Match #6: Katsa (Seed #13) vs Emerson (Seed #20) goes to Emerson!

After an extremely close, well-fought race, the winner is...
EMERSON!



Welcome to the YA Sisterhood! Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun! 

Some general rules before we begin:

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

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 4th.

And now for the match....

Hi!  It's Stacey and Pixie we co run Page Turners Blog & we're the  #TeamKatsa advocates. You can follow us on twitter @PageTurnersblog and on Facebook. We would love to have your support for our amazing heroine - let us tell you a little bit about her.


About Her:


Katsa is a princess, her Uncle is the king of Middluns, and she was born with a rare gift, she’s a Graceling. Gracelings are borne with an extreme ability; they can do one thing amazingly well. Some Graces show themselves early in a child’s life, but for Katsa, it takes an incident when she’s eight years old for her to get a glimpse at her Grace. While at her Uncle’s court, a distant cousin makes inappropriate advances and with one punch from Katsa he is dead. This leads her Uncle and the rest of Court assuming that her Grace is one of killing. Through the book, Katsa discovers truths about the Seven Kingdoms and herself.

  

Best Attributes:


She does not let her Grace or job as an assassin define who she becomes. Her is an example of how she chooses the life she wants to live -

Prince Raffin was the only one who sought her company. “ You won’t do it again, will you? I don’t think my father will let you kill anyone you want.”

“I never meant to kill him,” she said.

“What happened?”

Katsa sent her mind back. “I felt like I was in Danger. So I hit him.”

Prince Raffin shook his head. “You need to control a Grace,” he said. Especially a killing Grace. You must, or my father will stop us seeing each other.”

This was a frighting notion. “I don’t know how to control it.”

Raffin considered this. “you could ask Oll. The king’s spies know how to hurt without killing. It’s how they get information.”

Raffin was eleven, three years Katsa’s senior, and by her young standards, very wise. She took his advice and went to Oll, King Randa’s graying captain and his spymaster. Oll wasn’t foolish; he knew to fear the quiet girl with one eye blue and one eye green. But he also had some imagination. He wondered, as it had occurred to no one else to wonder, wether Katsa hadn’t been just as shocked by her cousin’s death as everyone else. And the more he thought about it, the more curious he became about her potential.

Katsa also uses the information she learns as an assassin to help the Seven Kingdoms by passing on the secret information to the Council. The Council is a secret network of spies working to better the kingdom.


What makes your girl a true heroine?:


Pixie: When I hear the word HEROINE - I picture a female that is smart, strong, brave - someone that probably has been called a beep - someone that stands up for what is right.  Katsa embodies all the qualities I use to define a true heroine. She is smart, she uses her knowledge to gain information to help her country as well as to control her grace. She is physically strong but not just because of her grace. She chooses to train long hours to learn to control it. She is brave even when it means defying her uncle and putting her life at risk.


Stacey: Katsa embodies what it means to not let others define who you are and what you’re able to do. In Katsa’s world, being a Graceling and what your grace is defines you completely; you are no longer your own person because of what you were born with. But Katsa rejects this; she’s going to define who and what she is. She’s going to control her grace and she’s going to use her acquired knowledge of the world around her to make the Seven Kingdoms better, she’s not just going to be her Uncle’s muscle. I think because of how Katsa defines herself and how she chooses to live her life makes Katsa a true Heroine!


What makes your girl better than her competitor?  


We are at a disadvantage on comparing these two heroines. Neither of us have read Hourglass(shh don't let Sophie know). Emerson sounds like a worthy heroine but based on the synopsis this is why we think Katsa should win. 

• Katsa can find her way down moss slime covered stairs while being silent as a mouse. VS. Emerson fake wall walking. - KATSA WINS!
  
  
• Cute boy who believes your stories about hearing voices. VS. HOT silver and gold eyed man who belives your Grace is something more amazing than what people see. - KATSA WINS!
• A boy needing your help VS. A man helping you. KATSA WINS!
• One hour to rewrite the past . . . VS. a pointy sword and a new-found self awareness that rights the future KATSA WINS!
• Time Travel VS. Surviving snow covered mountains on foot... KATSA WINS! Okay so maybe Emerson's time traveling is cooler but Katsa still wins. 

