Best of 2012: Top Ten Characters ~ of the Male Variety ;)

So you've seen my top ten list of books for the year of 2012... But there's just so much more to the love of all the books that have been read this year... Characters, for instance ~ I'm a character-driven reader. They make or break any book, creating the bridge that allows us to connect to the story. 

Translation: I become obsessed with fictional people. 

And as a female, I can't help but feel like some of the male characters should truly exist in this world. Maybe they do in some shape or form that's hidden beneath all the masks that real, living, breathing people wear, but's it's a rare find... Thank God for books... :)

To the point, this post is dedicated to the top ten characters ~ of the male variety ~ that have stolen my heart this year... :)

P.S. all the books may not have been released this very year, but they are on my read and reviewed list for 2012... Gracias..

10. Grayson from Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Alright, alright... I know he can be a jerk in this one ~ Lord knows I wanted to slap him a few times myself, but he has his very good reasons. He just went about things the wrong way... And the cowboy hat and aviators... They kind of cancel out any hard feelings :)

David Giuntoli ~ wouldn't usually see him as
Grayson, but this photo stood out.

Totally a young
Jared Padalecki...

9. Kyle from Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Kyle is the cliche boy-next-door. He's understanding, patient, and strong. He carries a heavy burden with grace, and while he makes mistakes, he's genuine and sincere. 

8. Kaleb from Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Michael Trevino

This guy's a fighter. He's tough, resilient, and he's come out of the pits of Hell to find himself near the top. He'll do whatever it takes to survive and take care of his family. 

7. Fade from Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Ryan Wieber

Fade was so mysterious and he didn't feel the need to make everyone understand why he was the way he was. There's more to him than meets the eye, as Deuce soon realizes.

6. Will from Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Max Irons

Will, Will, Will... If I could describe him in one word, it would be complex. The persona he puts out for everyone to see has nothing in common with what's going on inside him. He'd rather torture himself than allow those he loves to feel any pain...

5. Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey 
by E.L. James

Henry Cavill

Ahh, the notorious Christian Grey... People either love him or hate him. I lean toward the affectionate side, demons and all. He's angsty, sensitive, and feels deeply. There's just something about a tortured soul.. 

4. Micha from The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

Some random guy with a lip piercing

I'm beginning to notice a trend in these lovely characters that I've chosen. Most of him have that "rough around the edges" appeal and they all have baggage... Micha included, but he handles it pretty well, for the most part. The guy has a load of a burden to carry, especially when it comes to Ella, his best friend who can't carry her gargantuan issues on her own. He'd have it no other way, though, and that's why I adore him.

3. Travis from Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

M. Shadows

Travis is another one of those guys that people either seem to love or hate. He's a little violent, but it's all a part of his beautifully tattooed package :) Travis is one of the "bad boys" that are just irresistible ~ those are the guys that always fall the hardest... and it's amazing to watch.

2. Noah from Pushing the Limits by Katy McGarry

Love Noah. Poor guy is all torn up and confused and then Echo comes along and shatters everything he thought about himself. I loved watching him grow and come to terms with the fact that, in world of crap, he can surprise himself.

1. Daemon from Opal by Jennifer Armentrout

I don't know how anyone could have missed getting to know Daemon Black from Jennifer Armentrout's Lux series. This guy... I mean... *tongue twisted*.. He has a bad attitude and can be kind of a control freak, but he has a huge heart with this need to take care of everyone. He'd rather take on the whole world by himself than to allow those he loves to get hurt. It's both a blessing and a curse. I love the way he and Katy bounce off each other, arguing, laughing, and loving. Beautiful.

Tom Welling ~ Just imagine
the shaggy hair :)

Alright guys!! Thanks for stoppin' by!! Hope you're having a fabulous New Year!!!

Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Best of 2012 + Giveaway Hop!

This year has just rocked on by and has completely blessed me with so many wonderful books to take up residence on my overflowing - and almost sagging - shelves. Honestly, though, I wish I had ninja-lightning-fast reading skills so I could have read just a few more of those wonderful books on my TBR list that were released this year...

Even with my lack of speed-reading skills, I had a fabulous year when it came to reading. So many amazing books!!! It was difficult to pick only ten, but I managed to narrow it down...

10. The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmerski 

(Review)

9. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols 

(Review)

8. The Taker by Alma Katsu 

(Review)

7. The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

(Review)

6. Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick

(Review)

5. The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

(Review)

4. Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

(Review)

3. Opal by Jennifer Armentrout

(Review)

2. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

(Review)

and my NUMBER ONE ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK THIS YEAR....

1. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

(Review)

All amazing books of 2012 ~ and in tribute to the Best of 2012, I am a Reader, Not a Writer is hosting a giveaway hop in celebration of all the wonderful books that we fell in love with this year :)

Here @ Realms of an Open Mind, the giveaway will consist of your choice of one of the ten books listed above :) Good Luck!!!

Also, keep scrolling for a list of other blogs participating in the hop. The more you enter, the more chances you have of winning!

P.S. This giveaway is international :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

Usually, I pick my books at random based on what I've seen on other blogs, GoodReads, etc... I've never challenged myself based on a list that someone else created because reading is the one thing I have complete control over.. However, Reading With Tequila's list looks pretty enticing, so I think I'll give it a shot... 

 The Top 25 

1.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 
2. Divergent by Veroncia Roth 
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 
4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 
5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 
6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore 
7. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 
8. The Stand by Stephen King 
9. Delirium by Lauren Oliver 
10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 
11. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
12. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 
13. The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco 
14. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 
15. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal 
16. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle 
17. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 
18. Enclave by Ann Aguirre 
19. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson 
20. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead 
21. Poison Study by Maria V.Snyder 
22. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
23. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater 
24. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward 
25. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

So, there are different levels to this challenge, giving the reader the option to read as little or as many books from the list as they'd like :

The Levels:
Level I - Read 5 books from the 2011 Book Blogger Recommendation List
Level II - Read 10 books
Level III - Read 15 books
Level IV - Read 20 books
Level V - Read 20+ books

And the Rules are simple:

The Rules:

• Challenge will run January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Participants can join anytime throughout the challenge.
• Create an intro post, linking back to this post. 
• Sign up with the MckLinky below. Please link to your challenge intro post, not your blog home page. 
• Chose your own books from the list. You can decide to read books only on the Top 25 list or from the entire recommendation list. You do not have to make a list of books before the challenge begins.
• All forms of books acceptable (audiobooks, eBooks, etc.)
• Rereads do not count towards the completion of the challenge. The challenge is about discovering books that are new to you.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Reviews, while always appreciated, are not mandatory.

I think I'll try Level III...  I've read quite  few of the books on there already, but most of them have been waiting patiently on my TBR list... If you want to sign up, check out Reading With Tequila's post here.

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~Keely~