Match #14: Aura (Seed #14) vs Kaylee (Seed #19) goes to KAYLEE!

After a very well-fought, extremely close match, 
the winner is... 


KAYLEE!


Welcome to the YA Sisterhood! 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.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 15th.

And now for the match....

*Wipes Hot Pocket crumbs from mouth* *Clears throat* Hey there! It’s Brooke from over at Brooke-Reports, here to steal Aura’s boyfriend! Errr….i mean…here to be her advocate in the YA Heroine Tournament! You can follow me: @brookeworm33 OR her: @salvatore_aura on twitter to keep up with all the latest tourney news!  Be sure to support Aura by rockin’ the  #AuraFTW hashtag too!

☠ ABOUT HER  ☠

Aura Salvatore is currently 17 years old. She has brown eyes and straight dark brown hair. She sometimes likes to pin skull-and-crossbones barrettes in her hair to give her a punk-ish edge. So, she’s just your average everyday teenage girl-who can see ghosts. Yep. Being the VERY FIRST person born after the Shift means that she, along with every other person born after her, can see and interact with ghosts! She works for her Aunt Gina’s law firm, translating for ghosts on the witness stand. You might think that sounds like fun, right? Interacting with ghosts? But guess what, it’s not. Ghosts are pesky and can be extremely dangerous. Between old lady ghosts nagging her and teenage boy ghosts asking to see her boobs, Aura would give anything to make the ghost go away. That is, until her boyfriend, Logan, dies and becomes one himself. DUN DUN DUUUUN.

☠ BEST ATTRIBUTES  ☠

One of Aura’s best attributes is that she's EXTREMELY HONEST. She tells the truth even when she knows it might cause her to lose something in the end. 

Aura is also very determined. She’ll stop at nothing to find out the truth behind the Shift, because not only does it effect her, but the entire generation born after her.  She’ll stand up for what she believes in, even if she’s standing alone.

Aura is completely compassionate. Not only towards her loved ones, but others as well. She actually listens to the ghosts who want to pass on, she tries her hardest to help them. 

Aura is level-headed. She really doesn’t let her emotions get in the way of what she wants to accomplish. She doesn't rely on anyone else, not Mr. Kilt and most definitely not Mr. Keeley. She doesn't need a guy to solve her problems or fix things for her. She's strong and independent! 

☠ WHAT MAKES AURA A TRUE HEROINE  ☠

Sure, Aura isn’t your typical kick-butt heroine. She can’t shoot a bow & arrow and she certainly can’t send a demon back to hell, BUT she has a ton of qualities that DO make her a true heroine. She’s compassionate and courageous and determined and funny and she knows what’s under Zach’s kilt—wait, what? Err…seriously though, Aura is literally trying to change the world! She's trying to keep the living safe as well as trying to help the ghosts pass on to their final resting place. If that doesn’t make her a heroine, I don’t know what does!

☠ WHAT MAKES AURA JUST AS AWESOME AS HER COMPETITOR?  ☠

YO! Logan Keeley here. As you may know, I do this music thing--I've been frontman for the Keeley Brothers and front-ghost for Tabloid Decoys. If you DO know me, you know Aura was/is my first and last love. So I'm majorly biased in thinking she's the greatest heroine ever. My archnemesis-turned-kinda-sorta-friend Zachary Moore and I were all ready to fight fight FIGHT for Aura, but Brooke and the Woman Upstairs (who you guys call "Jeri") talked us down and helped us get in touch with our feminine side. (Easier for me because I have no body and am, well, violet.)

ANYWAY, I promised to write Aura a song if she made it into the tourney, and instead of saying why she's better than her opponent, Brooke and I…did something a little different. Hope Aura and Kaylee like it, and hope you do, too. PEACE! 

xoxo, Logan

(Just A Girl by No Doubt: HEROINE REMIX!) 

Take these dumb contacts from my eyes

I'm half-blind, so it's no big surprise

I can't see the little things unless they're near

And it's all those little things that I fear….

Cuz I'm just a girl

With no slick superpowers

I won't even brandish a knife

Oh I'm just a girl, who kinda likes flowers

And just wants a regular LI-iiife!

