TME: Side Stories

TME has a lot of side stories, and yes, I’m aware they vary greatly in length. Some of the shorter ones are from earlier and the longer ones from later, but these stories were also intended to introduce certain characters or species, and some of them just didn’t need as much time to introduce properly.

Side Story Reading Guide

Disclaimer: please remember that none of the side stories are required reading.  However, some of them are strongly encouraged because they affect characters in TME or the side story is used to introduce characters that will then appear regularly in TME.

I’ve included a list of the stories, in order of when they were originally published, indicating the main species involved, what the makeup of the relationship is (if any), and when it should be read, as well as any potential warnings that people may want to know prior to reading or when deciding whether or not to read the story.

Ashes

·         Phoenix x ghost

·         Female x female

·         Story can be read at any point in time, but should ideally be read before Hunted and before TME Volume 3, Chapter 8.

Fade

·         Elf

·         No romance

·         Story can be read at any point in time, but ideally before TME Volume 2, Chapter 30.

Butterfly

·         Techno vampire

·         No romance, but MC befriends Sorrel

·         Not a happy ending

·         Story should ideally be read before TME Volume 1, Chapter 27.  Story is recommended reading.  It explains techno vampires, how they work, and their genetic disease, which is a significant plotline in TME Volume 3.

Submerged

·         Oceanid MC

·         Poly relationship (complicated because oceanid, but can basically be male x male, female x male, or female x female)

·         Demiromantic character

·         Story can be read at any point in time, but ideally should be read before Family and TME Volume 3.

Sunflowers

·         Fairy x fairy

·         Male x female

·         Story should probably be read around/prior to TME Volume 1, Chapter 25.  Story introduces Honey’s boyfriend and shows his side of their initial interactions.  It is recommended reading to understand Kade before we are able to spend more time with him in Volume 3.

Seafoam

·         Oceanid x human2

·         Poly relationship.  Relationship involves one person with two boyfriends.  Male x male or male x female.

·         Story should ideally be read before TME Volume 2, Chapter 8 or 9.  Story should also ideally be read prior to Soulmate.

Predator

·         Shifter x shifter

·         Male x male

·         Ace character

·         Story involves mention of domestic abuse/violence

·         Story should be read prior to TME Volume 2, Chapter 2.  Story introduces a reoccurring character in TME who significantly impacts Riven, so this story is highly recommended reading.

Soulmate

·         Fairy x Vist/unicorn hybrid

·         Male x male

·         Story is an AU version of Riven and Ren meeting as teens, from Ren’s perspective.

·         Story can be read whenever, but ideally not before TME Volume 1, Chapters 32-34, due to spoilers.

Pandemonium

·         Demon x angel

·         Male x male

·         Story should be read prior to Purr.  It occurs largely between TME Volume 2, Chapters 2-10, and will explain some references made in those chapters to characters in this story.

Hunted

·         Human x alchemist

·         Male x female

·         Relationship can be viewed as more ace/platonic

·         Includes vigilantism

·         Story should ideally be read before TME Volume 3, Chapter 8.

Blank

·         Familiar x fairy

·         Female x male

·         Story largely occurs between TME Volume 2, Chapters 20-27.  Story overlaps significantly during those chapters and does include spoilers to TME.  Story is recommended reading and introduces Sorrel’s girlfriend.

Purr

·         Shifter x angel

·         Male x male

·         Involves depression/loneliness and an instance of suicidal thoughts/actions

·         Story should ideally be read after Pandemonium and before TME Volume 2, Chapter 30.  Story characters which will appear recurrently in TME and is recommended reading.

Escape

·         Shifter, but otherwise fairy x human

·         No romance for MC, but female x female for other characters

·         Story should ideally be read before TME Volume 3, Chapter 6.  Characters do occasionally appear again in TME.

Family

·         Dragon x unicorn

·         Male x female

·         Story should ideally be read after TME Volume 2, Chapter 18 but prior to Volume 3, Chapter 7.  Characters will reappear semi-regularly in Volume 3, so reading is recommended.

Reunion

·         Naga x pegasus

·         Male x male

·         Story can be read at any point in time.  While it might be ideal to read after TME Volume 1, Chapter 18 and prior to Volume 3, Chapter 24, but it is not particularly important to do so.

Storm

·         Dragon

·         No romance

·         Story can be read at any point in time, but should ideally be read prior to TME Volume 4, Chapter 33.

Mirrored

·         Fairy x chimera

·         Poly (complicated poly), male x male and female x male

·         Story should be read after TME Volume 2 but ideally prior to TME Volume 4.