Top 10 12 Characters Who…
Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where we make lists of our top ten books based on that week’s prompt… and then we stalk other people’s answers to add a million books to our TBR. The topics are provided ahead of time and can be found here. Links go to Goodreads or my review.
I couldn’t make up my mind on what topic I wanted to do for this very open week of TTT, so I decided to give a sampling of the few that were going through my mind. Explanations and links to reviews/Goodreads at the bottom!
The characters that…
I couldn’t connect with anyone from The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
– I picked this one up on a whim at the library because I’ve been wanting to read a book by Nina LaCour and the cover is cool. I didn’t realize the MC was a guy at first, which is fine, but I just couldn’t connect to him or his friends. At all. They read like manic pixie dream girls people who were able to float around wherever they wanted. Do these kids have parents? I also REALLY didn’t like Bev and what she did to Colby. I couldn’t forgive her and didn’t like her.
I couldn’t connect with Blake from The Pretty App by Katie Sise
– She was the kind of popular, pretty girl who spends the whole book complaining about how people only judge her on those qualities. Yes, you’re gorgeous and life is SO HARD. We get it. To be fair, she had a LOT of issues with her family that played into this, but it just got irritating that she complained more about how pretty she was than about any other issues in her life. Plus the insta-love interest subplot made me roll my eyes.
I couldn’t connect with Quinn from Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby
– I’m still sad when I think about this book because it was my most anticipated book this year and it fell so flat for me. I wasn’t emotionally invested or connected at all, especially in regards to the main character. She was uninteresting and I can’t remember anything about her except that she liked running or something. This was the biggest issue I had with the book and I just wasn’t emotionally attached to anyone or anything.
I wanted to punch Dolores Umbridge in the head from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
– I’m working on my audio reread of Harry Potter right now and I forgot how much I despise Umbridge. I mean obviously everyone does, but DAMMIT she’s a bitch! I can’t get over it. I’ve never wanted to reach into a book and punch someone in the face more than I do with her. She’s ridiculous and rude and asdfghjkl;
I wanted to punch Maddie in the head from When by Victoria Laurie
– Full disclosure: I listened to this as an audiobook and had a big problem with the narrator, so I know some of that impacted my thoughts on the main character. However, other people who read this book in physical form thought she was annoying too. She was way too whiny and headstrong. She was used to being independent because of her mother’s alcoholism, but she refused to listen to people who knew what they were talking about (like her uncle the lawyer).
I wanted to punch Sara in the head from Tease by Amanda Maciel
– I think this is an important read about bullying and it was interesting to read it from the bully’s perspective. It was frustrating though because she didn’t have any remorse for what she did. She blamed Emma for “asking for it” when it came to the bullying, and refused to take responsibility for her part in the whole thing. I wanted to knock some sense into her.
I didn’t want to leave Emmy and Oliver behind from Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
– SHIP SHIP SHIP. I always find it difficult to leave behind couples that I grow to love so much, but this one was harder than usual. I won’t give anything away, proceed with caution: View Spoiler » Overall they had such an interesting dynamic and the whole story made me so happy.
I didn’t want to leave anyone behind from Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer
– I believe my review for this one said that I wanted to crawl inside the book and live there forever. The setting, the characters, the plot – it was all SO GOOD. I loved Queenie and Merry Carole’s relationship. The characters were so amazing and their lives were headed into very… desirable?… places when the book was coming to a close. I need infinite more chapters to see more of their lives!
I didn’t want to leave anyone behind from Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
– The family in this story went through SO much over the course of a summer. They started out as strangers but got so much closer by the end of the book. I’d love to revisit them and see how they’re all doing now. I didn’t want to leave this story because of some other loose ends that could be tied up for the characters.
I wanted to smooch Sturmhond from Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
– UGH YES. The introduction of this character took this trilogy to new heights for me. I seriously loved it. He was so funny and annoying and bantery and sarcastic and adorable. No spoilers, but I wish I was the one who ended up with him at the end of the series. Sturmhond is life.
I wanted to smooch Jeremiah from Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally
– I don’t know if the audiobook narrator’s southern accent is what got me with him, but holy moly. I love me some Jere. The slow burn romance was close to torturous, but in a really great way. I loved getting to know him. Idk, maybe I just want to kiss him because of that accent. Whatever, it’s a valid reason.
I wanted to smooch Matt from Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
– I love you Matt Finch. I love love love you. I just listened to a snippet of the audiobook to glimpse his adorableness again; it was the part when he gets strawberry milk and Reagan makes fun of him for it. HIS BANTER is so spot-on. Also, I would never usually let a boy sing a song for me but Jesus H. Christ, sign me up for one of his.
Umbridge! God, I hate her. I love how on Tumblr, there is like a new Umbridge hate post every day. She’s the worst.
I completely agree with the hidden spoilers about Emmy & Oliver. I needed those answers because I fell in love with them so hard. I need that book in my life again!
YES EXACTLY GAH
I adore Sturmhond! I’d definitely add him to the smooch list 🙂
And Umbrige. I’m pretty sure everyone wants to kick that woman, she’s the worst person in the entire wizarding world -yes, I’m counting Voldemort in that too.
Great list!
Haha! Ugh she’s just the absolute worst.
I totally get the Sturmhond one – I like humor. And argh, Umbridge… She’s just awful!
YUP no kidding!
Great list. I totally agree with you about Dolores Umbridge. 🙂
Haha I think everyone’s in agreement over that one!
Ha, I was wondering just who you were going to punch from HP. Umbridge is a good choice!
Aside from Malfoy most of the time, she’s the only one! 😉
Fantastic list! I definitely agree with you, 110%, about Dolores Umbridge!
Haha I think most people do!!
Love your list. I agree with you about Maddie from When. While I did enjoy the book, there were so many times when I just wanted to punch her in the face. She could get a bit annoying.
She was so whiny, I couldn’t deal! I know things weren’t going well for her, but she could have handled everything better.
Nice ideas for your list, I like it. I also wanted to punch Umbridge in the fifth Harry Potter book, but you’d probably be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t! I haven’t read any of the others but Tease by Amanda Maciel is on my TBR list.
I recommend Tease – it was hard but worth it, I think.