Oh! I've had it up to here.  

The moment that I see a ghost

All of my friends, well, they just think that's gross

But don't you think I know exactly who I am

The only one who'll touch a dead man's hand.

Well, I'm just a girl

And that's okay with me,

'Cause I don't think the world's black-and-white

Oh, I'm just a girl

I like being a freak

'Cause it's more fun seeing violet at night.

Yeah, I'm just a girl

Tell that damn DMP

That they won't get a piece of my SI-iiiight!

Oh! I've had it up to here.

*slows down, funky guitar thing*

I'm just a girl...

And Kaylee's just a girl in the world...

But death just won't let us beeeeeee! 

*rocks out hardcore*

Oh, we're just 2 girls      

And our main activity, 

defeating scum,

Makes us really bummed.

Oh, we're just 2 girls

What's our destinies?

To find true love 

or to end up as nuns?

Yeah, we're just 2 girls, 

No apologies!

What we've become

is truly awe-SOME.

[can insert another chorus here, but not necessary]

Ohhhh, we've had it up to

Ohhhh, we've had it up to

Ohhhh, we've had it up to

Here.

ANYTHING ELSE?

VOTE b/c Aura’s Ultimately Really Awesome! And don’t forget to:

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

Hi everyone! My name is Rachel and I'm the blogger at Fiktshun. I'm super proud to be the advocate for Kaylee Cavanaugh of Rachel Vincent's amazing Soul Screamers series in this year's Tournament of Heroines.

If you were around this summer for the YA Crush Tourney, you may remember me as Tod Hudson's advocate. Yes, Tod is also from the Soul Screamers series. And just like me, he's one of Kaylee's biggest fans.

While there are so many amazing heroines who were nominated for this tournament, I couldn't help but choose Kaylee Cavanaugh to represent because not only is she an underdog in this competition - I'm all about #TeamUnderdog - but I've been Team Kaylee since long before this event and long before I started blogging.

About Kaylee

Kaylee Cavanaugh is your average, everyday high school student. She has long, brown wavy hair that even when straightened always manages to get the frizzies, blue eyes and a figure that is not eye-catching curvy like her best friend Emma's. She is normal. Until the day she found out she wasn't.

Kaylee is a bean sidhe (or banshee) who can sense when someone is about to die and whose job it is to sing for their souls and help them move on.

While her song sounds beautiful to male bean sidhes like Nash and Tod Hudson, to everyone else it sounds like she's screaming bloody murder. Not a great way to be popular - or to find a date - at Eastlake High.

Kaylee has not had the easiest life. Her mom died when she was young. Her dad was MIA for most of it. And she had to live with her aunt, uncle and her cousin Sophie who is everything Kaylee is not - popular, bitchy and vain - until her dad came back.

And then there's the fact that a dark cloud seems to hang over Eastlake High. Students and teachers alike seem to be marked for death. Not great for them. Not great for Kaylee who can't help but scream for their souls. In school. In front of everyone. Yeah. Mortifying.

But even with all of this, not to mention a boyfriend who has broken her heart more than once, Kaylee is still an amazing and loyal friend, a kind and selfless person and someone you would just want in your corner.

Kaylee's Best Attributes

Kaylee Cavanaugh is BRAVE. Sometimes a little too brave. She's willing to do whatever it takes to help her friends. Even if it puts her at great risk - like heading to the Netherworld to help Tod try and save his ex. She may be a bean sidhe but she doesn't have super-human strength. She can be killed. And with all the trips she's made to the Netherworld and interactions with the demons and other creeptacular things there, it's a wonder she's lasted as long as she has.

Kaylee is LOYAL. She's proven just how loyal she is to the people she loves over and over. She doesn't abandon them to save herself. She doesn't give up on them when things get tough. She stood by her boyfriend Nash's side for longer than any girl might. Even when he broke her heart. She helped her cousin Sophie on more than one occasion, even when she never deserved it. And she's been there for all of her friends and family whenever they've needed her. Which leads right into the fact that...

Kaylee is SELFLESS. She always puts others first. When things go wrong at Eastlake - and they always seem to go wrong - and people end up dying (what is it with Eastlake anyway?), she's right there trying to find out how to fix things. Even when her own life is falling to pieces, her heart is breaking, or she gets some news that would leave others curled up in bed sobbing.  She will always choose to help rather than wallow in self-pity.

