Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Match 24: Peeta (6) vs. Daemon (11) goes to DAEMON!

AND THE WINNER IS.... DAEMON!!!


Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's YA Crush Tourney 2.0! We hope that through this all you will meet a lot of book loving people, discover new books, and of course be introduced to many more dreamy crushes!

Be aware that we have tried to keep all the posts pretty general, but there might still be some spoilers. If the spoiler is big, it will be marked. However, still proceed with caution!

Matches will run for 24 hours, 12am to 12am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For more information please check out our Tournament Page.

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Hey guys!
My name is Brenna and I'm the blogger behind Esther's Ever After. I am absolutely THRILLED to be the #TeamPeeta advocate for this year's YA Crush Tournament!

Peeta is one of my absolute favourite YA boys out there, and I love spreading the love for the boy with the bread.

Tell us about your crush's...

Personality:
One of the things I love about Peeta is that he's one of the first "nice guys" in  YA who proves that they don't ALWAYS finish last (and can be just as popular as their bad boy counterparts)!

Peeta's thoughtful and caring- he can recognize when someone in need needs his help and he isn't afraid to stand up and do something about it. Even if it means some personal sacrifice on his part. Not only that but he's extremely brave, and often does put himself in harms way to help others, especially Katniss.

But one of my favourite aspects of Peeta's personality is that he's clever, as well. Rather than trying to use sheer force and strength to win the Games, he strategizes in order to come up with a plan (*minor spoiler for the first book: which will hopefully guarantee that Katniss wins, even if he doesn't). *SPOILER* And he's able to use his cake frosting skills to help camoflauge himself and keep himself alive, proving that not only is he physically strong (as Katniss explains, he does work at a bakery and pull around bags of flour) but intelligent and capable too.

Looks:
When Peeta's name is called as a tribute during the Reaping in District 12, Katniss describes him as "medium height, stocky build, ashy blonde hair that falls in waves over his forehead." She also mentions he has blue eyes.

And we all know that because he's hauling around these flour bags all day, that he's got to have nice arms. I mean, REALLY nice arms. *sa-woon*



Talents:
His cake frosting skills and their relation to his ability to use camoflauge (*minor spoiler* during the games) have already been mentioned but that's HUGE - it proves that the games are about much more than skill with a bow and arrow or outright killing.

And Katniss also mentions to him during training for the Games that he's strong because she's seen him throw around bags of flour while working at the bakery.

Peeta is also charming - and I decided to mention that as a talent rather than a personality, because it seems to be something he's able to turn off and on at will. And it's a tool he uses to his advantage during the games, trying to win viewers over so he can hopefully gain some sponsors. During preparation for the Games, while Katniss has problems adjusting to the idea of putting on a show for people, it's Peeta who is able to perform for others by waving and smiling at those around him.

And during Catching Fire is when we REALLY see him put on a show:

*SPOILER* “But I have to confess, I'm glad you two had at least a few months of happiness together."
I'm not glad," says Peeta. "I wish we had waited until the whole thing was done officially."
This takes even Caesar aback. "Surely even a brief time is better than no time?"
Maybe I'd think that, too, Caesar," says Peeta bitterly, "If it weren't for the baby.” (Catching Fire)


Special Attributes/Best Qualities:
We know that Peeta is willing to risk his life to save others- and that he's brave, putting himself in dangerous positions just to help them. And we know that he has certain talents that helpl him during the Games.

But one of the most overlooked qualities of his that isn't mentioned as much is his sense of humour - it's EXACTLY the kind that I love to see in a character, and his dry wit always seems to pop up even in rather dire situations.

“Yes, and I’m sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people.”

“Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying.”



And like many of the other characters in the Hunger Games, he WANTS to find a way to fight back. But he knows it isn't as simple as that.

"“Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and..." He hesitates.
"And what?" I say.
"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only... I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" he asks. I shake my head. How could he die as anyone but himself? "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not."
I bite my lip feeling inferior. While I've been ruminating on the availability of trees, Peeta has been struggling with how to maintain his identity. His purity of self. "Do you mean you won't kill anyone?" I ask.
"No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to... to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games," says Peeta.

And what makes him more than a great person, but a great CRUSH? This guy is so romantic. I swoon at just about everything he says. Even if it's about bread.

"“I don't want you forgetting how different our circumstaces are. If you die, and I live, there's no life for me at all back in District Twelve. You're my whole life." Peeta says. "I would never be happy again. It's different for you. I'm not saying it wouldn't be hard. But there are other people who'd make your life worth living."

"No one really needs me," he says, and there's no selfpity in his voice. It's true his family doesn't need him. They will mourn him, as will a handfull of friends. But they will get on.... I realise only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me.

"I do," I say. "I need you.”" (Catching Fire)


“So I only say, "So what should we do with our last few days?"

