GRAND FINALE: Will (1) vs. Adrian (2) goes to ADRIAN!

IN A NAIL-BITING, HEART-STOPPING, BRAIN-MELTING CONCLUSION

IN AN EXTREMELY CLOSE RACE

THAT CAME DOWN THE VERY LAST MINUTES

THE WINNER OF THE 2ND YA SISTERHOOD YA CRUSH TOURNEY IS....

ADRIAN IVASHKOV!!!!!!

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! Katie w/ Mundie Moms & Alyssa w/ TMI Source are back for Will's final round in the YA Crush Tournament. THANK YOU to everyone who's helped get Will to this round. Wow that last round against Jem was tough, and I have a feeling this round is going to be even harder. We have faith Will can win this and here's why. In Will's 1st match we listed 6 reasons why you guys should vote for Will, which of course were his "redeeming" traits. In his follow up round Jace chimed in with why we should vote for his admirable family member, and in the following match we talked about Will's love for books, and of course imagined what it would be like to have Will read to us by a roaring fire. 

In the last round we shared with you guys our reasoning on why we felt Will was the brighter burning star. It only seems fair that you guys hear from Clary, who like Jace has already won the YA Tournament, on why we need to VOTE FOR WILL.

image found here

Hey everyone, it’s Clary Fray. As the reigning YA Heroine Tournament champion Jace thought that I should share my thoughts with you on why Will Herondale should be the next YA Crush Tourney champion.

I’ve never met Will, but since he’s related to Jace I can only assume that good lucks and that cocky arrogance run in the family, which means they can be a handful sometimes.

But I can also assume that the same sweet, kind, gentle nature also exists beneath all the snarky comments and questionable actions. Perhaps Will also had his share of inner demons to fight?

From what I’ve gathered, Will is an avid reader and I can certainly appreciate that—as I’m sure you can, as well. Jace once read to me from Will’s copy of  A Tale of Two Cities—why did Lucie have to choose the boring guy—and I still wonder about the scrawled message inside the book: With hope at last, Will Herondale.

Whoever ends up with Will is one lucky girl. Because these Herondale men, despite their flaws, are filled with goodness and they will do anything they can to protect those that they love. And I hope Will is smart enough that when he finds the girl he loves that he’ll hold on to her. And never stop fighting for her.

image found here

Let's recap: Will loves reading, he's loyal, romantic, snarky, can kick any demon's butt, a little broken, and he's one of those guys you can't help but root for in everything he does.

VOTE for WILL!! 

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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? :) 

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED AND THE TOURNAMENT HAS ENDED. TO SEE PREVIOUS MATCHES, CHECK THE TOURNAMENT PAGE*

Match 29: Will (1) vs. Jem (5) goes to WILL!

AND THE WINNER IS.... WILL! 

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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Hi guys! Alyssa with TMI Source & I (Katie w/ Mundie Moms) are back to help Will advance to the next round! You helped Will advance in his first match  here, his second match here, and his most recent match here. Today's match may prove to be the hardest yet, as he's up against Jem, another guy we love! Being Will's advocates, Alyssa and I want to tell you guys for ourselves why WILL is the ONE TO VOTE FOR. 

“Will has always been the brighter burning star, the one to catch attention.”

Will would be the first to tell you that Jem is the better man. But in Will saying that—and in his actions toward those he loves—shows just how great of a person he is.

The first thing that comes to mind when one mentions Will Herondale isn’t his blue eyes or his gorgeous looks, it’s the sacrifices he has made in his life. Even at age 12, when he left his family because he believed he was endangering them, Will has always put the well-being of those he cares for first.

image found here

Will is willing to give up his true love, Tessa, because he would rather Jem be happy than himself. Will has suffered too much in his life and yet he puts his parabatai’s happiness above his own regardless of how much it tears him up inside.

“If Jem dies, I cannot be with Tessa,” said Will. “Because it will be as if I were waiting for him to die, or took some joy in his death, if it let me have her. And I will not be that person. I will not profit from his death. So he must live.” He lowered his arm, his sleeve bloody. “It is the only way any of this can ever mean anything.”

