Belladonna Blog Tour - Fiona Paul's Book Boyfriends

I am thrilled to be part of the Canadian blog tour for Fiona Paul's Belladonna. If you missed the first stop on the tour be sure to check out Razorbill Canada's website to learn all about what to see in Florence.

If you missed my review yesterday be sure to stop by and read it. Today I have Fiona stopping by to talk about something very important - BOOK BOYFRIENDS. That's right. Fiona offers up her top 10 swoon worthy book hotties. If you follow her on Twitter you will be aware that she has amazing taste (hello, she loves Eric Draven) so her list is worth checking out. If you haven't met some of these guys yet, I am guessing you'll want to.

When Kathy suggested a list of favorite kiss scenes or YA boys for this tour stop, I jumped at the chance to prattle on about some of my fictional crushes. There are some notable boys missing from this list—Four, Alex, Noah, Etienne, etc. What can I say? Those guys are a little too perfect for me. I prefer my book boyfriends rough around the edges and dark around the heart. Here are my top ten, in no particular order:

1. Jonah Griggs from Jellicoe Road: I first heard of Jonah via twitter, where I get all my important book-boyfriend news. “So dreamy,” everyone said. I started reading and was immediately confused. This Jonah guy appeared to be a common thug. “Some of these tweeps clearly have issues,” I muttered. But sure enough, as the mystery played itself out, the layers began to peel back on Jonah. What can I say? You guys were right. Bonus factor: He’s Australian.

2. Cassel Sharp from the Curse Workers series: Cassel is the right kind of con man, the guy who worries about his mother and doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He’s not particularly interested in saving the world, but he’ll step up and get his hands dirty to protect the people he loves. Bonus factor: Mafia connections.

3. Cas Lowood from Anna Dressed in Blood: Instead of playing video games and checking out chicks like most teen boys, Cas travels around killing ghosts. Like his near-namesake, Cassel, he also loves his momma and is fiercely protective of those close to him. Bonus factor: Knife skills.

4. Cole St. Clair from The Shiver Trilogy: Oh, Cole. Brilliant, tormented, and self-destructive as all hell. You’re like a young, Canadian Kurt Cobain who also happens to get wolfy now and again. The only thing better than the Cole of Linger is the Cole of Forever. Thank you Maggie Stiefvater for letting me hang out inside this delicious boy’s head for two books. Bonus factor: He’s a rock star. (Kathy's note- Um, HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF COLE?! Seriously, she had me at Kurt Cobain. MUST READ IMMEDIATELY)

5. Ash Fisher from The Black City Chronicles: When we meet brooding half-Darkling Ash, he’s just a petty drug dealer from the wrong side of the tracks. Ash alternates between being melancholy, angry, and hilariously sarcastic, but he’s never phony. Even when Ash behaves badly, I can’t help but cheer for him. Bonus factor: Euphoria-causing venom.

6. Eli from Along for the Ride: Eli, the boy who has stopped living, meets Auden, the girl who has never really lived, and together they explore the world that exists while most of us are sleeping. Eli is the kind of guy that brings out your best—he makes you kinder, he makes you braver, he makes you want to risk it all. Bonus factor: Mad biking skills.

7. Austin from A Tale of Two Centuries: I was lucky enough to read this book early (look for my blurb!) and oh my sweet slacker boy at the back of the class goodness. Austin gets Renaissance good-girl Less in trouble on her first day of high school and then has the nerve to flirt with her! But he’s no standard slacker—like a proper 80s bad boy (Judd Nelson, anyone?) he’s got his reasons for being the way he is. Bonus factor: Hottest surfing lessons ever.

8. Xander from the Matched trilogy: Xander is attractive, smart, successful, and kind. He’s also unfailingly patient and loves his woman unconditionally, even though he knows she has feelings for another man. Meanwhile, the other guy is hot because…the government deems him off-limits? I was so unimpressed by him that I can’t even remember his name. Xander all the way for me. Bonus factor: He’s a medic!

9. Gale from The Hunger Games: I mean, what is there to say? He’s smoking hot. He’s a hunter, a provider. He was like “oh hey, babe, that’s cool” when Katniss had to pretend to love another man on national television and he never lost faith in her for a moment. I mean, unless you really really like bread, I don’t see how this is even a choice…Bonus factor: Liam Hemsworth.

10. Akiva from Daughter of Smoke and Bone: I know, I know, Akiva does some Very Bad Things. But once he realizes just how badly he screwed up he sets about trying to atone for his sins. I wasn’t sold on him in book #1, but when I saw him interact with his angel family in book #2, when I saw the lengths he was willing to go to for Karou, I realized he was a keeper. Bonus factor: He flies.

*Runs to get a copy of Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver trilogy* Thank you for stopping by Fiona! Be sure to follow the rest of the Belladonna Canadian Blog Tour. Next stop will be at Conversations Of A Reading Addict.