Anything else you’d like to add?

• She has mad knife skills. 
• She has one blue eye and one green eye - how cool is that?
• The last thing you want to do is make her mad by not voting for her. 
• She made a conscious choice to be better than the life she was born into.
• If ya tweet about it make sure to include #TeamKatsa & #HeroineTourney
• Stop by PageTurnersblog.com for some Katsa quotes and voting incentives.  

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Emerson Cole is the heroine from Myra McEntire's Hourglass! Check it out here!

 ----Who she is----

Entirely Selfless

Slightly Stubborn

Sometimes shy but never unsocial

 Wears converse

Loves to read
Definitely knows how to fight! (she's got a brown belt)
Likes to talk to ghosts (when no one is watching)

and

Travels through time
(Can't get any better than that!)

----Why we love her----

Most girls would fall apart after losing both parents. Throw in an overprotective brother with custody over pretty much her entire life, and the fact that she see's ghosts. This girl can definitely hang in there!
After meeting Micheal (potential love of her life), learning about The Hourglass, and being told that the future of everyone she loves rests in her hands.
Does she panic?
NO WAY!

That's why we love Emerson Cole!

----What makes her our heroine----

She's smart and true, strong willed to the end.

Never backing down.

Defying all odds.

This girl doesn't need saving.

She knows what it'll take to live, to survive, to save them all!

She'll fix the past, save the future, and get the guy in the end while doing it!

----Emerson vs Katsa----

Katsa might be tough but Emerson has the heart. She's not scared to love or to risk everything for the ones she cares about most. Katsa may have a sword and fighting skills, but can she travel through time!
I don't think so! 

----Still not convinced?----

Here's a little video with a few words from Emerson!

----What if she wins?----

Team Emerson is always prepared! Here's what you've got to look forward too after a Team Emerson Win!

We've got an entirely new set of buttons and avatars featuring

Timepiece

The second book in the Hourglass series set to release in 2012!

-AND-

A surprise new video from the person that knows Emerson the most!

(Hold your breath Team Micheal fans)

Micheal might make another YA Sisterhood tourney appearance!

Now it's up to you Team Emerson fans!

Make sure to stop by www.booklove101.com and grab yourself a #TeamEmerson button! 

Tweet about the tourney using the #heroinetourney tag!!

and

Spread the word!!!!

Let's get Emerson to the finals!!!




*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match #3: Annabeth (Seed #9) vs Kat (Seed #24) goes to KAT!

And the winner is....


Kat!

Welcome to the YA Sisterhood! Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun! 

Some general rules before we begin:

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

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 4th.

And now for the match....

Hi, Guys I'm Krazzyme !!! I'm Annabeth's advocate(duh!)

You can find me on Twitter here. (@kadburytweets). You can also check out my blog here! (My blog is a YA book blog feel free to say hi in the comments !) Help me Spread the word about #TEAMANNABETH please!!

Annabeth is the heroine of The Percy Jackson series and has a part in The Lost Hero and Son of Neptune, even though she isn't the main heroine in both (yet!)

Annabeth in the movie(She's supposed to be blonde though)

"Always, Always have a plan."

--Annabeth Chase

1. About Her

Annabeth's blonde with stormy green eyes and she's pretty but she pretty much ignores guys who call her pretty (She prefers it if you call her smart!). She's the daughter of Athena a.k.a. the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. So, Annabeth has believe it or not inherited a lot of things from her mother(see list above).

She's a demigod and her home is Camp Half Blood! Even though her mother abandoned her she doesn't hold a grudge against her because she understands her mother's reasons!

She's also kind of a tomboy. She acts tough but deep down she's got a kind heart and believes the best in everyone (or used to anyway)

One of my favorite quotes:

Percy: Don't I get a kiss for good luck? It's kind of a tradition.

Annabeth: Come back alive Seaweed Brain then we'll see.

The Last Olympian

2. Best Attributes

I did mention she's smart right?

Percy Jackson needs a plan.......