Need a little more proof? Check out this video to see just a fraction of what Kaylee does to protect her friends!

Why Kaylee is a True Heroine

For all those reasons - bravery, loyalty, selflessness - and so many more. Kaylee is honorable, trustworthy, kind and generous, smart, incredibly determined, persistent and courageous.

She doesn't flee when things get tough. She gives those she loves second chances. She stays to fight even when the odds are not in her favor. She doesn't abandon her friends to save herself. She takes risks when it would be easier to play it safe. She relies on her own strength and ability instead of on others, but isn't too vain to accept help when help is needed.

And she chooses what's right, even if it's not what's best for her and even if it breaks her heart.

Why You Should Vote for Kaylee

Well, because Tod says so!

Seriously, though. Of course I'd love for all of you to vote for Kaylee. I'm not defending her just so that I can be in this tournament, but because I truly believe her to be amazing. She's always been one of my favorite female characters and still will be long after this event has ended.

I love her for all the reasons I've mentioned above, but I also love her because she's real. She isn't perfect. She makes mistakes. But she learns from them. She doesn't go out of her way to be hurtful. Even though Sophie and Sabine really test her on that one!

And she's so incredibly sarcastic.

Whoever said it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved was full of crap. -- Kaylee Cavanaugh My Soul to Steal

Had I sent him some kind of signal? Was I wearing my "I'm done with my virginity, please get rid of it for me" T-shirt? -- Kaylee Cavanaugh My Soul to Keep

As I have mentioned all the reasons why I think Kaylee is a heroine, I think I'll let Tod take it from here - though I've had to stop him a few times, before he said too much. Revealed too much. Or made me cry.

I know Tod even better than I know Kaylee after all the time we spent together over the summer, and I believe he is the best person - or bean sidhe-turned-reaper - to speak on why she's the heroine that deserves your vote.

"I've seen you fight, Kaylee. I've seen you step into that darkness for someone else, then claw your way out, bruised but still standing. You're that kind of crazy, and I live in that darkness. Together we'd take crazy to a whole new level." 

"...All I knew was that I wanted to be near you. Then you helped me with Addison, even though it nearly got you killed--I nearly got you killed--and I started to understand how special you are."

"...You're the brightest thing I've ever seen, Kaylee. You're this beautiful ball of fire spitting sparks out at the world, burning fiercely, holding back the dark by sheer will..."

"Kaylee, I would do anything for the girl who granted my dying wish."

Wow. I was right! I couldn't have said it any better than he just did right there.

So if you agree with me, and you agree with Tod, please VOTE KAYLEE FTW!

I hope we've done enough to show you just how awesome Kaylee is! If so, please click on that little button below that says KAYLEE. I will love you forever, and I know Tod will too!

And if you want to do a little more to help her in this tournament, spread the word on Facebook and on Twitter that KAYLEE NEEDS YOUR VOTE!




*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

The Grande Finale: Jace vs Zachary (Match #24) goes to Jace!

And the winner is...

JACE!

With a final tally of 

Jace: 24,250  votes

Zachary: 21,385  votes

We have reached the final match in the 1st Annual Summer Crushin' Tournament! What started out as a silly, fun thing to try between my sister and I has exploded, and been more popular than we could have every imagined. And it's all thanks to you guys! Please, if you haven't already, see the post above this one to give us feedback on future YA Sisterhood Tournaments! 


Two very important things:


We are so excited to have Zachary and Jace in the finals! We couldn't have asked for two better guys! The winner will receive glory and praise and will reign as the YA Crush of all Crushes, and will be featured prominently on this blog until it's time for the next YA Crush Tourney! That winner, will go down in history (erm... our blog history?) as the 1st winner of the Tournament, but after that will no longer be eligible to compete in future YA Crush Tournaments. Both of these boys are epic and amazing enough that they could take it every year, and we'd like to spread the love. So vote for who you want to rule the world of Crush-dom for the next year! 


