Hey it’s nearly the end of the year! Time to choose favourites from our kids!
And by “kids” I clearly mean choosing-favourites-amongst-the-book-characters-we-love…who are basically our kids now, ok. In 2016 it was all “who’s your book boyfriend” and now it’s all “WHO IS YOUR SON AND WHO WILL YOU SMITE TO PROTECT THEM” and I love it.
But to the business at hand.
I always do a “Best Of The Year” post (closer to the end of December! I can still squeeze some more reads in!) but I never manage to mention enough books?! And characters??? I want to mention SO MANY and give all the recommendations. Hence, in 2016, I made up a random book tag called…
THE SMASHING & DASHING CHARACTER AWARDS
Which is about as enthusiastic and violent as you can expect from me. What can I say.
Anyway! Feel free to join in. Basically we’re just…
- nominating characters to fit the categories
- just has to be from books you READ in 2018 (doesn’t have to have been published this year!)
- and link back to meeeee (or tell me you did the tag so I can come see your post!)
- also if you are reading this and eating a christmas cookie….share?
1. MOST RELATABLE CHARACTER
Look for me, it’s a toss up between Mark Blackthorn (from Lady Midnight) who has a lot of dramatic emotions and 10/10 would throw himself down the stairs to make a point if given the opportunity. (Every time Julian says “please chill out”, Mark just replies very calmly, “I am a fAERIE we are just this way.”) Plus I thoroughly headcanon Mark is also autistic and I cannot be convinced otherwise.
AND I also should pick a new character I just this year sooo…I also adored Alice from Furthermore! She loved shiny pretty things and if anyone startled her, she kicked them. She also could hold like grudges for YEARS and, I have respect.
2. MOST PURE ANIMAL COMPANION
Aww Leo’s dog in Satellite was ADORABLE and so pure (AND DIDN’T DIE) and it broke me how much Leo absolutely adored that dog and wanted him so much ajfkdslad.
3. FIERCEST FIGHTER
I only just read The Last Namsara (I knoooow, I am very late) but holy wow Asha was terrifying, stabby, majestic with multiple weapons at multiple times, and basically, if she stabbed you, you’d thank her.
Also WE STAN a dragon hunter who turns into a dragon lover.
4. AM SURPRISED THAT I LOVED YOU??
Look I confess I do read a lot of books I “might not like”, which seems bizarre at first (I am risking wasting time?!) buuut what if I just…really want…to read absolutely everything. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wasn’t sure I’d like Pacifica because I hadn’t liked the author’s previous books, buuuut THIS WAS AMAZING. It’s dystopian and basically has stabby girl trash pirate, the best boy-friendship duo ever (would dIE FOR EACH OTHER platonically) and characters who make and break your heart.
5. BEST SASSMASTER
- Stalking Jack The Ripper — Thomas Cresswell cannot open his mouth without making a quip
- Bring Me Their Hearts — Zera was so very sassy. She’s under a lot of stress (she’s kind of an undead witch’s slave?!) and she copes by making fun of everything. Relatable content.
- To Kill A Kingdom — like no one could even help themselves here. Elian and Lira were just in a constant battle of who could be more pithy, aND WE SHIP THIS.
6. BEST ANTI-HERO
EVERYONE IN THE CRUEL PRINCE. Jude and Cardan were so backstabby and the entire fey court was terrifying. I am living for murder-faeries. (Just not, um, living if I am too close to them?? I would die in their world.) But I crave books were the girls are Slytherin and vicious. So this pleases me wondrously.
7. THE BEST FRIENDS OF ALL
I always mention The Raven Cycle or my Shadowhunters for this, soooo…accept that they are life goals. And let’s also nominate the squad in The Lady’s Guide To Petticoats And Piracy. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Plus they are an epic girls squad, where Felicity likes to cut up dead things, Joanna is a super fan of animals and will cuddle a dragon, and Sim would stab you and then protec you and how could you not love her ajdfsladklj.
8. BEST VILLAIN TO HATE
Can we just point to the Demon King from Girls Of Paper And Fire and LOATHE HIM. He’s a despicable rapist, conqueror, and entitled monster. Usually books like this give the villainous men a redemption arc, but NO THE GIRL ACTUALLY GETS SOMEONE GOOD AND DESERVING. Lei and Wren forever ajfdskald, these brilliant girls.
9. AWARD FOR THE BEST VS WORST YA PARENTS
BEST ➸ What If It’s Us was super super cute and had also some super annoying issues (for me, anyway) bUT can we point out that it had two sets of supportive and loving parents?!? They were 100% here for their queer sons and it was so heartwarming.
