Day 15 – Favorite male character

Of course, I have more than one (HELLO, don't you know me??)  However, like with the authors, I'll only write a little extra about one.  So, first: I mentioned Michael Moscovitz yesterday, and he's definitely one of them, because he's a real boy written like a real boy.  And he'll show you his Blueside.  My second one is the incomparable Boy With The Bread, Peeta Mellark.  Oh, my #PeetaPocket.

I'm not going to say anything about that except... I love tumblr.  (All credit to that goes to lilliansblog.)

Okay, for real now, here's my pick and why.

Cricket Bell from Lola & The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
*as imagined by Simini Blocker

I've never been one of those girls that goes for the bad boys (I did once, not quite realizing that he was one, and let's just say it didn't end well).  I never really wanted to date the boy you needed to change or fix.  Frankly, I'm awesome, and I should be treated awesome.  When I am treated awesome, I respond by treating you awesome in return.  Win-win, as they say.

HOWever, I've found that I'm the complete exception to this rule, and it was especially evident when I was a teenager.  While other girls at my school were going after jerky dudes who didn't even know they existed, I was always the one chasing after the musicians, the theater geeks, the smart guys... essentially, the nerdy guys.  And Cricket Bell is just about as nerdy as they come.  He is the epitome of all the things I love best about nerdy guys.  He's sweet and charming, he cares about people and isn't afraid to show it, he's awkward and tall and has crazy hair and... I just love him.

Cricket is sort of an anomaly in modern YA, where he's presented from the beginning as already in like with the main character, rather than assuming they don't like each other and will have tons of ridiculous conflict together over and over until finally he says, "Oh wait, this girl is kinda amazing, I should stop being mean to her."  And then the girl says, "Well, I know you've been mean to me for a long time, but I know it was really because you lurved me!"  (Yes, this is a GINORMOUS generalization, but whatever.)  Cricket's just like, "Yep.  Like you!  Let's go out!"  And when he finds out Lola has a boyfriend who's kind of a dillhole, he says that while he desperately wants to be with her, he'd rather she BE HAPPY and he will LET HER GO if the dillhole is really what she wants.  But he's also willing to fight for her, to wait for her to realize that he's the much, much, MUCH better choice.  He stands up for her, understands her, sees that she's not perfect in the larger sense of the word but that she just might be perfect for him.  Some argue that being sensitive isn't manly, but I disagree.  I know I always be saying this but to me, there's nothing more bad-ass than being yourself.  You don't have to punch some guy to prove that you're strong.

So when Cricket leaps back into the scene just in the nick of time, I'm basically just a big ball of swoony swoons until the very last page.

That's why I love this boy, because he understands what true love is.  It's wanting the one you love to be happy, regardless of your own happiness.  And that's why the sensitive/nerdy guys of the world- the Cricket Bells, the Peeta Mellarks, the Michael Moscovitzs, the The Hubs Jacks- will always have my heart.  I don't want to chase.  I want to be truly loved.  Thankfully, I am.

<3

Day 13 – Your favorite writer

I have many!  MANY.  Here they are.


EDIT 2020: I wrote this a very long time ago, and I don’t want to dirty delete. However, I would like to state that I no longer feel this way about Joanne Rowling. She is uninformed, hateful, and harmful. I support trans rights as human rights, because that’s exactly what they are. The art is separated from the artist for me, forever.
JK Rowling, aka The Queen
I love her so much, I often refer to her as Jo, since JK is her pen name. AND I'M A NUTCASE.

John Green
Love you too, buddy.  It's an honor and a privilege to have my heart broken by you.

Stephanie Perkins (image from her website stephanieperkins.com)
Girl is so talented, it physically hurts me but in that good way that inspires you and makes you feel all the emotions and I'm not crazy I swear.

But the winner winner chicken dinner is

Meg Cabot aka The Princess!!

I have been a Meg Cabot mega-fan for years, since The Boy Next Door, which is not YA.  I read all of Meg's adult books as fast as I could and as soon as they were released.  She is definitely one of my pre-order-without-question authors.  A few years ago, armed with a library card and a Paperback Swap account, I decided to read her most famous YA series, The Princess Diaries.  Just when I thought I couldn't love the woman any more than I already did... she went and created one of my favorite male characters in YA literature, Michael Moscovitz.

What I love about Meg Cabot's writing is that it's so down-to-Earth.  She writes in a very universal way, but it's still so good.  It's lyrical and sweet, hysterical and honest.  She does an amazing job establishing a voice for her characters, especially Mia (who I will rave about tomorrow!).  I love simple, attainable, delightful writing, and Meg writes just like that, every time.  I'm never disappointed.

Also, Ms. Cabot?  If I ever get the chance to meet you, I apologize in advance for the extreme amount of fangirling I will do.  Squealing, stuttering, telling an awkward story that has no relevance to the topic at hand- yeah, it's all happening.  Sorry, Meg.

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

I am, by nature, a repeater.  If I really like something, I want to experience it again and again.  A delicious meal, a fantastic movie, my new favorite song, a book written so well it makes my heart ache...  However, in the world of YA bloggers, I've found that I am somewhat of an anomaly.  Because we have reviews to write and followers to entertain, it tends to be a world of read, review, post, read, review, post, etc.  Before my reviewer days, though, I was quite the avid rereader.  My record, of course, was with the Harry Potter series, which I essentially read for seven years.  Whoa, hold on... I just blew my own mind by realizing that I stopped the constant rereading after I reached the most magical of numbers.

Remember that part in the last post about 30 days to make fun of myself?  Why don't I just show the book cover, eh?



Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I had been hearing all sorts of amazing things about this book for a while before I actually decided to believe the hype and read this.  I am so glad I did, because this book is one of my forever favorites, and I find I'm always telling people to read it.  Everyone should know Anna & everyone should know Étienne St. Clair.  On my very first read of Anna, the moment I reached the end, a heavy sadness spread over my heart.  I wasn't read to part with these characters.  So, I went back to the beginning and read it again.  And again.  By the time Stephanie released her second book last September (which I will be mentioning later in this Challenge), I'd read Anna no less than (again, magical!) 7 times.

I've already said this, but I think everyone should read this.  It's first love at its best.  Hilarious and sweet, agonizing and real.  Also, Paris.  Cinema.  Girl Scout cookies.  Macarons.  British accents.  French punk.  Canadian flags.  Anna confused.  And some of the most amazing words I've ever read.  These are just a few of the reasons I continue to come back to Anna and the French Kiss.

Who likes to win pretty books written by awesome ladies?

i need something good to happen to me after the weekend I've had (blog entry about that to come after i can process the thoughts that i'm thinking and the feelings that i'm feeling) so until then...

see those books up there?  they sure are pretty, aren't they?  i would like to read ALL OF THEM very much.  so... if you are like me and YOU would like to read them, click here and enter to WIN THEM before you can buy them.  while you wait, just keep looking at the pretty covers.

PRETTY COVERS.