Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tempest Rising
By Tracy Deebs
Reviewed by Sis-in-law Sarah
The sisters say: a magical, mermaid-filled must-read!

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kona, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Ever since the last Pirates of the Caribbean came out, I've had a mild fascination with mermaids. I mean, seriously, the mermaid MADE the movie.  When I saw this book, I HAD to read it. And, being my first ever mer book, my fascination with mermaids has turned into an obsession!

I love these mermaids.  Not only do you get an awesome colored tail (each mermaid has a different color), but you also get an incredible tattoo to match! Look at this cover!!! I kind of want a purple tattoo now!!!

The heroine of this story, Tempest, is such an incredibly round character.  She's known about mermaids all her life, seeing as her mother was one, but holds a grudge against them because she believes her mother chose the ocean and being a mermaid over being a wife and mother to the family she had on land.  However strong her grudge may be, this does not keep her from the inevitable...that she too will have to make a choice between ocean and land on her seventeenth birthday.  As it quickly approaches, Tempest learns that this choice may not be as simple as she previously thought.  As her story begins, Tempest is a simple (yet incredibly awesome) surfer with a secret, but as the story progresses, she is faced with much more difficult choices and tasks than she could have ever imagined.

This book has everything we readers are looking for: a heroine we can identify with, an extraordinary love triangle including TWO very hot yet very different guys, the adorable family our heroine must save, and a fascinating new world in which we can loose ourselves as we dive into our book from the safety and comfort of our living room couch.

Tracy Deebs delved into what could be a very cheesy subject. I mean, we all loved The Little Mermaid when we were kids, but does it really cut it in more mature literature?  Yet, for me, she made "Under the Sea" a thing of the past and gave me "A Whole New World."

I loved this book and I'm VERY much looking forward to book #2! Coming June 5, 2012!!!

Match #25: Clary (Seed #1) vs Meghan (Seed #8) Goes to Clary

And the winner is...


Clary

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 3 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Extraordinary Eight! Can you guys believe we're already down to eight heroines? 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 DECEMBER 29th.

And now for the match....

Hey, I’m Valerie from
StuckInBooks.com and I’m here to convince you to vote Team Clary.  Helping me today is the gorgeous Jace.  Thanks for stopping by to help me.  Why should readers vote for Clary as the
strongest heroine? (Oh and make sure you look for the City of Lost Souls
teaser that Jace brought with him.)

By Kara Lija

By
Jace

She’s my girl so she’s the perfect heroine but there are
other reasons too.  Clary is loyal and
driven to help those she loves, even when it was that mundane she wanted to
save. 

From City of Bones – “When the
self-congratulatory part of the evening is over, maybe we could get back to
saving my best friend from being exsanguinated to death?”

She’s feisty & independent.  She doesn’t put up with any sh*t, even from
me.

From City of Bones - "I was ninety
percent sure." "I see," Clary said.

There must have been something in her voice, because he turned to look at her.
Her hand cracked across his face, a slap that rocked him back on his heels. He
put a hand to his cheek, more in surprise than pain. "What the hell was
that for?" "The other ten percent," she said, and they rode the
rest of the way down to the street in silence."

Clary finds a way to win.  Her gifts help her find a way.

From City of Ashes - "The completed
Fearless rune was a matrix of strongly swirling lines: a rune as bold and
aerodynamic as an eagle.  She tore the page free and held it up so the
others could see it."
 

She fights her own
battles.  All that red hair, I’m not
gonna cross her.

 From City of Glass
- "Is
this the part where you say if I hurt her, you'll kill me?" "No"
Simon said, "If you hurt Clary she's quite capable of killing you herself.
Possibly with a variety of weapons." 

By Kara Lija

She
loves really fiercely, and that's one of her great strong points, but she's
never dependent. She knows how strong I think she is.



From City of Glass - "Clary thought of the way Jace had looked at her then,
the blaze of

faith in his eyes, his belief in her. He had always thought she was strong. He
had showed it in everything he did, in every look and every touch. Simon had
faith in her too, yet when he’d held her, it had been as if she were something
fragile, something made of delicate glass. But Jace had held her with all the
strength he had, never wondering if

she could take it—he’d known she was as strong as he was."

I don’t know this Meghan girl, but Clary saved the world
from Valentine.  I think we might need her
to kick some demon @$$ very soon, to save the world again.  To save me.

