faves of twentyeleven | specficromantic

Day Two of Nomes’ Faves of TwentyEleven is the Characters (click here for the rules, and here for Nomes’ nominations in this category).

1. favourite female main character

Wow, this is actually very difficult. I waffled. A lot. I finally decided that of all the female characters in the books I’ve read this year, Isabel, the vicious mean girl with layers, was the most complex and so my favorite to get to know. I really liked how her personality dominated Let’s Get Lost and how the more I read the more I understood why she was the way she was. Isabel is not easy to like, but I was fascinated by her.

2. favourite male main character

And this was so easy. Gen, the thief who says he can steal anything (and can), stole the show this year. I love the way he pretends to be the underdog, then flips the tables. It’s been fun watching him play with his detractors.

3. best couple

Ah, another tough one! So this time, I’m going to cheat and give you who I’d choose for my made up sub-categories under “best couple”:

best couple because they’re both so broken but together are so perfect:

Unsticky! There you are again. Always popping up on my faves lists. Grace and Vaughn. Each rather messed up, but SO good together.

best couple because they’re badasses with smart mouths:

Kate and Curran’s banter and one-up-manship always gives me a bit of a silly grin. I imagine a lot of facepalms. One of my favorite series and favorite couples. And the latest installment, Magic Slays, brings the relationship to a new level but manages to keep my interest as a reader despite the changes.

best strong, silent type couple:

Sean and Puck. This is the couple who let their actions speak for them most of the time, but when they do actually speak – you listen. And swoon a little. For a young man of few words, Sean somehow finds the perfect thing to say.

4. who i so want to be best friends with

I want to be Sass’s bestie. Or one of her best friends because Sass has a lot of friends and they always seem to have a grand ‘ol time when they get together. The only problem is I don’t love bars and the social scene that Sass does. But maybe I’d show up at a house party, and join in on their daily joking emails that they use to keep in touch.

5. worst (best & baddest) villian

The villain in this one was completely creepy and unexpected. I think “horror” was my reaction to this villain’s accomplishments, every time.

6. best character twist (who you loved then hated or vice versa)

Hoo boy. Double Cross by Carolyn Crane. There are two characters here that get a twist (depending on you POV). I can’t even go into any detail here because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But this twist was SO good. *bites fist*

7. best kick-arse female

There’s the kick-ass females that have some sort of superpower, and then there are those that kick ass with their wits and instincts. Cat falls in the latter category. Plus she likes to learn and gives her fiance a good run for his money – more than once or twice.

8. best kick-arse male

I’m going to go with Tybalt on this one. He’s the King of Cats, can deal with groups of baddies at a time, and he’s always got October’s back.

9. broke your heart the most

Hmm. I don’t know which of the brothers from Flat-Out Love broke my heart more: Finn, or Matt.. People need to read this book so they can commiserate with me.

10. favourite pet/animal character award

My heart belongs to Spike the rose goblin, who is something like a cat crossed with a rose bush. I also really liked Oberon, the Irish Wolfhound, and dog-sidekick to Atticus O’Sullivan from The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne.

Hope that people are having a nice holiday season. I’m over in AZ as usual, spending time with the family (Christmas with my dad’s family, Hannukah with my husband’s) and eating lots and reading a bit too.

I’m not sure I’m going to have much time this week to work on reviews, so this is a good week to join the Faves of TwentyEleven that inkcrush is hosting.

OK, here are the rules basically: choose what books that you’ve read this year that fits each of the categories that Nomes has created. And do what you want (make new categories, answer just the ones you want to.. etc)

Here I go:

1. favourite book read in 2011

Unsticky by Sarra Manning! I wonder if people are sick of me talking about this book? Because I sure feel like I am repeating myself over how great it is. I was obsessed over it after I read it. Obsessed. So it also gets the always recommending this book award too.

2. most powerful book

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager – Did I cry a little bit reading this? Maybe. That ending makes you feel reborn.

3. brilliantly funny

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood. I think this book was so great because its funny while Dan, its protagonist, is going through a bad time. The ability to laugh when times aren’t so hot..I like.

4. best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park: since I’m quite the softy, I avoid those books where I know I’ll be crying like a baby. Therefore, so not many books I read this year were vying for the award in this category. This won easily because there’s one bit in this book that just GUTTED me. Just thinking of one particular line makes me feel a bit misty. But things got better, which is good for my heart. This is also my vote for best under-appreciated, hidden gem book.

5. delicious rainy day comfort read

Julie James is my comfort food, so A Lot Like Love was my comfort read of the year (although Sarah Addison Allen’s The Sugar Queen was also a contender).

6. the beautiful prose award

There was something so lovely and poetic about the prose in Robin McKinley’s Chalice. Like being transported into a hazy dream place where you have bees as best friends.

7. most atmospheric and vivid setting

I just finished reading The Scorpio Races this weekend, and @#*$&!!! Amazing. I think it actually be my second favorite book of the year. Depending on my mood, it might be my favorite. A review will come. In the meantime. Thisby! What a place. What people. Most atmospheric and vivid setting, yes, it wins it.

8. i-so-want-to-go-there award

After reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I wanted to go to Prague immediately. This is what I said in my review: “Prague is described wonderfully. I’ve never been there, but I want to see its old streets that are “a fantasia scarcely touched by the twenty-first century […] it’s medieval cobbles once trod by golems, mystics, invading armies”. ” Would love to go there, sit in a cafe, and have some good goulash.

9. most original and imaginative

This is a very easy category to decide which book I’d nominate. Chime reminds me of how I felt reading Alice in Wonderland for the first time. There’s a little bit of disorientation when you first go in, but figuring out the rules is a lot of fun.

OK, now my brother’s dog has decided my hand needs to be petting him, and not typing, so I’m stopping at 9 books (typing one-handed is slow going but Milo keeps looking up soulfully when I stop). To check out the books I chose midway through the year, check out my Sharing The Awesome post.