have no idea where they stand with each other. Lots of angsting and thick-headedness ensues.

I didn't realize this until after I'd finished the fic, but Jania has written all three of the Bleach stories I've recced to date. As with her other fics, the writing is great, the characterizations are brilliant, and the flashbacks (inevitable when a story begins with a person dying) are deftly handled and surprisingly interesting. Best of all, however, is her dialogue, which is tone perfect and shines with awesomeness; I'd be happy to read an entire fic with nothing but Jania's dialogue.

For those who, like me, are a bit wary of anime/manga fandoms, this is a good story to see just how much potential can be mined from the fandom by a skillful author. A highly enjoyable tale.

Setting Sun, Rising Moon

Title: Setting Sun, Rising Moon by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: future-fic, angst, humor
Length: Epic (~48,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
Ichigo dies. Which in the Bleach universe just means that it's time to go to Soul Society and be a shinigami full-time. The good news is that Rukia is there to greet him when he dies. The bad news is that, after a nasty break-up decades before, he and Rukia have no idea where they stand with each other. Lots of angsting and thick-headedness ensues.

I didn't realize this until after I'd finished the fic, but Jania has written all three of the Bleach stories I've recced to date. As with her other fics, the writing is great, the characterizations are brilliant, and the flashbacks (inevitable when a story begins with a person dying) are deftly handled and surprisingly interesting. Best of all, however, is her dialogue, which is tone perfect and shines with awesomeness; I'd be happy to read an entire fic with nothing but Jania's dialogue.

For those who, like me, are a bit wary of anime/manga fandoms, this is a good story to see just how much potential can be mined from the fandom by a skillful author. A highly enjoyable tale.

Setting Sun, Rising Moon

Title: Cherrypicked by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, virgin
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
After the war with Aizen is over, Rukia and Ichigo start dating. A year after that, it's time to Take the Next Step. Except that Soul Society is full of the nosiest people on earth (and also Rukia's scary overprotective brother) and Ichigo still lives at home with his perverted father and two baby sisters. What are two horny shinigami to do?

This is just plain awesome. From Ichigo worrying about being a virgin (but also being, you know, male and thus mostly really, really eager); to the Secret of Rukia's Deflowering (which has a brilliant payoff); to the Quest for a Private Space; to that rarest of rare finds in fanfic: first time sex that actually sounds like first time sex, this story is full of humor and affection and Soul Society cameos. Very funny and very entertaining.

Cherrypicked

Title: Cherrypicked by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, virgin
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
After the war with Aizen is over, Rukia and Ichigo start dating. A year after that, it's time to Take the Next Step. Except that Soul Society is full of the nosiest people on earth (and also Rukia's scary overprotective brother) and Ichigo still lives at home with his perverted father and two baby sisters. What are two horny shinigami to do?

This is just plain awesome. From Ichigo worrying about being a virgin (but also being, you know, male and thus mostly really, really eager); to the Secret of Rukia's Deflowering (which has a brilliant payoff); to the Quest for a Private Space; to that rarest of rare finds in fanfic: first time sex that actually sounds like first time sex, this story is full of humor and affection and Soul Society cameos. Very funny and very entertaining.

Cherrypicked

Title: Cherrypicked by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, virgin
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
After the war with Aizen is over, Rukia and Ichigo start dating. A year after that, it's time to Take the Next Step. Except that Soul Society is full of the nosiest people on earth (and also Rukia's scary overprotective brother) and Ichigo still lives at home with his perverted father and two baby sisters. What are two horny shinigami to do?

This is just plain awesome. From Ichigo worrying about being a virgin (but also being, you know, male and thus mostly really, really eager); to the Secret of Rukia's Deflowering (which has a brilliant payoff); to the Quest for a Private Space; to that rarest of rare finds in fanfic: first time sex that actually sounds like first time sex, this story is full of humor and affection and Soul Society cameos. Very funny and very entertaining.

Cherrypicked

Title: Cherrypicked by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, virgin
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
After the war with Aizen is over, Rukia and Ichigo start dating. A year after that, it's time to Take the Next Step. Except that Soul Society is full of the nosiest people on earth (and also Rukia's scary overprotective brother) and Ichigo still lives at home with his perverted father and two baby sisters. What are two horny shinigami to do?

This is just plain awesome. From Ichigo worrying about being a virgin (but also being, you know, male and thus mostly really, really eager); to the Secret of Rukia's Deflowering (which has a brilliant payoff); to the Quest for a Private Space; to that rarest of rare finds in fanfic: first time sex that actually sounds like first time sex, this story is full of humor and affection and Soul Society cameos. Very funny and very entertaining.

Cherrypicked

Title: Cherrypicked by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, virgin
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
After the war with Aizen is over, Rukia and Ichigo start dating. A year after that, it's time to Take the Next Step. Except that Soul Society is full of the nosiest people on earth (and also Rukia's scary overprotective brother) and Ichigo still lives at home with his perverted father and two baby sisters. What are two horny shinigami to do?

This is just plain awesome. From Ichigo worrying about being a virgin (but also being, you know, male and thus mostly really, really eager); to the Secret of Rukia's Deflowering (which has a brilliant payoff); to the Quest for a Private Space; to that rarest of rare finds in fanfic: first time sex that actually sounds like first time sex, this story is full of humor and affection and Soul Society cameos. Very funny and very entertaining.

Cherrypicked

Title: Cherrypicked by Jaina
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, virgin
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: n/a

Review:
After the war with Aizen is over, Rukia and Ichigo start dating. A year after that, it's time to Take the Next Step. Except that Soul Society is full of the nosiest people on earth (and also Rukia's scary overprotective brother) and Ichigo still lives at home with his perverted father and two baby sisters. What are two horny shinigami to do?

