The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky is Everywhere

by Jandy Nelson

Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany

The Sisters say: Emotional, Evocative, Excellent!

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This book! How to begin a discussion of this book! First, I must say that the vast majority of what I read is fantasy, paranormal, or dystopian. I only read contemporary fiction on occasion, and only then when I’ve heard that it is extremely good. Because frankly—I find myself disappointed in a lot of the contemporary fiction I pick up, so I’m very careful about what I read.  I’d heard this book was great, and the author is an alum of the MFA program in which I’m currently enrolled, so I decided to give it a shot. To say I was not disappointed would be e a vast understatement. The word disappointment doesn’t belong on the same planet as this book!

Let’s start with the formatting/language. You can tell by her prose that Jandy Nelson is a poet. Her images are rich, and her phrasing perfectly chosen. Then of course, there is the fact that she sprinkles small snippets of poetry throughout the text. After the death of her sister, Lennie has this tendency to write poems containing her memories and thoughts of Bailey, and then setting them free in the world. She writes these poems on scraps of homework, disposable coffee cups, brown paper bags, and she leaves them under rocks, in trees, and behind furniture. It was fascinating to see these small pieces of her interspersed between chapters.  This unique idea (and the way it was shown in the text) combined with the raw emotions displayed in many of the poems, made it fascinating and fresh!

Secondly—this book defied all the clichés with which I’ve come to associate stories about grief.  In fact, I think it’s one of the most realistic portrayals I’ve ever read. Nelson perfectly captured the fleeting devastation of grief. There were moments when the tragedy of her sister’s death was eclipsed by things going on in Lennie’s life. In those moments, she experienced emotions other than sadness, only to be sideswiped unexpectedly when the grief came rushing back, now accompanied by guilt for having forgotten to feel sad. Lennie struggles most with what feels like hormonal imbalance after her sister’s death. She finds herself suddenly noticing boys in a way that she never has before, and the awkward, suffocating, and sensual thoughts feel almost comical when juxtaposed against the sadness that she carries with her. Jandy Nelson managed to portray the effect of tragedy on her main character without forgetting that her character was a teenage girl, facing all the things that normal teenagers face, though perhaps heightened by the emotional intensity that has occurred after her loss.

And lastly, I felt  an almost overwhelming amount of empathy for Lennie. I started reading the book late at night, only intending to read a couple chapters, but I ended up reading until 3 am. I finally made myself put the book down after one particularly devastating event in the book. And then, even though I was exhausted and had to be up in a scant few hours, I felt like I was experiencing the same turmoil that I knew Lennie would be feeling if I only gave in and picked up the book to continue reading. I felt the same crushing guilt and fear and hope, that for a moment I almost felt like crying—as if the story were happening to me, and I’d have to face all of Lennie’s hardships when I woke in the morning.

Luckily, I didn’t have to. But I am still puzzled by my strong reaction to this book. There have been plenty of occasions where I’ve lost sleep thinking about the plot of a book  (or I can admit… the love interest), but never have I felt swept away by a character’s emotions in quite the same way.

And for my final statement, I will leave you with this simple statement: The romance in this book is to die for!

Please, please go buy this book. I don’t think you’ll regret it. I know I never will.

(For those concerned with content, this book contains a very honest handling of teenage sexuality and some language.  Like I said, Lennie’s hormones seem to be on overdrive. However, there are no sex scenes.) 

Waiting on Wednesday: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This weeks book that we are anxiously awaiting is:  Insurgent by Veronica Roth book # 2 in the Divergent Series.

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

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

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

There's not much I wouldn't do for an ARC of this at the moment!  This is definitely on of my most highly anticipated novels of 2012!  CANNOT WAIT!!!  More Four please!!!  Here's our review/gush fest for Divergent if you would like to check it out! 

Teaser Tuesday: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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

         

           "Do you think we're safe?"  he asks.  His voice is hoarse.
           
I'm not sure whenther he is referring to the deliria, or whether he is asking about he fact that we are trapped here, but he lets me lace my fingers through his.  He has never held hands with someone before, I can tell.  It takes him a moment of fumbling to understand how to do it. (ARC, p.159)

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

Words cannot begin to describe how amazingly wonderful, mind-blowingly awesome this book is! Add this to your TBR list immediately, in fact, add this to all your friend's TBR lists also! This lovely piece comes out February 28th, and we'll be posting our review a little closer to that release date.

Northanger Alibi by Jenni James

Northanger Alibi by Jenni James
Inkberry Press
Release date: February 15th, 2012
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)

Sister's Say: Sassy, Sweet, reVAMPED Modernization

This modern Gothic remake of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, and nod to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, will leave you in stitches--literally.

