Best Series Conclusions

Totally obvious choices for this category - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead. Mockingjay finishes the Hunger Games trilogy, and the end left me feeling like the story had been wrapped up in the best possible way, where everything wasn't princesses and fairy-tale castles and happily-ever-afters, but it was perfect for the story and the world and the characters. And then there's Vampire Academy's ending, Last Sacrifice. This was such a beautiful book, just as heartwrenching and funny and romantic and shocking as Mead's other books; it finished off the series beautifully. I love both of these series, and I feel like they definitely got the endings they deserved.

What are some of your favorite endings to series? And, speaking of endings, this finishes off my Best Reads of 2010 feature. Tomorrow, I'll just be posting a list of the books I'm looking forward to reading in 2011, and then saying goodbye to a great year :)

Best Couple

So, this category is not including any couple from a love triangle/square/etc. Therefore, I shall not pick Katniss and Peeta or Jace and Clary. But I have chosen a most worthy couple: Ethan and Lena from Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl! Let me just say, these two are amazing. Lena is beautiful, powerful, unstable, and lost. Ethan is the firm one, who stands by her no matter what happens and will always be there. They're like two pieces of a puzzle put together, and it's such a gorgeous relationship to watch unfold. They can really make it through anything from petty jealousy to death, and the strong love they have for each other is always evident.

 

 

 

Who are your favorite couples?

Best Love Triangles/Squares/Etc.

This was definitely a difficult one to choose, but we have: Will/Tessa/Jem/Sophie from Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare and Dimitri/Rose/Adrian from the Vampire Academy series. Both of these love triangles are so well-written that it is impossible to decide who to choose. In CA, Will is extremely hot, quite rude, snarky, and hiding a dark secret. Jem is sweet, goodhearted, wise, and dying. This results in me being Team Undecided Until Next Book. And of course, Jem could go with either Tessa or Sophie...In VA, Dimitri is strong, brave, and good. Adrian is funny, not always appropriate, and slightly crazy. Another undecided, because Dimitri and Adrian are both so darn amazing. The VA one has been resolved with Last Sacrifice coming out recently, but the CA one is still going strong!

What are your favorite love triangles/squares/etc.? And who do you choose out of them? Also, on a side note, I've been looking for good books with girl-boy-girl love triangles, where the boy has to choose from two girls, for a change. Any suggestions?

Best Male Characters

So, two winners in this category, although I would have dearly loved to have fifty or so. Jace from The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare, and Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird, take the honors here. Jace is someone who has stolen the hearts of readers everywhere, and it's not just because he's hot - it's because he is strong and sarcastic and vulnerable and brave and shows us that sometimes it's good to be an angst-ridden teenager. And then there's Atticus - someone who is gentlemanly and fierce and moral and brave and shows us love and hate and compassion and humor, who makes me think that he is the best role model anyone could ever have.

Who are your favorite male characters?

Best Female Characters

Whoops, sorry, seems I forgot to post this yesterday! Ah well, today you get best female and male characters. So, for this category we have Mae Crawford from Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon trilogy and Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. Mae and Rose are both totally kick-a**. Seriously. Mae leads an army to save her brother and her friends, manages a demon and a demon's brother, and is the most amazing sister ever. Rose beats people up, fights for the ones she loves, and delivers witty, sardonic one-liners to boot. Both of these are such amazing characters, stubbornly strong and hesitantly vulnerable and truly real.

Who are your favorite female characters in books?

Best Parody

Honestly, I don't read real, published parodies very often. But this year I read Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, and it was excellent. However, even better was the Harvard Lampoon's Nightlight, which was a parody of Twilight. Now, I am not a Twilight-hater. But this parody was just so side-splittingly hilarious and witty, so perfectly mocking and satirical, I couldn't help but think that it was infinitely more entertaining than the real Twilight. For anyone who loves or hates Twilight or even hasn't read it, this book is a must-read! Here's an example, from the back cover:

About three things I was absolutely certain.

First, Edwart was most likely my soul mate, maybe.

Second, there was a vampire part of him–which I assumed was wildly out of his control–that wanted me dead.

And third, I unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably wished he had kissed me.

What's your opinion of Twilight? About parodies in general?



Best LGBT Characters

Again, two series winners for this category: Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments  & The Infernal Devices and Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon (I would choose Dumbledore, but I've been reading about him for years). In TMI and TID, we have Magnus Bane, who is a glittery, wise, powerful, snarky, shimmery, powerful, bisexual warlock. I can't even describe the amazingness of Magnus - and then there's Alec, Magnus's shy, protective, gay, boyfriend, who is so adorable that I have a huge fictional-best-friend crush on him. Both of these characters are fantastic. And then there's Jamie from TDL trilogy - witty, nervous, hilarious, sweet, and gay. Jamie is just so much fun; I'd love to spend a day with him, just laughing anf joking and not engaging in any knife-throwing activity. All three of these characters represent diversity in the world, and I hope more LGBT characters will continue to make their appearance in books, especially YA lit.

Who are your favorite LGBT characters?

Most Thought-Provoking Reads

I have chosen two winners for this category: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Both of these are equally heart-wrenching and suspenseful, and both of them leave you lying awake for hours at night, pondering the stories and the worlds and the characters and impossible dilemmas that are presented. One is set in modern-day life, and the other is in a bleak future, but they are similar in this: they are unforgettable and haunting.



Have you read either of these? Did they haunt you like they did me? What did you think after reading them?

Most Unique Story World

This category has a clear winner - White Cat, by Holly Black. The world in this story is just something I've never heard of before - curse workers, who can subject you to bad dreams or broken bones with just a single touch. But they suffer 'blowback' every time they work, and what's more, curse working is illegal, so they're all criminals and the world wears gloves to guard against them. It's just such an intriguing, unique premise. Fantasy is meshed with the real world, and while this has been done many times before, the results here are gorgeous and dark and definitely unique.

Have you read White Cat? What do you think of the story world?

Best Classic (That I Read This Year)

This category is undoubtedly, irrevocably won by To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee). I only read it this year in my English class, and I deeply mourn the fact that I didn't read it sooner. This novel is one of those mind-blowing, sweet, subtle, strong narratives that leaves you with a new perception of the world, with a new understanding of yourself and of others. It is a beautiful, beautiful thing. In my opinion, it is definitely one that should be read by every person alive, and it is my clear choice for Best Classic.

Have you read To Kill A Mockingbird? If so, what did you think? And if not, will you read it in the future?

Best Reads of 2010

So, like most book review bloggers around this time of year, I have decided to post my favorite reads of 2010. I have 10 categories: Best Classic (that I read this year), Most Unique Story World, Most Thought-Provoking Reads, Best LGBT Characters, Best Parody, Best Female Main Characters, Best Male Main Characters, Best Love Triangles/Squares/Etc., Best Couples, and Best Series Conclusions. I shall post the winners of each of these categories, one category each day, beginning today. Keep in mind that these books are not all new releases that came out in 2010, they are simply books that I had not read before 2010. And, of course, please do comment and let me know what you think of each category's winner(s)!