He turns to Annabeth! She's also pretty handy with a knife. Beauty and brains is a deadly combination and she sure knows how to use that knife! She's reliable and an extremely hard worker! If Annabeth says she'll do it. Consider it done! She doesn't back down!!!

She also isn't one of those girls who starts swooning at guys on first sight! The quote below proves it ....

'I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain. Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."

-- Annabeth Chase (from the Lightning Thief)

3. What makes your girl a true heroine?

Annabeth is one girl I truly admire if I had been through what she's been through *shudders*

Definition of a heroine

1. A woman noted for courage and daring action.

Annabeth has risked her life to help Percy countless times. She's risked her life for too many people and she's very courageous!! You just need to read the series and courage is written all over Annabeth's face!

Do you need a reminder?

Once she was gone, I knelt next to Annabeth and felt her forehead. She was still burning up. "You're cute when you're worried," she muttered. "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together." "You are not going to die while I owe you a favor," I said. "Why did you take that knife?" "You would've done the same for me." It was true. I guess we both knew it. Still, I felt like somebody was poking my heart with a cold metal rod."

~ THE Last Olympian

2. A Woman noted for special achievement in a particular field.

She's smart and nobody can prepare strategies like her!! She's not got a power like Percy's (i.e. power to control water) but she's got a power that counts and that's wisdom and courage!

She also doesn't get scared easily .....

"Money bar," Annabeth said. I'm great at these." She leaped onto the first run and start swinging her way across. She was scared of tiny spiders, but not of plummeting to her death from a set of monkey bars. Go figure.

-Battle of the Labyrinth Maybe you should forget about the spider thing :)

Annabeth is also different from all those other so called "heroines" who fall head over heels in love with guys they barely know. She's someone I can actually look up to. She's not cold and calculating ....she's humane!

She's also fiercely loyal...

"What if it lines up like it did in the Trojan War ... Athena versus Poseidon?" "I don't know. But I just know that I'll be fighting next to you." "Why?" "Because you're my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?"

4. What makes your girl better than her competitor?

There are quite a few similarities between Kat and Annabeth but one thing that makes Annabeth better.... is the fact that she's never backed down. Kat left her family business (or should I call it job?) to live a normal life and even though I don't hold that against her I have to point out that Annabeth can never back out of her responsibilities and try to live a normal life! She knows too many people depend on her.

Also, Kat doesn't trust anyone even her best friend. Annabeth used to trust her friends but due to *spoiler alert* Luke *Spoiler alert* she doesn't trust that easily anymore but she doesn't keep her friends in the dark. I'm sorry Kat but you should keep your team in the loop.

When Percy thinks Annabeth hates him Annabeth sets the record straight.....that's something I don't think Kat would have done.

"Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me."

She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look...we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?"

She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives."

"Oh, forget it."

-Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Kat also comes off as a very cold calculating person, something which I didn't really like. According to me, you should be able to relate to your heroines but due to her cold demeanor I found it very hard to relate to her and like her. Annabeth is calculating (she has to be or Percy and all those other would die) but she never came off as cold. I love it when we get a peak into what Annabeth is thinking and how awesome she is!!

5. Anything else you'd like to add?

People Annabeth rocks and you all know it right? Right? If so PLEASE help spread the word!!!!

Use these hashtags on twitter....

#AnnabethFTW

#CampHalfBlood

#TeamAnnabeth

Feel free to grab these buttons too!!!

This one's the code for the image at the top

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Intro: This is Amy @ bookgoonie. I am honored to be an advocate for Katarina Bishop from Ally Carter's Heist Society series. Please get the word out by tweeting #HeroinesTourney and "I voted for #TeamKat".

"Travels the world, righting wrongs. A one-woman recovery crew."

About Her: Katarina Bishop was raised in a man's world. Her mother died when she was six and was brought up by her dad and uncle. Nancy Drew wasn't just stories, but every book a lesson to be learned. Her education wasn't conventional. She was tutored in the family business. Art. So history, science, english, theater, math, and economics were all geared to acquire and not get caught. As a young adult, she started blazing her own path. Reposession specialist with a focus on returning Nazi plunder.