The official tour schedule is as follows

Monday July 8 - Razorbill Canada
Tuesday July 9 - My stop!
Wednesday July 10 - Conversations Of A Reading Addict
Thursday July 11 - Fantasy's Ink
Friday July 12 - Read My Breath Away
Saturday July 13 - Emilie's Book World
Monday July 15 - Book Nerd Canada
Tuesday July 16 - Wrap Up on Fiona Paul's Blog

You can find Fiona at various places on the internet

Fiona's Blog: fionapaulbooks.blogspot.com
Fiona's Twitter: twitter.com/fionawritesYA
Fiona's FB: www.facebook.com/fionapaulbooks
Belladonna on GR: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18042405-belladonna

Be sure to stop by and say hello!

Book Boyfriends!

                              

It's time for another post highlighting some of those delicious boys in books that make us swoon. Here are six that I am swooning over now.

Noah Shaw 

Where you can find him - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Why he is swoon worthy - His British accent comes to mind. Oh, and the fact that he's gorgeous, has a 'bad boy' attitude, and enough charm to captivate ANYONE.

Favourite Quote -

“What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

I stared at his beautiful face and his beautiful mouth and I wanted nothing more than to taste it. "I would kiss you back.”

Cricket Bell

Where you can find him - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Why he is swoon worthy - He's sweet, caring, and adorakably cute. He's the type of guy that will give his girl the stars and the moon. His willingness to wait for Lola makes everyone swoon.

Favourite Quote -

“Once upon a time, there was a girl who talked to the moon. And she was mysterious and she was perfect, in that way that girls who talk to moons are. In the house next door, there lived a boy. And the boy watched the girl grow more and more perfect, more and more beautiful with each passing year. He watched her watch the moon. And he began to wonder if the moon would help him unravel the mystery of the beautiful girl. So the boy looked into the sky. But he couldn't concentrate on the moon. He was too distracted by the stars. And it didn't matter how many songs or poems had already been written about them, because whenever he thought about the girl, the stars shone brighter. As if she were the one keeping them illuminated.

One day, the boy had to move away. He couldn't bring the girl with him, so he brought the stars. When he'd look out his window at night, he would start with one. One star. And the boy would make a wish on it, and the wish would be her name.

At the sound of her name, a second star would appear. And then he'd wish her name again, and the stars would double into four. And four became eight, and eight became sixteen, and so on, in the greatest mathematical equation the universe had ever seen. And by the time an hour had passed, the sky would be filled with so many stars that it would wake the neighbors. People wondered who'd turned on the floodlights.

The boy did. By thinking about the girl.”

Four

Where you can find him - Divergent by Veronica Roth

Why he is swoon worthy - A little rough and capable of taking care of himself. The hottest thing about him is that he doesn't handle Tris with kid gloves. He wants to push her and have her take care of herself, yet he can be protective too.

Favourite Quote -

"My first instinct is to push you until you break, just to see how hard I have to press." he says, his fingers squeezing at the word break. My body tenses at the edge in his voice, so I am coiled as tight as a spring, and I forget to breathe.

His dark eyes lifting to mine, he adds, "But I resist it."

"Why..." I swallow hard. "Why is that your first instinct?"

"Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up. I've seen it. It's fascinating." He releases me but doesn't pull away, his hand grazing my jaw, my neck. "Sometimes I just want to see it again. Want to see you awake.”

Vincent Delacroix

Where you can find him - Die For Me by Amy Plum

Why he is swoon worthy - He speaks French. Enough said right? If that didn't tempt you he also happens to be incredibly romantic, and protective.

Favourite Quote-

“I have to warn you that my bedroom isn't the best place to stage an assault on me. It's where I'm at my weakest, with my bed a mere twenty feet away.”

Bram Griswold

Where you can find him - Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Why he is swoon worthy - He's a true gentleman, and happens to be a soldier too! He's caring, patient and incredibly sweet with Nora.

Favourite Quote-

"The fact that she made this beeline for me both warmed my soul and made me want to turn around, walk out the door, and find a cliff to fling myself off of.”




Etienne St Clair

Where you can find him - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Why he is swoon worthy - His sense of humour, the accent, his ability to be both adorable and frustrating at the same time. There's also his willingness to overcome his fears for the one he loves.

Favourite Quote -

“I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”  *Ok, so he doesn't say it, but it's about him.*

I am looking forward to meeting a whole new batch of sexy book hotties with the 2012 releases, and meeting back up with some favourites as well. 

Who are your book hotties? Leave it in the comments!

The Men of Mara Dyer

Hopefully you've enjoyed Mara Dyer week so far. We're already at Day 4!

Today's post started out as a "Dream Cast" type post but something kept pulling me towards the guys in the book. All the different men in Mara's life and how the different relationships impact her story.

