Why You Should Read Fanfic + 6 Must-Reads

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What if Voldemort wins the Battle of Hogwarts? What if the books The Hunger Games and Harry Potter had a baby?

Okay, to be honest, I'm not creative enough to think up these what-ifs. But I have fallen victim to the reading slump that follows you after an intense read. I can't let go! I can't let go of the characters, of the story, of this being its finale. If this sounds like you, fanfiction is definitely up your alley. 

And best of all? It’s free.

Who's writing these stories? Fans, of course! And if you know where to look, you could find your favorite reads of all time in the corners of AO3, the fanfiction archival site.

Imagine The Handmaid’s Tale but in the wizarding world. After Voldemort wins the war, Harry is dead, and Hermione becomes a pawn in a brutal regime. With her memories suppressed, she’s thrust into a dystopian nightmare under the control of the High Reeve, Draco Malfoy. 

This fanfic is a story of survival, devastating, haunting, and so unforgettable you'll forget it isn't canon. Dark, haunting, and heartbreakingly brilliant, SenLinYu hasn't just written fanfic. This experience is a work of art.

To download Manacled to your e-reader:

• Hit the fan art cover photo above
• Locate the "download options" menu and select the e-pub option.
• Once downloaded, locate the file and share to your e-reader (Kindle, Kobo, Boox, etc.)
• Be sure to join the 136,000 Goodreads reviews! It's currently the highest rated Harry Potter fanfic!

You didn't think I would just leave you with only Manacled, did you?!

• Secrets and Masks by EmeraldSlytherin
• The Auction by Lovebitca8
• Draco and the Mortifying Ordeal of Falling in Love by Bridgette Knightly

Crimson Rivers by bizarrestars is a wildly popular Hunger Games Alternate Universe fanfiction that collides two fandoms: The Wizarding World and Panem. In this heart-wrenching reimagining, Regulus Black is reaped for the Games, and James Potter becomes his mentor, determined to keep him alive at all costs. What follows is a brutal dance of strategy, survival, and forbidden love, as the story digs deep into themes of sacrifice, grief, and the corrupt machinery of a dystopian government. 

Warning: Stock up on tissues. I'm not sure anything can devastate you more than this brilliant masterpiece!

To download Crimson Rivers to your e-reader:

• Hit the fan art cover photo above
• Locate the "download button", making sure it is the e-pub version.
• Once downloaded, locate the file and share to your e-reader (Kindle, Kobo, Boox, etc.)
• Be sure to join the add to the 4.78 stars to this fanfic over on Goodreads! 

Spoiler: This fanfic will ruin you in the best way.

Rivalry is hot. But rivalry on ice? That’s a whole new level of obsession. Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches takes competitive figure skating and turns it into a tension-filled, years-long slow burn that will have you screaming, crying, and maybe Googling “can love be this dramatic?”

This is enemies-to-lovers energy at its sharpest—two men circling each other on the rink, blades sparking, hearts catching fire. If you think you’re ready for a fanfic filled with angst, the obsession, the longing… spoiler: you’re not.

To download Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches to your e-reader:

• Hit the fan art cover photo above
• Locate the "download button", making sure to select the e-pub option.
• Once downloaded, locate the file and share to your e-reader (Kindle, Kobo, Boox, etc.)
• Be sure to add to the 4.5 stars on this fanfic over on Goodreads! 

Because sometimes the canon ending isn’t enough. Sometimes the characters deserve more—and so do we. Fanfic is where those stories live. And if you think this is just about smut, think again. It’s about closure, alternate timelines, and the creativity of fandoms who refuse to let stories die.

Fire up AO3, grab your Kindle, and prepare to lose sleep. Fanfics are the plot twists you didn’t know you needed. Let's go!

Oh, hey buddy! Whatcha doing all the way down here?

You’ve officially earned a fun fact for reading this entire article: Did you know that “Voldemort” literally means “flight of death” in French? Creepy, right? Well, now ya do.

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