City of
Lost Souls - "The demon struck, and Clary rose to meet it with the dagger she had yanked
from her belt. She turned her body aside as she drove the dagger home, avoiding
the creature’s fangs; its hiss turned to a gurgle as the blade sank in and she
dragged it down, gutting the creature open the way someone might gut a fish.
Burning demon blood exploded over her hand in a hot torrent."

Thanks Jace, I couldn’t agree more.  And if you need more incentive to vote for
Clary today then remember that if Clary wins this whole deal, Cassandra
Clare will write the Greenhouse scene from Jace's POV. 

Make sure you spread the
word to vote for Clary today then stop by StuckInBooks.com to enter to win ALL
of Cassandra’s books, SIGNED.

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

If you don't already know, the fabulous Meghan is being represented by me, Anna Tee from The Bursting Bookshelf. Meghan is from The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa, a four book series. If you want to stay up to date on how Meghan is doing in the Tourney or to just support her, please check out my Twitter and use the hashtag #TEAMMEGHAN. Before we begin, I'd just like to thank the YA Sisterhood for hosting this event! WARNING, MILD SPOILERS BELOW. MOST SPOILERS ARE HIDDEN, HIGHLIGHT TO READ.

About Her:
As I already said, Meghan is from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, a series about becoming who you are meant to be and making sacrifices along the way. Meghan begins her journey as a an average sixteen year old girl, floating under the radar along with her best friend of many years, Robbie. She has very straight, fine, whitish blond hair that a habit of "doing that stupid floating thing." (Page 11, The Iron King) Meghan also refers to herself as fairly skinny, but preferring baggier clothes over fitted ones, proving her to be a fan of simplicity over vanity. In the beginning, our heroine lives on the outskirts of a town in Louisiana, USA, but soon after she makes her home in the Nevernever, a realm of the fey. The Nevernever is home to both the Summer and Winter courts and the growing Iron Court. 


Her personality is one of her best features, with a great amount of loyalty, bravery and honesty. Plus, she can hold her own against the likes of Puck (formerly Robbie), Ash and Grimalkin. Over the course of the first novel she learns about the fey and her destiny, entering a world of fey and deception, simply to save her brother. She faces many hardships and challenges, but with the help of Puck and Ash she perseveres through it all. If you have yet to read the Iron Fey series, I seriously recommend you do so immediately. 


Best Attributes:
Meghan's best attribute is her personality. She is not only brave, loyal and honest, but she is also hugely trusting. She proved her bravery by simply going to save her brother, entering a world completely foreign to her with her best friend who had been lying to her about who he really was for years. If you ask me, that takes a lot of courage. Going into the Nevernever with Puck also showed intense loyalty towards her brother, as well as protectiveness. As for her honesty, she ultimately proved it at the end of The Iron King and at many points along the way, keeping her promises no matter how difficult it proved.


Apart from her personality, Meghan is also a unique kind of supernatural (I'm trying to not give too much away, so you'll have to read to find out what kind *evil grins*), one that is not often read about, making her a completely unique addition to the world of young adult books.


What Makes Meghan a True Heroine?
To me, a heroine is a girl who is not only entertaining to read about, she also is a role model to her readers. She has her flaws, but she works her hardest to make up for them, never giving up no matter what obstacles life throws at her. She is not fearless though, she simply knows how to conquer those fears. A heroine also has to be relate-able, even if she battles mythical creatures, the reader has to be able to connect with her on some level.

Well, Meghan proves herself over and over again to be a great role model for others. She sticks to her word, she protects the ones she loves, she values loyalty and she is brave; she never lets her fears get in the way. Needless to say, she is very entertaining to read about, constantly taking readers on epic adventures with Puck and Ash. Though she often comes face to face with unpleasant creatures, she finds her triumph through dedication and hard work, making up for any flaws she has. To add to her arsenal, she is very relate-able to readers; she starts as a regular girl with regular problems (ie. trying to be noticed), but she changes over the series into a leader and a warrior. Finally, Meghan also never gives up, she fought hard to get her brother home and also to get to where she did characteristic wise.

Why you should vote for Meghan:
The Iron Fey series is awesome and anyone who has read the series would agree. Meghan gets the job done every time and she is not afraid to make sacrifices to achieve a greater goal. She is willing to make sacrifices to benefit everyone even if it means losing the ones she loves, she put her life on the line frequently for the greater good, ultimately giving up her 'normal' life to rule a kingdom of fey. I mean how can you go wrong voting for a book with a strong heroine and two dashing guys? Meghan also gets to go on multiple journeys with two amazing guys and a talking cat! A TALKING CAT! Enough said. Please, if you have supported Meghan in the past rounds, vote for her again today!