WORST ➸ It is like the absolute opposite of the above in It Looks Like This…parents who are cruel and close-minded and drive their queer kids to terrible heartbreaking things. This was such a hard book to read. (Also pointing out it’s #ownvoices and very important,,,crying)
10. SHIP OF ALL SHIPS IN 2018
- Lei x Wren = Girls of Paper And Fire
- Mark x Kieren = Lady Midnight/Lord of Shadows (shhh)
- Tella x Dante = Legendary
- Sarai x Lazlo = Muse of Nightmares
- August x Jack = The Wicker King
- Ronan x Adam = (I read the Opal novella and aww)
- Andrew x Neil = The Foxhole Court
11. MOST PRECIOUS MUST BE PROTECTED
Look I don’t know if I can honestly nominate my own characters without being very very narcissistic. BUT I struggle with the fact it’s ok to flail over your characters when they’re unpublished…so like??? Can I pls still flail? I am still a blogger.
Also Beck, Joey and August need to be protected fROM ME but whatever. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Beck is so Soft™ and just doing his best and is so grumpy until he is fed cake.
12. HONESTLY SURPRISED YOU’RE STILL ALIVE
Dude I am just putting forth everyone in The Foxhole Court series. Because for Neil, my main question is: HOW. And for Andrew, the fact he hasn’t exploded a national monument with himself standing on top is an actual wonder.
Reasons Neil Might Die = 20% because of ticking of mobsters, 8000% because he got stabbed by the enemy and then Andrew stabbed him again for getting stabbed in the first place.
(LOOK I SWEAR THIS SERIES IS AMAZING. JUST GO WITH IT. OUR FAV PROBLEMATIC DISASTER SONS.)
13. AWARD FOR MAKING THE WORST DECISIONS
Boomerang was just one long list of bad decisions, with Sean and Trip just needing to pause for a moment. But did they? No. I love them so so much bUT BOYS….THINK ABOUT THIS.
Also Todd from The Knife of Never Letting Go series? (Which I finally finished this year! BEST trilogy. Ruined me.) He is a prime example of someone who is Doing His Best and yet the worst happens.
14. MOST IN NEED OF A NAP
Absolutely going to say Jack and August from The Wicker King. I LOVE THIS BOOK. I deeply deeply love this book. I’ve read it twice this year and it just took my heart and…you know, smashed it. But also healed it. Books about being broken and healing are incredibly special. And afjdsladjk they were both so so tired by the end. They need to just take a long nap together, thanks.
15. WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT YOU
Absolutely nominating the squad from the Strange The Dreamer duology. I am absolutely starry-eyed and in love with these two books. Best of all ,it finished, but left the world WIDE OPEN. I can see infinite possibilities for more stories and I want them all!! (Especially I want a story about Nero and Calixte and their queer squad.)
A DUOLOGY WASN’T ENOUGH.
…the questions if you want them…!
1. Most Relatable Character
2. Most Pure Animal Companion
3. Fiercest Fighter
4. Am Surprised That I Loved You??
5. Best Sassmaster
6. Best Antihero
7. The Best Friends Of All
8. Best Villain To HATE
9. Award For Best vs Worst YA Parents
10. Ship Of All Ships In 2018
11. Most Precious Must Be Protected
12. Honestly Surprised You’re Still Alive
13. Award For Making The Worst Decisions
14. Most In Need Of A Nap
15. Want To Read More About You
do you always struggle to talk about your favourite books enough at the end of the year?? tell me (1) a character/book you’re surprised you loved, and (2) a character you would totally protect
and if you want to do the tag, go ahead!!
I love character book tags! Perhaps I’ll steal it if I get a break in my schedule (and just need something quick to whip up)
Also, guess what I saw in Dymocks the other day! ATPN was there, so I got to squeal with my friend over it, and explain that C.G. Drews was none other than practically the only other book and writing blogger in Australia and that I live near her (near being used in the Australian sense, since I think we live somewhere around 2,000km apart). It was exciting.
Ooh, I like the pie in that photo. Very festive. I have Stalking Jack the Ripper sitting on my TBR shelf right now, so I’m happy to hear that it has good characters. I loved the friendship in Lady’s Guide! I want another book about them.
I’ll do your tag as soon as I can!!!
I was eating a werewolf cookie the other day and I’m about to make them… I guess I’ll share!