Also, the characters aren't the only ones up to win something! We've been blessed to have some amazing bloggers and online friends act as advocates for these characters. They've sacrificed their sleep, time, energy, and thumbs to vote and spread the word for this tournament, and we want to thank them! Next Wednesday, August 17th, we'll be announcing the Advocate Awards for advocates we believe have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the Tournament! We've got signed books, arcs, posters, and plenty of swag, so make sure you come by and support this years' advocates. They rock! 


I think you guys know the drill on the rest of this stuff, but one last time: 

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.  Voting will be open for 24 hours, 8am to 8am.  Without further adieu, let the match begin!!!


Jace Wayland (Seed #2)

Jace Wayland is rep'd by me, AmyG, from YA-Sisterhood.  You can check out my blog here, and follow me on twitter @YASisterhood.  Jace is from the Mortal Instruments series by the talented Cassandra Clare.  You can find out more info about her and her books by clicking on her name on our side bar.

Personality

I am going to borrow from the fabulous JKR and say, "JACE WAYLAND IS MY KING!!!"

I'd like to at first say that I began reading City of Bones in early 2008, and from that day forward Jace has been my number 1.  Other YA characters have come close, but none have been able to usurp Jace off his thrown!  The thing about Jace is he's that guy that comes across as cool, suave, good-looking, sarcastic and snarkie when in all actuality, on the inside, he's torn to shreds.  He's from as messed up a family as you can get.  He was emotionally abused by the most evil man since Voldemort.  This quote by Cassandra Clare from City of Bones basically sums up his childhood,"The boy never cried again, and he never forgot what he'd learned: that to love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed."  How cannot every fiber of your being cry out to help him, to give him any amount of love to make up for the life he had endured thus far.  He hides his pain and his insecurity behind a "rapier wit".  He can word duel with the best of them, slaying you with his words one minute while cracking you up the next.  Out of all the amazing guys in this tournament, Jace is the most complex of all the characters.  In his case what you see is not necessarily what you get.  To get to the core of this hero, you must look deep and read between the lines.

"My rapier wit hides my inner pain." -Jace Wayland

Looks

 Close your eyes for a minute, picture a tall golden skinned guy, shirtless of course.  Across his chest and arms are these dark marks.  They look like perhaps symbols or characters from a time long ago.  His waist is lean and his chest and arms look as if they were chiseled perfectly by the gods.  His face is as beautiful as a fallen angel, angular and framed by wavy golden-blond hair.  His eyes are a piercing gold that seem ancient in his young face.  Do you need a fan yet?  Yep, that's Jace!  Pretty irresistible, huh?!?  Seriously, how can anyone turn turn down a tall golden haired bad boy with tats?  I'll take 2 please!!!

Talents

Without being too spoilery, there are some questions about the actual birth of Jace.  Who is parents are, what happened to him in womb or shortly thereafter.  These questions arise because even Jace's superpowers have superpowers! He can run faster and jump higher than any other nephilim.  He's basically like a Shadowhunter Limited Edition!  He's also one of those guys that every girl swoons over.  He walks into a room and all eyes are on him!  If your wondering why this is under talents, sit back and people watch for awhile!  You will notice that there are very few guys that actually have this talent, and Jace has it in mounds!  Lastly, I will have to mention his snarkiness under this category.  In order to be truly witty, it takes talent.  You must be fast on your feet and prepared for a comeback at any moment.

"What are all these?" Clary asked. 

"Vials of holy water, blessed knives, steel and silver blades," Jace said, piling the weapons on the floor beside him, "electrum wire - not much use at the moment but it's always good to have spares - silver bullets, charms of protection, crucifixes, stars of David-" 

"Jesus," said Clary 

"I doubt he'd fit." 

"Jace." Clary was appalled." City of Bones

Special Attributes

Jace is a shadowhunter or nephilim, part human and part angel.  He's actually descended from the offspring of angels and humans mentioned in Genesis 6.  He has incredible powers, powers enough to police the downworlders: vampires, werewolves, witches, warlocks, faeries, and demons.  Shadowhunters also have the ability to mark themselves with ancient runes for protection, healing, or added super-abilities.  Their purpose is to protect the mundanes, normal humans, from the downworlders.  So, they basically spend everyday saving the world!  

