YA Bachelor Winners!

YA Bachelor Month has been a huge success thanks to every single one of you! For those who wrote guest posts, hosted giveaway and challenges, thanks so much for your efforts to make this month awesome and socked full of hotness. For those of you who came by to comment and encouraged others to do so, thanks for the support! We finally have the results in after 3 month of preparation! You voted and here are the results.

Throw on your very best red carpet look and let's get the winners announced!

I'm pretty sure mine looks similar to this:

 So without further ado, I shall announce the winners!


Best Bad Boy: The Best Bad Boy category is honoring all of those guys who melt our hearts one moment and say something to push us away the next (usually for our own good). They've got sexy down to a tee and know how to weaken our knees with one smolder. They usually come complete with tousled hair, a leather jacket and motorcycle and/or really hot car and like to walk on the wild side. 

Nominees are:

• Dimitri from Vampire Academy
• Luc from Personal Demons
• Damon from Vampire Diaries
• Patch from Hush, Hush
• Ash from The Iron Fey
• Jace from The Mortal Instruments
• Archer from Hex Hall
• Will from The Infernal Devices

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Will from The Infernal Devices

The winner is:

Jace from The Mortal Instruments

Sweetest Nice Guy: This is the guy that will always be there for you. He'll remember your birthday, sympathizes when something is bothering you and aim to make your day better. His words are aimed to heal, he's usually got floppy hair and doesn't know he's gorgeous. But we do ladies, and that's all that matters!

Nominees are:

• Dimitri from Vampire Academy
• Peeta from The Hunger Games
• Adam from If I Stay
• Sam from The Wolves of Mercy Falls
• Ky from Matched
• Four from Divergent
• Alex from Delirium
• Lend from Paranormalcy
• Jay from The Body Finder
• Daniel from Fallen 
• St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Dimitri of The Vampire Academy

The winner is:

Peeta from The Hunger Games

Costume change for me:

Favorite "Regular Guy": He doesn't have super powers. He's not any kind of supernatural. He's just the normal guy next door but he comes in many skins. Sometimes he's the smoking hot bad boy and other times, he's the super sweet nice guy. What puts him in this categories is that his heart beats and he's no superman.

Nominees are:

• Peeta from The Hunger Games
• Adam from If I Stay 
• Ky from Matched
• Four from Divergent
• Jay from The Body Finder
• St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Four from Divergent

The winner is:

Peeta from The Hunger Games

Favorite Supernatural Being- Whether he be a vampire or werewolf, shifter or something else entirely, if he's super human, you'll find him in this category! He'll hypnotize you with his eyes (literally) or even put a spell on you!

Nominees are:

• Dimitri from Vampire Academy
• Damon from Vampire Diaries
• Luc from Personal Demons
• Sam from The Wolves of Mercy Falls
• Ash from The Iron Fey
• Edward from Twilight
• Jace from The Mortal Instruments
• Archer from Hex Hall
• Ren from Nightshade
• Lend from Paranormalcy
• Daniel from Fallen

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Edward of the Twilight Saga

The winner is:

Jace of The Mortal Instruments

Sexiest: This category should be self explanatory. From perfect eyes, amazing smile, and rock hard body, this guy has it all!

Nominees:

• Dimitri from Vampire Academy
• Adam from If I Stay
• Damon from Vampire Diaries
• Luc from Personal Demons
• Sam from The Wolves of Mercy Falls
• Patch from Hush, Hush
• Ash from The Iron Fey
• Edward from Twilight
• Jace from The Mortal Instruments
• Four from Divergent
• Archer from Hex Hall
• Jay from The Body Finder
• Ren from Nightshade
• Lend from Paranormalcy
• Will from The Infernal Devices
• Daniel from Fallen
• St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Will of The Infernal Devices

The winner is:

Jace of The Mortal Instruments

Best One-Liner- From the funny to the sexy and everything in between, here's a list of our favorite guys and a line from each that we love!