Will is a caring person and the person he cares most about is his parabatai Jem. Will insistently searches for a cure to Jem’s “disease” and has even admitted that Jem is more deserving of life.

And despite the way he treats those he cares about sometimes—due to the curse he believes was cast upon him—those people see the good in him no matter how hard he tries to hide it.

“You are good, Will. There is no one better placed than I am to be able to say with perfect confidence how good you really are.” –Tessa

"I thought him a pretty bit of poison to start with, but I have come around. There is a soul under all that bravado. And he is really alive, one of the most alive people I have ever met. When he feels something, it is as bright and sharp as lightning." -Magnus

Will doesn’t recognize that he is someone worth fighting for—someone who deserves love and deserves to be happy.

“You fear for Jem,” Will said.

“Yes,” she said. “And I fear for you, too.”

“No,” Will said, hoarsely. “Don’t waste that on me, Tess.”

image found here

Will is definitely someone worth fighting for. So will you fight for him? Vote Team Will!

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Hi y'all - It's Stacey and Pixie from Page Turners Blog, and this is it...it's time for Jem to battle his best friend, his parabatai, and his toughest competitor in the "crush" department. Personally, we don't understand all the Will hype, but since Jem loves him we are going to play nice. 

Reasons why we love Jem!

• He's sweet & charming
• He's caring & selfless
• He can melt your heart with his words and music. 
• He's an amazing fighter
• He's loyal
• He can make a cane look sexy
• He loves with all his heart 
• He's bringing Victorian sexy back

“He touched her as he usually touched his beloved Violin, with a soft and urgent grace that left her breathless.” -Clockwork Prince

“Wo wei ni xie de,” he said, as he raised the violin to his left shoulder, tucking it under his chin. He had told her many violinists used a shoulder rest, but he did not: there was a slight mark on the side of his throat, like a permanent bruise, where the violin rested.
“You — made something for me?” Tessa asked.
“I wrote something for you,” he corrected, with a smile, and began to play. - Clockwork Princess.

SWOOON THUD! 

 and in closing we just want you to remember that...

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match 26: Jem (5) vs. Magnus (13) goes to JEM!

AND THE WINNER IS... JEM!

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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Hi y'all - It's Stacey and Pixie from Page Turners Blog and we are back for round 3 in the 2nd Annual #YACrushTourney. Jem is up against a very strong competitor; The High Warlock of Brooklyn - Magnus Bane,  he is going to need all your help to make it into the semi finals. 

We're keeping it short and sweet this time around. 

Why should I vote for Jem?

• He's sweet & charming
• He's caring & selfless
• He can melt your heart with his words and music. 
• He's an amazing fighter
• He's loyal
• He can make a cane look sexy
• He loves with all his heart 
• He has silver hair & eyes, how can you not love those looks?
• Jem is just one of those boys that you hope you meet and that he falls for you because you fell for him the moment you saw him.  

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Hi everyone! I'm Michelle from Oh! For the Love of Books! This is round three with my favorite warlock and I can't thank you all enough for getting him this far. 


I get that this round is against another heart throb of mine. And while Jem is that statue that girls all crave, is exotic, and is kick ass in a battle, I want to remind you that Magnus is all of these things PLUS has that extra flare that makes him dangerous and a little sureal. So why should you vote for him? See below. Make sure you read the bottom for some extra, recent developments from Cassandra Clare. 


Magnus is so awesome that Cassandra Clare put him in both of her shadowhunter series, The Mortal Instrument series and The Infernal Devices series. In every one of my reviews for these series, there is always a special section for Magnus. I just fell for him.

So who is Magnus Bane? Besides have a fashion sense that someone would kill for, a long list of adventures, and a warlock? Well – I’ll do my best to sum him up for you and not ramble.

Personality: In both series when we meet him, Magnus is inquisitive about situations but is aloof, making characters like Jace, Clary, Tess, and Will work to get him to help. He’s not someone who trusts easily, but when he does, he is fiercely loyal, willing to call on demons, going into a battle to protect Alec, and standing up to Camille to protect Will and Tess.

Magnus is kind of an instigator as well. He likes to put his friends and people who are in authority positions, in conflicting positions, where they typically have to divulge important information (that makes me gasp!).

