Match 9: Noah H. (2) vs. Ash (7) Goes to Ash

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's 3rd Annual YA Crush Tourney!  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 EST every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  For more information please check out our Tournament Page.

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The winner of Match #9 is Ash.

*Hushed tone* 

Hello, everybody. My name is Gabbi from BookBreather. I'm currently reporting from the halls of Eastwick High School, here to give you an exclusive look at Noah Hutchins from Katie McGarry's Pushing the Limits.

I've spoke to some of his friends, a few of which were hesitant to reveal anything important about Noah. Eventually, I was able to squeeze out a few answers.

“Noah felt strong and warm and muscular and safe and he smelled, oh, God, delicious. I couldn't stop kissing him if my life depend it upon it: his lips, his neck, his chest, and Noah seemed as hungry as me.” 

Me: What is it that attracts you most about Noah? Is it the dark brown eyes, shaggy hair, muscles, or mysterious demeanor? 

Echo: Noah is so much more than tall, dark, and handsome. 

“My heart hurt to see her in pain and, for one second, i shut down all emotion. One day, she'd figure out she was too good for a loser like me and when she left, i didn't know how i'd deal with the pain. Hell, she was worth it. I enfolded her into my body once more, kissing the side of her neck.” 

Me: There has been buzz that, ever since Noah began dating Echo, he has changed. How so? 

Beth: Echo has got Noah wrapped around her finger, but I think it's mutual. He used to be the first one to whip out the joint or crack open a beer, but when Echo's around, he's always making sure she's okay and having fun. She doesn't drink much or smoke, so he stopped doing it around her. Now, probably out of habit, he usually turns down the illegal substances, even when she isn't around.

Me: What can you tell me about Noah's brothers? Are they part of this changing process? 

Beth: I can't tell you much. Noah's brothers have always been the most important things in the world to him. He's had to make a lot of difficult decisions when it comes to them, but he learned to see what is really best for them, even if it's not best for him. 

I kissed her forehead and she snuggled closer to me. The world felt strange. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t fighting someone or something. My brothers were safe. Echo knew the truth. Soon, I’d be free from high school and foster care. Hopefully, I’d be admitted on late acceptance to college. Contentment and happiness were unfamiliar emotions, but ones I could learn to live with.

Me: My sources indicate that Noah used to be quite popular before being put into the foster system. Do you think this has affected your friendship any?

Isaiah: It doesn't matter who Noah used to be. Everyone has gone through tough times. Noah is fiercely loyal to me, Beth, Echo, and his brothers. Despite everything that happens to him, he hangs on to the things he thinks are important. Doesn't dwell on what used to be. So no. I don't think who he was before we met affects anything. 

“Wow, Mrs. Collins is a freaking miracle worker. Dangerous Noah Hutchins on the straight and narrow. If you don’t watch out she’ll ruin your rep with the girls."
I lowered my voice. "Not that it matters. I only care what one girl thinks about me.” 

Me: Many people, especially adults, began to view Noah as a hopeless case. What did you see in Noah that gave you such faith that he could change?

Mrs. Collins: Noah has this fire in him that is evident in everything he does. From the very first conversation I had with him I could see that fire. He doesn't want to be a bad person, he doesn't act a certain way to be spiteful. He's merely trying to take a bad situation and make it something he can deal with. But he is a teenager and there is only so much he could do on his own. After speaking with him that first time, I realized that I could help him. He was used to people rallying against him, though, so I had to prove I was on his side. 

That was about all they were willing to share, but it's all I need. Noah is loyal and sexy. He is trying to change and become better--for his brothers, for Echo, and for himself. He may have the bad boy thing going on, but there's much more to him than meets the eyes.

You've heard it straight from those who know him best. If you adore these qualities as much as they--and I--do, you most definitely need to vote for Noah Hutchins. Use #TeamHutchins to spread the word and the love. After everything he's been through, Noah could use a good victory!