Nominees are:

• Dimitri for “I'll do things that'll make you lose control within seconds.”
• Peeta for “’I remember everything about you,’’ says Peeta, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. ‘’You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention.’’
• Damon for “I love you, Elena. And it’s because I love you that I can’t be selfish with you.”
• Luc for “"So, how hot would you like it? I’m capable of all levels of hotness, from Luc-warm to—and I’m being literal here—hotter than hell."
• Patch for “"You should go," I breathed. "You should definitely go." 
  "Go here?" His mouth was on my shoulder. "Or here?" It moved up my neck."  
• Ky for "I believe in you. That's more faith than I ever thought I'd have."
• Ash for “"Touch her, and I'll freeze your testicles off and put them in a jar. Understand?”
• Edward for “"Well...don't be offended, but you smell like a dog."
• Jace for "There is no pretending, I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."
•  Ren for “That means you like it.”
•  Jay for “I was just waiting for you to want me as much as I wanted you.” His words were quiet but carried one hell of an impact. “I knew we were going to be together; it was just a matter of time. I kept hoping that you would figure it out. But for a smart girl, you’re a little dense, Vi."
• Daniel for “How many times have I told you I will always find you?
• Will for "Bloodthirsty little beats. Never trust a duck."

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Will from The Infernal Devices for "Bloodthirsty little beats. Never trust a duck."

The winner is *opens envelope*:

Jace from The Mortal Instruments for "There is no pretending, I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."

Best Fighter- Whether we are talking real fighting with fists and guns and swords or the best fighter for the girl's heart, these guys all have the fighting spirit!

Nominees are:

• Dimitri from Vampire Academy
• Adam from If I Stay
• Peeta from The Hunger Games
• Will from The Infernal Devices
• Ky from Matched
• Ash from The Iron Fey
• Four from Divergent
• Jace from The Mortal Instruments

The runner-up is *opens envelope*:

Dimitri from The Vampire Academy

The winner is:

Jace from The Mortal Instruments

Last costume change:

Change My Mind- This is strictly for the guest posts you read. You choose which one was the most creative, persuasive and told why their guy was the most swoon worthy. 

The nominees are all the wonderful hostesses!

The winner is *opens envelope*:

Lieder from Songs and Stories for Jace of The Mortal Instruments

And finally, the award all the bachelors have been waiting for. This category is for the top in class. The one who has it all and then some. Our Top Five Overall Favorite Bachelor are (in order)...

5. Ash of The Iron Fey 
4. Will of The Infernal Devices
3. Dimitri of The Vampire Academy
2. Peeta from The Hunger Games

1. Jace from The Mortal Instruments

Again, thank you all for coming! I'm working on tallying up the two people who have won the book of their choice. This was such an exciting month and I couldn't have done it without all of you!

Winner of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick is:

Allison Cole!

The rest of the winners will be announced altogether in a few days!

YA Bachelor: Voting Reminder!

The voting for our YA Bachelors is going to end at midnight tonight and the winners will be announced tomorrow on the blog! Don't forget to show your love for your favorite guys and vote, vote, vote! You can also enter to win a book of your choice (with one of the 53 original bachelors in it) from The Book Depository! There will be two winners for that!

So check out the guy's posts here!

Vote here!

YA Bachelor: A Few More Good Men by Nicci of Paper Dreams

Nicci from Paper Dreams is here to talk about a few of her favorite guys that didn't quite make the cut. It was hard narrowing down from our favorites so here's a list of more guys to love before you cast your ballots!


Narrowing down our favorite YA men is nearly an impossible thing to do. I mean have you read half of the amazing books lining store shelves?! YA has an amazing collection of fantastic men. From the bad boy to the best friend and every type in between, there is a guy for everyone to love. So despite the many amazing boys that are being featured in the Top 20, there were some awesome ones that got left behind. These guys deserve just as much love and adoration. Now I started out with a list of about fifteen guys, but I narrowed it down to feature just three here, with a few honorable mentions, or I would probably go on forever!