"I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you," Peeta replies.” (Catching Fire)


And lastly, to really show the depth of his inner strength I have to talk about one huge spoiler from Mockingjay *SPOILER*
Not only does Peeta fight back as much as he can against outside forces - but after he's held and brainwashed by the Capitol to hate Katniss and is set on a mission to kill her, it takes an extraordinary amount of strength from within himself to fight back against his own brainwashing in an attempt to rehabilitate him to who he once was.
“There's a chance that the old Peeta, the one who loves you, is still inside. Trying to get back to you. Don't give up on him.” (Mockingjay)

Anything else?

Katniss' appreciation for Peeta isn't instant, it's slow and gradual and built up over time. It's beautiful, and their relationship is one that still brings tears to my eyes.

*SPOILER*
“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that.” (Mockingjay)

That's who Peeta is, and what he means for her.

PLUS, I think one of Peeta's biggest selling points is that he is the boy with the bread. He's a baker's son, and he loves frosting cakes. So on a less serious note, you know what that means?
BAGUETTES.
CROISSANTS.
CAKES.
COOKIES.
PIE.

All that good stuff. I mean, if you can get a guy who is strong and brave and funny AND CAN BAKE - what else is there?


So today- take time to VOTE FOR THE BOY WITH THE BREAD <3

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Hey guys!  It's Valerie from StuckInBooks here again to give you reasons to vote for Daemon Black, from the Lux series, in the YA Crush Tourney!

One of the things Daemon is known for PEN POKES in math class.  He does it to get Katy's attention.  Thought I'd use his approach!

 I've got some pen pokes for your to point out the reasons to VOTE DAEMON!
 
*PEN POKE* ---------------> Daemon is HOTT! 

"broad, tan well-muscled chest", thick sooty lashes fanning the tips of his high cheeks", "full, kissable lips", and eyes "so green and brilliant they couldn't be real". (Obsidian)

"Beautiful face.
Beautiful body.
Horrible attitude.
It was the holy trinity of hot boys". (Obsidian)

*PEN POKE* ---------------> Daemon loves the verbal battles with Katy.  And he brings out the best in Katy when they spar!

"I was two seconds away from kissing that pissed off look right off her face.  I wondered what she'd do.  Hit me? Kiss me back? (Obsidian - Uh-oh speghetti-o's)

Really, Daemon is protecting not only his family but Katy too when he tries to push her away but it is so fun to watch those two together and you can't help but see the chemistry between them.

*PEN POKE* ---------------> Daemon has the POWER

"Daemon threw up his hands and a great roar started under the car, shaking the road, and the trees thrashed outside. A loud crack sounded, like a blast of thunder, quickly followed by several more in succession. The earth seemed to shake and rumble....Trees were being ripped from out of the ground, their thick and gnarled roots dripping clumps of moist dirt...Oh my God, Daemon was uprooting trees." (Obsidian)

While all Lux are powerful, Daemon is the strongest of them all.  

*PEN POKE* ---------------> Daemon has a sweet side

"'I've always found that the most beautiful people, truly beautiful inside and out, are the ones who are quietly unaware of their effect.' His eyes searched mine intently, and for a moment we stood there toe to toe." Obsidian

There's even more sweetness from Daemon in Onyx!!

*PEN POKE* ---------------> Daemon has the chemistry with Katy

"Daemon kissed me.  There wasn't a moment of hesitation.  His mouth was on mine, and I stopped breathing.  He shuddered and there was a sound from the back of his throat, half growl, half moan.  Little shivers of pleasure and panic shot through me as he deepened the kiss, parting my lips." Obsidian

Oh yeah, these two have it bad!!
 
*PEN POKE* ---------------> Daemon is determined to protect those he loves

"There was no doubt in my mind that Daemon loved and cherished his sister.  He'd gladly give his life for her.  The way he was always looking out for her was more than admirable.  There wasn't a good enough word for it." Obsidian

Of course, Daemon's sister isn't the only one he feels this way about.  Thinking that includes our girl Katy! 

Check out this very sexy scene from Obsidian! The yummy cookie scene!


 
 
VOTE for Daemon Black! He is the complete package.



*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*



Match 23: Dimitri (3) vs. Aiden (19) goes to Dimitri!

AND THE WINNER IS.... DIMITRI!


Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's YA Crush Tourney 2.0!  We hope that through this all you will meet a lot of book loving people, discover new books, and of course be introduced to many more dreamy crushes!  

Be aware that we have tried to keep all the posts pretty general, but there might still be some spoilers.  If the spoiler is big, it will be marked.  However, still proceed with caution!

Matches will run for 24 hours, 12am to 12am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  For more information please check out our Tournament Page.

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YA Sisterhood


Hey everyone! My name is Stacey, and I'm the blogger behind the Fantasy Book Addict. This is my first time participating, and I'm so excited I get to represent Dimitri Belikov from the international bestselling series, Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead. Before I begin, I'd like to thank all the supporters behind #TeamDimitri, and the YA Sisterhood for hosting this fun tourney! Now, let's get started!


