Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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 dealingClary 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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YA Sisterhood



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

Match #2: Juliette (Seed 16) vs Cammie (Seed 17) Goes to Cammie

Winner of Match # 2 is Cammie Morgan


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....

Hi guys! I'm Brenna from Esther's Ever After, and for the YA Heroine Tournament I am advocating Juliette from Tahereh Mafi's SHATTER ME! Whether you've read this book and loved it, or are interested in learning more about it you can stop by my blog, my Twitter, and my Facebook page all of which will be kept up to date with news and announcements regarding #TEAMJULIETTE!
In Shatter Me, the world has been nearly completely destroyed, and we meet this girl. Juliette is a 17 year old teenage girl living in a world ruled by the iron fist of The Reestablishment, who govern out of fear and intolerance.
Juliette doesn't fit in, and she isn't like other people. Charged with a murder she didn't intend to commit, Juliette is special because her touch has the power to absorb the energy of others. She's a freak and an outcast, a girl who's been constantly rejected even by her own parents.
So when we meet Juliette, she has been isolated, and broken down to a point where she is holding on to her sanity by a thread. But she doesn't remain that way.
I read lots of YA, and I love lots of characters. But while I was reading the book, what struck me was how inspiring Juliette was compared to these other leading ladies.
She is incredibly brave and strong, forced to adapt to the lonely and broken life she's been given.
But that doesn't stop her, because she's determined to LIVE. To experience all the best life has to offer, and she's going to fight for that.
She's so much  more than just another survivor- she's a fighter.
Her passion to truly live is contagious, and she jumps at every chance she's given to experience life to the fullest of her capabilities.
An intelligent young woman, with a voice narrating how even her memories of a child represent her brilliant understanding of the evil in the world, and her strong sense of justice will resonate with everyone.
  
A heroine is someone who stands up for what's right, and is willing to risk everything she has to meet that. Not only that, but she inspires others to do the same. Even as a child she was doing this, as she was caring and constantly putting the needs of others above her own. And there's someone who remembers this about her from years earlier...
Her resilience and refusal to give up eventually provide her with the motivation to accept herself and her ability. And while she first comes across as broken, the sheer inner strength radiating from her is like a blinding light in this dark and bitter world. She refuses to allow others to manipulate her, and even practices extreme self-control and restraint to save the lives of others, even if their death and suffering would benefit her.
Yet at the same time, her strength hasn't hardened her. She is as delicate and vulnerable as can be, and while she bends she doesn't break.
Shatter Me is all about Juliette's growing confidence in who she really is and what she can do. Because she won't let others define her, and she won't let anyone else control her. This is HER life, and she is going to OWN it.
Image from Novel Novice
  
Juliette has literally been through hell and back again. Her life is a constant struggle of life and death, and she recognizes a true purpose of what she can achieve with her gift- something much bigger than becoming an international secret agent, and getting the guy. And while Cammie is a great girl, she has yet to exhibit such inner strength and purpose to the extent that Juliette has. A revolution is stirring in the world of Shatter Me, and change is coming... and I have a feeling we know exaclty who's going to be in the frontline. Juliette is mature beyond her years after all the horrors she has gone through and witnessed, something that a girl in a spy highschool can't contend with.
  
Keep in mind that Shatter Me is a new debut, one that was only released TWO weeks ago and Juliette is a newcomer to the YA scene. But that does NOT mean that she is easily ignored! And while many of her opponents are well-established characters with multiple books of history to back them up, she has one. Don't let that sway you away from recognizing Juliette as the heroine she is- for those who have already read Shatter Me are continually acknowledging how much of  a role model and inspiration Juliette is as a young woman. And if you haven't read Shatter Me yet, I hope you're a bit more interested after getting to know Juliette a bit more today!

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Intro:
Hi all!


Jen here from Almost Grown-up! I'm in my twenties and an aspiring writer. I've been many things, but a spy isn't one of them! Nevertheless, the idea fascinates me, which is why I'll be representing Cammie Morgan in the Tournament of Heroines.


You can follow along with the Gallagher Girl's tournament efforts using the Twitter hashtags #TeamCammie or just following me @almost_grown_up.


But enough about me. You're here for Cammie.