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Ben Barnes as Ash.....Feel free to pet this piece of perfection through your computer screens ....*pets*

Hello fellow bookworms! My name is Caitlin and I'm from The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger! Today I'll be using my extreme fictional male loving skills to advocate Ash to victory! Ash is from the fabulous Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa and if you haven't read it yet, then I'm sure the following information about the yummy Ash will convince you to read these books ASAP! It's from the first YA Crush Tourney that I discovered this series, so to me, advocating Ash is like coming full circle ! Warning! Extreme faint worthy quotes ahead! Ice cold water from the Winter Realm recommended ;P

Looks

     Tall, muscular, silver eyes, long dark hair, pale skinned and swoonderfully good looking....*sighs* do I have to go on? Ash may be an Ice Prince but that doesn't mean he lacks in heating things up!

Ash mused as I whirled around. His eyes, cold and inhuman, glimmered with amusement.  Up close, he was even more beautiful, with high cheekbones and dark tousled hair falling into his eyes.

Personality 

     Ash may be cold when we first meet him, but there's no doubt that underneath that sexy icey exterior is a tortured soul and guy who feels everything so deeply. Growing up in the Unseelie Court taught him to close his emotions off, that is, until a certain someone comes into his life and begins to open him up again. It's from this vulnerability that we really get to see that Ash is a genuinely good person inside and out (which makes him even hotter, may I add).       Threaten Ash or the people he loves and he won't hesitate to slice you to pieces, but capture his heart and he'll be there for you like no other! Ash's intense devotion and love for Meghan ruins future boyfriends for bookworms everywhere! Oh and how can I forget to mention how he will melt your heart with the simplest of lines.....

"You're here," I murmured, reaching out to touch him, hardly believing this was real. "You came back."  Ash's breath hitched and he put his hands over mine."I came home."

^^^ Like c'mon?! That's perfection right there!

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I licked my lips and whispered, "Is this where you say you'll kill me?"

One corner of his lips curled. "If you like," he murmured, a flicker of amusement finally crossing his face. "Though it's gotten far too interesting for that.”

Talents

      Ash may be stunning and make you swoon into a puddle of goo, but he also has some wicked skills that make him both unique and add to his crush-worthiness. He's an expert swordsman that can take on any competitor without breaking a sweat and has the power of Winter glamour at his fingertips. You never quite know when Ash just might send an ice shard at your face...just ask Puck ;)

“Touch her, and I'll freeze your testicles off and put them in a jar. Understand?”

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"But...but what if I hit you?"  A snort. "You're not going to hit me."

"How do you know?" I bristled at his amused tone. "I could hit you. Even master swordsmen make mistakes. I could get a lucky shot, or you might not see me coming. I don't want to hurt you."

He favored me with another patient look. "And how much experience do you have with swords and weapons in general?"

"Um." I glanced down at the saber in my hand. "Thirty seconds?"

He smiled, that calm, irritatingly confident smirk. "You're not going to hit me."

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     There's no doubt that Ash's looks, personality and talents (combined with his complete and strong love for Meghan) are what make this Ice Prince the obvious winner for this tournament! Feared warrior, passionate lover and heart melter are just a few of the diverse descriptions that can be given to Ash. He may be a complicated character, but you won't be able to get him out of your head after devouring each and every Iron Fey novel. 

"If I have to chase your soul to the ends of eternity, I won't stop until I find you, I promise"

(Quote submitted by: @thekhalkhalz)

...It's crazy how true this actually is....

VOTE TEAM ASH! 
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POLLS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Match #9: Adrian (#2) vs Cricket (#31) 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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Hey y'all! I'm Avery from Avery's Book Nook and today I  AM BEYOND excited to be advocating one of my most favourite YA boys of all time- Cricket Bell from Stephanie Perkin's LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR!

During the tournament you can follow me at:

BLOG/ TWITTER/ FACEBOOK

Personality/ Special Attributes/Best Qualities

• Cricket, in my opinion, is without a doubt one of the most romantic YA male characters I have ever encountered before- he truly wears his heart on his sleeve and he isn't afraid to show his emotions: 

"I can't stop thinking about you, and I'm not the guy I used to be, I've changed- [...] Go out with me tonight. Tomorrow night, every ni-" (pg. 92). 