Best Attributes: Kat is a strategist. A genius strategist. She is known for her "lethal focus." She can walk into a location and zero-in on all the security obstacles. And if that doesn't satisfy her, she can employ her acting ability or the creative use of doves to identify any hidden or alternative ones. Why does this matter? Kat will not endanger any of her crew. No member left behind, no one hurt, no one in jail. Failure isn't an option. She loves her family. Kat is fiercely loyal to her family, friends and crew. They are one and the same. She is realistic in her abilities and has the capacity to learn from her mistakes. She doesn't accept money for her services. Kat is paid in knowing that she is undoing some of the biggest art heists of the century.



What makes your girl a true heroine? She is a girl. No superpowers. Ordinary and Impossible aren't in her vocabulary. She is not a theif. Kat made a conscious choice to use her abilties for noble and worthy causes. This not-so-average tean has bested the KGB, Interpol and even a Curse. She has even won the respect of the current Visily Romani, the big dog in the art theft world. What's her Achilles' Heel? All heroes need a weakness. Kat is vulnerable. She is unsure of love. Is love a strength or is it a weakness? Can her best friend be her boy friend? But all this personal angst doesn't interfere with the job. You can always count on Kat.



What makes your girl better than her competitor? Annabeth is a worthy challenger. She also had a rough upbringing with little support of her parents. She also finds strength from her friends. But her abilties are derived from being a demigod. Her mother is Athena. Would she fare as well, if she were a mere mortal? I think not.



Anything else you'd like to add? Kat is a great role model for YA readers. She is driven. Her work ethic and determination are something that can be copied by her readers. Not taking the easy out and always trying to do what is right are worthy character traits. So do what is right, Vote Kat.








*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match #4: Meghan (Seed #8) vs Max (Seed #25) goes to Meghan!

And the winner is...
Meghan!


Welcome to the YA Sisterhood! Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun! 

Some general rules before we begin:

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

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 4th.

And now for the match....

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.

What Makes Meghan Better Than Max?
Well, though I have yet to read the Maximum Ride series, I do know that 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. I mean how can you go wrong with a strong heroine and two dashing guys? Meghan gets to go on multiple journeys with two amazing guys and a talking cat! A TALKING CAT! Enough said.


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? 


Thanks to the YA Sisterhood for hosting this awesome tourney!

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Hey everyone! My name is Gabbi, I'm the nerd book junkie behind a little blog called BookBreather. I am also the advocate for Max, from the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. Wanna know where you can keep up with me and my campaign for #TEAMMAX?

You can visit my blog: http://bookbreather4lyfe.blogspot.com
Or tweet me obsessively: @bookbreather
And gush on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6095442-bookbreather-reviews

Now, on to the real star :) 

ABOUT MAXIMUM RIDE

Well, first and foremost, she is part bird. Yes, she's got real, avian, feathered wings that are about thirteen feet long. That's a very wide wingspan ;D Aside from that minor detail, she's got average 14-year-old (at least, she thinks she's 14) girl looks: dirty blond hair, brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. Even if she can't, you know, shower or eat sometimes. But hey, not all of us can be Barbie-tastic, right?
Max is a leader. Determined, alert, and always forming some kind of sneaky plan! Some people may consider Max bossy, but in actuality, she knows what she wants and how to get it. Come on, I know women everywhere can appreciate that! And men, you got to like a girl that takes control every now

and then. She is also that way because she has to look out for herself and her friends. Sarcasm is her go-to, because she's a tough little rascal that wants to stay strong for her friends, which makes for tons of chuckles and "tell him sistuh!"s.
Max doesn't know her parents, either. She hasn't the slightest clue who gave birth to her, but she suspects she may have come from a test tube. Those are the kind of questions that can keep a girl up at night.

She lives in a modern-day society. Except there are half-animal people that are perpetually hunting her and her gang, and creepy scientists that most likely want to delve into that conniving brain of hers. But of course, she kicks the half-animal people booty and outsmarts the creepy scientists.

Because she's awesome.