Why is Jace better than Zach?

I honestly don't know where to begin on this!  I have voted #TeamKilt in every match that he was in so far!  I actually had not even read these until I read Fictitious Delicious's Limerick, after that I was sold!  I totally understood afterward, why he deserved a poem!   Sadly, if I'm really going to have to pick, its Jace!  For me, its always been Jace!  Zachary is perfect!  What you see is what you get from him!  He's the perfect, nice boyfriend!  On the other hand, Jace is the broken bad boy that every girl is dying to fix!  He's the sexy male that is hard and cold on the outside but just crying out to be loved on the inside!  So, be honest with yourselves girls, you know that's what every girl wants!  Plus, he saves the world from the bad guys!  

Superhero + broken, bad boy dying to be fixed= WINNER!!!

One last thing: I dare anyone to read this scene from Jace's POV and not fall for him all over again!!! 

It is spoilery bc its from the 2nd book, so proceed with caution!!! 

http://cassie-claire.com/cms/bitter

Anything else you'd like to add?

Yes, if you have read the first Mortal Instruments you know the monstrous, gargantuan, colossal twist that occurs.  Okay, think about that for a second, and how you felt through the next books!  If you were like me, all of the great, huge, horrible sin of lets just say "I", suddenly didn't seem too bad anymore!!!  I was actually routing for it in my sick mind!  I totally just didn't care!  So, the last think I will say is that if it will make me and everyone else totally okay with "I" then he deserves to win every stinkin' contest that he ever enters or is entered into for the rest of time!!!

"I know it's wrong - God, it's all kinds of wrong - but I just want to lie down with you and wake up with you, just once, just once ever in my life."  -Jace (City of Glass)

"LOOKING BETTER IN BLACK THAN THE WIDOWS OF [HIS] ENEMIES SINCE 1234"!!!

Last round, Ms. Clare promised us The Spicy Manor House Scene if Jace won, and if you didn't see it yesterday here it is: http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com/57281.html  Whew!  I need a fan just thinking about it!!!

Vote for Jace!  Use the hashtags #Jace or #TeamJace to support him & to spread the word!

Zachary Moore (Seed #25)

Zachary is a character in Shade and Shift by Jeri-Smith Ready. You can learn more about the books by reading our review . He is represented by Amy & Jen at www.fictitiousdelicious.com  (Facebook: Fictitious Delicious Twitter: @FictishDelish)

Personality

In a city in Maryland they call Baltimore,

Is a hot Scottish boy named Zachary Moore.

He says funny words like ‘bugger!’ and ‘aye’

And has moments so sweet that it makes us cry.

He’s bold, strong, and smart, a science geek,

Writes shoddy love poems, has a competitive streak.

He’s real good at soccer, which makes him quite fit.

He’ll call you ‘bonnie’ when you’re feeling like sh… (bugger, can’t say that) …crap. 

Looks

A once ‘doughy’ lad, with eyes of green,

Has hair of dark brown that he keeps nicely clean.

He’s got giant hands, and you know what they say…

And those dimples of his?  You can’t look away!

Talents

But of all his talents we surely can’t miss

Is the way this Scotsman knows how to kiss.

Now take it to the bridge!

     Would he, could he, in a box?

     Yes, and it’ll rock your socks!

     Would he, could he, in a river?

     Yes, and it’ll make you quiver!

     He will kiss you here and there,

     Why, he will kiss you everywhere!

Special Attributes

For attributes, his accent is first on the list.

Watch him roll those R’s… yeah, you get the gist.

His mere presence will ward off those pesky ghosts

Which comes in handy when they bother you most.

And let’s not forget to mention the kilt,

Which fits on that body, so nicely built.

What makes Zachary better than Jace?
C’mon, does it really matter what we say?

Y’all love Jace like he loves Clary Fray.

And with good reason, but please keep in mind

You have another choice, for which many have pined.

So just what is it that keeps Zach in the game?

Is it the accent? His wit? Lack of shame?

Aye, it’s all that, plus so much more.

He’s one who loves deep. Down to his core.

So remember, this isn’t about popularity

A vote for Zach is one for sincerity!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Remember that Zachary is lastly seeded,

So your vote for him surely is needed!