(werewolf cookies are cookies based on my fav character ever… Lupin…)
Anyway, I GET YOUR STRUGGLE. PROTECTING THE CHARACTERS IN YOUR UNPUBLISHED BOOK. ITS SO FRUSTRATING. I’m currently writing a book and I’m in love with all of them BUt. I. CAN’t. TALk. ABOUt. THem. Because I want it to be a surprise for everyone. (If it’s published, ugh,)
Ugh WordPress posted my comment BEFORE I WAS DONE..
I was going to ask if you could do a post on just fantasy books??? So I could get suggestions???
I mean I know you like doing your thing but if you ever think about it could you??
If you’ve already done it… I OBVIOUSLY HAVEN’T FOUND IT AND NEED TOO.
I struggle to REMEMBER the books I read at the beginning of the year, like no I didn’t read that this year I read that 263539263 years ago
I was really surprised with how much I liked The Maze Runner and The Grisha Trilogy earlier this year and Starfish for somehow being the best book I read this year
I would protect the Dregs, my precious stabby children who take people’s eyes out dramatically (my children are good people shhh)
THIS TAG IS PERFECT OMG. I was looking for some post that I could actually do right now and you saved me again. I’M DOING THID TAG AND WILL PROBABLY POST IT TOMORROW. I can’t wait to share all my favorite sons and daughters to the world.
Character I was surprised I loved is.. (i can’t believe I’m saying this) ELI EVER. He’s psychotic and I threatened to throw him off a cliff before but i read vengeful and just wanted to give him a hug. I still love Victor a million times more but I didn’t expect I will actually have sympathetic feelings toward Eli for as long as I live but here I am now. This is all Schwab’s fault.
A character I would love to protect is Enrique from THE GILDED WOLVES. I just finished reading the ARC and I basically want to marry all the main characters. They’re just so pure and I hope a lot of bookdragons will read this book once it releases in January. I CAN’T WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO READ THIS BOOK IT’S SO GREAT ASGDJSJSJ
YASS Thomas Cresswell is SUCH a sassmaster!! But you gotta love him for it lol 🙂 Great post, I loved this tag so much!
Ahhhh, I pre-ordered Lady’s Guide and it arrived ages ago and I haven’t so much as flipped to the first page yet. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. That squad sounds amazing. I really should read this at some point . . .
I just found out that I won a giveaway for Girls of Paper and Fires (even though I have no memory of entering? but okay, not gonna complain), so I’m super excited to read it once I get my copy in the mail!
Heck yes to the parents from What If It’s Us. I love the way Becky Albertalli writes families. Or just the way she writes in general. Her characters are so relatable.
Okay yeah you can’t nominate your own characters to be protected when WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM FROM YOU YOU MONSTER. *shakes head*
I think most of the books I loved this year were pretty predictable, but one book I was surprised I didn’t like more was Final Draft by Riley Redgate. It’s about an introverted writer, so obviously I should have loved it, but I didn’t?? Very disappointing.
What an adorable (and cruel!) tag!!! I’m living for it. I just finished reading First World Problems (the third book in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy) and I’m SUPER surprised that I loved Su Yi as much as I did. I admired her but totally did not like her in the first book and now I ended up adoring her and wanting to protect her from everything.
GIRL I AM SO STEALING THIS TAG. Just, watch me steal it and never bring it back. *zooms off with a screech of tires*
A book I’m surprised I loved–“The Shield Ring” by Rosemary Sutcliff. I was convinced it would be super old-fashioned in a bad way, like stuffy and boring and full of backstory info dumps, but instead it was PRECIOUS AND POIGNANT and sooooooooooo perfect.
A character I would totally protect–Daniel from “All the Crooked Saints” because he is my smol child and I feel so bad for my smol child and everything he goes through. *cries*
I MAY DO THIS. But I also may not. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’M EASILY DISTRACTED. Anywhoodles (why do I think this is a word?) YES YES YES about Mark Blackthorn: “who has a lot of dramatic emotions and 10/10 would throw himself down the stairs to make a point if given the opportunity.” I don’t think I’ve ever read something so accurate except for that time someone called me an idiot because I put my tooth brush under the faucet and just like… stood there, not turning the water on, and wondering why it wasn’t coming on. Okay, okay, so yes @ all of these choices. I’m actually starting The Foxhole Court AND The Wicker King in a few weeks. Soooo this is obviously pumping me up? This entry was basically the literary bloggy (BLOGGY?!) equivalent to hype music.
Neil and Andrew!! Jack and August!! I Fully Support all these children. I can’t even believe it’s been almost two years since I started The Foxhole Court.
