The only real criterion for this list is this: everything here is something I can rec verbally without having to go look up details of title and author. Of course, this list is missing tons of stories, but some sites are gone and some sites have moved and if I couldn't find a link easily, it didn't make the list. I'm lazy as shit, I think this has already been established.

Also, you'll probably find that there's not much angst on this list. I have to be in a specific and rather rare mood to read hurt-fic that doesn't have a healthy dose of comfort at the end, and this list is an always-readable kind of dealie.

In no particular order, and really mostly for my own reading convenience.

*** Jae

Deadly
Seven deadly sins, and Lance commits all of them. Mostly when driven to them by Justin. A clever, clever, brilliantly framed look at a relationship between the lambs, and it feels entirely real. (Justin/Lance)

Coldhearted
Click through for one of the best *N Sync/Backstreet crossovers out there. Funny, biting, with Chris and Lance characterizations that knock my socks off. (multiple)

Celebrity
I love Joey in this, and I adore JC. The Joey POV here is so crisp and strong and true that it almost makes you cry. (Joey/Justin)

Georgina

Ripple
Georgina is a master of the JuNi, now and forever, and this story is a compelling argument for why. There's Justin, there's Nick, and they're not the only things in each others' lives, but the ripples are starting to bring them closer. SO good. (Justin/Nick)

Fumble
Baby JuNi, from the era of the great crossover basketball game. This Justin is absolutely adorable, and Nick's not so bad himself. (Justin/Nick)

Alpha
Contains possibly THE hottest kissing-in-an-alley scene ever written. The story that converted me to the JuNi love. Read the sequel, "Tendre," too. (Justin/Nick, Justin/Joey)

CJ

Orange Juice, Waffles and Two Strips of Bacon
Chris is telling a story, dammit, and he wishes Lance would stop interrupting! I adore this pairing, and this story is simply fantastic. (Chris/Nick)

Four Nights in Amsterdam
There are a lot of stories about *N Sync bonding through hardships in europe, and far fewer about the BSB. This is a story that makes me think twice about wanting to be a rock star, and yet deeply envy the bond that these five guys so clearly have. (no pairing)

Black Wren Road
I was fortunate enough to get to peek at this as it was being written, and I'm afraid I might possibly have harrassed poor CJ to write "more, faster, nownownow!!" *ahem* It's an AU, and there's a mystery, and telling any more would be spoiling. (Chris/Joey)

Torch

The Legendary Grapefruit Gurus of Southern California
I've read this story so many times that lines and phrases from it have crept into my daily vocabulary. Pure delight, every single word and every single character. Her Chris, especially, just rings true.(JC/Chris)

Jailbait Street
I'll be honest, I don't read much JC/Justin, but this is still one of my favorite stories in the entire fandom. Torch writes a Justin that I utterly adore, and never better than right here. (JC/Justin)

The Abdul Theory
What I said before about JC/Justin? Yeah, that applies here too. *SO GOOD*. I can't get enough of Torch's characterizations: *these* are the boys that I wish I knew. (JC/Justin, Chris/Lance)

Merry

Wolves and Boybands Mate for Life
Absolutely brilliant take on courtship and mating rituals in *N Sync. *grin* I didn't stop smiling the whole time, all 300 times I've read this story. It's a gay alien soap opera! (Chris/JC)

Runaways
One of those stories that you read, and it rings like a bell in your mind, and you sit back satisified and think "oh, YEAH." Chris might be a little confused, but Lance knows exactly what's going on, and they end up in the same place. Just fantastic. (Chris/Lance)

Nobody's Birthday
Four seasons in a year, and love can grow so slowly and naturally that you barely notice it blooming. Gorgeous. (JC/Joey)

Synchronik

This Side Of The Pecos
I come back and reread this one every once in a while, and every time I remember why it makes me feel so damn warm and fuzzy inside. JC turned blindingly hot on me, too, all unexpected-like, and here, everyone wants him. And who can blame them? (Joey/Justin, Chris/Lance)

Matter and Antimatter
Justin suddenly wakes up to the fact that Lance is having sex, and this is the result. And then, the view from the other side of the table. Oh, the lovely Lambs! (Justin/Lance)

On The Bus
Just keep clicking "next." Some of the first fiction I ever read in the pop fandom, and still one of the best. (all pairings)

Betty Plotnick

Be Your Own Best Friend
This is long and rich and delicious, every word. Any relationship as close as the one these guys have is bound to be complex and layered and unsimple, and no one gets inside that like Betty. (Chris/Lance)

The Night Before The Morning After
I can't really find words for this one. It's creative in format and brilliant in execution and blindingly hot in the details. One of those stories I wish I'd written myself. (Nick/Lance)

Lise

Sleep To Dream
So fucking creepy and cool and twisted and amazing. I love the whole premise, and she writes it beautifully. (Justin, Justin/Lance)

Flesh Mechanic (with kel)
It's not an AU, but it's twisted just a little off center. Just enough to make things mad. Very disturbing, extraordinarily brilliant. (Justin)