Tell us about Dimitri?
Well, he's a twenty-four-year-old dhampir with a sexy Russian accent. He's about six-six or six-seven with dark brown eyes and shoulder-length brown hair that's usually tied back in a ponytail. He's one of the best and most respected of all the dhampirs. When we first meet him, he has six molnija tattoos onthe back of his neck because he has killed 6 strigoi. Rose actually says it better than I can here:
“He's a total badass. He's also pretty good-looking. Okay-more than good-looking. He's hot-like, the kind of hot that makes you stop walking on the street and get hit by traffic." Frostbite




What makes him stand out amongst the other competitors?
Unlike many guys on this list, his looks aren't the best part of him. He's hot for sure, but he's not a total jerk. He's a sexy, good guy. I'm gonna lean on Rose again to explain: "Yet, it had been Dimitri’s gentleness and thoughtfulness mixed with that deadliness that made him so wonderful. The same hands that wielded stakes with such precision would carefully brush the hair out of my face. The eyes that could astutely spot any danger in the area would regard me wonderingly and worshipfully, like I was the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world.” Blood Promise

What truly makes Dimitri the best crush on this list?
When everyone else thought Rose was a lost cause, he believed in her. He trained her and he took up for her. He was always pushing her to be her best. His support helped elevate her into the rockstar dhampir she eventually became. No matter what happened to Rose, he never lost faith in her. Not to mention, he thought her most attractive trait was her inner strength. Dimitri: "No, it won't happen to you. You're too strong. You will fight it, just like you did this time" Rose: "I only did it because you were here, I can't do it by myself" Dimitri: "You can, you're strong--you're so, so strong. It's why I love you." Shadow Kiss

Still not convinced of his hotness? Maybe this will seal the deal. <Holy Hotness Alert>
"Releasing my wrists, he moved his hands up my arms, sliding slowly along my skin. Holding me in his dark, hungry gaze, he pulled me into him, pressing me right up to his body. One of his hands moved up the back of my neck, twining his fingers in my hair and tipping my face up to his. He brought his lips down, barely brushing them against mine. Swallowing, I asked again, "Do you think I'm pretty?" He regarded me with utter seriousness, like he always did. "I think you're beautiful." "Beautiful?" "You are so beautiful, it hurts me sometimes." His lips moved to mine, gentle at first, and then hard and hungry. His kiss consumed me. His hands on my arms slid down, down my hips, down to the edge of my dress. He gathered up the fabric in his hands and began pushing it up my legs. I melted into that touch, into his kiss and the way it burned against my mouth. His hands kept sliding up and up, until he'd pulled the dress over my head and tossed it on the floor. "You...you got rid of that dress fast," I pointed out between heavy breaths. "I thought you liked it." "I do like it," he said. His breathing was as heavy as mine. "I loved it." And then he took me to the bed." Vampire Academy


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Vote #TEAMAIDEN


ATTENTION!
THE GODS ARE CALLING... AND THEY NEED YOU!
THEY NEED YOU TO VOTE FOR EVERYONE'S FAVOURITE PUREBLOOD!
Don't tempt fate and disobey the Gods...


VOTE AIDEN ST DELPHI!!!!

Hey everyone, I'm Kayleigh from K-Books and I am here with a task from the Gods... to advocate for the awesome Aiden St Delphi from Jennifer L Armentrout's phenomenal Covenant series!
Aiden is the perfect lead male character in the Covenant series. I'm going to convince you why you need to vote TEAMAIDEN! After all he is the world's best Pure Blood!!
Besides you wouldn't want to upset the Gods.... WOULD YOU?
*Please note there may be some spoilers from the Covenant series if you haven't read Daimon, Half-Blood and Pure please read on with caution. Any major spoilers will be highlighted before hand*

Personality


If you've read the Covenant series you won't need much persuading from me to vote for Aiden. He can do that all on his own. The one word to describe him and his personality is: PERFECT!

It's the truth he is just perfect! In every way!
- Aiden is one of the strongest characters you will ever read about. He is fiercely protective and always out to protect the ones he loves.
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"I have to. I told you before I'd never let anything happen to you. I meant it."
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Aiden will always do what is right even if it means sacrificing himself.
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"I kissed her like I was never going to see her again, because in a way, I wasn’t. Not this way, and as much as that killed me, I knew the difference between what felt right.
            And what was actually right." 
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- Aiden always sees the best in everyone.
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"She was so incredibly strong and I couldn't fathom how she didn't know that."
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- Aiden always fights for what he believes in. No matter how dangerous it might be. 
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"If the Gods want a war they'll have one." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 
- Aiden is super romantic and increidbly swoon worthy. He can easily make any girl's insides just melt! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule. You’ll become the centerof someone’s world one day. And he’ll be the luckiest son of a bitch on this earth.”  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Looks! 

Aiden is tall, dark and drop dead gorgeous. He has the most intense storm coloured eyes that turn to shades of silver when he feels strong emotions. Yes girls, it's okay to swoon!! He IS dreamy and drop dead gorgeous! Totally swoon worthy!! 