So without further ado.... May I present....

The Men (and boys) of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Daniel Dyer



Physical Description: Dark hair, and dark complexion. Mara calls him "Mr Perfect" and he resembles his mother (again according to Mara)

Relationship to Mara : her protective older brother

Impact on Mara: he's a support system. He is there for Mara and really cares about his sister.

Note about the picture I chose: I kept picturing a Colin Egglesfield look a like, so I tried to find the youngest photo I could. He's too old now, but something similar to this is what I imagine.



Joseph Dyer

Physical Description: Mara says that he looks like Daniel.

Relationship to Mara: her sweet younger brother

Impact on Mara: he provides a person for whom she worries about. She really cares about how he is going to think, react, etc to the stuff that is going on. She wants to protect him. She care about her whole family, but it seems amplified when it comes to Joseph, most likely because he is younger.

Note on the photo: I could not find anyone that I felt suited. He is described as looking like Daniel anyways.



Jamie Roth



Physical Description:: Dread locks, short, dimples and likes to dress up his school uniform with his own t-shirts

Relationship to Mara: best friend extraordinaire

Impact on Mara: first person to be friendly towards Mara when she transfers schools. He's witty, sarcastic and their banter provides some normalcy to Mara's crazy life. He also happens to be an awesome math tutor and likes to look out for his friends(especially if a Britsh hottie with a certain reputation is involved)

Note on the picture I chose : I picked Corbien Bleu because that is who I kept picturing. Sadly, Corbin does not have the dreads that Jamie is supposed to, but otherwise I think he's about right.



Jude Lowe



Physical Description: All American, blond hair, green eyes and a football player

Relationship to Mara: ex-boyfriend

Impact on Mara: Huge. He was with Mara the night of the accident, and she is haunted by not being able to remember what happened to him.

Note on the picture I chose: I chose Zach Roeig because he reminds me of an "All American" football player, and he's blond.



Noah Shaw



Description: Grey/Blue eyes, chestnut hair, scruffy, British accent, with a panting dropping smile (according to Jamie) and he also happens to love animals. Basically, the hottest boy in YA ever.

Relationship to Mara - Um, let's call him a maybe boyfriend

Impact on Mara- SO MUCH! I don't know where to start. Noah helps Mara in figuring out what is going on with her, he supports her, and listens to her. He's someone that she can talk to.

Note on the picture I chose: Ben Barnes. Sigh. He just needs to be a little scruffy and his eyes are not the right colour but he could work. He just needs to be a little disheveled in this picture.



These are some of the most important men in Mara's life. They will all hopefully play a role in the second book.

Mara Dyer Week ends tomorrow with a look ahead to book 2. Come back tomorrow and see what I am most looking forward to.

Make sure to enter the book contest as well so that you can read this awesome novel for yourself.

Book Boyfriends....

Ever hear the expression "Boys in Books Are Better"? In honour of Valentine's Day I thought I would do a fun post on some of the amazing fictional hotties that make me swoon.

Romeo

Where you can find him - William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Why he is swoon worthy - He and Juliet have become synonymous with star crossed love. He was so in love with his Juliet that he was willing to defy his family to marry her. Also, that whole love at first sight thing is pretty romantic. *It doesn't hurt when it's Leonardo DiCaprio playing him either*


Fitzwilliam Darcy

Where you can find him - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Why he is swoon worthy - My first book crush. When he helps Elizabeth's sister out of the mess she is in, you simply can't help falling for him (Elizabeth Bennett does the same!)


Jason Stackhouse

Where you can find him - The Southern Vampire Mysteries

Why he is swoon worthy - My appreciation of Ryan Kwanten is no secret. This choice is based on that. Plus, Jason is described as being completely adorable (that fairy blood sure helps).


Finnick Odair

Where you can find him - The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

Why he is swoon worthy - I bet most girls would have chosen either Peeta or Gale. I loved Finnick immediately. He is described as off the charts sexy and his adoration (and loyalty) to Annie is pretty sigh inducing. *I couldn't find anyone that I though fit Finnick..Ian Somerhalder maybe?*

Jace Wayland

Where you can find him - The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Why he is swoon worthy - The face (and body) of an angel but he sure doesn't act like it. I can't help by fall for the bad boy. He's sarcastic, arrogant, and we love it. Ok, maybe it has something to do with the blond curls. *I know Alex Pettyfer hasn't been cast but he's my choice.*

Damon Salvatore

Where you can find him - The Vampire Diaries series by LJ Smith

Why he is swoon worthy - Not only is he good looking, but Damon has that whole bad boy thing down. I can't help but swoon when he asks Elena to be his Queen of Darkness. It doesn't hurt that I kind of have a thing for vampires..oh, and Ian Somerhalder.

Just a few of my favourite book hotties. Now it's your turn..who would you like to spend Valentine's Day with? Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.