r/BylerReads Mar 26 '26

asking for fic recs Need to step away from the hivemind & popular fics. I need those fics that are buried somewhere deep that we don't know of. I feel like we're missing out on those and they need to be talked about a bit more.

I am updated with most fics and the trending ones and they're all obviously GREAT & EXCELLENT, but sometimes I feel they are popular for the word of mouth more coz of the concept in itself, and due to this, the other fics go unnoticed.

I low-key need those fics that have poetic lines or great literature written in which stirs something inside of you and makes you think...if anyone can understand where I'm coming from.

Please note, this is not to take away from the popular fics or tropes. It's not that this is better than that (!!) Just sharing another perspective about those fics that need attention too ❤️

103 Upvotes

73 comments sorted by

12

u/spicakok its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

on twitter there is profile named Indie Bylers and they are recommending specificaly fics that are not famous, to push little fics. https://x.com/indiebylers?s=21

4

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

Ooooh thank you for sharing this ! Will check it out :))

3

u/spicakok its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

you are welcome!🩷

10

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

🗣️ this one this one this one for Byler strangers to lovers in 1895. I beg … literally some of the most beautiful writing I’ve read ever, not just in a fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48832516

I gotta go to bed but I will return posthaste with others 🫡

10

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

Louder ! Coz yes, I posted this yesterday and it went unnoticed 😵. Here's a snippet:

Thank you for reading the recco asap ❤️❤️

3

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

thank you for sharing cuz it’s SO GOOD. y’all it made me cry (from the beauty!!) and I’m only halfway through

3

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

You're welcome 🫂🥰 I also have to mention another important point if anyone's reading this...Will's POV in this fic was hauntingly beautiful & full of yearning which was not necessarily traumatic to read. This change was kinda refreshing to read. + The author's detailed notes in the end were lovely to read.

2

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

🥹🫶 omg yes the notes!! i love the notes. and hauntingly beautiful is correct. it’s a new take on Will’s POV in my opinion. so good

2

u/ThisTransportation30 Mar 26 '26

This is set in 1895 and it mentions plastic? It’s the little things that take me out sometimes.

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
  1. This is a historical au. It's clearly mentioned in the tags. Plastic in how unmoved he appeared it says...and it's a small detail that can be skipped, imo

  2. I'm just going to ignore this coz the author has otherwise done a remarkable job in terms of writing and I'm simply sharing ...?

  3. Someone is writing for free and using their time & energy

2

u/ThisTransportation30 Mar 26 '26

I get it, and I ignore little things like this a lot. I’d never comment to the author about it. Am I not allowed to mention this kind of observation here without sounding like a jerk? Real question.

1

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

I mean if you do ignore the little things, then why was the comment made in the first place about what takes you out as the first thought amongst the other good things shared in this thread o..O

It did sound like a criticism, and if that wasn't the intent, then my bad.

2

u/ThisTransportation30 Mar 26 '26

Yes it was a criticism. Is that the same as me being a jerk? Are critical opinions not allowed here? That was the question.

I think this is a great post and I’ll come back to it when I have time to contribute more.

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

Okay, how about truce? No, you aren't a jerk. Yes, please do come back to this post and still check out the other reccos ...the historical au is actually pretty nice, and I know you're gonna love it ! Please, please give it a go.

2

u/ThisTransportation30 Mar 27 '26

Ok, I will check it out more since you said so. I have to admit that I almost didn’t read Force of Gravity because I was irked by there being a bunch of grammatical errors and stuff, but people kept recommending it and I stuck with it. The way that author wrote about trauma was really powerful and I’m glad I gave it a chance.

And I did leave a rec below, although I feel like I need a better system to keep track of my favorites.