1. About Her


Cameron Morgan doesn't live the life of the average fifteen (seventeen as of the latest book) year-old, not even when the Gallagher Girls series begins. For one thing, she goes to a boarding school. For another, it's an all-girls school. And if that wasn't enough? It's a school to train spies.


And Cammie? The girl is nearly as good as spies-in-training get. Maybe it's genetic. Both of her parents were spies (in fact, Mom's the headmistress of Gallagher Academy), as was her aunt Abby. Dad was lost in a mission, the details of which are only just beginning to come to light.


Ally Carter's been quoted as saying "Cammie is average. In every way average [...] She's not too tall, too short, too chubby, too thin, too anything. She's probably got light brown hair and eyes that change color depending on what she's wearing."


2. Best Attributes


She makes her looks work for her as a spy in training, but not as the cliched femme fatale. Those average looks let Cammie blend in with the crowd to gain information, lose tails, and get closer in tricky situations. She refers to herself both as "The Chameleon" and a "Pavement Artist." It's her gift as a spy, but not her only one.


Cammie is incredibly smart-- she has to be to attend school at the Gallagher Academy. At the age of 4, she cracked the NSA's Sapphire Series and when she was 9, she trailed her father (the renowned spy) through a mall to find out what he was buying her. She also speaks several languages.


One of Cammie's strongest attributes is her sense of loyalty. She doesn't always let someone into her trust and her confidence that easily, but once they're there, it's hard to shake her.


Some examples AND A COUPLE SPOILERS:


(1) Even after things have to be broken off with her first boyfriend, Josh, she still feels badly about hurting him and doesn't rub other boys in his face. (2) Mr. Solomon and Zach both work their way into Cammie's trust (though it takes some time), and even when signs point to them being on the opposite side, she can't quite believe it. (3) Though Macey McHenry starts as the bane of Cammie's existence, she becomes one of her dearest friends. (4) Cammie's love for her father and his memory is taking her down a dangerous path, but she's determined to continue anyway.


3. What makes your girl a true heroine?


Though her life isn't average, in so many ways, Cammie is an average girl. She gets crushes on boys, she studies for classes, she breaks some school and family rules, she makes mistakes. And that's what makes her a heroine. She's one of us. Given the right circumstances, a girl could be like Cammie in some ways. She kicks butt. She doesn't let things stand in her way. She wants to save her friends and her family, and she sometimes does exactly that. We can all do things like that in small ways, which is what she inspires.


But the biggest thing that makes Cammie a true heroine to me? She grows. She learns from her past, both in relationships and spy work. The first book is centered around her desire to have a boyfriend, but the later books show major growth. There are still boys, but they're not everything anymore. She realizes that there are bigger problems than boy problems and first loves don't have to be forever.


4. What makes your girl better than her competitor?


Cammie can be downright hilarious at times, from the investigative "journals" that she and her friends keep up to her everyday antics, something that the serious world and situation of Juliette's doesn't allow much time for. The levity perfectly balances things out when situations get a little more serious. Also, though she gets a little zany at times, she doesn't walk the fine line between sanity and insanity that Mafi's Juliette does. And her problems are neither caused, nor can they be solved, by paranormal means.


5. Anything else you’d like to add?


Cammie made a video about how much she wants you to vote for her in this Tournament. Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out!




VOTE CAMMIE (!) and be a true "sister of Gillian" ;)

Waiting on Wednesday: Fracture by Megan Miranda

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:  Fracture by Megan Miranda! I've been hearing so many good things about this book! That, coupled with a beautiful cover and an awesome synopsis-- I can't wait!

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3


By the time Delaney Maxwell was pulled from a Maine lake’s icy waters by her best friend, Decker Phillips, her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead.

But somehow Delaney survived—despite the brain scans that show irreparable damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be fine, but she knows she’s far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can’t control or explain, Delaney now finds herself drawn to the dying, and when she meets Troy Varga, a boy who recently emerged from a coma with the same abilities, she is relieved to share this strange new existence. Unsure if her altered brain is predicting death or causing it, Delaney must figure out if their gift is a miracle, a freak of nature—or something else much more frightening…

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Teaser Tuesday: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

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!

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          "It's the decisions the human characters make, in impossible situations, that have us still talking about them centuries later.  Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." 
(ARC, 133)








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Everneath by Brodi Ashton is published by HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray and will be released January 24th, 2012.  You do not want to miss this one!!!