This is just plain awesome. From Ichigo worrying about being a virgin (but also being, you know, male and thus mostly really, really eager); to the Secret of Rukia's Deflowering (which has a brilliant payoff); to the Quest for a Private Space; to that rarest of rare finds in fanfic: first time sex that actually sounds like first time sex, this story is full of humor and affection and Soul Society cameos. Very funny and very entertaining.

Cherrypicked

We've reached 700 readers! Yay! Unfortunately we aren't going to be doing anything to celebrate this time around (the comm is growing faster than our ability to come up with ways to celebrate:), but we're going to aim for something very special when we hit 1,000. (Suggestions welcome.)

Also, it's television week over at real_world_recs! I'm kicking things off with a rec for the 2004 BBC mini-series North and South, which recently replaced Pride and Prejudice as my favorite mini-series of all time. (Plus, you know, Colin Firth has nothing on Richard Armitage.  *woof*). Enjoy!

Finally, it's Small Fandom week here at Epic Recs. As we have several small fandom reader's rec posts already, we won't be creating a new one this time around, but if you have a rec, please feel free to submit it at one of our previous posts. The latest one is here.

Now, on to the rec!

Title: Notes on a High School Scandal by Jaina (PG-13)
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, fluff
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4467/Jaina

Review:
Someone starts a rumor that Ichigo and Rukia are having sex. Ichigo is not amused.

Ever since I first discovered Fanfiction Downloader (check out the side bar for the most current link), I've been reading stories cold from fanfiction.net. In some fandoms this turns up an unexpected treasure trove of fabulous fic (Disney's Beauty and the Beast) and in other fandoms I have yet to find a good story (um, I'm not going to specify which, but there are several). Usually, however, I slog through a lot of crap and sometimes it seems like I'm wasting my time. Then I stumble across a gem.

Notes on a High School Scandal is one such gem. The first section alone is one of the funniest pieces of writing I've ever read in my life, and what follows is in turns hilarious, sweet, and occasionally violent (hey, this is Bleach. You can't avoid the hollows entirely). The best part of this story, however, are the absolutely *perfect* characterizations. Ichigo is so spot-on that it's almost like reading a chapter of the manga (but better), but the real stunner is Rukia. Most authors forget that Rukia is a) not human, and b) a couple of hundred years old. In fact, my main problem with the Bleach fandom is that Rukia is too often written as a teenager. Jaina does not make that mistake. Her Rukia is intelligent, practical, frustrated and frustrating, a little odd and an utter delight to read as she takes care of business, be that business hollows, school gossip, or a Ichigo who suddenly has *ideas*. Sheer brilliance.

I will warn you that the ending is not what I was hoping for (I'm a rabid romantic), but it's open enough that you can imagine what you want to happen next. Considering how utterly wonderful the rest of the story is, I'm not going to complain. Easily the best Bleach fic I've read to date.

Notes on a High School Scandal (ff.net)

We've reached 700 readers! Yay! Unfortunately we aren't going to be doing anything to celebrate this time around (the comm is growing faster than our ability to come up with ways to celebrate:), but we're going to aim for something very special when we hit 1,000. (Suggestions welcome.)

Also, it's television week over at real_world_recs! I'm kicking things off with a rec for the 2004 BBC mini-series North and South, which recently replaced Pride and Prejudice as my favorite mini-series of all time. (Plus, you know, Colin Firth has nothing on Richard Armitage.  *woof*). Enjoy!

Finally, it's Small Fandom week here at Epic Recs. As we have several small fandom reader's rec posts already, we won't be creating a new one this time around, but if you have a rec, please feel free to submit it at one of our previous posts. The latest one is here.

Now, on to the rec!

Title: Notes on a High School Scandal by Jaina (PG-13)
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia
Categories: humor, fluff
Length: Medium (~12,000 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: herdedcats 
Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4467/Jaina

Review:
Someone starts a rumor that Ichigo and Rukia are having sex. Ichigo is not amused.

Ever since I first discovered Fanfiction Downloader (check out the side bar for the most current link), I've been reading stories cold from fanfiction.net. In some fandoms this turns up an unexpected treasure trove of fabulous fic (Disney's Beauty and the Beast) and in other fandoms I have yet to find a good story (um, I'm not going to specify which, but there are several). Usually, however, I slog through a lot of crap and sometimes it seems like I'm wasting my time. Then I stumble across a gem.

Notes on a High School Scandal is one such gem. The first section alone is one of the funniest pieces of writing I've ever read in my life, and what follows is in turns hilarious, sweet, and occasionally violent (hey, this is Bleach. You can't avoid the hollows entirely). The best part of this story, however, are the absolutely *perfect* characterizations. Ichigo is so spot-on that it's almost like reading a chapter of the manga (but better), but the real stunner is Rukia. Most authors forget that Rukia is a) not human, and b) a couple of hundred years old. In fact, my main problem with the Bleach fandom is that Rukia is too often written as a teenager. Jaina does not make that mistake. Her Rukia is intelligent, practical, frustrated and frustrating, a little odd and an utter delight to read as she takes care of business, be that business hollows, school gossip, or a Ichigo who suddenly has *ideas*. Sheer brilliance.

I will warn you that the ending is not what I was hoping for (I'm a rabid romantic), but it's open enough that you can imagine what you want to happen next. Considering how utterly wonderful the rest of the story is, I'm not going to complain. Easily the best Bleach fic I've read to date.

Notes on a High School Scandal (ff.net)