Seattle Washington, and the Russo family, are no match for Claire Hart and her savvy knowledge of all things vampire related. Thanks to her obsession with the Twilight series--if there is anyone who would know a vampire when she saw one, it's Claire. And she's positive totally hot Tony Russo is a vampire, she just has to prove it! Follow Claire's hilarious journey on her first summer adventure away from home, where she learns everything isn't what it seems, and in some instances, reality is way better than anything she'd ever find in a book.

What a great idea for a cute, little contemporary novel!  Several years back when Baby Sister Britt finally talked me into reading Twilight, you might say I did a few, sort of crazy things, per say.  Apparently, everytime I saw saw a silver volvo cruising around town, I would speed up and peer inside in hopes of the possiblity that Edward Cullen might be driving that car!  My memory is a little hazy from this time period, I protest, but there is a slight chance that I do remember doing this!  Is there a chance that this happens often and not just looking for Edward Cullen?  Yes, I would say probably so!   Which is why I completely adored Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey.  I can completely relate to Catherine Morland!  How many times do I not heed Jane Austen's warning and completely blur the lines between fantasy and reality?  Isn't the world just a little bit more fun if there is a chance that your vampire soul mate is living in the Northwest just waiting for you to stumble into his life, or that there is a Shadowhunter somewhere in New York or Victorian England not even realizing what he's missing?  If you find yourself saying "YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES!" then this is the book for you, and you will be kicking yourself that you didn't think of this idea first!

Northanger Alibi is an adorable, quick, feel good read that will leave you laughing and in hopes for another Jenni James novel!  It's the perfect read if you are looking for something light and different from the YA paranormal world.  If you are a fan of Jane Austen and Twilight then you will be delighted by this twist on these 2 popular novels.  The boys are definetly swoon-worthy, the dialogue is side-tickling and trouble Claire finds herself in keeps you coming back for more!  You can also feel safe to let even your middle grader read this!  I have Pride and Popularity also by Jenni James coming up on my list soon, so stay tuned for a review of that one also!  I think we will be seeing a lot more of Jenni James in the future!

"Holy cow.
That's when it hit me--spinning 500 feet in the Washington Sky--and everything clicked into place.
Anthony Russo was a vampire." (ARC, p. 39)

**BE SURE TO CHECK BACK IN FEBRUARY FOR A NORTHANGER ALIBI GIVEAWAY OR SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL LIST TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON ALL THING YA-SISTERHOOD!** 

Lastly, I want to say a big THANK YOU to Inkberry for the review ARC!

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

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

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*

A Word About the Tournament of Heroines

First off, we just want to say thank you to everyone who has been involved with the tournament from the voters, to the advocates, to the teams, to the authors.  This has been our 2nd hugely successful tournament, and we are looking forward to many more in the future.  We are still a new blog, in fact we will not even be a year old until the end of Feburary, so when we think about the success of these tournaments we are still in shock!  One of the most satisfying things we have done on the blog this year is our YA Crush Tournament and the Tournament of Heroines.  One of the reasons these tournaments have been so rewarding and successful is the genuine display of sportmanship, love, and support from the authors, their advocates and the voters.

One of the unique things about these tournaments is the level of author involvment.  Participants love the fact that they are able to talk to their favorite authors (sometimes even characters from the books), have all night twitter parties, make plans to actually meet their favorite author, receive ARCs, novellas and signed books all for participating in one of the tournaments.  There have also been large amounts of money donated to worthy literature related charities that further our love of literature to people that don't even know about these tournaments.  All in all, people have had fun, been introduced to new books, and charities have benefitted.

At the beginning of every tournament, we specifically ask every advocate to contact the author of the book in which that heroine is featured. Most of the authors respond, but as we all know, it is often the case that the most famous and successful authors are simply overwhelmed by floods of requests and can't participate. In a way, that functions as a sort of control to keep the contest unexpected. Most internet tournaments like this become less tournaments and more issues of "Which character have you heard of?" which means that huge series like Harry Potter and Twilight simply crush the competition in every instance. Author involvement, advocacy and incentives are part of what we do to keep that from happening, and to keep the tournament a place where you can go to hear about books and authors you might otherwise not encounter. 

While we can't control everyone's behavior, we would like to say that character bashing, author bashing, and sending negative or hateful messages to authors, advocates, or anyone else in the tournament, who are only abiding by the rules set forth in the tournament, is antiethical to the spirit of the tournament.  And unfortunately, there has been too much of this going around during this tourney. Many peoples feelings have been hurt, all for something that was meant to be celebratory and fun. Because of a few people's actions, there have been times where we have considered canceling or discontinuing the tournaments altogether.  We would hate to do that, but to protect our authors, our advocates, our readers, and ourselves, it has definitely crossed our minds.   


Remember, there is no cash prize here. No one truly gains anything beyond the entertainment that the matches provide, the camaraderie that rises up during the matches, and the new book recommendations we all gain by reading about unfamiliar characters. This is about celebrating books and love of books. Not winning. Or losing. Without the unique aspects of author involvement and character advocates, this tournament would be nothing more than a series of polls, which would most definitely be less entertaining, inspire far less camaraderie, and showcase only the most well known books. 