And a must have in a crush – sarcasm: 

“I was alive when the Dead Sea was just a lake that was feeling a little poorly.”

Looks: Magnus maybe a little older than the rest of the crushes that are in the tournament – like maybe 800 years older, but the guy doesn’t look OR act his age. He has spiky black hair and cat like, green-yellow, eyes that smolder (at least in my head they do) when he looks at another beautiful character. I mentioned Magnus’s awesome fashion sense and here is a snip-it of his attire duringCity of Ashes: 

“Even the Inquisitor's eyebrows shot up when Magnus strode through the gate. The High Warlock was wearing black leather pants, a belt with a buckle in the shape of a jeweled M, and a cobalt-blue Prussian military jacket open over a white lace shirt. He shimmered with layers of glitter.” 

All right ladies, don’t be jealous that he dresses better than us! I mean look at that style!

Talents: Besides being one of the most powerful warlocks in the world? He gives Will (also a hottie) the piece of mind he has been desperately seeking by summoning a demon. He had the ability to protect Clary until it was time for her to realize who she was. His magic is old and powerful; I’m betting it comes from all that time with the Silent Brothers.

Special Attributes: I’m defaulting to his eyes on this one. – Ones you could get lost in. *passes out from swooning*

Best Qualities: He’s not afraid of telling people what they need to hear. He may hurt your feelings but he is going to get you to the revelation you need to kick some evil booty. Isn’t honesty the best policy? Don’t most of our crushes put their lady loves into bad situations because they don’t tell the truth? No Magnus. Just sayin’.

A few of my favorite quotes:

“Even the trip through the Portal had not disarranged Magnus's hair spikes. He tugged on one proudly. "Check it out," he said to Isabelle.

"Magic?"

"Hair gel. $3.99 at Ricky's.”

“We came to see Jace. Is he alright?"

"I don't know," Magnus said. "Does he normally just lie on the floor like that without moving?”

“If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you."

"Who's Magnus?" Max inquired.

"He's a warlock," said Alec.

"A sexy, sexy warlock," Isabelle told Max, ignoring Alec's look of total fury.

"But warlocks are bad," protested Max, looking baffled.

"Exactly," said Isabelle.”

“Do you want to go back to Vienna?” he said.

Alec didn’t answer, just stared into space.

“Or we could go somewhere else,” said Magnus. “Anywhere you want. Thailand, South Carolina, Brazil, Peru – Oh, wait, no, I’m banned from Peru. I’d forgotten about that. It’s a long story, but amusing if you want to hear it.”

“Magnus's eyes gleamed. "He seems to like you. I saw him going for your hand out there like a squirrel diving for a peanut.”

There have been some developments since the last round with Magnus, Here is a snippet from C. Clare with Clockwork Princess including Magnus. Click here.

And the BEST news is, who the people in charge of casting have casted for my beloved!!! Godfrey Gao will be playing Magnus. THANK YOU CASTING PEOPLE! Just go google some pics of him. You won’t regret it.

OK voters – after reading this post, I just can’t imagine why you wouldn’t vote for Magnus!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match 25: Will (1) vs. Adam--Shatter Me (24) goes to WILL!

AND THE WINNER IS... WILL!

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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Hi guys! Katie with Mundie Moms and Alyssa with TMI Source back again to talk to you about our love for Will. Previously we shared a list of things we loved about him here, and had a little help from Jace and a few TMI fans share in the love of Will here, and both times you guys rallied around Will with us to in order to help him advance to the next round! Today we need to do that again, and this time we're going to keep this short and sweet. I mean, who doesn't love Will?! He's a shadowhunter with a wicked sense of humor, he's intelligent, can sing, is romantic, loyal, he reads and he's hot. Not that looks should matter, but when this Shadowhunter is holding a book it is down right sexy! Yes, Will READS! 

The thing Alyssa and I love most about Will is the fact he's literate. He loves books as much as Tessa and the rest of us do. I mean, if you didn't love reading you wouldn't be here reading this post now. Not only can Will send a few demon's back to where they came from, bite a vampire, and practically handle any other creature that comes his way, he's also well read. He can quote literature, understands the need to go and get lost in a good book. Here's what Will has to say about books:

“It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them.” 

image found here

*sigh* Who can argue with that. He reads for the same reason many of us do! Let me take it one step further...... IMAGINE if you will, Will reading to you....