Talents! 


As a Pure Blood Aiden can control the element Fire. Yes, this boy is super HOT! In more ways than one. So watch out for Aiden, he may just burn you up ;) Aiden is a wicked kick-ass fighter who is super fast and super strong. He has dedicated his life to fighting Daimons and has the skills to excel at it. Yes not only is he fiercely protective he has all the skills to save your life in the case of a Daimon attack. This is one guy every girl wants!! He has super self-control, always sacrificing himself and his feelings in order to save and protect other people. He has the patience of a saint too. Come on to train Alex he kinda has to! So... long story short: AIDEN IS THE PERFECT MAN! I KNOW IT... YOU KNOW IT.... THE GODS KNOW IT!!! So there is only one thing left to do!! VOTE FOR AIDEN! Do the right thing! And don't forget..... THE GODS WILL BE WATCHING!!!!!!






#TEAMAIDEN!
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*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*



Sunday, July 29, 2012

Match 21: Adrian (2) vs. Alec (15) goes to ADRIAN!

AND THE WINNER IS... ADRIAN!!!!


Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's YA Crush Tourney 2.0! We hope that through this all you will meet a lot of book loving people, discover new books, and of course be introduced to many more dreamy crushes!

Be aware that we have tried to keep all the posts pretty general, but there might still be some spoilers. If the spoiler is big, it will be marked. However, still proceed with caution!

Matches will run for 24 hours, 12am to 12am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For more information please check out our Tournament Page.

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If you don't already know, the amazingly crushable Adrian Ivashkov is being represented by me, Anna Tee from The Bursting Bookshelf. Adrian is from The Vampire Academy series and the Bloodlines series by the hugely talented Richelle Mead. If you want to stay up to date on how Adrian is doing in the Tourney or to just support him, please check out my Twitter and use the hashtag #TEAMADRIAN. Before we begin, I'd just like to thank the YA Sisterhood for hosting this event! WARNING, MINOR SPOILERS BELOW. 

Personality:
If you've read the Vampire Academy books and Bloodlines ones, you already know that Adrian is the perfect embodiment of a good guy with a bad boy exterior. Even though the bad boy front is very appealing (and I do mean very appealing), the fact that he is willing to stand up for others (take Jill for example- he's fiercely protective of her in a big brother sense) and that he doesn't fall for all the lies involved in the Moroi royal court.

Though he does have his vices, he has been known to change his ways when an important person in his life asks him to. He gave them up for both Rose and Sydney at different points in time, and made other efforts to better himself in both cases. This demonstrated how he is willing to put others before himself, but only in certain cases. His parents made attempts at changing him, but he refused to until it was Rose putting pressure on him to follow through. As you can see, once he has let you in, past his bad ass facade, he is truly a person that is worth being friends with.

"And you're also one of the most fiercely loyal people I know --and caring, no matter how much you pretend otherwise."
--The Golden Lily Page 136

"Adrian did care passionately about others underneath all of his bravado and flippancy. I'd seen him risk his life to prove it."--The Golden Lily Page 137

Looks:
Drop dead sexy your thing? If so, Adrian's your guy. Amazing green eyes, locks of brown hair, and a good sense of style to boot. Don't believe me? 

"Warily, I stopped and crossed my arms as I took him in. He was a little shorter than Dimitri but wasn't as lanky as some Moroi guys ended up looking. A long, charcoal coat- probably made out of some insanely expensive cashmere-wool blend- fit his body exceptionally well, and the leather dress shoes he wore indicated more money still. He had brown hair that looked like it had been purposely styled to appear a little unkempt, and his eyes were either blue or green- I didn't have quite enough light to know for sure. His face was cute, I supposed, and I pegged him to be a couple years older than me. He looked like he'd just come from a dinner party."
       -Frostbite by Richelle Mean, page 135, Rose's POV

 "The speaker was Moroi guy, a little older than me, with dark brown hair that had undoubtedly been painstakingly styled to look messy. Unlike Keith's ridiculously over-gelled attempts, this guy hah actually done it in a way that looked good. Like all Moroi, he was pale and had a tall, lean build. Emerald eyes studied us from a face that could have been been sculpted by one of the classical artists I so admire. Shocked, I dismissed the comparison as soon as it popped into my head. This was vampire, after all. It was ridiculous to admire him the way I would some hot human guy."--Bloodlines Page 46

Even Rose, who was madly falling for Dimitri at the time, can appreciate Adrian's smoking good looks and impeccable fashion sense.

Talents:
Two words: Spirit user. He can walk in your dreams, compel others better than the average Moroi and heal as well. He doesn't let these abilities go to waste either- he used his dream walking frequently to help various friends (often Rose) whether it was life or death or just a more mundane issue. He trained with Lissa quite often to get even better with his gifts so he could be of more use and be able to help more people. Apart from his supernatural talents, Adrian is also an art student at a college, so he's also an artistic kind of guy. Can you ask for any more? Oh right- he also has a knack for talking his way out of any situation.