MAX'S BEST ATTRIBUTES
In YA you see this all the time in heroines: snarky, impenetrable tough girl armor, couldn't-give-a-poo attitude, clever ideas that save the day...
Well, that totally fits the bill for Max, but that doesn't make her generic in any way, shape, or form (Literally, guys. She's a bird). That girl is fiercely loyal, way too old for her age, and stunningly clever. Not to mention, she's the key to saving the world.
Max is 14 years old. 14!! And yet, she manages to escape from a heavily guarded science lab, toting along five friends who have become her family (The Flock) - Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel. Obviously, she is selfless to have rescued all of them. And pretty much a saint, considering the way she deal with Iggy and Gazzy's pyro tendencies, Gazzy's...erm...gassy tendencies, and Nudge's non-stop chatter. And no matter what they do, no matter how many times they defy her or cause trouble, she protects them. She will and does do anything to ensure their safety. She's the one who makes sure that they always have food to eat.
Did I mention that the Flock causes a lot of trouble? Yeah, well, guess who is the one to always circumvent it. Did you guess Max? Because that is painfully obvious absolutely correct. Most of the time she is just winging (See! Another thing she is good for: Awesome puns! Yes, they are awesome. Don't deny it >.< ) it, but she always gets them out of trouble. ALWAYS. And then she begins to hear this creepy voice inside of her head, leaving her cryptic messages (and brain-splitting headaches) that she has to decode. Clever clever girl.


WHY MAX IS A TRUE HEROINE
Breaks out of a creepy science lab? CHECK.
Faces a scary new school? CHECK.
First kiss? CHECK.
Birth mutation? CHECK.
Saves a loved one from her biggest fear? CHECK.
Overcomes fear of vulnerability? CHECK.
Makes it into the newspaper? CHECK.
Kicks impending death in the face? CHECK.
Saves the world? CHECK.
Overcomes identity crisis? CHECK.
Kills multiple of the big bad scary bad guys? CHECK.
Gets snarky as doom looms over her? CHECK.
Need I continue?


WHY MAX PWNS MEGHAN
Uh, she's half bird.
HALF BIRD.
Scientifically mutated and destined to die, but thrives anyway.
What is Meghan? Half faery? Well, how riveting.
I'd like to see her unfurl a pair of large, beautiful wings and bust through a ceiling like Max. Talk about making an exit! Or what about eating her own weight in food? Has she ever flown with hawks?
And, seriously, I don't care if she rules a whole land of fey or whatever, I'd like to see her manage and/or put up with Gazzy and Iggy for more than five minutes. Jus sayin'. Has she ever volunteered to nearly cut off her arm in order to remove a tracking chip, just so she could save her friends? Max has. Can Meghan fly at over 200 mph? Max can.


AND SOME THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADD

It's so obvious that Max is made of awesomesauce that she was cloned because that was the only way she could ever be taken down.

AND SHE IS HALF BIRD.

I think everyone should vote for Max! A vote for Max is a vote for spreading your wings and flying free! (See, I'm so passionate, I'm willing to get corny!)

Also, check her out rocking that leather jacket.

I bet Meghan doesn't rock a leather jacket like that.

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven Wedel

After Obsession
By: Carrie Jones and Steven Wedel
Release Date: September 13, 2011
This sister says: Original, Outstanding, Oh-so-Creepy

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her. Filled with heart-pounding romance, paranormal activity, and rich teen characters to love-and introducing an exciting new YA voice, Steven Wedel-this novel is exactly what Carrie Jones fans have been waiting for. Meet your next obsession.

First things first, how gorgeous is that cover? So gorgeous! It grabbed me (Yes! Literally accosted me!) while I was browsing in my local bookstore, which led me to read the back of the cover, which led me to read the inside flap, and then one thing led to another and now here we are. In the past I’ve regretted some of my “impulse buys” but let me tell ya, I do not regret this one folks! This book isn’t without its problems, but it is definitely a fabulous read full of originality, suspense, and sweetness.