Jeri Smith-Ready has promised a teaser

If Zachary wins! So don’t vote at leisure!

Vote NOW for TEAM KILT for best crush fictitious,

(And then see our blog, Fictitious Delicious!)

Thanks to you bonnie lasses at YA Sisterhood!!! 

Voting  is now closed, and the YA Crush Tourney has ended! Come back in the Winter for a new Tourney, and next summer for the 2nd annual YA Crush Tourney!

YA Crush Tourney: Zachary vs. Tod goes to Zachary

IN AN AMAZING LAST MINUTE RALLY... THE WINNER IS: 

ZACHARY!!!

FINAL TALLY: 

ZACH: 5230

TOD: 5172

What an amazing match! Congratulations on an outstanding effort by both teams!

Before we get started, it's the same rules as usual. We've tried as much as possible to keep everything spoiler free, but to really show the best qualities of a character sometimes spoilers are necessary, so BEWARE!!! Also, feel free to write comments in the comments section about either character, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The moment it crosses over from logical argument to rudeness, your comment will be deleted and your vote cancelled. Voting will remain open for 24 hours. With all that said, let the voting begin!

Zachary Moore (Seed 25)

Zachary is a character in Shade and Shift by Jeri-Smith Ready. You can learn more about the books by reading our review . He is represented by Amy & Jen at www.fictitiousdelicious.com  (Facebook: Fictitious Delicious Twitter: @FictishDelish)

Personality

In a city in Maryland they call Baltimore,

Is a hot Scottish boy named Zachary Moore.

He says funny words like ‘bugger!’ and ‘aye’

And has moments so sweet that it makes us cry.

He’s bold, strong, and smart, a science geek,

Writes shoddy love poems, has a competitive streak.

He’s real good at soccer, which makes him quite fit.

He’ll call you ‘bonnie’ when you’re feeling like sh… (bugger, can’t say that) …crap. 

Looks

A once ‘doughy’ lad, with eyes of green,

Has hair of dark brown that he keeps nicely clean.

He’s got giant hands, and you know what they say…

And those dimples of his?  You can’t look away!

Talents

But of all his talents we surely can’t miss

Is the way this Scotsman knows how to kiss.

Now take it to the bridge!

     Would he, could he, in a box?

     Yes, and it’ll rock your socks!

     Would he, could he, in a river?

     Yes, and it’ll make you quiver!

     He will kiss you here and there,

     Why, he will kiss you everywhere!

Special Attributes

For attributes, his accent is first on the list.

Watch him roll those R’s… yeah, you get the gist.

His mere presence will ward off those pesky ghosts

Which comes in handy when they bother you most.

And let’s not forget to mention the kilt,

Which fits on that body, so nicely built.

What makes Zach better than Tod?

Supernatural abilities? Zach Moore has none.

But not all boys need them to hit a homerun.

If you’re looking for a crush who will be most loyal

Don’t cast a vote for Malfoy, Crabbe or Goyle.

Vote Zach! Or Tod! You can go either way

But we’ve one more bit for your vote to sway.

Around one thing a mystery’s been built…

A win here gets us closer to what’s under that kilt.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Remember that Zachary is lastly seeded,

So your vote for him surely is needed!

Jeri Smith-Ready has promised a teaser

If Zachary wins! So don’t vote at leisure!

Vote NOW for TEAM KILT for best crush fictitious,

(And then see our blog, Fictitious Delicious!)

Thanks to you bonnie lasses at YA Sisterhood!! 

Tod Hudson(seed #20)

Tod Hudson is from the Soul Screamer by Rachel Vincent. You can learn more about it here. And be on the lookout for a review of the series soon here at YA Sisterhood! Tod is represented by Rachel Clarke. You can reach her at any of the following places:

Blog: Fiktshun.com (But I'll be posting any tourney related posts on my blog annex Fiktshuns-ramblings.blogspot.com)

Twitter: @Fiktshun

Blog FB page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiktshun/167196403318584

Personality:

Tod Hudson may be a reaper, but he is anything but grim. And although he may look innocent, he is trouble. He is a reaper after all. Someone assigned to collect souls. Someone who takes a walk on the wild side and ventures into the Netherworld on occasion. And someone who is no stranger to the Hellions and Demons that call it home.