"A star. Every star he's drawn onto his skin has been for me" (pg. 328). 

• Furthermore, he is without a doubt one of the most genuine, kind-hearted, and humble characters I know of, constantly putting others before himself, whether it be his sister, Calliope, and her figure skating or walking Lola home when she was unable to do so DESPITE having a major school assignment due the next day 
• He's funny: 

"Cricket tells a joke and turns to see if I'm laughing, if I think that he's funny, and I want him to know that I do think that he's funny, and I want him to know that I'm glad that he's my friend, and I want him to know that he has the biggest heart out of anyone I'd ever known" (pg. 136).

• He doesn't hold judgements against ANYONE- whether it be Norah, Lola's dads, or heck, even Lola when she makes some pretty terrible mistakes throughout the book.

• He is close friends with Etienne St. Clair from ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS. Put those two boys in one room? 'Nuff said: 

"Cricket dwarfs St. Clair. They look like Rocky and Bullwinkle, and the comfortable manner between them makes it appear they've been friends for just as long. I suppose that when one overly kind person and one overly outgoing person become friends, it's easy like that" (pg. 163).

•  Cricket is evidence that chivalry is not dead- as Lola says, "Cricket Bell has integrity" (pg. 270).

• And perhaps best of all, he likes Lola for just the way that she is- he doesn't expect her to change or be someone that she isn't:

"And maybe some people think that wearing a costume means you're trying to hide your real identity, but I think a costume is more truthful than regular clothing could ever be. It actually says something about the person wearing it. I know that Lola, because she expressed her desires and wishes and dreams for the entire city to see. For me to see" (pg. 281).

Looks

I don't want to mess with Stephanie's description of Cricket ('cuz, we all know that you don't mess with perfection ;) ) so here it is straight from LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR: 

Courtesy Simini Blocker

"Cricket Bell was always taller than most boys, but in the last two years, he's added half a foot. At least. His slender body- once skinny and awkward, despite his graceful movements- has also changed" (pg. 36). 

".... his dark hair is tall. It's floppy, but... inverted floppy. I'm not sure how it's possible without serious quantities of mousse or gel... It gives him the air of a mad scientist..." (pg. 36). 

"Cricket Bell has always been... nice. And he was cute, and he was intelligent, and he was older, and it was only natural that I would develop feelings for him. But the day everything fell into place was the same day I discovered that he'd become interested in his appearance. Not in an egotistical way. Simple in a "maybe baggy shorts and giant sneakers aren't the most attractive looks for a guy like me" way.
So he started wearing these pants.
Nice pants. Not hipster pants or preppy pants or anything like that, just pants that said he cared about pants. They were chosen to fit his frame. Some plain, some pinstriped to further elongate his height. And he would pair them with vintage shirts and unusual jackets in a way that looked effortlessly cool" (pg. 37). 

"And now here he is, and his dress habits haven't changed. If anything, they've improved. Both his pants and his shirt are still slim-fitting, but now he's accessorized. A thick, black leather watchband on one wrist, a multitude of weathered colorful bracelets and rubber bands on the other. Cricket Bell looks good. He looks BETTER" (pg. 38). 

Talents

• Cricket is not only a genius (I mean, he's in university while everyone else his age is finishing high school), but he is also an inventor- creating the most fantastical and wondrous things: 

"When I was five years old, Cricket Bell built an elevator. It was a marvelous invention made from white string and Tonka truck wheels and a child-size show box, and because of it, my Barbies traveled from the first floor of the dollhouse to the second without ever having to walk on their abnormally slanted feet" (pg. 59). 

• Cricket is a descendant of Alexander Graham Bell. Yes, the Alexander Graham Bell who invented the telephone. AKA it is because of Cricket's descendant that you are able to vote in the Crush Tourney on your phone. 
• The boy can BAKE: 

"Andy explains that baking is actually a science- leavening and acids, proteins and starches- and Cricket gets it" (pg. 115).

• He is good with children- babies especially- he can calm them down when no one else can
• He knows how to do hair and make-up and does a good job of it- even when under pressure

Anything else? 