After Obsession is told in a split narrative between Aimee and Alan. Aimee has lost her mother, has a supernatural ability of being able to heal people, and is thought of as a freak by most of her schoolmates (except for her best friend Courtney and boyfriend Blake) due to an incident that happened earlier in her childhood. And Alan is the new kid, who’s extremely athletic and is part Navajo Indian, which is a heritage he explores and connects with. I’m actually a fan of split narratives, but even though Aimee’s sections were written by Carrie Jones and Alan’s by Steven Wedel, I found their voices sounding very similar which was slightly disappointing as I would’ve really liked to have been able to connect with both of them separately instead of feeling that they were just an extension of the other. That being said, I found all of the characters in this book very captivating, and I grew to love them all.

Aimee’s friend Courtney has recently lost her father. She is (understandably) utterly and completely heartbroken and distraught with grief. Alan is her cousin and he and his mother moved to be with Courtney and her Mom to help them with their financial situation. But in Alan’s first days there, things begin to change. People start getting meaner, as though PMS was a contagious virus and the entire town had caught it, and Courtney’s behavior turns especially nasty. I’ve read lots of books about/with demons, but never a novel about possession, so I was very intrigued to see exactly how the subject matter was going to be handled, and it did not disappoint. I cannot say too much for fear of being spoilery, but it kept me interested and on edge (the good kind) throughout the book.

There were so many things that really made this novel outstanding. I really liked that we saw Alan explore his heritage and in the process learned a lot about the Navajo Indian culture. I enjoyed the whole myth and idea of the River Man and how he affected people. I loved that Aimee took an absolute zero-tolerance attitude toward racism in spite of the negative consequences that she faced because of it. This book also showed that it is important to not stay in a relationship just because it is comfortable or because other people might judge you for getting out of it. Most of all, I absolutely loved the love that was shown for a friend. Love is more than just a word, and is applicable to others besides romantic interests and family. I personally have friends that I consider to be my family and I know that I would go to Hell and back to help them if I needed to. Aimee does exactly that for her friend and I like how this book explored that friendship.

With all of the good things about the book, there were some things that could’ve made it a better-told story. I’ve mentioned the similarity of the protagonists’ voices, and I also wish it had been explained to the reader exactly how the River Man was “invited” in. I feel that would’ve cleared up some plot-holes and would’ve just been a really interesting scene to be a part of. I also felt that Alan was to “perfect” and that the romance that takes place was extremely rushed and seemed almost forced. It would’ve been better (especially if there are more books to follow) if they had taken the time to really get to know each other and had some peace before just jumping in to a relationship.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I’m sure I will revisit it at some point. This novel works well as a stand-alone, but it could also work as a series. I, for one, hope it is the first of a series, because I would love to see how some of these characters develop and see what they could get into next. I know most people think of The Exorcist when they think of possession, but After Obsession is really more creepy than scary so no one needs to fear nightmares because of reading it. If you’re pulled in at all by the summary, give it a try, you might just find yourself a new obsession! (sorry I had to)

Match # 1: Clary (Seed #1) vs Kate (Seed #32) Goes to Clary

Winner of Match # 1 is Clary Fray


Welcome to the YA Sisterhood! Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun! 

Some general rules before we begin:

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

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 2ND.

And now for the match....

Clary Fray/Morgenstern is the heroine from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Series, which includes City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, and coming City of Lost Souls, and City of Heavenly Fire.

*** Spoil Alert Quotes from 1st four books below ***

Fray's Fabulous Features

By Kara Lija

A petite 5 feet tall
Curly red hair
Green eyes
Freckles 
Survives the worst father ever, Valentine Morgenstern
Received Ithuriel's blood giving her special talents
Shadowhunter
Beautiful

Fiercely loyal & driven to help those she loves

From City of Bones - Clary felt suddenly annoyed. "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?"  

From City of Bones - "I don't want tea," said Clary, with muffled force. "I want to find my mother. And then I want to find out who took her in the first place, and I want to kill them.

Feisty & independent - she doesn't put up with anyone's um ... you know

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."

From City of Ashes - "Hey Baby." "Baby? You're kidding me, right?" "I was trying it out. No?" "No."

Funny & great to have around

From City of Bones - "Don't touch any of my weapons without my permission."
"Well, there goes my plan for selling them all on eBay," Clary muttered.
"Selling them on what?" Clary smiled blandly at him. "A mythical place of great magical power." 

