One Year Blogoversary - Charlotte Bennardo

I'm running a bit late with my second Blogoversary post with Charlotte Bennardo, but better late than never! So here it is!

My vote for YA couple is…

By Charlotte Bennardo

 

Well, before I get to that, let me explain that I didn’t pick Katniss and Peeta because I haven’t read the Hunger Games and everyone else will vote for them. (I’m a rebel that way—I go against the crowd.)

And I’m not choosing Bella and Edward because I can’t relate to women whose whole life (and death) center around a guy to the exclusion of everything else. Bella didn’t even know what she was going to study in college- it was all Edward, Edward, Edward.

It would be ill-advised of me to choose one writer friend’s hero/heroine duo over another. I have to live amongst and work with them, so let’s not cause any rifts. And I won’t be crass enough to pick my own characters (even though I have love for them. Sigh)

While I like Jane Eyre as a spunky gal—Mr. Rochester not so much, and I think he aged out of the “YA” part. Romeo and Juliet were silly kids, and even though I love his Highness William Shakespeare and his characters, (I’d consider Kate and Petruchio, but I think they’re too old for YA also), Romeo and fair Juliet didn’t even make the “Under Consideration” list.

There are a lot of literary couples I could go through, but I will finally reveal my choice to keep from boring you or driving you mad by my procrastination. My choice is….

Harry Potter and Ginny Weasely.  Really.

In short order, here’s why:

-They had a life that was full, busy, complicated and realistic (as much as you can get when you’re witches and wizards). They went to school, had to study, played sports, got mad at their friends. Life as we know it.

-It wasn’t the old “Love at first sight.” Sorry, not a believer. Lust, yes, love- NO. They grew to love each other after going through silly crushes, dating others, enduring heartbreak and having arguments.

-Their relationship had balance; it wasn’t all one or the other. Since Harry was older, he was more worldly than Ginny, but she matured, caught up, and was someone of equal determination, resourcefulness and passion. She kicked evil Voldemort butt and was a fun date.

-They faced real issues (Voldemort and his evil plots aside). Dating others, seeing the one you liked date someone else, facing loss, hardship and separation.

I truly believe these two, with all the magic stripped away, are representative of YA couples, which is why I find them appealing: I could look in the mirror and see a shadowy version of me—or anyone.

The SIRENZ Series

by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

Sirenz 

Sirenz: Back in Fashion - June 2012

www.thesirenz.com

Do you agree with Charlotte's choice? Leave a comment with your favourite YA couple and your email address for a chance to win a copy of SIRENZ! Giveaway ends Saturday 5th May

Covered - Shine Light by Marianne de Pierres

How awesome is the cover for Shine Light, the 3rd book in Marianne de Pierres Night creatures series? I absolutely love the covers from these books, so pretty. What do you think?

Don't forget to enter my one year Blogoversary giveaway with Brigid Kemmerer. She's talking about her favourite couples in YA.

One year Blogoversary - Brigid Kemmerer

Wow, I can't believe it's been a year already! My blog has recently been renamed and redesigned, so I hope you like the new look.


This week I have a couple of authors stopping by to tell us about their favourite couples from YA books. Their posts are great! First up is the awesome, amazing Brigid Kemmerer, author of Storm (which is released within hours!).

Thank you so much for including me in your blog event!

You asked me to write a post about my favorite Young Adult couple and why I think they're awesome.

That's impossible for me to do.

I mean, I sat down to write this post, and of course I immediately thought of Perry and Aria from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. Perry is just wickedly cool -- not to mention genuinely badass -- and there's something about his fierce gentleness that's impossible not to like. And Aria might be a futuristic version of the "spoiled rich girl," but she's got a core of steel, and she fires back on Perry with everything she's got. Their relationship is organic, and natural, and I believed every minute of their chemistry. I wanted to be with them while they were trekking across the Death Shop. I wanted to be their friend. Their story affected me that much.

But then I realized that if I picked Rossi's book, I wouldn't be able to talk about Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins, which is seriously the sweetest romance in the whole entire world. Etienne St. Clair. ETIENNE ST. CLAIR. I mean, honestly. Who doesn't love that boy? I knew I was loving the book while I was reading it, but when one of the boys licks the crotch of the statue in the cemetery, I knew it would be one of my favorite books of all time. I think my favorite part of the book is their constant email exchange when they're on winter break. Those emails were just ... magical.

AUGH. But what about Will Grayson and Tiny in Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. You want to talk about a magical relationship ... This book seriously tugged at my heartstrings until there wasn't any give left. There's a huge turning point in the middle of the book, where a serious truth is revealed (and we're talking a SERIOUS TRUTH), and I read that part while on a five hour plane ride. I just about punched my husband and said, "YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED," and then he snorted and woke up and thought the plane was crashing. You must read this book. It will break your heart and then repair it in the most delicious way possible.

There are too many great couples. I love them all. You can't make me pick just one.

What are your favorites?

Brigid Kemmerer is the author of Storm, available April 24 from KTeen (US) and Allen & Unwin (Australia). You can visit her website at www.brigidkemmerer.com, and follow her on Twitter @BrigidKemmerer. 

I am giving away one copy of Storm from The Book Depository. Just tell us in the comments who is your favourite YA couple or couples. Don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! Giveaway is International and ends Sat 28th April.

Psst! Elemental the prequel to Storm is currently free on Amazon too! It's a great beginning to this series!

MIA & One Year Blogoversary.

I have been MIA for a few weeks because of my uni course, but I am trying to catch up with all my reading! Stay tuned because in two weeks it's my One Year Blogoversary!! I'm trying to make it as awesome as possible, so I hope you'll stop by.