We appreciate that the majority of people have been sincere in entering into the spirit of fun. Truly, your enthusiasm for these characters has made this an unforgettable experience. We also know that as book people, we tend to love these characters deeply, as if they were our flesh and blood friends. And just like friends, it hurts to see them lose. But please also keep in mind, that once a character wins a tournament, they are ineligible to compete in that same tournament again.  So, if your favorite character didn't win, then they will always have another shot! We are all about spreading the love! 

With all that being said, please let's celebrate these characters, their fearsome advocates, and their amazing authors. We have every intention of continuing to host tournaments, provided that they always serve their original intention-- celebration. So please, help us keep having these amazingly fun tournaments that have brought all of us together in the first place!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
Release date: 12/6/2011
The Sisters say: Sexy, Sarcastic, and So SO good!

Before I start this review, I just have to take a moment to say how much I love Jennifer Armentrout! She burst onto the scene this year with Half-Blood. In all, I've read three of her books so far, and I am blown away! Seriously, she's earned herself a fan for life, and she's definitely one to watch! Also, this book comes from a new press-- Entangled Publishing. I've read two of their books so far, and I must say that I am impressed. I will definitely be reading more books from them in the future.

Alright... now let's get down (and erm... dirty?) with Obsidian.




Starting over sucks. 

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 

And then he opened his mouth. 

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me. 

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

At first, I was a little questionable about this book. I mean... it's about Aliens. Not that Aliens are necessarily bad, but I've just never read an Alien story that truly grabbed me. I had high hopes for I AM NUMBER FOUR, but honestly, found it to be lacking.

This book was everything I had hoped Number Four would be, but wasn't! The Alien backstory wasn't cheesy or distracting in the least. And unlike Number Four, Obsidian had the characters, relationships, voice, and pacing to make it a successful, exciting read. It didn't just rely on action scenes (though there was plenty of action). *Imagines Daemon saying, "That's what she said."*

Katy, the main character, is a book blogger. Perhaps, I'm biased, but I thought that brought a really unique aspect to her character that we don't see very often! She's strong-willed and sassy, but with an underlying vulnerability that lends her a real sense of believability as a character. I think Katy makes a fantastic heroine, too. When she discovers the truth about Daemon and his sister, she takes it all in stride. In most books like this, I feel like the female MC discovers the paranormal secret and the danger that is inevitably attached, and then allows themselves to become the damsel-in-distress. Sure it usually requires a bit of bravery to stick around that danger, but that's it. This was not the case with Katy at all. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but she's no damsel-in-distress, I'll say that.

I don't mean to gush, but Daemon is pretty amazing, too. I know that a cute boy doesn't make a book successful, but it certainly doesn't hurt, am I right? Daemon is full of contradictions-- which is what makes him so interesting! He's egotistical, but often plays the silent hero, helping without seeking attention. On the outside, he has the emotional equivalent of brick wall, but you definitely get a sense of the sorrow, loss, and anger that has driven him to that point. He's tough, angry, and at times, downright scary. And yet, he has the most tender, innocent, and dare I say it, CUTE relationship with his sister. It makes him seem both older and younger than he actually is, at the same time.

And lastly, the plot and pacing of this book was exciting and unique, and will make you continue to turn the pages long after you promised yourself you were going to go to bed! The humor that I think characterizes Jennifer's writing, along with the action, keeps the book moving at a steady pace. Even on a second read, I never felt like there was a lull in the story. (Yes, I said second read. Once just wasn't enough).

So in conclusion, I need you to do three things.

1. Go Buy Obsidian.

2. Love it.

3. Love Jennifer L. Armentrout and buy everything she writes forever and ever, amen.

That's all. Pretty simple, huh? :)

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

AND THE WINNER IS...
TESSA!

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

Some general rules before we begin:

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

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

And now for the match....

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

Blog / Twitter / Facebook

1. About Katniss

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

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

Credit: Entertainment Weekly

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

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

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

2. Best Attributes

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

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

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

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

3. What makes Katniss a true heroine?

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

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

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

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

4. Why should you vote for Katniss?

Credit: kara-lija on DeviantArt

Katniss and Tessa.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


So here is what I DO want you to do:


Vote for Katniss because she inspires something in you.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

5. Anything else?

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

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

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

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

BLOG/ TWITTER/ FACEBOOK 

About Her:

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



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



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



Best Attributes: 



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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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



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

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

What Makes Tessa a True Heroine?

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

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

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

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



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



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



Why should YOU Vote for Tessa instead of Katniss?

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



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

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

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

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

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

***Contains spoilers from Clockwork Prince***



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

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

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

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

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



Anything You'd Like to Add? 

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



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

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*