 
Special Attributes/ Best Qualities:
Still on the fence about voting for Adrian? The good looks, amazing personality, and supernatural talents didn't win you over? Well, one thing Adrian is known for is loving a girl wholeheartedly. He doesn't go half in and not commit to a person; when in love, he wholly commits himself to that person. This was easy to tell from how he reacted after breaking up with a girl, who will remain nameless for the sake of staying as spoiler free as possible. Apart from truly committing himself to relationships, he is also brave; he never showed fear when he was breaking rules to help his friends and he sticks by their side until the very end. Loyalty is another one of his amazing qualities: he never waivers from those he supports, even when the going gets tough. Humor and creativity? You can also find those traits in Adrian easily.


"Yeah? Can you draw a skeleton riding a motorcycle with flames coming out of it? And I want a pirate hat on the skeleton. And a parrot on his shoulder. A skeleton parrot. Or maybe a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill. But it'd be cool if the biker skeleton could be shooting some ninja throwing stars. That are on fire." -Bloodlines
On top of all of that- he can also be a fairly romantic and sweet guy. He doesn't do anything halfway, including his honesty; he always told the truth, even to the point of being brutally honest.


"The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing...like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful." -Bloodlines
“He'd written me up a proposal of why dating him was a sound decision. It had included things like "I'll give up cigarettes unless I really, really need one" and "I'll unleash romantic surprises every week, such as: an impromptu picnic, roses, or a trip to Paris—but not actually any of those things because now they're not surprises.” 
"I'm serious. She asked me what my greatest strength was. I said getting along with people." "Thats not bad," I admitted. "Then she asked what my greatest weakness was. And I said, 'Where should I start?'" "Adrian!" "Stop saying my name like that. I told her the truth. By the time I was on the fourth one, she told me I could go."  -Bloodlines


In Summary:
-He's a bad ass
-Obviously sexy
-He's a rare spirit user
-He's a Moroi, not a Strigoi
-He's willing to change his ways when asked
-He's the whole package
-He has an amazing personality
-He's protective

If you haven't yet read the Vampire Academy or Bloodlines Series, I highly suggest you do, but in the meantime, vote for Adrian! If you have read both series, you should know to vote for Adrian already! Would you want an angry Alchemist tampering with your shampoo? 

Thanks again to the YA Sisterhood for hosting this amazingly fun tournament and to Monica and Jennifer for their help!

Did I mention you should vote for Adrian? :) 


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Hello everyone! Welcome to the Second YA Crush Tourney! I’m Steph from StephLikesBooks and I am representing ALEC! He is from Cassandra Clare’s best-selling The Mortal Instruments series and I’m very excited to be supporting him! Cassandra Clare is my favourite author and I’m proud to represent one of her much loved characters! J

*PLEASE NOTE THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FROM SOME OF THE SERIES, IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THEM BEFORE*

PERSONALITY:
·         Alec is a strong character who is very loyal when it comes to his family and those that he cares about.
“It’s me,” he said, and cleared his throat. “I could understand if you didn’t believe me, but I swear on the Angel, Iz, it’s me.” Alec said nothing, but his grip on Jace’s hand tightened. “You don’t need to swear,” he said, and with his free hand touched the parabatai rune near his collarbone. “I know. I can feel it. I don’t feel like I’m missing a part of me anymore.”
·         He’s cute when he gets jealous :)
“You never called me back," he said. "I called you so many times and you never called me back."
Magnus looked at Alec as if he'd lost his mind. "Your city is under attack," he said. "The wards have been broken, and the streets are full of demons. And you want to know why I haven't 
called you?"
Alec set his jaw in a stubborn line. "I want to know why you haven't called me
back."
·         He’s not another cocky bad boy who likes to be mean, he can be insecure and have worries.
“Good organization,” said Magnus. “I knew the man who founded it, back in the 1800s. Woolsey Scot. Respectable old werewolf family.” 
Alec made an ugly sound in the back of his throat. “Did you sleep with him, too?” 
Magnus’s cat eyes widened. “Alexander!”
·         He has a soft sensitive side to him which is one of the great things about him.
“Irina Cartwright told me it was a pity no one would ever inherit my blue eyes now." He shrugged and looked toward Magnus, who took a hand off the wheel for a moment to place it on Alec's. "It's not like a stab wound you can protect me from. It's a million little paper cuts every day.” 
·         Alec is very brave but is shy at the same time.
“There is nothing weak about Alec,” said Isabelle.
·         He is very loyal –especially to Magnus ;)
“But Magnus, he thought. You never told me. Never warned me it would be like this, that I would wake up one day and realize that I was going somewhere you couldn't follow. That we are essentially not the same. There's no "till death do us apart" for those who never die.”
·         He’s kind and caring and innocent.
“Sweet pea?'" Alec said.
"I was just trying it out."
Alec shook his head. "No."
Magnus shrugged. "I'll keep at it.”