Monday, November 28, 2011

The Name of the Star


The Name of the Star
By: Maureen Johnson
Release Date: September 29, 2011
This Sister Says: Mysterious, Mind-blowing, & Marvelous

Summary from Goodreads.com: The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper in the autumn of 1888. Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police now believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.



Before I even read the first page I was 90% sure that I was going to love this book. For one thing, it takes place in London, which is one of my all-time favorite settings, secondly it has Jack the friggin’ Ripper (well a copycat, but still!) as a major plotline, and lastly there are “ghost police” and where there are ghost police there most certainly will be ghosts, which are quickly becoming one of my favorite paranormal subjects to read about. So I went into this book with high expectations (which is dangerous if you’ve never read anything else by that author before, which I haven’t) and I am so happy that I was not let down! With this novel, Maureen Johnson has created a story brimming with wittiness, suspense, and historical accuracy that had me laughing, biting my nails and falling in love with some very well-developed characters that I very much wish were real so that I could be their friend.

I love an author that does her research and is able to incorporate some knowledge into the book without making us feel overwhelmed by it all or feeling like she’s stopping the story to educate us. It follows that quote, “I love to learn but I do not always like to be taught.” But through this book I learned so much about the history of Jack the Ripper and the women that were his victims while simultaneously getting a fantastic story along with it! It is so refreshing when an author gets her facts correct (unlike some… I’m looking at you Stephenie Meyer) and hopefully it helps other aspiring YA authors know that it is ok (more than ok, it is highly encouraged!) to integrate real, intelligent subject matter as long as it doesn’t hinder or get in the way of the story.

There was a lot to love about this book. Its story line was original and gripped you from the first page (for me I was sold just by reading the synopsis) and I loved and found all of the characters very relatable, especially Jazza, who is just a sweetheart and such a good friend to Rory during her times of need. Because the first half of the book mainly focuses on Rory and these new boarding school relationships she's making, and the second half focuses more on the action and drama, we relly got to delve into these characters, which I just loved. I have many friends who are Jazza-esque and I very much enjoyed seeing her and Rory’s friendship bloom. And Boo. You gotta love Boo. For some reason I pictured her as a young Kelly Kapoor from The Office. She made me laugh and I just loved her quirkiness and her heart so much. I found some reviews of people claiming that the “beautiful, popular, mean little rich girl” character has been beaten to death and that they were upset that Johnson had this stock character in the novel. I realize that it’s a typical character in a lot of YA, but that is because it’s relatable. I certainly had girls like that at my school, did you? And I may be wrong, but I feel there is more to this character than meets the eye and I look forward to reading the next book of the series for many reasons, but mostly just so I can see how these characters grow.

I also loved seeing the novel shift perspective from time to time. Especially with the news reporter who saw this macabre situation as his “big break.” I just feel that seeing what other people are going through during a story helps add to the connectivity to it. Sometimes I get so caught up with what the protagonist is going through and dealing with that I don’t really consider the other characters, but when the perspective shifts I’m forced to. I also thought he ending to The Name of the Star was phenomenal. Not to clean cut, but also not to cliff-hangery and left me with just the perfect amount of satisfaction for the story that just ended but also wanting more of Rory and her journey.

The one thing about this book that I think some people won’t like is that there isn’t much romance. But I actually really liked that about this book. This book is the first in a series and I’m glad the author’s taking it slow and really letting the characters get to know one another, which is something we don’t often see in YA. Usually the main character already has her close friends and then is immediately attracted to/annoyed by the hunka-hunka burning love. But Rory had to start forming all of these relationships from scratch, and we’re right there with her, so I love how we’re getting a more realistic look at how a love begins and the complications that come with it.

If you’re still on the fence about this book, get off of it and go to your nearest bookstore and purchase it! It will not disappoint you. It’s definitely a book that is not to be missed and I hope you all get the opportunity to read it!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

YA-Sisterhood's Tournament of Heroine's Advocates


The time has finally come to announce who will represent our YA Heroines!  This is a huge job and all of these ladies are more than qualified to represent these great characters!  Go check out their blogs and follow them on twitter.  They will keep you up to date on everything with the Heroine Tourney.    The first matches will go up at 12:01am December 1st EST.  Stay tuned in the coming days for the tournament schedule!  