It's a cold dreary night in Victorian London. You're lounging in front on the fire (I'm sure Shadowhunter's lounged, and yes pretend for a moment you're a shadowhunter), you might have a shawl or hand made blanket to keep you warm, as well a fire going in the fireplace. You're quietly reading your book, Church is laying near your feet when you are startled by the presence of Will, looking dashing as ever as he sits down beside you. He's of course being a gentleman, but he knows how to push the line of being a gentleman and of course a guy perfectly well. You'll find he might "accidentally" brush along your hand a little too purposefully as he gently pulls the book out of your hand that you've been reading. He'll most likely scoot a little closer to you on the couch since it's just the two of you, as he begins to read A Tale of Two Cities. 

You of course will get lost in those piercing blue eyes, and listen to the sound of his soft voice (after all he does have a reading voice that pulls you in and holds you captive), while trying not to be too obvious you're checking him out. Admit it, even women of stature back then checked out guys. And because it's just the two of you, the fire will gradually start to go fade, and the room grow a little cooler. You'll naturally scoot closer to Will and before you know it you've rested your head on his shoulder and fallen asleep to the sound of Will reading you a book. He'll try to hide that smile as he realizes that the love he has for you can be nothing more than what it is at now. He is after all loyal to Jem and wouldn't want to do anything that would hurt him or you, but he won't deny himself that gentle kiss he plants on your check as he pulls the blanket up over you more. Afraid of moving and waking you up, he happily enjoys the moment of your head on his shoulder, and he whispers, "My Tessa", before continuing to read the book quietly to himself.

"One must always be careful of books, and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us...."

image found here

If you're a fan of Shadowhunters who can be romantics and love to read, VOTE FOR WILL. 

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This is Hannah from The Girl in a Cafe, and I've got the awesome job of representing Adam Kent from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi in the #YACrushTourney. I was lucky enough to be invited to Omega Point to meet Adam AND look through his files. Believe me, you'll want to read what's in there!

Who is he? Family man, best friend, soldier boy, lover. His whole world revolves around keeping the ones he loves safe from harm, even though the world hasn’t really done the same to him. He’s fierce in everything that he does – he’s fiercely passionate, fiercely loyal and just generally fierce. He makes mistakes - he's just a normal guy, after all. But one thing Adam never does is gives up.

This guy can love a girl like no other. I just found this: “God Juliette, I’d follow you anywhere You’re the only good thing left in this world.” 

He’s a military man. He wears a uniform. And what does that mean? It means this: Every inch of his body is raw power. Dark blue eyes, dark brown hair, sharp jawline, strong lean frame. Gorgeous, dangerous, terrifying. Complete with tattoos. 

And he sleeps without a shirt. "I’m  just hot. I don’t usually sleep with my clothes on."

Did I say that Adam was in the army? He’s incredibly deadly and could probably shoot your ear off from around the next block. But that’s not all. We’ve got good reason to believe that Adam’s not just a super sexy powerfully built military machine. I’ve got it on good authority too. “But do you think that Adam – Do you think he’s...like us, too?” “I think, that it is entirely possible” 

A tall, dark and terrifyingly gorgeous man who also has the sweetest heart in a world of death and decay and power hungry people. Case closed. Where do I sign up? Or more importantly, vote?

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match #30: Katniss (Seed #2) vs Tessa (Seed #3) goes to Tessa

AND THE WINNER IS...
TESSA!

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 4 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Fierce Four! This is actually the last match before the big finale!  The winner of this match will face Clary in the FINALE on Friday!  Will Clary face the Girl on Fire or will it be a Cassandra Clare showdown? Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun!

Some general rules before we begin:

There may be some spoilers in the following post. We've tried to keep it fairly general, but overall, this Tourney will not be spoiler-free. So beware.

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  Also, please be aware that some people have not read some of these books.  Please take that into consideration while writing up your comments.  If you put major spoilers in your comments, we will have to erase them!  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON January 5th.

And now for the match....