   LOOKS:

Alec has black hair like his mother and bright blue eyes, is very tall and thin. He’s also very pale. He is very handsome but plays down his looks by wearing damaged sweaters. Camille even says that Alec bears a similar appearance to Will Herondale ;) If THAT doesn't make you vote, I don't know what will! :P

TALENTS:
Because Alec is a Shadowhunter he has some special talents that make him much better than ordinary mundanes ;) such as: 
- Superhuman Strength.
-Superhuman Agility.
-Superhuman Stamina.
-Superhuman Co-ordination.
Also, because of his alliance bond with Magnus, Alec has some special talents with warlock power....
Spellcasting:  Alec has access to Magnus’ array of spell casting ability, including the ability to create Portals, memory manipulation, healing and curing of others of demonic poison, levitation, in addition to other magical effects.

VOTE FOR ALEC! :D 
I’ll give you all free cookies ;)


*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*




Match 22: Patch (7) vs. Simon (10) goes to PATCH!

AND THE WINNER IS.... PATCH!


Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's YA Crush Tourney 2.0! We hope that through this all you will meet a lot of book loving people, discover new books, and of course be introduced to many more dreamy crushes!

Be aware that we have tried to keep all the posts pretty general, but there might still be some spoilers. If the spoiler is big, it will be marked. However, still proceed with caution!

Matches will run for 24 hours, 12am to 12am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For more information please check out our Tournament Page.

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*tap tap tap* Is this thing on? 

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE...
LADIES & GENTLEMEN...ANGELS, NEPHIL, HUMANS & VAMPIRES...
SPECIES OF ALL AGES...
ARE YOU READY FOR ROUND 2?!

Hi, I'm Jen from Jenuine Cupcakes and I'm here, along with Nora Grey, to tell you why Patch Cipriano from Becca Fitzpatrick's, "Hush Hush" series is totally crush worthy and deserves your vote!  ("Hush Hush", "Crescendo", "Silence" & "Finale" - coming in Oct.)


First, Patch and I want to thank all of Team Patch, Patch's Army and everyone else who helped to get him to this point today. You guys are made of AWESOME! 

Let's recap why you should VOTE FOR PATCH today!

Song that plays as he walks into a room: Back in Black by AC/DC
Hair: Dark 
Eyes: Black as a midnight ocean 
Ethnicity: Angelic 
Physique: Tall, lean, hard, all kinds of wrong but in all the right ways. 
Distinguishing Marks: Wing scars on his back. (A result of mistakes he's since learned from.)
Attire: Came to Earth stripped naked but prefers dark T's and jeans. The tighter the better.
Ride: Motorcycle, Jeep Commander, Feathers (he is an angel after all)
Personality: Possesses a witty sense of humor that's full of snark and he has the ability to turn any situation into an innuendo. (I bet if you looked up "Innuendo" in the dictionary, Patch's picture would be next to it.)
Special Traits/Skills/Abilities: Besides Hotness? Well, there's cooking, helpfulness, fiscal responsibility.
"Tacos."
"Tacos?" I echoed.
This seemed to amuse him. "Tomatoes, lettuce, cheese."
"I know what a taco is!” 
"Come here. I'll teach you how to make tacos."  
"I could get you to smile like that, and without sales tax."  (See? Frugal!) 

Swoonability: He's always there when you need him...
“I didn’t break his jaw, but if he lays a hand on you, it will be the first of many things to break,”
Honesty...
“Or, if you decide you want to sleep at my place, on opposite sides of my bedroom with a Do Not Cross line drawn down the middle, I'll do it. I won't like it, but I'll do it.”  

He also has a softer side but let's talk to Nora about that...

Jen: Thanks so much for joining me today Nora!  Anyone whose read Hush Hush knows how you and Patch met, but can you take us back and share your initial impression of him? 
Patch (appears out of nowhere): "Angel". “Keep in mind that people change, but the past doesn't.” 
Nora: "Patch, what are you doing here?"
Patch: *shrugs* "I missed you, Angel."
Jen: *waves* Hi Patch! 
Nora: “I can't imagine why you're so interested."
Patch: *shakes his head* "Interested? We're talking about you. I'm fascinated.” "If you need one more reason, I love you."
Jen: Um, actually, we're talking about you Patch but don't mind me.
Nora: "You admit you're doing this on purpose?" 
Patch: "This?" 
Nora: "This - provoking me."
Patch: “Say 'provoking' again. Your mouth looks provocative when you do.”
Jen: *clear throats* Still sitting here.…
Nora *rolls her eyes but grins*: "I knew the names of all my classmates…except one.  The transfer.  His black eyes sliced into me, and the corners of his mouth tilted up.  His smile wasn't friendly.  It was a smile that spelled trouble. With a promise. 
Jen: Sounds intense.
Nora *nods*: "Patch wasn't the kind of guy mothers smiled on. He was the kind of guy they changed the house locks for.  He was so wrong it felt right, and that made me feel completely out of control.  The more time I spent with him, the more I knew the feelings weren't going away."
Jen: Hmm, yeah, sooo, how would you describe his appearance?
Vee *gate crashes*: "He's...hard-edged. Sexy." "rough-and-roguish".
Jen: Hey Vee!
Nora: "He had an annoyingly confident walk, the kind you find paired with faded T-shirts and a cowboy hat. Patch wore neither. He was a dark-Levi's-dark-henley-dark-boots kind of guy. I wouldn't have been surprised if under his clothes he bore several scars, souvenirs from street fights and other reckless behavior...Not that I wanted a look under his clothes.”
Jen: I believe you. *giggles*
Patch: “You laugh, but you haven't seen me in a tux. Or maybe you don't like broad-shouldered guys with muscular chests and washboard abs?”
Jen: O_O Maybe the voters need a visual…