Now, he may not be your typical bad boy, I don’t know many reapers who are, but he is definitely not someone to bring home to meet the parents. Kaylee Cavanaugh’s Dad certainly doesn’t like him hanging around his daughter and they’re not even dating. Especially when he can just come and go as he pleases - any parents worst nightmare. And it seems to please him quite a bit to visit Kaylee. At night. Alone. In her room. Forever stuck at 17, Tod is an eternal boy.

But Tod has another side. And that one is charming, funny and sarcastic. He is mischievous and has one heck of a wicked grin for someone with such an angelic face. He likes to pop in at the most inconvenient times. And surprising Kaylee is one of his favorite things to do. Well... that and popping in on Kaylee and Nash when they don’t particularly want to be disturbed. Tod definitely has issues with boundaries.

The best thing about Tod isn’t his boyish charm or his sense of humor. If that were all Tod had going for him, he wouldn’t have made made my list of crush-worthy boys. It’s his loyalty. Tod is one fiercely loyal bean-sidhe turned reaper.

He will do anything in his power to protect those he cares about. It makes him brave and foolish and reckless to the point of stupidity at times, but his loyalty makes him completely swoon-worthy. What girl wouldn’t want a boy who would go to the ends of the earth to protect her, do whatever he can to make her happy, or cry for her when he can’t?

Tod quick facts: A total flirt, charming, mischievous, not one to play by the rules, funny, sarcastic, bad boy, loves a challenge, brave, reckless, chivalrous, vulnerable, loyal, self-sacrificing.

Looks:

Tod is definitely mighty fine to look at. He may not be one, but he looks like an angel. Blond curly hair, bright blue sparkling eyes, super sexy thick boy-lashes, perfect full lips, strong, square chin which sports a small goatee. He is total eye-candy.

I usually tend to go for the dark, brooding, dangerous types, but over the course of this series Tod has definitely caught my eye. I’m thinking he’s a stone cold fox. He will be forever young. As a reaper he will never look older than 17. And even though he may be a reaper he has his soul. Just stare into those bright blue eyes and you will get lost. And that’s not from some powers of Influence.

But it’s those kissable lips that are quick with a smile, always ready to quirk up into a lopsided grin, that make Tod the ultimate crush-worthy boy in the looks department. His eyes may be magnetic, but it’s those lips that would be tough to look away from.

Tod quick facts: Angelic, bright blue eyes, sexy smile, perfect, full oh-so-kissable lips, with a lower lip he loves to bite while thinking, thick lashes, pale blond, curly hair, face that expresses his emotions.

Talents:

Oh, Tod is one talented reaper. He can materialize wherever he wants, whenever he wants. And as he doesn’t need sleep he has a lot of free time on his hands to drop in, unannounced, on his friends and family. Whether they want him to or not.

This can come in handy when there’s trouble, but can be awkward when you don’t want company. And it makes for some quick travel options since he can take you along for the ride.

He can choose who he wants to see and hear him. And can appear to only some people and not others if he feels like it.

As a reaper he doesn’t need to eat, but he can taste and enjoy food. No problem with the pleasure sensors or taste buds in his mouth.

He doesn’t age, which practically makes him immortal. As he’s technically not alive, he can’t get older.

He also has the power to end a life and take possession of a soul. For some power-hungry reapers this can be a problem, but for one as good-hearted as Tod, this is nothing to worry about.

He can move between this world and the Netherworld. It may not seem such an important talent to me or you, but if you had to rescue someone’s soul from a demon who had them trapped, you’d want someone who could bring you in and out of that world as quickly as possible. Just sayin’.

A phenomenal kisser. That’s all I’ll say for right now, but for those in the know, you can back me up on that.

Tod quick facts: Instant teleportation, selective invisibility, ability to end a life and take a soul - yeah it’s grim, but it’s still pretty cool - no need to eat or sleep, ageless, awesome kisser and it’s not just because he has such perfect lips.