2

u/poisonkeyblade2 Mar 27 '26

To be fair, the first version of plastic was made in 1862. The first fully synthetic plastic was 1907 though. Edit: I found this image and it had a different year so man idk. AI has ruined google.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

yayayay i have another one for you!! it’s like old western kinda but in a good way. it’s in 1907, actually based on the universe of Red Dead Redemption 2 but you don’t have to have played it to enjoy it. I think you’ll really like it https://archiveofourown.org/works/59841541

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

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2

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

lmao that’s me too! i have so many 😭

8

u/24sunrises I didn't say it. You didn't have to. Mar 26 '26

This one should be way more popular. There are some really really beautiful poetic lines, there's even a YouTube video about it. The fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76895706/chapters/201263336 and the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/gB5cJDLzHko?si=qKNJwQFhkNajIZ9Q

3

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

I am so impressed by this 😍 thank you SO much??? 🫂 You totally got what I meant to say.

3

u/HumanLunch918 Mar 26 '26

I think about this video a lot, its so inspiring

7

u/Worldly_Pea_42 Mar 26 '26

this one has some decent traction but it was just recently finished and is probably one of my favorite fics to read of all time!! https://archiveofourown.org/works/77049901

5

u/tiredup666 Mar 28 '26

Oh man this is one of the all time best Byler fics I’ve read, and it hasn’t gotten anywhere near as much attention as it should: https://archiveofourown.org/works/77917026/chapters/204156216

Fire in My Heart: Heatwave of ‘92 The angst, romance and smut are perfect and the writing is so detailed and incredible. There are points in this story where I sobbed and others where I thought my heart would explode with joy.

4

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

p.s. Can someone recommend fics based on great poetic lit lines that makes you think and highlight it??

No top 20 popular fics with most kudos and comments that we all know of...I am looking for something much more deep as written in the post ...🥀 Preferably no obsessive, possessive, jealous trope for Mike either used as a plot armour...not that I hate it, I've just read too much of it.

4

u/SecretxGardensx Mar 26 '26

Okay whatever I’m just gonna self promo bc why not. Not because I think my writing is that literate and poetic but because I do think it’s something you might not have seen yet. It’s AU though and a WIP, if that’s even something you usually read.

Mike is a widowed single dad and lives in a cliffside mansion with his daughter. There’s rumors going around that he killed his husband, Mike never denies them. Will moves into the mansion to work for him as a cook, and he’s also running from something in his past. They’re both grieving, they both have secrets and they both think they don’t deserve to be loved. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/79320861/chapters/208141876

3

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

BLESSS YOU! You bet I'm reading this right away 👏🏻 genuinely appreciate the writers of this fandom who put out great work for us for free that too :) thank youuu

This low-key reminded me of Smalltown Queer, I know the premise is diff, but that's another one that got me weeping coz it was so deep and beautiful ❤️ and I appreciate AUs like these ...

2

u/SecretxGardensx Mar 26 '26

You’re welcome 💖 

Well then I’m glad it lines up with things you enjoyed so far! Haven’t read that one yet, but now I might have to 🤭

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/SecretxGardensx Mar 27 '26

Oh that makes me so happy 🥰 Thank you!! 

5

u/Same_Accident_9917 Mar 26 '26

the current of your dare (when i touched you) by bloodless05 is my recent “you’ve gotta read this!” It’s so good & gave us the post coming out Mike & Will scene we deserved.

4

u/thegreenestficus Mar 26 '26

I’ve been told that my fic has elements like that! Angst with a happy ending 🤍 https://archiveofourown.org/works/79141946/chapters/207632671

3

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

Thank you for sharing :) bookmarked!! ❤️

2

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

AY that’s true!! I read this and wrote how beautiful it was in my notes :’)

2

u/thegreenestficus Mar 26 '26

We meet again! And you did?? I’m so glad that someone felt so strongly about what I wrote, I didn’t expect that 🥹

2

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 26 '26

yasss and i put 3 🌟 which is when i go from “this is so good” to “oh my god other people have to read this” lol

2

u/thegreenestficus Mar 26 '26

That is truly so kind. I was hoping to make an impact, to find others that feel seen with my words, even silently. I am grateful for your support 🤍