Clary, The Mortal Instuments by Cassandra Clare:  Valerie @ Stuck In Books 
Katniss, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:  Penelope @ Reading Fever
Tessa, Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare:  Avery @ Avery's Book Nook
Hermione, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling:  Jen @ Unedited
Tris, Divergent Veronica Roth:  Julie @ My 5 Monkeys
Izzy, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare:  Amanda @ Letters Inside Out
Rose, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead:  Jaime and Patricia @ Two Chicks on Books
Meghan, The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa:  Anna @ The Bursting Bookshelf
Annabeth, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan:  Krazzyme @ Young Readers
Nora, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick: Kim @ In the Outhouse Reviews
Mara, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin:  Casey @ The Bookish Type
Bella, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer:  Melina @ The Pretty Nifty (YA) Reader
Katsa, Graceling by Kristin Cashore:  Amber and Stacey @ Pageturners
Aura, Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready:  Brooke @ Brooke Reports
Luna, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling:  Cassi @ The Galavanting Girl Scout
Juliette, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi:  Brenna @ Esther's Ever After
Cammie, Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter:  Jen @ Almost Grown Up
Sophie, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins:  Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
Kaylee, Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent:  Rachel @ Fiktshun
Emerson, Hourglass by Myra McEntire:  Amanda @ Book Love 101
Janie, Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning:  Heather @ SupaGurl Books
Karou, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor:  Enna @ Squeaky Books
Alex, Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout:  Momo @ Books Over Boys
Kat, Heist Society by Ally Carter:  Amy D. @ Bookgoonie
Max, Maximum Ride by James Patterson:  Gabbi @ Book Breather
Clara, Unearthly by Cynthia Hand:  Amanda @ Stuck in YA Books
Calla, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer:  Becky @ Bibliognome
Bryn, Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:  Emilie @ Emilie's Book World
Claire, Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine:  Amber @ Awesome Sauce Book Club
Luce, Fallen by Lauren Kate:  Moirae (the fates) Book Reviews
Fire, Fire by Kristin Cashore:  Grace @ Words Like Silver
Kate, Die for Me by Amy Plum:  Carli B. @ Emberchyld

Thursday, November 24, 2011

YA Sisterhood's TOURNAMENT OF HEROINES!



Thank you all so much for your nominations! If your voting, campaigning, and cheering are any indication--- this will be another wildly successful tournament!

We've tallied the last of the votes, and there were so many fabulous Heroines that it was really difficult to find a cut-off point.

Perhaps we're soft-hearted, but we wanted as many Heroines to have a chance to win as possible, so we decided to let the TOP 32 NOMINEES IN THE TOURNEY!

(Feel free to celebrate for a moment).

And here they are... the competitors for the YA Sisterhood 2011 Tournament of Heroines!


Clary Mortal Instruments 1101
Katniss Hunger Games 1064
Tessa Infernal Devices 736
Hermione Harry Potter 714
Tris Divergent 460
Isabel Mortal Instruments 450
Rose Vampire Academy 397
Meghan Iron Fey 344
AnnaBeth Percy Jackson 308
Nora Hush, Hush 283
Mara The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer 232
Bella Twilight 218
Katsa Graceling 217
Aura Shade 204
Luna Harry Potter 203
Juliette Shatter Me 201
Cammie Gallagher Girls 199
Sophie Hex Hall 198
Kaylee Soul Screamers 189
Emerson Hourglass 185
Janie Dark Seeker 184
Karou Daughter of Smoke and Bone 178
Alex Half-blood 175
Kat Heist Society 175
Max Maximum Ride 172
Clara Unearthly 170
Calla Nightshade 165
Bryn Raised by Wolves 158
Claire Morganville Vampires 157
Luce Fallen 155
Fire Fire 155
Kate Die for Me 154


*on the ties, we flipped a coin to determine seed placement.

And the Tournament Bracket....



We'll be lining up the advocates this week, and the first matches will take place on December 1st. Stayed tuned to the blog for a schedule of matches!

Again, thank you! And Goodnight!

You can click on the bracket to make it bigger.



Tuesday, November 22, 2011

YA-Sisterhood's Tournament of Heroines Nominations



And.....drum roll please....the time is finally here for our very first, YA-Sisterhood Tournament of Heroines!!!!  Our Crush Tourney was such a success, that we felt compelled to let the heroines step up to the plate.