image

Jen: Nora, you and Patch share a lot of moments that make readers want to fan their faces.  Can you share one moment in particular?
Nora: “He trapped my hand against his chest and yanked my sleeve down past my wrist, covering my hand with it. Just as quickly, he did the same thing with the other sleeve. He held my shirt by the cuffs, my hands captured. My mouth opened in protest. 
Reeling me closer, he didn’t stop until I was directly in front of him. Suddenly he lifted me onto the counter. My face was level with his. He fixed me with a dark, inviting smile. And that’s when I realized this moment had been dancing around the edge of my fantasies for several days now. 
"Take off your hat," I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.He slid it around, the brim facing backward. 
I scooted to the edge of the counter, my legs dangling one on either side of him. Something inside of me was telling me to stop—but I swept that voice to the far back of my mind. 
He spread his hands on the counter, just outside my hips. Tilting his head to one side, he moved closer. His scent, which was all damp dark earth, overwhelmed me. 
"You should go," I breathed. "You should definitely go." 
"Go here?" His mouth was on my shoulder. "Or here?" It moved up my neck. 
 Patch’s mouth was roaming north, up over my jaw, gently sucking at my skin...
"My legs are falling asleep," I blurted. It wasn’t a total lie. I was experiencing tingling sensations all through my body, legs included. 

"I could solve that." Patch’s hands closed on my hips.”

Jen: Is it hot in here? It feels like it's getting a little warm. *fans faceSeriously, can we open a window or something?  OK, moving on, how does he make you feel?
Nora: "Solid. Safe. Finding him was like finding someone I didn't know I was searching for."  (<-- completely crush worthy feels)
Jen: Nora, with all you and Patch have been through, do you think he's changed much?
Nora: "Well,"
Patch (interrupting): "My history is long, and not much of it is good. I can't erase it, but I'm determined not to make another mistake." 
Nora (tries to speak): "I..." 
Patch (interrupting again): "No, hear me out. The long answer to that question is that everything about me has changed since meeting you. I gave up something I wanted for something I need. And I need you, Angel. More than I think you'll ever know."
Jen: *swoons* OMP! I think that is the sweetest thing I have EVER heard!
Nora: "Patch. I…"
Patch: "I loved you long before you loved me. Its the only thing I have you beat at, and I'll bring it up every chance I get."
Jen: Wow…if that isn't worthy of ALL THE VOTES, I don't know what is. 
Patch: "Vote for me. I mean it. Vote for me." *winks*


By @The_Poupette
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 Head over to The YA-Sisterhood to vote!
YA Sisterhood
Hi, YA Crush Tourney voters!

My name is Benji, I run the blog The Non Reluctant Reader and I'm here to be Simon from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare's advocate. Before I start telling you why you should vote for Simon, I'm going to say this: I'm a guy. I'm not attracted to guys (though if I was a girl, I probably would be). I'm writing this post from the sense of why I think Simon kicks butt. Though I know most of you guys want to hear about the looks, so I will talk about them. Just don't get any ideas about me, okay? :P

Today I'd like to welcome some amazing characters from The Mortal Instruments series!


First off, Clary, winner of the 1st annual YA Heorine Tourney: "Simon is the best friend a girl could ask for. Ever since we met as little kids, we've been joined at the hip. As kids we'd have sleepovers and sneak in a portable DVD player and stay up late watching cheesy horror movies. The one thing I miss most from my mundane, normal life is the normal relationship Simon and I shared. Whenever there's a problem and Simon could do something, he does it. He's proved that time and time again when I'm in danger, he's got my back, even if he may risk his own life. He's a great friend and Isabelle is one lucky girl to get him."