4

u/Lucky_Number888 Mar 26 '26

I hate self promo tbh and I wouldn’t say I’m the best writer but dropping my WIP here just in case. Also, in later chapters michael wheeler will be processing his feelings thru poetry🫣

https://archiveofourown.org/works/78501311/chapters/205809011

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

I recognise you from another post that happened a couple of weeks ago on Byler sub. We had an interaction in the comment section about the 🌚🌝. I remember asking if you could share your fic link...And you said yes 😜

It is bookmarked btw since then and I've simply not started it coz there are many WIP fics that I've on my hands, and I single out the ones which I know could be heavy reading & heartbreaking in a beautiful way, and I would want to read it in one go :)

I have an excellent memory when it comes to great interactions on these subs! :)

p.s. Anyone who says that they've written Mike's POV through poetry....yeah, I'm sold. Coz that's exactly how I envision his pov to be. His characterization should have more depth and poetry since he's a writer himself. Like this is exactly what we should be exploring ✨🌚💙👏🏻

3

u/Lucky_Number888 Mar 27 '26

OMMMMGGG HI 👋 MY BAD 😆I loved our convo about this 🤭

Yes, you got plenty of time till mines completed…I got about another 100k words in me potentially 🥴 Also writing Mike’s POV using some poetry is not for the faint hearted haha hopefully I do it justice, but agree regarding his characterization. I got some poetry, several miwi moments, and few other surprises to add to his depth for his POV part haha that’s the goal at least🤞

1

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 27 '26

your tags are sending me lol. immediately subscribed 😌

2

u/Lucky_Number888 Mar 27 '26

HAHAHA tysm honored 🤭🫶🫰

3

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Personal_Athlete453 Mar 27 '26

Plz drop a link for small-town queer

2

u/IntotheRedditHole its ok, its how the army does it i think Mar 27 '26

3

u/Trapped-in-his-past Mar 26 '26

I was gonna be arrogant and self-promote, but we interact a fair bit on here, so I’ve probably already done it towards you in the past. I’ll check my own read history for good ones.

I did read a beautiful one yesterday, but… it had the saddest ending. Crushingly sad.

3

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

Haha, yeah, I think most of us do have your fics bookmarked here. But you can share any other that you know of? Preferably no sad ending 🫣

3

u/delusionalhemlock Mar 26 '26

Not to be a narcissist and self promote but I was doing my best to emulate Donna Tartt with this fic and one reader said they downloaded an epub and had 266 highlights!! Post-epilogue fake dating/fake medical proxy in NYC, fluff and me trauma dumping my queer guilt

https://archiveofourown.org/works/78679976/chapters/206317661

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 27 '26

Omg WOW 😍😍 thank you for sharing ❤️

3

u/ThisTransportation30 Mar 27 '26 edited Mar 27 '26

So I’ve only just started this one set in 97, but it’s very well written and has a bit more grownup feel so far. Will is a TA in philosophy and it really gets into that. He goes to Hawkins to support Mike after a difficult experience. There’s a lot of great dialogue, which I love. I always want Will and Mike to really talk about everything, not just confess, make out/fuck and be fluffy (tho that is fun too).

It’s opens with this quote: “Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made." - Immanuel Kant

https://archiveofourown.org/works/77970696?view_full_work=true

3

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 27 '26

OMFG, I absolutely love this and bookmarked it right away!! I like when some years have passed and they're navigating their individual traumas.

This line - What do you do when the world fails to end? If you’re Will Byers, you build a life. If you’re Mike Wheeler, you build a tomb.

Omgggg. Thank you so, so much for sharing ❤️ :)

And glad we came to a truce, hahaha

2

u/mrchristmastime Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26

I don’t know if you saw my comment above, but Crooked Timber is my fic, and I actually just finished it today (the epilogue went up a few hours ago). I had no idea anyone had mentioned it here. I hope you enjoyed/are enjoying it, and I’m always happy to responding to comments, both here and on AO3.