But what makes a true heroine you might ask?

A heroine is a female character who is admired for her noble qualities. We think it's someone who meets the world head on. This doesn't mean she has to be a hardcore girl who can beat up anyone who crosses her path (though those girls certainly qualify). Your favorite can be anyone you admire, for any reason. The important thing is that she is extraordinary in some way or another-- be that the way she handles other people, her inexhaustible humor, or her skill with a crossbow. We encourage you to think outside the box! Search your bookshelves for the female characters who inspire you, who make you want to be better, who prove that our world doesn't have to be a man's world.

**If you have any questions about the tournament please read this entire post and the advocate post.  Many if not all of your questions should be answered in one of these sections.  If not, then please feel free to ask us a question in the comments section for all to see, incase someone else has the same question.***

We have some rules we would like to lay down at the beginning.  You may comment on all of the tournament posts to your heart's content; however, we will not allow unnecessary rudeness.  These characters are all an author's creation, and we will respect their work.  Any posts containing profanity, slandering, or anything that we deem inappropriate or negative will be erased.  This tournament is for fun and to celebrate the characters that our beloved authors have created.  

Now, on to the fun stuff.  We have a google document at the bottom of this post that will allow you to nominate your favorite heroines.  You must leave your name and email address in the form or your nomination will not be counted.  (This will allow you to nominate 1 time only, but does not stop you from raising support to get your girl nominated!)  You may nominate up to 10 heroines.  Some of the heroines do have the same name so please put your heroine's name and her book/series. If we aren't sure to which character you are referring, the vote will not be counted.   (Example: Hermione from the Harry Potter series)  Your nomination must be a female and from the young adult genre.  We will update the nomination's post 1 time everyday.  Nominations will be open for 1 week only.  They will close at 12:01 AM CST on Thursday, November 24th.  Then 1 week later, December 1st the 1st match(es) will go up!

There have been a lot of people volunteering to be advocates, so obviously not everyone will be able to advocate.  However, I know that many advocates would love your help in spreading the word, tweeting, blogging, making icons etc.  So, pick your girl, and support her in any way possible.  The advocate sign-up is still open. So if you are interested, have an active blog, and twitter account, you can click here for more information.  We will announce the advocates sometime after the nominations are final.  If you have signed up to be an advocate, once the nominations are final, you will receive an email from us with further instructions regarding being an advocate or a pinch hitter.

For those of you who were die hard fans for the Villain's Tourney, have no fear, the villains will be making an appearance in the future!  Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm for this tournament and the last!  We greatly appreciate it, and we know the authors love seeing their character's names all over twitter and the blogosphere!!!

Here are the tallied nominations that came in before 10:00 PM Central Time, Wednesday 11/23/11. 
NOTE: Please be patient as we count up the votes. They are coming in quicker than we can count them. DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF NOMINEES,  I'VE ONLY INCLUDED THOSE WITH FIFTY OR MORE VOTES


Nominations TONIGHT UNTIL MIDNIGHT (12:01 THURSDAY, CENTRAL TIME).  


Clary Mortal Instruments 1073
Katniss Hunger Games 1031
Tessa Infernal Devices 713
Hermione Harry Potter 695
Izzy Mortal Instruments 432
Tris Divergent 431
Rose Vampire Academy 377
Meghan Iron Fey 339
AnnaBeth Percy Jackson 305
Nora Hush, Hush 271
Mara The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer 217
Katsa Graceling 213
Aura Shade 195
Bella Twilight 195
Cammie Gallagher Girls 195
Juliette Shatter Me 191
Sophie Hex Hall 188
Luna Harry Potter 185
Kaylee Soul Screamers 183
Karou Daughter of Smoke and Bone 177
Emerson Hourglass 175
Kat Heist Society 171
Max Maximum Ride 170
Clara Unearthly 160
Calla Nightshade 158
Claire Morganville Vampires 157
Janie Dark Seeker 151
Alex Half-blood 148
Kate Die for Me 148
Luce Fallen 147
Fire Fire 145
Sydney Bloodlines 144
Bryn Raised by Wolves 144
Elena Vampire Diaries 141
Evie Paranormalcy 135
Cassia Matched 131
Anna Anna and the French Kiss 130
Dru Strange Angels 129
Grace Shiver 128
Ginny Harry Potter 125
Zoey House of Night 125
Lena Delirium 118
Helen Starcrossed 117
Jacinda Firelight 115
Yelena Poison Study 105
Aislinn Wicked Lovely 79
Chloe Darkest Powers 76
Ellie Angelfire 72
Saba Blood Red Road 71
Lena Caster Chronicles 65
Puck Scorpio Races 65
Rhine Wither 65
Mia If I Stay 64
Deryn Leviathan 61
Susannah Mediator 61
Amy Across the Universe 60
Gemma Great and Terrible Beauty 60
Leisel Book Thief 58
Violet The Body Finder 56
Riley The Demon Trapper's Daughter 54
Anna Anna Dressed in Blood 53