From City of Bones - "I figured all your classes were stuff like Slaughter 101 and Beheading for Beginners."Jace flipped a page. "Very funny, Fray." 

Lily Collins

Figures it out when everyone else gives up 

From City of Glass - "No. I wanted to tell you that I was proud of you." Clary slewed around to look at her mother. "You were?" Jocelyn nodded. "Of course I was. The way you stood up in front of the Clave like that. The way you showed them what you could do. You made them look at you and see the person they loved most in the world, didn't you?" "Yeah," Clary said. "How did you know?"
"Because I heard them all calling out different names," Jocelyn said softly. "But I still saw you."
 

Forever drawn to the gorgeous Jace

From City of Glass - All that existed was Jace; all she felt, hoped, breathed, wanted, and saw was Jace. Nothing else mattered.

From City of Fallen Angels - Not to be outdone, Clary slid her hands under the hem of his soaked shirt, and let her fingers explore what was underneath: the tight, hot skin over his ribs, the ridges of his abdomen, the scars on his back. This was uncharted territory for her, but it seemed to be driving him crazy: he was moaning softly against her mouth, kissing her harder and harder, as if it would never be enough, not quite enough —.

Fierce & Fights for what she loves

 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." 

From City of Glass Jace - "And then I met you.  You were a mundane.  Weak.  Not a fighter.  Never trained.  And then I saw how much you loved your mother, loved Simon, and how you'd walk into hell to save them.  you did walk into a vampire hotel.  Shadowhunters with a decade of experience wouldn't have tried that.  Love didn't make your weak; it made you stronger than anyone I'd ever met." 

From City of Glass Jace - "You could have had anything else in the world, and you asked for me."  She smiled up at him.  Filthy as he was, covered in blood and dirt, he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.  "But I don't want anything else in the world."

Firm hold on herself

From City of Glass, right after Jace yells at her - "When you told me the first time that Valentine was your father, I didn't believe it," she said.  "Not just because I didn't want it to be true, but because you weren't anything like him.  I've never thought you were anything like him.  But you are.  You are."
   
Flair for making new or stronger runes  

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."

From City of Glass - "She squeezed her eyelids shut and, against the darkness behind the them, began to draw with her mine in curving lines of light.  Lines that spoke to her of doorways, of being carried on whirling air, of travel and faraway places.  The lines came together in a rune as grateful as a bird in flight.  She didn't know if it was a rune that had existed before or one she had invented, but it existed now as if it always had."

What makes Clary better than Kate

So I enjoyed Die for Me by Amy Plum but Kate was not the reason why.  Vincent was my favorite character in that book.  Kate was a puzzle to me.  She's withdrawn, even sullen and not pro-active.  It's been seven months since her parents death and while I understand it's hard for her, she is still hiding away not dealing.  Clary would never do that!

Last point - Clary gets Jace's vote! Nough said.

From City of Glass - "There is no pretending," Jace said with absolute clarity. "I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."

Vote #TeamClary


Check StuckInBooks.com for additional inspiration to vote #TeamClary 


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Intro (aka: who am I?): Hi, my name is Carli, aka Emberchyld.  I can be found at my regular blog:  Emberchyld's Journal or my Travel blog: Carli's Travels .  To keep up-to-date on all of the #TeamKate happenings, keep an eye on my @Emberchyld Twitter feed and my Livejournal site!  Also, keep checking the amazing Amy Plum's site, because she has some great Kate goodies as incentives (ahem... teaser from Until I Die? You didn't hear it from me...)


Since this is a post to advocate for Kate as a heroine... I thought I'd abdicate my advocate duties to the person who knows her best and let him tell you why you should vote for Kate! (apologies to Amy, from whom I very LIBERALLY borrowed)

Anything else you’d like to add?


1) A quick thanks to my
partners-in-Kate advocacy: Brooke(@Brookeworm33) and JayJay (@TheJay2xA) &
to Amy Plum @iHeartRevenants

2) Thanks also to all of the commenters who helped! Moirae, Holly, InTheSpirit... you ROCK!

3) Vincent was not harmed in the
writing of this letter

4) Thanks to the YA Sisterhood for such
and awesome tourney