Special Attributes:

Since I’ve included most of Tod’s attributes in the personality, looks and talents departments, I thought I’d just give a few examples of why Tod is so full of awesome and why he deserves the title, “Hero.”

*His first assignment as a reaper he saved the life of a little girl that was on the list.

*He sacrificed his own life to save someone he loved and kept it a secret so that they wouldn’t have to feel guilty. (If that’s not totally swoon-worthy I don’t know what is!)

*He turned himself corporeal to punch Nash for what he did to Kaylee.

*He watched out for Kaylee’s friend Emma when she was in trouble.

*He went to the Netherworld to try and save the soul of his ex-girlfriend.

*He told Kaylee what she needed to hear about Nash and Sabine, even if it would make her hate him.

*He is frequently willing to put his “life” on the line for those he loves.

*And he is always ready to fight for what he wants.

Tod quick facts: Hero. Seriously, do I need to say more here? He’s a hero in every sense of the word.

What makes Tod better than Zachary?

Why is Tod Hudson better than Zachary Moore? Because he’s Tod. That’s right. He’s better not for the faults in Zach’s character but for the fact that he’s Tod. A mischievous, kind, clever, witty, sarcastic, adorable, sexy, beautiful, nearly immortal, generous, loyal, passionate, and extremely delectable boy.

Tod is fun to be around. There’s never a dull moment when he pops in for a visit. Ever. He is the life of the party, the brightest spark in the room, and the hottest thing you will ever see in the morgue…or in your room if he decides to stop by for a late night visit. Which he can do, in an instant. Yum, yum. He may be the last thing you see before you leave this world, but would that be so bad? No way. Because he’s Tod.

Now, I could never say that Zach isn’t crush-worthy, because he is. He’s hot, has that Scottish accent that’s to die for, is a great friend, and has the patience of a Saint. But, he’s not Logan. Even Aura has a tough time committing herself to him. If her loyalties are divided, and Zach isn’t the always the boy of choice in that series, how can he possibly be the one to steal your heart?

And, his time is limited. Zach is a three book crush. We say goodbye to Zach after Shine comes out next year. He was practically not much more than friend material in the first book, always playing second fiddle to Logan. And in the second book we got that yummy river scene, but he ended up being just one corner of a quadrangle vying for Aura’s affections. Yes, he was just one of three boys that Aura chose to toy with.

But due to his short-lived trilogy, we won’t get that long, burning crush love that we have with Tod.

We’ve known Tod over the course of four books (some of us have had the luxury of knowing him for five), plus a novella dedicated solely to him. Yeah, his author thought him to be just so unbelievably worthy that she wrote an entire novella about him, rather than the main love interest in her story. Now that’s love. Tod love. And an author that has that much love for her character just proves how crush-worthy he really is. If his author is crushing on him, how can anyone who meets him not be?

Plus, there are two more books coming out after If I Die, so there could be more Tod in a total of three future books. I can only promise that he’s there in If I Die, coming out in September, and oh yeah, he is so there. So, unbelievably there. If you think Tod is a hottie now, just you wait. You will not be disappointed.

So, as crush-worthy as Zachary Moore may be. And he is. Tod has the edge that only a practically immortal reaper, with powers of invisibility and teleportation, can have. Time.

And if you lean toward the sarcastic bad-boy with a heart of gold, an angelic face, and perfect kiss-worthy lips, then Tod is definitely the boy to top your crush list.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I'd like to make a final plea for Tod. Those who've only read the first book or two of the series may not have gotten the warm and fuzzies over him. There may not have been any insta-love connection. I know it wasn't like that for me and Tod. I was a Nash fan all the way...

...All the way through the middle of the second book in the series when that slow anger toward Nash began building.

For those who have read all four books in the series and both novellas you may have a little more love for Tod, but still might not be fully convinced that he is crush-worthy. But let me tell you that he so totally is! And if this tourney was just a few months later, after the release of If I Die, I wouldn't even have to do anything to convince you here and now.

But Tod made me smile, he made me cry, he made me breathless and made my heart stop. More than once. If that doesn't make him crush-worthy I don't know what would.

Thanks so much, and I know that Tod would love your vote!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*


For more information about the Tournament, see the Crush Tournament Tab at the top.