May the odds be ever in your favor! Let the games begin!!!!

Feel free to grab an icon to post on your blog! Congratualtions to Amber from PageTurnersBlog who won our contest by creating the amazing banner and icon for the tournament.



Nominations are now closed! We will get the results posted as soon as we can!  Stay tuned!!!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Past Midnight Series by Mara Purnhagen Review & Giveaway

Past Midnight
One Hundred Candles
Beyond the Grave
Harlequin Teen
Out right now!
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sister's say:  Spooktacular, Spine-chilling, & Satisfying

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Past Midnight (Past Midnight, #1)Let me set the record straight. My name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV…no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parents' research trip in Charleston—and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new school and keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends—and potential boyfriends—is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear.

All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with ghosts of my past andpresent colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive….

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This series is about an ordinary girl, Charlotte, and her family.  Her family is actually one of those real-life teams that go and investigate paranormal activities.  (Don't try to deny it, you know you've seen at least one of those famous reality TV shows.)  They travel to the most haunted and richly historical places in the US.  For Charlotte, she just wants to be an ordinary girl that attends an ordinary school, and lives in an ordinary house.  However, none of those things can happen, and much to Charlotte's dismay, it turns out she is not a normal girl either.  Her family never thought she was the in which energy was drawn, but it turns out they were dead wrong!  Through all 3 books, we are lead through the haunting adventures of Charlotte and her family.

I haven't read many paranormal books that deal with ghosts, so this was an exciting change.  All three novels were a fast-paced, fun reads.  I will say that though the stories are on the shorter side, I never once thought they lacked in action.  Several nights I found myself shaking in my boots or maybe my socks!  I kept thinking I saw something out of the corner or my eye, heard something at night, or felt the air get cooler around me!  Maybe that's the reason why I haven't read many ghost stories!!!  These books had me completely freaked out!  I tend to do that to myself though!  So, I have to give a big thumbs up to Mara, for completely dragging me out of my comfort zone.

Each book dealt with a different paranormal problem that Charlotte has to solve, and each one freaked me out a little more than the last!  The thing about ghost stories that I have to love is they have to be routed in history.  There can't be ghosts with out the history.  I loved seeing all historical places even if one place was a super, scary old prison!

Another thing I loved about this series was the family dynamic.  It was nice to see a heroine that wasn't from a broken home.  The entire story took place in the context of their family.  Was Charlotte's family perfect?  By all means, absolutely not!  Her family fought, disagreed, loved each other and made mistakes.  Her family faced some terrible times and great tragedies, but it just goes to show you that a heroine doesn't have to be born out of a broken family.  

Now, I know what you're thinking right now, and I'm about to answer you!  You are wondering about the romance, and if there is smooching?  Right?  The answer is yes, there is romance, but its not necessarily the driving force especially in the first book.  But, as the series goes on, you will get your shoogie-doogie!  And, it is so worth the wait!  It's a sweet, heart-warming romance that makes you say, "AWWWWW, I love them!!!"

All in all, if you are looking for a fast-paced ghost story, then I highly recommend this series!  What's great is all 3 books are already out, so there's no waiting months are even years between the books.  I can't tell you how great it was to have the next book immediately.  If you are a fan of the Haunting Emma Series by Lee Nichols then you need to definitely give this series a try!

One more spooktastic thing, Mara Purnhagen has graciously volunteered to give away her trilogy right here to one lucky winner!


The Rafflecopter is getting the giveaways mixed up, but if you click on the actual title of the post above, it will take you to the post's single page.  Then everything seems to be fine!