My name is Penelope, and I run the book review blog: The Reading Fever. I am honored to be Katniss’ advocate, and will be blogging and tweeting about Katniss’ progress throughout the tournament. You can follow me using the links below for #TeamKatniss updates.

Blog / Twitter / Facebook

1. About Katniss

The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the Mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol's plans. The symbol of the rebellion.

-Katniss, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (pg. 386-387)

Credit: Entertainment Weekly

Katniss is the main character in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. She is described as having long, straight black hair, which she usually pulls back into a tight braid. She has olive skin and gray eyes. She is an amazing hunter who has deadly aim with a bow, and has been using these skills to put food on her family's table--keeping them from the starvation that is so widespread in their district.

She is fiercely protective of those she loves, and has proven she will go to any lengths to ensure their safety. Not one to be easily swayed or broken, she proves to the Capitol that no matter their methods, they can't control everyone.

Also known as: Catnip, the Mockingjay, and The Girl On Fire.

2. Best Attributes

A mockingjay is a creature the capitol never intended to exist. They hadn’t counted on the highly controlled jabberjay having the brains to adapt to the wild...They hadn’t anticipated its will to live.

-Katniss, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (pg. 92)

As tempting as it is to name Katniss' hunting skills and her innate sense of survival as her best attributes, that just wouldn't be completely true. Everything Katniss does in the series can be attributed to one of these: love, compassion, fear.

Her first act--entering the Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Prim--was done out of her incredible love for Prim, and fear for Prim's safety. She is pushed to survive by fear of dying and leaving her family without a provider; called into action by compassion for Rue and Peeta (competitors in the hunger games); compelled to accept the title of The Mockingjay (symbol of the rebellion) by compassion for those enduring the destruction the Capitol brings. She takes what the world gives her and reacts to it in a way that benefits those around her; letting love, compassion, and fear guide her. These are her best attributes.

3. What makes Katniss a true heroine?

I’m moving in toward the camera now, carried forward by my rage. “President Snow says he’s sending us a message? Well, I have one for him. You can torture us and bomb us and burn our districts to the ground, but do you see that?” One of the cameras follows as I point to the planes burning on the roof of the warehouse across from us. The Capitol seal on a wing glows clearly through the flames. “Fire is catching!” I am shouting now, determined that he will not miss a word. “And if we burn, you burn with us!”

-Katniss, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (pg. 99-100)

The quote above is from Katniss. At this point in the story, Katniss has already been through the hunger games, has witnessed the pain, torture, and death, of loved ones, has been forced to kill, seen her home destroyed, and has witnessed the extreme lengths the Capitol will go to in order to have total control--and yet these things only empower her to act.

To me a true heroine is someone who rises above her circumstances, who keeps going despite being knocked down, and most importantly: a heroine inspires others to keep going as well. Katniss is a true heroine.

4. Why should you vote for Katniss?

Credit: kara-lija on DeviantArt

Katniss and Tessa.


I couldn't even begin to compare these two heroines. Where does one begin to say how much courage, strength, or perseverance a character must have to be the best heroine? Exactly how much butt do they have to kick to be called the best? Does that cancel out all the other important qualities we like to see in a heroine? Without both characters having the same experiences, something like that is immeasurable. Tessa is a heroine in her own story, just as Katniss is in hers. 


But I will tell you something: Katniss is, and always will be, my #1 heroine. I relate to her. I can understand her reasons and actions. I cried with her, I got angry with her, and I have experienced something inspiring every single time I have read her story. 


But I realized something during the last Heroine Tourney that made me think I've been going about this the wrong way. I want Katniss to win this tournament because I strongly believe she deserves it, but I don't want her to be misrepresented.


So here is what I DON'T want you to do:


Don't vote for Katniss JUST because you're in love with Peeta or Gale. They are not central to her motives, and it would be a poor choice to vote for a heroine because of the men in her story.


Don't vote for Katniss JUST because she's a kick-butt heroine. There is more to our heroine than this!


Jennifer Lawrence herself--the actress playing Katniss--said, "The cool thing about Katniss is that every fan has such a personal relationship with her and they understand and know her in a singular way...." (quote credit below) Jennifer could not be more correct.


