Match #31: Clary (Seed #1) vs Tessa (Seed #3) goes to Clary!

And the winner of the ENTIRE tournament is... 


CLARY!

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and The Grande Finale of The Tournament of Heroines!  The time is finally here to see who is your favorite YA Heroine!  Thank you for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you made some friends (and not too many enemies), discovered some fantastic books, and had 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, author, or advocate bashing, your comments will not be puslished and your vote will be 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 not post them!  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON January 7th.

**Be sure to check back next Saturday, January 14th for our Awards Blogemony honoring our amazing advocates.**

And now for the match....

Hi, I'm Valerie from StuckInBooks.com and I'm here to convince you why you should vote for Clary from the Mortal Instruments as a true heroine.  I've decided to share with you a recent twitter conversation as a way to convince you.

Yeah, that's about it.  

And why should you vote for Clary over Tessa, well that's a tough one.  All these heroines are fabulous or they wouldn't be here.  I guess the best reason I have is that Clary deserves to rein with the best hero, her love Jace.  Since Jace is the reining hero, let's keep them a couple even here.

Don't forget to check out StuckInBooks.com today as you spread the word to vote for Clary you can enter to win SIGNED copies of ALL of Cassie's books. 

Even better, if Clary does win, then Cassie will post the Greenhouse scene from Jace's POV and I know you want that. 

Clary FTW

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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 Clary?

When you boil it down, Tessa and Clary have a lot in common (aside from the fact that the are both characters created by Cassandra Clare). Both were quite literally thrust into their supernatural lives (for both girls much of their earlier lives had been a lie). Both girls excel at some things (Clary is creative beyond belief and is able to use her talents to do what no other Shadowhunter has been able to- create runes, whereas Tessa doesn't jump into anything without giving it a lot of thought and is extremely eager to learn of the world around her), but are flawed at others (Tessa is at times too rigid, by following the rule book to a T, whereas sometimes Clary does things with very little thought). Both girls become stronger- mentally, physically, and emotionally- as the stories in which they are a part of unfold.  When it all comes down to it I believe both girls are the epitome of YA Heroines.



I think that you should vote for the girl who you truly think is worthy of the title- don't let the incentives sway in your decision. If you think that Clary is the stronger heroine, don't vote for Tessa just because you want Cassie to rewrite the Dirty Sexy Bedroom Scene from Jem's POV and vice versa- if you think that Tessa is the stronger female, but you really want to know what Jace was thinking in the greenhouse scene in CoB, don't vote for Clary just for the scene. It's simple-we love both of these girls, but vote for the girl you love the most.



Anything you would like to add?



There are a whole heck of a lot of people I have to thank- Rachel over at Fiktshun for giving me lots of pointers about how the tournament worked, Valerie from Stuck in Books and Amanda from Letters Inside Out for being members of Team Cassie alongside me, @CaitLomas and @chel_c_cam for being amazeballs Tweeters, Cassie Clare herself for being so active in the tournament, and most importantly, the ladies of YA Sisterhood.

I think that in the heat of competition a lot of us (myself included) forget/ don't realize how much time and effort goes into running a tournament such as this- a tournament in which tens of thousands of people participate through voting, a tournament in which there are hundreds upon hundreds of comments to monitor, and a tournament in which there are dozens of advocates to constantly be in touch with. What the YA Sisterhood ladies do is unfathomable and as cheesy as it may sound, they are the true heroines in this tournament.

*Because this final features 2 members of Team Cassie everyone who votes is qualified to enter the Team Cassie Giveaway that Valerie, Amanda, Cassie, and myself created at the beginning of the tournament. To find out all of the giveaway details click HERE.

*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.

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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*

Match #29: Clary (Seed #1) vs Hermione (Seed #4) Goes to Clary

And the winner is...


Clary

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 4 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Fierce Four! Can you guys believe we're already down to the last four? Crazy! 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 January 3rd.

And now for the match....

Hey guys, I'm Valerie from StuckInBooks and I'm here to tell you why to
support TeamClary today in the Heroine Tourney! 