I didn’t think I’d like The Wise Man’s Fear as much as I did. I liked Name of the Wind, but that’s it; I only liked it. I think I would have forgotten about it pretty quickly had not everyone else been talking about it so much. But I LOVED The Wise Man’s Fear.
Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality
I AM STEALING THIS. And I know that I always say that and then never seem to, but this time I mean it.
I’m SO behind on end of year things. Logically, I know that I have to get the next Ivyclad Bingo board up soon if I’m to stand any chance of anyone joining it, but I’m not happy with two of the categories I’ve picked for it. And then there’s rounding up all of the reading challenges I took last year (so much regret).
Your maestro is definitely the worst YA parent I’ve read this year, by the way. 😉
Of course you can nominate your characters! They are so beautiful and worthy of being protected and fed ;D
I’d love to do this tag, but my blog schedule is packed full right now ;0
Ooh this was such a fun little list! I need to write this down and remember all the amazing stories and characters from this year!! 2018 was such a great reading year for me and I really expanded my horizons, which felt great!! 😊😊😊
I’m just finishing up the Illuminae files, and this is gonna sound weird, but my favorite character that I want to protect is AIDAN! And also Roza from Rose Under Fire is my sweet little spitfire who needs protecting! I almost forgot how absolutely much I loved that book!! 😊
Thanks for the great prompts that’ll help me to remember all of the things I’ve read this year – starting back in January which I apparently can’t remember 😂😂😂
I agree Beck is definitely the softest… also I would nominate Beck and August as ship of all ships of 2018 ☺️😍
How can anyone pick their favourites? Whenever I try to write a list of favourite books it ends up being pages long 🙈
I really enjoyed A Man Called Ovre by Fredrik Backman which really surprised me. I tried reading it a couple of years ago but couldn’t get into it, then tried again this year and it turned out to be one of my absolute favourites this year!
If there’s any character I would throw myself in front of a bus for (bit dramatic, I know) it would have to be Auri from Patrick Rothfuss Name Of The Wind series. I just totally adore her!
i had to skip over most of these because i haven’t read most of these books but LEI AND WREN ARE SUCH A SOFT PURE COUPLE i need book two to be destroyed! and i need to get my hands on muse of nightmares but just a tab bit broke right now so i can’t but i need to just inhale more of taylor’s writing and find out WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL MY CHILDREN. (i haven’t commented here in so long help)
AHH I love this tag so, so much, great questions and great answers, too! I might give it a shot soon 😀
I agree that Beck and August and Joey needs protection and love, honestly all the time I read the book, I just wanted to hug them all. And oh yes, Elian and Lira were the two sass masters of it all, I loved their interactions SO much!!! 😀
YAY FOR BOOKS WHERE THE DOG DOESN’T DIE! So many amazing characters on your list Omg completely agree with the Cruel Prince anti heroes (even Jude!)
Oh my gosh this is such a good idea!! I may have to steal it! I haven’t read nearly as many books as you have (I’ve been so busy with Uni and work and I’ve been trying to read longer books I’d been too afraid to start in the past) so I’m a little bit limited in what characters I can write about, but I have fallen in love with a few so I might be able to do it.
I love this idea so much! I need to read The Knife of Never Letting Go and also Opal just helped to ship the major ship so much <3 Agh, I am so happy I discovered the raven cycle this year. Oh, and Asha is an amazingly fierce fighter and I don't think she would let her fear stop her from doing anything!! I liked the friendships in The Ladys Guide as well <3 Need to read Strange the Dreamer and Sadie especially DD:
My recent post: https://oliviascatastrophe.com/2018/12/sword-art-online-anime-review/
oh man I love this tag but I don’t have a blog, so I’m just gonna do it here? I hope that’s okay?
1. most relatable – Murderbot (All Systems Red) – Just wants to be left alone to watch his 10000 downloaded shows and never have to talk to a human again. You would not expect a self-styled “Murderbot” to be the PUREST(TM) and SOFTEST(TM) but here we are.
2. purest animal – Rawhead (Jackalope Wives and Other Stories)
3. fiercest fighter – Lada (The Conqueror’s Saga) (with apologies to Lila Bard! you are also very stabby! it was a stacked year for stabby people!)