So here is what I DO want you to do:


Vote for Katniss because she inspires something in you.


Vote for Katniss because she's the type of person you want to be.


Vote for Katniss because she made you re-evaluate the condition of the world.


Vote for Katniss because she made you want to change something in the world.


Vote for Katniss because she seems so much like a sister.


Vote for Katniss because you see some part of yourself in her.


Vote for Katniss because she is the role model you believe in.


Vote for Katniss because her story convinced you to try other books, or brought out your inner reader.


These are the reasons why you should vote for Katniss; each one created from phrases found in actual reviews and thoughts of The Hunger Games books, across the web. I believe Katniss to be the very epitome of the word 'heroine.' If even one of these reasons matches you, then vote for Katniss today. Inspiration of her magnitude deserves recognition. 

5. Anything else?

It is simply mesmerizing to see one's heroine come to life. In this trailer for the upcoming Hunger Games movie, you can visibly see the emotional struggle Katniss goes through, and the strength she somehow finds, as she volunteers to take her sister's place and then prepares for the hunger games.

*Jennifer Lawrence quote credit: Life Story magazine, Movie Magic: First Look At The Hunger Games - Deluxe Collector's Edition, page 17.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hey y'all! My name is Avery I review primarily YA paranormal books at my blog Avery's Book Nook. I have been a long time stalker follower of YA Sisterhood and their tournaments so it should come as no surprise that I am super excited to be advocating Tessa from Cassie Clare's Infernal Devices series! You can follow me during the tournament at:

BLOG/ TWITTER/ FACEBOOK 

About Her:

Tessa
Gray, a sixteen year old American is sent to live with her brother in
England after her guardian, her Aunt Harriet, passes away (both of
Tessa's parents passed away when she was three years old). Upon arriving
in England she learns that things are not what they seem- her life
especially.



Her world is turned upside down when she is
kidnapped and discovers that she has the ability to shapeshift. Upon
being rescued from her kidnappers she befriends the London Institute's
Shadowhunters including, but not limited to, Will, Jem, Charlotte, and
Henry, alongside the Institute's staff including Thomas, Agatha, and
Sophie.



Alongside the British Shadowhunter's Tessa
attempts to thwart the Magister, a man hellbent on destroying the
Shadowhunters through the use of clockwork creatures.  



Best Attributes: 



Tessa is by far one of the most genuine and modest female YA characters in my opinion, especially when it comes to her looks:

"Nate,
with his fair good looks, was the one in the family generally agreed to
have inherited her moth's beauty, but Tessa had always been perfectly
content with her own smooth brown hair, and steady gray eyes. Jane Eyre
had had brown hair, and plenty of other heroines besides. And it wasn't
so bad being tall, either..." (Clockwork Angel, pg. 17)

She is inquisitive and open-minded. She loves to read just as much, if not
not, than all of us and she can often be found quoting all of her
favourite books:

"He didn't know what books meant to her, that books were symbols of truth and meaning..." (Clockwork Angel, pg. 97). 

She is by far one of Cassie's most unique and mysterious characters
(In Clockwork Angel we are told that she appears to be a warlock,
however her true identity- or a better approximation of her identity- is
revealed in Clockwork Prince).



She can outsnark even the snarkiest of characters, Will Herondale included:  

"Perhaps she's a girl who's fallen madly in love with me and persists in following me wherever I go." 

"My talent is shape-shifting, Will, not acting" (Clockwork Prince, pg. 87). 

Speaking of Will Herondale, she has two of the most swoon-worthy YA
male characters vying for her attention (and she never lets that
knowledge go to her head).



She takes everything in stride. Her clockwork angel pendant is one of the most kick-butt pieces
of jewelry in the world of YA books (see Clockwork Prince).

Let's pretend that the Dirty Sexy Balcony Scene is an attribute ;)

What Makes Tessa a True Heroine?

She is genuine and always remains true to her character. She is kind and
has a big heart. She's still able to love those who aren't always worthy
of being loved. 