Why Clary is a true heroine: We heard from Jace last time, so I thought maybe we could get a few more opinions from the other characters. 

She's tough. 

Isabelle: I have to admit, when I first met Clary I wasn't that impressed. She was just this mundane girl who could see us, breaking up my usual fighting pattern with my brothers. Later, when Jace told me she killed a Ravener, I didn't believe it. I thought she was too little and unimpressive, even though she had demon blood scars on her when he brought her in. Then I started to get it. She never backed down. There was never a situation where she was too scared. She fought even though she wasn't trained. She saved my life and my brother's

life. She faced down Valentine. She faced down the Angel. She faced down death itself. She has feelings and she'll show them, but in the end, she'll put them aside to do what needs to be done. I get it now, that inside that little body there's a steel spine. 

She's loyal. 

Simon Lewis: Clary's incredibly loyal. She's been my best friend since first grade. Sometimes she'd drag me places I didn't want to go — like nightclubs — but she'd face off against anyone who ever had a bad word to say about me. She walked into a vampire-infested hotel in City of Bones, and on to a ship crawling with demons in City of Ashes, to save me. She'd walk through fire for me and I would for her. In City of Lost Souls we'll see just how far she'll go to save the ones she loves.

She has a big heart. 

Alec: When I first met Clary, I couldn't stand her. Because of the way Jace looked at her. I was sure she was going to come between us in some destructive way. But then I watched her with the people she loved. I couldn't believe the way she risked herself for Simon — why would you do that for someone who wasn't your family, that you weren't in love with? I started to understand there were other kinds of love and loyalty. She risked everything to save my parabatai, and I can see how happy she makes him. If it was only that, I'd like her, but I like her anyway now, on her own terms. She taught me that love grows from itself: it's not a small thing that you can only give to one person. You can keep so very many people in your heart. 

She's smart. 

Magnus: I've been alive a long time. I like to think I have good instincts. I've always had a good instinct about Clary Fray. Sure, she can be reckless, that's the nature of heroes (Achilles was — man, the stories I could tell about HIM) — but she isn't unthinking. She does what she needs to do to get the job done. Breaking apart that ship in City of Ashes with a simple Open rune? That's thinking on your feet. The way she took down Valentine, literally with her hands tied? I always like to see a villain hoist by his own petard. And putting the Mark of Cain on Simon: she remembered one small thing I'd said, and turned it into an iron-clad defense of her best friend. Valentine always underestimated women, and in the end he underestimated his daughter and that was his downfall. 

She's forgiving. 

Jocelyn: From the time Clary was born, I was afraid that she'd be endangered by the supernatural world she didn't know about. I lied to her to protect her. I took her memories from her. When she found out the truth, she was angry, and I thought I might lose my daughter. But she's made mistakes and learned from them and she knows other people do too. She's forgiven me and she sticks by me, even if it means putting on a fancy bridesmaids dress she hates! 

She puts the welfare of others first. 

Luke: I like to think that I brought Clary up, even though I'm not her father. I think there was some part of Jocelyn that always worried that Clary would inherit Valentine's darkness, his selfishness. But Clary has always been clear-eyed about putting others before herself. Even when she does reckless things, it's to save other people. When she walked into the Dumont, it was to save Simon. When she Portaled herself to Idris, it's because she knew no one else could save her mother, even though she was risking her own safety and making the boy she loved very angry indeed. And she did save Jocelyn — she got the Book of the White. No one else could have done it. I don't know where she gets her inner strength but I like to think I had something to do with it. 

She never gives up. 

Raphael: Oh, the red-headed one? Trust me, you're better off giving her what she wants than not. She will keep bothering you until the end of time unless you don't. She annoys me so, especially since that whole Mark of Cain business. Argh! 

She's dangerous. 

Jonathan/Sebastian: My father always told me I had nothing to fear from my sister. He said she was weak, like all women are weak. That they need love too much. I listened to my father, and when I met my sister, I saw her through those eyes. I saw the love she had for all those around her, the sympathy, and I called it weakness. I never thought that just as I destroyed the towers of Alicante, as my father and I sowed the seeds of dissent within the ranks of the Shadowhunters, that she would bind them all back together with only a simple spell.
I know better now. I won't underestimate my sister. She is smart and she is determined and she is strong. Like me. We have the same blood and only time will tell if she will be my greatest enemy, or the love of my life.