Special thanks goes out to the wonderful ladies of the YA Sisterhood for all of the hard work that they do in the organizing of this tournament- they are truly rockstars! Special thanks also goes out to @librarychickD for her being a member of the Team Cricket Street Team and thanks to all who vote for Cricket! 

Match #9: Katniss (Seed #2) vs Fire (Seed #31) goes to Katniss!

After two excellent advocate defenses, the winner of this match is...

KATNISS!



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 10th.

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 Her

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 your girl 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. What makes your girl better than her competitor?

Credit: kara-lija on DeviantArt

Fire is definitely a tough opponent. She possesses great powers, yet she refuses to use them against the innocent. I admire that. She's a girl who knows her strengths, and when to use them. She is called Fire for a reason.



But let's not forget that Katniss is also called Fire--The Girl On Fire--and she, too, is called that for a reason. She may not have had supernatural powers to help her, but from the moment she came out dressed in an outfit of flames, her every act from then on would continue to light the fire that fueled the rebellion.



If Fire had no supernatural powers, would she still be as influential?

5. Anything else you’d like to add?

Show your support for Team Katniss! Grab a button and post it on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else you think of. More button options can be found here.

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Hi y'all, I'm Grace. I'm from the blog Words Like Silver, which I have been maintaining for around eight months now. If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, my handle is @beachtwin110 and my Facebook page is here. For each round that Fire advances through, I'll be giving away a copy of either Fire or Graceling. This is my first time being an advocate in the tournament. To be honest, when I first heard I was going up against Katniss, my first thoughts were injected with pure fear. Katniss is amazing and she has a bigger fan base, but today I'm here to talk about how much better Fire is.

About Her

Forget the girl who was on fire; remember the girl who IS Fire.

Not as many people have heard of Fire as the ones who have heard about Katniss. I know this, and I was afraid of it. But Fire is so much better if you would just give her the chance. She is much more modest, but much more extraordinary. She is subtle, but the strongest character that you could imagine.

Fire is a monster. She knows she is. But can anybody truly help who their parents are? She couldn't help that she was born with brilliant, pure hair the color of flame. Striking eyes, and a curvaceous body making her the envy of many women and the subject of leers from the men. It would be enough for anybody to deal with, right?

And yet Fire has to go through worse. Because she is a monster. Everybody hates her, and doesn't even give her a chance to prove herself. From the moment she was born, she was cursed to always be an outsider. She's dangerous and powerful, but she's quiet. She doesn't shy away from her fear, however. She embraces it, and uses that fear to grow.

Not to mention that she is a musical genius. Her fiddle is like an extension of her soul that she molds the music to, and uses it to make the world more beautiful. She plays the fiddle for everybody all the time, and it is with it under her chin that she is the happiest. Did I mention that she is also great with a bow and arrow? In fact, "great" is an understatement. She's just as good as Katniss, but nobody seems to give her credit for it. She's modest about her talents.

Fire has to tuck her hair into a drab headscarf every day, and when she's approached to consider helping the kingdom, she immediately decides to help. It is there that she starts to grow even more into herself and she is able to use her skills to the fullest.

Because although people hate her, she secretly does incredible things for them. She protects them without their knowledge, and killed her own father (who she loved dearly) so that people would be safe from him. She sacrifices everything for them and doesn't even accept any credit. Instead she is silent among their filthy jeers and heart-wrenching deeds. She is modest, but just as brilliant as flame herself.

Best Attributes

She has been given the gift of changing people's minds, and seeing their thoughts. Now this trait has popped up in many other books, but the problem is that it isn't treated like a special power, and people know that she has it. When you're around her, you can't help but ask yourself whether she's using it on you? So even the people that she's closest to are clouded in thick doubts and uncertainties. Her problem is that nobody will give her the simple courtesy of belief.

The best qualities about Fire are that she makes her own way in the world. Something about her that has been a huge part of the novel is Fire struggling to live her father's legacy of coldness and abuse down. Being a twin, I can identify her because WE ARE NOT OUR FAMILIES. We have the power to change lives and the world with ourselves, and Fire goes straight on her way trying to carve herself a new path aside from the one that people expect her to take - that of her father's.