She is selfless beyond belief- she is willing to do the right thing even if
it means hurting herself in the process. For instance, in the case of
her brother: 

"Nate
was not like other people... He had a beautiful innocence about him
that had to be protected at all costs. And Tessa had tried. She and her
aunt had hidden Nate's own weaknesses from him, the consequences of his
own flaws and failings. Never telling him of the work Aunt Harriet had
had to do to make up the money he had lost gambling, of the taunts Tessa
had endured from other children, calling her brother a drunk, a
wastrel. They had hidden these things from him from being hurt" (pg. 352).

She is eager to learn about the new world that she is thrown into. She
doesn't jump into things without any thought- she isn't careless, nor is
she afraid to ask for help.



Tessa doesn't look down upon anyone (ie. Sophie occupying a lower
social status than herself, Jem being ill)- she gives everyone the
benefit of the doubt without doing so in a naive way.



Tessa is not dependent upon the males
in her life (nor is she careless). She doesn't play on the
boy's feelings for her- manipulating them to do what she wants.



Why should YOU Vote for Tessa instead of Katniss?

While there is no denying that Katniss is physically stronger than Tessa, I think that there is no denying that Tessa is mentally and emotionally stronger than Katniss (though arguably in Clockwork Prince Tessa does start to develop into a physically stronger person due to training, thereby making her an
overall strong character/ heroine).



When Katniss is upset by something she has a habit of shutting down, whereas Tessa does not (she isn't afraid to let those around her know exactly what she is thinking/ she isn't afraid to tell it like it is):

"I have dinner that night in my room, ordering an outrageous number of delicacies, eating myself sick, and then taking my anger at the Hunger Games, at every living being in the Capitol by smashing dishes around my room" (The Hunger Games, 118).

"It takes me at least an hour for me to cry myself out. Then I just lie curled up on the bed, stroking the silken sheets, watching the sun set over the artificial candy Capitol" (The Hunger Games, 104).

Tessa doesn't pout when things don't go the way that she wants to,
furthermore, she is willing to do what needs to be done without
complaint (and she isn't afraid to ask for help), whereas Katniss is oftentimes defiant, unwilling to compromise and, frankly speaking, selfish at times. When Haymitch suggests that Katniss and Peeta pretend to be friends (to gain sympathy/ support from the crowd) she pouts, stalks off to her room and snaps at anyone who gets in her way:

"Don't. Don't let's pretend when there's no one around" (The Hunger Games, 100).

***Contains spoilers from Clockwork Prince***



Also, not only is Tessa willing to put herself at risk for the greater good (see Chapter 16 of Clockwork Prince entitled "Mortal Rage"), but she is also willing to sacrifice the things that she holds dearest to her for the greater good, specifically her brother:

"My brother," Tessa said in a barely controlled voice, is a lying murderer, incapable of feeling. He may have married you, Jessamine, but he does not love you... He will abandon you, if he does not kill you first."

"Liar!" Jessamine screamed, "You don't understand him. You never did! His soul is pure and fine-"

"Pure as ditch water," Tessa said. "I understand him better than you do; you are blinded by his charm. He cares nothing for you" (Clockwork Prince, 307).

I suppose it it up to you to decide- what makes a true heroine? A person who is physically stronger or a person who is emotionally/ mentally stronger?



Anything You'd Like to Add? 

For those who vote for Tessa (or any member of Team Cassie- Clary, Tessa, or Izzy) Letters
Inside Out, Stuck in Books, and myself (the girl's advocates) have prizes for you (includes a copy of CP, winner's choice of CC
book, a Hebel Design bookmark and a CA angel pendant)! Find out all of
the
details HERE!



Furthermore, Cassie has stated that if Tessa were to win the tournament that she would rewrite the a scene from Clockwork Prince (as of right now the Dirty Sexy Bedroom Scene in Jem's POV is in the lead). Let me tell you... THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY! By now we are all quite familiar with Jace's feelings for Clary (Cassie has also stated that if Clary were to win the tournament that she would rewrite the greenhouse scene from City of Bones from Jace's POV) due to there being 4 Mortal Instruments books already out and Cassie having previously rewritten scenes from her MI series in Jace's POV- whereas we do not know exactly what Jem's feelings for Tessa are, with him being a quite enigmatic and quiet character. So if you would like to see an entirely different side of a character we have all grown to love, I suggest that you vote for Tessa!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*