Anything Else You'd Like to Add?
I would just like to add that voting for Meghan is a wise choice- would you want to upset Puck or Ash? Let's get Meghan all the way to the final round!


Thanks to the YA Sisterhood for hosting this awesome tourney!

**Voting is now closed**

Match #26: Hermione (Seed #4) vs Tris (Seed #5) Goes to Hermione

And the winner is...


Hermione

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 3 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Extraordinary Eight! Can you guys believe we're already down to eight heroines? 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 DECEMBER 29th.

And now for the match....

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 for Hermione instead of Tris?

Hermione is a very selfless girl. One who doesn't hold grudges - even if people have talked about her horribly in the past. Hermione is extremely forgiving and unlike Tris doesn't let her stubbornness become the issue in any predicament.

Tris and Hermione are quite similar though, in the fact they both left their families. Hermione didn't have to chose to live away from her family, which would be hard for anyone, but she did have to protect them. She altered their minds to keep them safe when Voldemort was at his most powerful. She left them thinking they'd never had a daughter at all. Could you imagine? She loved her parents so much she was willing to leave the muggle world behind and only take part in the wizarding world to save them. Now that's a hero.

Tris is no underdog and though several people will say that Hermione has had her time in the spotlight, I have to ask, has she really? Hermione has never been in the spotlight by herself. Always sharing it with her two best buds, Ron and Harry can be time consuming. JK Rowling did wonderful showing friendship and loyalty, but Hermione deserves a little more confidence and faith that her readers didn’t just love the boys, but her as well. This round I’m asking you to show Hermione some extra love that she’s just as important solo as she is in a trio.

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.

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

Hello again its Julie from My 5 Monkeys and here to advocate for Tris and all of her awesomeness.


About Her


I found Tris to be one of the strongest female characters in YA this year. She's a normal girl who is petite with blond hair and bites her nails but she has an inner strength that kept her alive during her Dauntless initiation. She grew up in the Abnegation Faction - The Selfless but has always felt drawn to the Dauntless Faction - The Brave, the faction she chooses when she turns 16. Tris embodies both these qualities. She is SELFLESS. She is BRAVE.


Best Attributes

She has compassion, and she stands up FOR (instead of to) her fellow initiates when they are being bullied despite the consequences for herself . She is brave and smart, and has fire in her to never give up throughout her Dauntless initiation.

What makes her a heroine

TRIS is also underestimated because of her size BUT faces her fears head on . She is a true heroine . She doesn't have any special abilities but never stops searching for the truth or fighting for the people she cares about.

Why is Tris better than her competitors?

I think Tris is just as great as the other competitors  but she stands apart from the crowd in her search for the truth, her loyalty and compassion to her fellow Dauntless members and her family. She rode the rails and learned to face her fears in her quest to become Dauntless . She also stood up to some unscrupulous people in the fraction and brave for her choices . 


Why is should she get your vote over Hermione ? 


I think that she is just as good and smart as Hermione. I think that we only know more about Hermione because she has been in 7 books where as with Tris she has only been introduced to her world and all Fractions. I do think Tris and Hermione both exceptional  of  characteristics  of being Dauntless and Selflessness. They are both Heroines of Worth . 


I think that Hermione is also a Rock Star in her world and with  all of her problems with he who must not be named. 

www.ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com 

**voting is now closed**

Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Publish Date: June 27th, 2011
Reviewed by: Honorary Sis Beth
Sister Says: Dark, Dreamy, and Daring


Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past. (Summary by goodreads.com)

First of all, I have to say, isn't that cover absolutely incredible!?!?! I want that dress so bad, I can hardly see straight. I just can't get over how beautiful of a picture it is!

Speaking of beauty, Ms. Michelle's writing is artistic. She is able to articulate so many emotions and details with her words that at times I was left breathless. So, needless to say, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

First, Nara....what a wonderful character! She goes through life knowing what the day holds in store. When I first read the summary, I thought how great it would be in high school to know what was going to happen, but Nara quickly shows the reader the burden of knowing. She is a complex character with deep layers that slowly come unraveled during the book. Nara is a girl that I would like to be: loving, tender, strong, determined, and does not care what people think. She stands up for her beliefs...what a heroine!!!!