Not only is she killer with her fiddle and bow and arrow, but she is empathetic. Whether it's because she's expert at reading minds or simply in tune because of her own disastrous experiences with people who judge her without knowing her. She is able to help people sort through problems. Although people may run screaming, she shows them comfort. No matter how many times they hurt her, she will always be willing to help them. She is incredibly loyal, and she's modest about it.

Fire is simply brilliant. From her physical appearance to her demeanor, there are too many amazing traits to name.

What makes your heroine a TRUE heroine?

This is the wrong question. The right question is, what doesn't? The official definition of heroine is, "a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities." Fire has courage. She is the most courageous person for not taking credit for her work. If she had, she wouldn't be going through the hate and awful surroundings that she does every day. Instead, she chooses to bear individual hardships and make her life hell so that it wouldn't be hell for other people.

It's a known fact that each person generally considers themselves the most important person in the world. The amazing part? Fire doesn't. She's the one person in perhaps all of history that has truly put others before herself in order to make the quality of life better for them.

Fire is simply brilliant. She takes things in stride, but reflects back on what she could have done better. She doesn't let regrets or selfish thoughts cloud her judgement, but instead uses these to her advantage. She learns to grow with it, and with every word about Fire, we learn more about her and see her grow. She is mature, and gets even more like an adult throughout the book.

This is the type of girl that people want to look up to. The type of girl that you would want your child, or your younger sister, or you when you were younger to look at with inspiration. Fire in their eyes as they think of the pure strength, dignity, and class that comes with being Fire.

Why is FIRE better than KATNISS?

Who is braver? The person who defies forces and fights back physically, taking credit for her work and flaunting it? Or the girl who works behind the scenes, and doesn't take credit for her incredible deeds? The girl who puts herself on a pedestal, or the girl who chooses to put others before herself, and works to make everybody else's lives better?

One of the reasons I was terrified to go up against Katniss was that everybody knows about her. Not as many people know about Fire. But think about it. There's the girl who was famous because she was on Fire. And then there's the girl who isn't famous, but is the actual fire.

Fire is selfless. Katniss is not. There's a quote from the first book - the original Hunger Games - at the time of the reaping. The only thought racing through Katniss's head is that it shouldn't be her, praying that it wasn't her. Then, when it's her younger sister, she steps forward to volunteer. Although that was her second action. Fire goes with her first actions, because they are always the right ones. There are no second chances in life.

Perhaps the quality of Katniss's that brands her the most is her talent with a bow and arrow. This quality isn't particularly unique. Fire is just as good with a bow and arrow, and uses it for more than meat. Not only this, but Fire can play the fiddle. She strives to create beauty, not violence.

Fire in both books symbolizes strength, power, and passion. Fire is the personification of all of those qualities and that's the reason that Fire is...fire.

Fire learns from her mistakes and grows throughout them. Katniss tends to stick with her gut, and that can backfire. She doesn't truly reflect on what she does, and usually ends up living with regrets (there are examples throughout the book of this). Katniss is a great character, but if you truly look, you'll find that Fire has the true passion and strength.

There's a reason that in stories, the heroine is always a certain type of girl. The girl who yearns for something more to the world, something barely palpable that only she can feel, that feeling just beyond her reach of understanding and the thing that she always strives for. It could be that feeling that comes with the possibility of being famous. But stronger still is the girl who doesn't care about fame or creating chaos in mass doses. One will find that the more effective way is by changing the world one piece at a time. One person at the time.

Anything else you'd like to add:

I know that some people may skip these arguments, and go straight to the polls. You may not have read Fire, but most people have read The Hunger Games and will vote for the person that they are familiar with. But I think that you'll find that if you take the time to read this post, or even take the time to reflect back on the qualities that make a true heroine. Take a chance. Read the book. Forget about the girl who was on fire; remember the girl who is fire, and all the stunning qualities that go with it.

As they say, it only takes a spark to get a fire going.

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*