(Note: all images came from http://mundiesource.net/wpd/the-mortal-instruments/character-bios/)

Yep, I think they pretty much said it all.  

But I will add that there are incentives to VOTE for Clary today.  

Over at StuckInBooks.com you will find a giveaway for SIGNED copies of all of Cassies books.  AND if Clary wins the whole thing, Cassie will post the Greenhouse scene from Jace's POV!  I SO want that!


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I’m Jen, from the blog Unedited, I tweet avidly at @jenunedited, and can be found stalking YOU on facebook… but that’s enough about me. I’m the advocate for Hermione Granger and that’s where my focus is. To stay involved of all things Hermione Granger use hashtag #TEAMHERMIONE on twitter! Include my twitter so I can retweet and connect with you as much as possible!

About Her

So, let’s talk Hermione. You know, the girl who started with two big front teeth and turned into one amazing hottie. This brown hair, brown-eyed beauty can be found wearing the latest fashions when she isn’t in her black robes at Hogwarts. She’s not only bright in the Muggle world (non-magic folks) but can be found at the top of her class in the Wizarding world (magic folks… keep up). She’s known as a bit of a know-it-all but when you find yourself in a bind she’ll be the first with a spell to pull you right out of the sticky situation.

Best Attributes

Hermione isn’t your cookie-cutter heroine. The rawness in her inability to fit in makes her relatable to many girls. She wants to make friends and when she finally does she befriends several different personalities. The beauty of her friendship is the loyalty and trustworthiness she brings to the table. Judgment is left for those who are incompetent of understanding her beliefs. She’s a great support system for the house-elves and will stop at nothing until they’re freed. She’s a go-getter and the term give-up can NOT be found in her vocabulary.

What makes Hermione a true heroine?

Protecting the innocence and taming the guilty is a regular occurrence when hanging with her two best friends, Ron and Harry. From performing spells to hide from her enemies, to flying her way out of a sticky situation on the back of an invisible thestral (only seen to those who’ve witnessed death) this girl puts trust to a whole new level. Her ability to fake her way through a chess game, know how to destroy horcruxes, and learning all about the deathly hallows, she’s your own personal guide in any walk of life. Did I mention her determination... look at her... see what I mean?

Why should you vote Hermione instead of Clary?

Clary's advocate hasn't explained what makes her character a true heroine, and even though I can't give you a special Jace-ified greenhouse scene, I will share why Hermione should receive the spotlight.

HUMANITY* Hermione visits and listens to Moaning Myrtle even when no one else does.
* She creates S.P.E.W. to help free house elves
* Doesn't allow Ron OR Harry misuse the fact that Harry's the 'CHOSEN ONE'

HER INTELLIGENCE* She created the enchanted coins for easy communication for Dumbledore's Army.
* She helps hunt horcruxes. Without her, Harry & Ron wouldn't have clothes, books, a tent, polyuice potion, medicines OR the extendable charm she used to house these things.

HER BRAVERY* The sorting hat considered putting her in Ravenclaw, but she had just as much bravery as she did brains.
* She was willing to risk punishment to do the right thing (...creating Dumbledore's Army).

She's an all-around gal. A truly great heroine is how one perceives them and though she can be viewed as a 'bossy-know-it-all' she's saved Harry and the gang, a lot.

Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for writing an incredible character. Let's take Hermione to the Final Two.

What else has Hermione taught me?? A few enchantments --> Watch and see!

And just in case that isn't enough, how about Ryan Gosling helping promote a good cause? After all, isn't he sweet to be TEAM HERMIONE?

Anything else you’d like to add?

This ROCKSTAR was ready for fame and her name deserves to be on the next bracket. Help me carry our girl to the end and you won’t just dream of pygmy puffs and chocolate frogs… those goodies will be granted.

**polls are now closed**