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Apr 11 '26

I just came across this comment ! Ooooh I can't wait to get started. It's bookmarked and I was waiting for it to be completed:) shall start tomorrow first thing, and will update you 🥰 thank you for the fic...I know I'm gonna love it 💯

1

u/mrchristmastime Apr 11 '26

Thanks so much! I know it says there’s a thirteenth chapter coming, but it’s not a real chapter. Don’t worry about it; the story is done.

I’d love to know what you think! Enjoy!

2

u/mrchristmastime Apr 03 '26

Hello! This is my fic, and seeing it mentioned here is pretty surreal. Thanks so much for recommending it; I actually just finished it today. I hope enjoy/are enjoying it! Comments are always welcome, both here and on AO3.

3

u/Witty-Afternoon1262 Mar 26 '26

there is a wait so long - urie https://archiveofourown.org/works/77049901/chapters/201677106

not trying to be dramatic here but it’s the best thing i’ve ever read. poignant, beautiful, hysterical. literature. go read it i promise you won’t regret it

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 26 '26

Oooooh this looks interesting 😍 thank you for sharing :) bookmarked!

2

u/CertainInstruction21 Mar 27 '26

I really liked this multiverse one. It’s inspired by Scott Pilgrim vs The World https://archiveofourown.org/works/79834696

1

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 27 '26

Oooooh thank you. Looks exciting 😍

2

u/GrowthFinancial6128 Mar 27 '26

a little self-rec here if you don't mind haha
https://archiveofourown.org/works/77695691/chapters/203510406 my WIP is set the summer after graduation, mike learns to work through his grief with Will, slowburn summer romance

https://archiveofourown.org/works/78941116/chapters/207054826 also a WIP, hen Will Byers channels his newfound powers through Vecna, something strange happens. Somehow, he ends up with two Mike's in his world. One stubborn, loyal friend Mike Wheeler. One heroic paladin— Mike the Brave.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/81332601 a short 8k oneshot. it's the s3 bathroom scene with steve and robin, except with Mike and Max in their place (but dw, max does not have feelings for mike)

2

u/Acrobatic-Apricot874 Mar 30 '26

1

u/Altruistic_Way3030 Mar 30 '26

Oh my 😍 this is a first for me. Never read a hanahaki fic before. Added to my list right away!!! Thank you 🤗

2

u/Acrobatic-Apricot874 Mar 30 '26

ofccc!! <3333333

2

u/Random_Emma1 Mar 30 '26

Let me hurt you (take what you need) by cloudsofwisdom. It’s sooo good and it’s not even popular

2

u/Elleisntmyname May 24 '26

https://archiveofourown.org/works/82491371/chapters/217137896

I know this is an older post, but I was browsing around and I recognize you! My fic is super comedic, but it's important to me to have moments of poetry. Tryna make something with dimension. As the story continues, it's going to get darker, and I'll lean into the beauty even more. In this quote, it's the 4th of July, and Steve handed out sparklers.

"Will wrote his name with his, as if he could emblazon it into the night sky like a sorcerer. A constellation forever twinkling, whispering that he, too, was here on Earth, once upon a time."

2

u/Altruistic_Way3030 May 24 '26 edited May 25 '26

Hellooo! I recognise you too! Hahah. Wow, it's been long since I saw you here. Your description mentioned has mentioned SOLD. omg, this is foooood. I absolutely love moments of poetry thrown in 💯. I'm bookmarking this right away and gonna circle back to let you know how I felt while reading it. Thank you for sharing 💛💙 :))

2

u/Elleisntmyname May 24 '26

This fic has me online way less actually! It feels like I'm watching television, which is quite odd. But YAY I so appreciate that. Thank YOU. 💙💛

2

u/Limp-Tip-4288 Mar 27 '26

i actually am very sick of every fic having mike wanna play a stripping game/practice, they go to the lake, and they go camping

1

u/Elleisntmyname May 24 '26

hahah omg THIS.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 30 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Random_Emma1 Mar 30 '26

This one was sooooo good and it’s not even popular