Now, I'd like to welcome, the one and only, Jace Lightwood, winner of last year's Crush Tourney: "He may not be the sexy, handsome, badass Shadowhunter I am, but he has saved me and Clary's butts. Even as a mundane, he was pretty fierce. Though he may ramble on about pointless stuff like some zombie TV show or the next anime cartoon, he's a pretty cool guy to talk to. Now, he hasn't mastered the fine art of sarcasm like I have (but who the hell can?) he is pretty witty. He might even make me, much to my dismay, laugh sometimes. Which is completely unnatural. But if Alec didn't exist, and he was a Shadowhunter, he'd be my first pick for parabatai."

General Information
“Mom. I have something to tell you. I’m undead. Now, I know you may have some preconceived notions about the undead. I know you may not be comfortable with the idea of me being undead. But I’m here to tell you that undead are just like you and me … well, okay. Possibly more like me than you.”

Simon is a easy-going sixteen year old "open geek" who comes from a Jewish family. His father died when he was ten, leaving him along with his mother and sister (he's very affectionate for both of them, by the way) to coup for themselves. Though they've done a very good job of it, and he's a very "good kid", so to speak.  He's been best friends with Clary, the protagonist in The Mortal Instruments since they were little kids, and has secretly been crushing on her for as long as he can remember. He's the bassist of a band which name changes so often, it's impossible to know what they're called. In fact, it's probably already changed ten times since you started reading this. For those animal lovers out there, he's been a vegetarian since he was ten and can't stand the sight of blood. He loves anime and horror movies.

Best Qualities - Witty, Loyal, and Soft
“Medium clever,” Simon acknowledged. “Like a cross between George Clooney in Ocean’s Eleven and those MythBusters guys, but, you know, better-looking.”

 While reading The Mortal Instsruments, you'll probably find yourself bursting out laughing during the series. More often then not, you're probably laughing because of something Simon said. Don't get me wrong, all the other characters are hilarious too, but hands-down, Simon is by far the funniest. He's always making witty jokes and hilarious comments that help keep what can often become a dark mood in these books lighter. And they're never trashy jokes, they're done very ingeniously and always at the perfect moment to have you rolling on the floor. And I'll let you in on a little secret, they invented the term "LOL" to describe Simon while texting.

Simon is fiercely loyal. *spoilers* In City of Glass when the only way to get the vampire clan to fight alongside the Shadowhunters against Valentine is to let the clan kill Simon, Simon instantly agrees, against the will of Clary and many others. Though, it didn't work. Again he proves his loyalty in City of Lost Souls when someone has to call the archangel in order to bargain with him, Simon instantly volunteers, even though he knows the archangel will most likely kill him. *end spoilers* Simon is the kind of guy who whenever you need him, he's there for you, even if he may not like you very much.

Though Simon can be fierce when he needs to save his friends, he is very soft and friendly. Though he doesn't let him be stopped from doing what needs to be done, he hates the sight of blood and hates violence even more. *spoiler* When he gets turned into a vampire in City of Ashes, he refuses to let go of his humanity and drinks only animal blood because he couldn't live with himself if he lost his humanity. In that sense, he's sorta like Edward from Twilight, except he doesn't sound constipated whenever he speaks. 

Looks
   "He's cute. Does he have a girlfriend?"
Clary hesitated a second too long before replying. "No."
The girl looked suspicious. "Is he gay?"


In City of Bones, Simon starts out as a nerdy looking kid with brown hair, brown eyes and glasses. Very skinny as well. Though he does have the looks of the sexy smartical style, which causes a girl to notice him in the quote above. Then in City of Ashes he gets bit by a vampire, which turns him into a sexier, more masculine version of himself, and it also causes him to loose his need for glasses. His hot and sexy "vampire mojo" as described by his friend causes him to get two girlfriends, one the gorgeous Shadowhunter, Isabelle, the other the werewolf who defies all paranormal rules that vampires and werewolves can't be lovers to get together with him, Mia. Even if Jace may be more attractive, Simon is not that bad either!
Talents
"You know what's awesome?" said Eric, setting down his drumsticks. "Having a vampire in our band. This is the thing that's really going to take us over the top."

In the books, Simon is described as being a pretty good bassist, though he never really takes his band too seriously, and often says that they "suck", but in truth he is good at what he does. In City of Bones, when Simon saves his friends using a bow and arrow, we find out that he learned to shoot with one while in boy scouts, and is good at it. He's also described as being obsessed with video games, and very good at playing them.
Simon needs you're vote in order to beat Patch, the fallen angel bad boy from Hush, Hush. Okay, I could right a book on why Simon should win, but I'll keep it brief: Patch may have once been an angel, but Simon is ten times a better person then he is, I think you can always count on Simon to save your butts and then act humble, whereas not bragging is impossible for a bad boy, and c'mon, don't you want the underdog to win? So, I think that just about sums up why you should VOTE SIMON!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to The YA-Sisterhood for planning such a great tourney, Cassandra Clare for creating such a great character, and all you Simon fans out there who are going to help us WIN!

Tweet why you think Simon should win on twitter using the hastags: #TeamSimon #YACrushTourney, and follow me for #TeamSimon updates: @NonReluctant


*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*