Jawamonkey

Nerfherder
Possibly the definitive JoeC story for me. So perfect it hurts. (Joey/JC)

Damn, Baby
Cheating, because it's my birthday present, but dear GOD with the hot and the sweet and the amazing. Justin has Joey for certain essential and very specific things, and the whole structure of this story is simply lovely. Every time I hear this song I think of this story. (Joey/Justin)

Beer Pong
*hysterical giggling* (Joey/Justin)

Sandy Keene

Western Union Desperate
One of their shorter stories, but it breaks my heart and puts it back together, and phrases from this resonate in my ears for days. (Joey/JC)

The Wrong Band
This is just the coolest idea. Justin's run away from the Backstreet Boys, and he's not going back no matter what. Great, great AU, with marvelous characterizations. (Lance/Justin, Joey/JC)

Out and About
Any time I hear the words "MTV Cribs" I have to automatically add "I'm very excited" at the end. That's how many times I've read this one. Justin and Lance come out, and they're only lying about being in love. One of my favorite Lambs stories ever written. (Justin/Lance)

Rhys

If All Else Fails
Sometimes, it's not as easy as we all hope it might be, and here, Joey and Chris have to fight through a lot to get where they need to be. Great characterizations, great storytelling, and Rhys's signature killer dialogue. (Chris/Joey)

Mental Boy
One of my favorite stories ever, ever, ever. JC's not really as crazy as everyone thinks, but he's definitely a little odd. Amazing POV, and beautifully written. (JC/Joey)

Two Straight Guys In Wisconsin: The Amazing Adventures of Chris and His Cock
Long and luxuriantly detailed and so much fun I always smile my way through it. One of the great things about Rhys is that she writes all five of the guys so well, and all five get loving attention in her stories, no matter the pairing. This story is wonderful. (Chris/Lance)

Stubbleglitter

A Person of Simple Tastes
JC works his way through the band. It could be silly, it could be fluff, but it's not; instead it's sharp and funny and occasionally edged and perfect. (JC/all)

Giddy

Spectacle
Pants! Justin almost fell to his death! *Pet collapses laughing* Chris wakes up buck-naked and deep in denial. It's great! (Chris/Lance)
Childish
This has some fantastic snappy dialogue, sweetness, snark, wrestling, and a barbecue. And there's something weird in Justin's pool. A wonderful, sexy, funny look at an afternoon at home with the guys. (Chris/Lance, Justin/JC)

Lily

undone
Fantasy AUs, when done right, might just be my favorite genre of fanfiction ever. This one is about as close to perfect as it gets. (Chris/JC)

Lennie

Buying a Clue
Is there anything better than the Arch-villain Crumpet and his trophy mistress Sweetpea? If there is, I haven't found it yet. One of the funniest stories I've ever read. And it has a SEQUEL! Yum! (Justin/Lance)
The Homoerotic Adventures of Agent 005
Little. Not entirely slashy. But has Justin pointing out Lance's inner JC, which is just....yeah. Puts a smile on my face every time. (Lance/Justinish)

Zoicite

Punctae
Kevin is just waiting for it all to end, and your heart just can't stop aching for him. Marvelous Nicky and others, too. (Kevin/Nick)

Head Over Feet
Lance doesn't do boyfriends, and Nick doesn't do one night stands. Clever and pointed and with great and consistent characterizations, and fantastic dialogue. (Lance/Nick).

Velma

Calling
Nick and Chris and Chris has more issues than Time Magazine, but Nick's got him figured out. One of my favorite crossover pairings, and a delight. (Nick/Chris)

The One Where Chris Sucks
Velma's got one of the best and most consistent Chris voices out there. Chris *does* suck in this one, but it's okay, because he's cute enough to get away with it. *grin* (Chris/Howie)

Xoverau

Just To Surrender
Telepathy fic, done so very well. You can almost feel Chris's pain, and it's long and detailed and beautiful. (Chris/Justinish, group)

Kate and Mere

Antarctica
Gay penguins bumping tummies! And the story is full of peril! HEE! (um. Joeypenguin/Justinpenguin, Chrispenguin/JCpenguin)

Cliokat

The Creative Visualization Cookbook
This is a Justin I believe in, and have complete affection for (the two don't often coincide, when it comes to fic characterizations). He's focused and earnest and the use of media here adds something special to this story. (Justin/Chris)

Your Name On My Cereal Box (with kel)
From Trace Ayala's POV, and absolutely fascinating, riveting, addictive. I didn't want it to end. (Justin/Trace)

Julad

Beauty's Gentle Pleasures
I find myself having to consciously avoid mimicking this story all the time, and thinking of it every time I get my eyebrows waxed. It's one of those things, man. (Joey/Lance)

Fragile
Chris tries EVERYTHING, but Lance is worried that he might be bad in bed. Gorgeous! (Chris/Lance)

Calico

Relief
Group slutfic at its hottest, finest, most wonderfullest. There's a bet and there's a lot of money at stake and ultimately, everyone's just plain desperate. (GSF)

Toasted
How is bad sex like toast? This is how. *grin* Very, very hot. (Chris/Justin)