4. surprisingly good book – Clocktaur War duology (T. Kingfisher)
5. sassmaster – really the entire Clocktaur War cast
6. antihero – Lada obv
7. best friends – Radu/Nazira
8. villain to hate – MEHMED adfasdfssjfkslj
(sorry I just finished Bright We Burn yesterday and I cannot stop flipping out about it)
(alternate villain: literally every adult in Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed)
9. best parents – I guess Zelie’s parents (Children of Blood and Bone)? idk I seem to have read mostly dysfunctional parents this year
9.5 worst parents – Jack’s parents (The Wicker King) – I like this one because “parents away on business” is such a YA trope to get parents out of the way, but here it is actually CALLED OUT and punched in the face
10. ship-a-sailing – Jack/August (The Wicker King)
11. must be protected – Holland (Shades of Magic)
12. surprised you’re still alive – Ronan (The Dream Thieves), disaster boi extraordinare
13. worst decisions – Inan (Children of Blood and Bone), king of Massively Overthinking And Then Making The Wrong Decision Anyway
14. needs a nap – the strange bird (The Strange Bird)
15. want to read more – the world of Sip (Brian Allen Carr) – such a fascinating world and I feel like there’s just so many more stories to be told
Man, 2018 was a great book year. Thanks for the tag!
I struggle to talk about all the books I read over the year because I literally forget much about the ones I read at the beginning of the year. And you know, every other book up to the one I am currently reading. But you know, I could write whole essays on books I read ten years ago. *rolls eyes at self*
And I did the tag over on my blog!
Yes! I totally struggle to remember anything so can’t seem to ever write overview posts on the books I’ve read. It is very annoying. Because I read a lot this year but as soon as I try to think of favourite things I start feeling sick and come up blank….
But let me try anyway!
1) a character/book you’re surprised you loved,
For me this was Lady Midnight. I got it from the library randomly thinking I didn’t even like Cassandra Clare and then I became obsessed with it, and with all her other books I hadn’t yet read, and I just love it. I LOVE that series. It is so wonderful. It turns out that I just don’t like faux incest, but I do love Cassandra Clare!
(2) a character you would totally protect
Huh. this is hard. What did I read again this year?
Well I agree with you about Beck. He certainly needs a whole heap of protection, poor thing (mostly from you! Ha!)
And for another one, I guess a character I just LOVED was Maggie from The Lightning Trail by Rebecca Roanhorse. But to be honest she doesn’t need my protection, that girl is a monster slayer. Mostly I think she would just protect me.
🙂
This is an amazing tag! I love it so much and there are so many great recs. I don’t think I’ve read enough books to do this tag but I’ll hopefully do it next year. I love writing bookish lists!
Taiwo | https://www.alifestylenerd.wordpress.com
I’m living for these questions and you responses! Can I be real? I’m terrified to start the Strange the Dreamer duology because the DoSaB trilogy left me wanting so much more from the world. I don’t want to be fulfilled and unfulfilled at the same time. It is so heartbreaking, but I need to read these series because I love Laini Taylor.
I think I do okay at talking about my favourite books at the end of the year, I do a couple of yearly roundups for different features on my blog, so I’m usually pretty well covered about my favourite books of the year-I try and save my best books list for as close to the end of the year, or even wait till the new year to do it though, so that I can make sure I don’t miss anything! I had two big reading surprises this year; the good one was By A Charm and A Curse because I’d heard literally nothing about it, so I was surprised by how much I loved it and Sea Witch, but that was a bad one because I was expecting to love it and I hated it. I want to protect Danny and Colton from the Timekeeper trilogy so much, they are soft boys who must be protected at all costs, especially since Tara Sim seems intent on torturing them!
THOMAS CRESSWELL IS THE SASSIEST SASSMASTER OF ALL TIMES. THERE IS NO BEATING HIM. i love him.
Ugh. I NEED to read The Cruel Prince! It sounds amazing and I am just so here for all of that. I need my precious Slytherin babies and I A.D.O.R.E. antiheroes!!!!
Anyways. 🙃 I did the tag!! It was fun! I did it way back in 2016 and loved it … I enjoyed it just as much, now. 😀 https://readinganyone.wordpress.com/2018/12/21/smashing-and-dashing-basically-all-the-cinnamon-rolls/
Oh I am loving your choices! Also, every single post that I read I find at least one more book that I am finding MUST go on my “to be read” shelf. Ha ha! At this rate I will never catch up!
Aww that makes me very happy that I’m convincing you to try my favourites!😂🎉🎉
*sneaks in, steals your tag and leaves a URL behind like I’m some sort of internet packrat*
http://sarcasticscribblings.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-smashing-dashing-tag-2018-la-paper.html
sdkfj I want to do this tag sm because characters are my pride and joy and I just want to support themmmmm????? and I just feel so happy w every comment made about TFC & The Wicker King c: c: c: c: c: i just read The Weight of the Stars && jack + august + rina are back and living their lives and it made me feel overwhelmed