Then there is Ethan.....let me pause a moment and say, WOW!!!! Talk about about a dark, mysterious hottie!!! He purposefully keeps people at arms length, but just can't get enough of Nara. I would love to discuss more about him, but if I do, I would give away too many spoilers, and believe me, you will want to uncover them for yourself. Plus, there is still so much left to discover in the next book. I feel like we just scratched the surface of his character. Ethan and Nara's connection is electric; as I read, I could literally feel the electricity between them. He is a knight-in-shining armor masked as a dark, tortured bad boy with tattoos. (huge sigh)

Ms. Michelle interweaves many secondary characters into Nara's life which continued to add to the depth of the book and Nara. She was able to come up with an original story in YA paranormal romance that left me wanting to read more. Nara is dealing a non-existent mom and a father who disappeared, so when the one consistent thing in her life (her dreams) inexplicably evaporates she on a mission to get it back. The more she digs, more and more weird things start happening. The twists that come are so unexpected and beautiful, it is literally impossible not to read this in one sitting.

Brightest Kind of Darkness has made it to my top five books that I have read this year. I am anxiously awaiting the next in the series and strongly encourage everyone to put it on your TBR list!

I had a bit of a hard time writing this review because I loved it so much, but did not want to put any spoilers in it. I want as many people to read it as possible so I have some book buddies to discuss it with, I am personally going to give away three Kindle copies of Brightest Kind of Darkness. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Match #23: Tessa (Seed #3) vs Kaylee (Seed # 19) goes to Tessa

And the winner is...

Tessa!

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 2 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Superior Sixteen!  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 27th.

And now for the match....

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 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. She is brave and willing to do what she needs to do without complaint. 

She is not dependent upon the males in her life. She doesn't play on the boy's feelings for her- manipulating them to do what she wants. 

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.   

Why Should YOU Vote For Tessa Instead of Kaylee? 

I know, I know, this is where I am supposed to convince you why Tessa is a better heroine than Kaylee, but I am not going to. I cannot tell you how much it pains me to see these two girls go head-to-head- both Cassie Clare and Rachel Vincent have been my top favourite authors for years and I love both of these girls so much and I truly believe them to both be heroines and legitimate role models for young adults (especially young females). 

If you really think about it, both girls have so much in common- both are selfless beyond belief (especially when dealing with the drug addicts in their lives), both haven't had the easiest of lives (losing loved ones and discovering that their lives have essentially been lies), both make those around them better people (case in point, the bad boys in their lives) and both are willing to put others well being before their own. 

I think that you should vote for the female character who you believe to be the strongest heroine (and even if you vote for Kaylee, I will wholeheartedly support your decision)!  

Anything You'd Like to Add? 

For those of you who do intend to vote for Tessa I just wanted to let you know that Stuck in Books, Letters Inside Out, Cassie
Claire, and myself (the girl's advocates) have some incentives for you. Find out all of the
details HERE!

Furthermore, Cassie has stated that if Tessa were to win the tournament that: "If Tessa wins, I’ll put up a number of options from the Clockwork world and write whichever wins the poll. :) For every mini-round that one of the girls wins, I’ll share a spoiler
from an upcoming book. If Clary or Iz: ColS, if Tessa, Clockwork
Princess." (see the details HERE).

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

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!

Just One Last Thing....

Tessa is an amazing heroine and a worthy competitor. In fact, I don't anticipate this being an easy match for Kaylee. Not after all the sexy times that Tessa had in Clockwork Prince. Though if you've read If I Die, Kaylee has a few of her own awesome moments.



But to leave you with some food for thought...



There are THREE Cassandra Clare heroines in this tournament. All of them amazing, but there can be only one winner.



So, if you are a fan of Clary or Izzy (or on Team Izzy) and don't want to have face Tessa in a match, help Kaylee in her match today!



Izzy will be going up against Tessa if she beats Karou in her next match and Kaylee loses hers. With all the chatter about Clockwork Prince, Tessa would be the definite favorite in that match-up.



If you are a fan of any of the other heroines in this tournament and want this not to end in a Clary v. Tessa final, help out Kaylee today by VOTING KAYLEE FTW!



Katniss may be the favorite in Kaylee and Tessa's side of the draw, but if you look at vote numbers, I believe that Tessa got way more than Katniss in her match thanks to the wonderful support of the author and her huge fan-base.

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So, while I think both Tessa and Kaylee are equally worthy of being called "heroine" and I love them both, as Kaylee's advocate I have to say VOTE KAYLEE FTW!



I hope Tod and I have 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*