1. Alex Fuentes
   Who is he? Gang member in Latino BloodBooks: Perfect Chemistry & Rules of Attraction by Simone ElkelesDescription: “Angry dark eyes. Red and black bandana.” “The guy might look like an Abercrombie model with his ripped bod and flawless face…”

Alex comes off as a typical “I’m-all-that” bad boy who thinks he’s God’s gift to the world, but really he is not like that at all. Hidden beneath his tough, gangster persona is a guy with a desire to succeed in life, but he has settled for the life he has to protect his family. When I first started reading Perfect Chemistry, I was really worried that I would not be able to like Alex. He is after all…a gang member *gasp*. As I got to know him, I fell deeply in love. Alex is a leader, a fighter, and a lover.

Quotes: 
“Mujer, tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you. If it’ll make you happy for me to leave you alone for the rest of your life, say the word. But if you still want me, I’ll do my best to be this…” - Alex
"You are the one girl that made me risk everything for a future worth having." – Alex

2. Lucas Delos

Who is he? Scion, demigodBook: Starcrossed by Josephine AngeliniDescription: “He was tall, over six feet at least, and powerfully built, although his muscles were long and lean instead of bulky. He had short, black hair and a dark end-of-summer tan that brought out his white smile and his swimming-pool blue eyes.

A gorgeous, caring, tough demigod, what is not to love there?! Lucas captured me heart from the first moments I read about him. I guess there is such a thing as love at first sight! The way he tried to protect Helen, even as she was trying to kill him…That just made me swoooon.

Quotes:
“As soon as I think I’m in control, you make me laugh or you say something so smart, and I feel like I lose a little bit of myself. I thought I was prepared, but this is much harder than I imagined.” – Lucas
“If I kiss you, I won’t stop.” – Lucas

3. Zach Goode

I watched so many different ‘cast’ lists on youtube to find someone to use, and he(Drew Roy) is my favorite so far.

Who is he? SpyBooks: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, Don’t Judge A Girl By Her Cover, and Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Description: “He was slightly shorter and broader through the shoulders…” “A boy with dark brown hair and broad shoulders.”

Zach’s a boy so full of mystery it could just drive a girl insane, but then he is a spy after all. Full of sarcasm and with a deliciously cocky attitude, Zach is both hilarious and interesting. But when your life is on the line, he is a person who would not hesitate to save you.

Quotes: 
“Hi again, Gallagher Girl.” – Zach
“Oh, and Cammie…I always finish what I start.” -Zach
“So this is good-bye?”  -Cammie
“Come on, Gallagher Girl. What would be the odds of that?” –Zach

Honorable Mentions

James “Jem” Carstairs (The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare)
“Well she’s not responding to my advances…so she must be dead.” – Will
“Or she’s a woman of good taste and sense.” –Jem

"Sometimes," Jem said, "our lives can change so fast that the change outpaces our minds and hearts. It's those times, I think, when our lives have altered but we still long for the time before everything was altered-- that is when we feel the greatest pain. I can tell you, though, from experience, you grow accustomed to it. You learn to live your new life, and you can't imagine, or even really remember, how things were before."

Daniel Kalbi (The Dark Divine by Bree Despain)

“Do you know me now? Do you still think I’m worth saving? Can you look me in the eyes and say you love me now?” -Daniel

"I can't be the hero you want me to be--at least not in that way. But you can, Grace. You don't have to become one of the dark ones. You can fight it. You can turn this curse into a blessing. You can become the hero. You can become truly divine." -Daniel

So there you have it, and believe me these are just a few of the amazing YA Bachelor's who did not make the cut for my secondary list. Others I considered were the following: Owen (Just Listen by Sarah Dessen), Hayden (Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti), Lucius (Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey), Roger (Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson), Jacob (North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley), Milo (Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers), Jag (Possession by Elana Johnson), Catcher (The Dark & Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan), Cole (Linger by Maggie Stiefvater), Gabriel (Dark Visions trilogy by L.J. Smith),  and Shane and/or Michael (Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine).

Enter to win a signed Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Rules:

• US Giveaway only!
• Must be 13 years or older
• Must be a follower
• May only enter once
• Must fill out form
• Giveaway ends 8/12

Good luck everyone!

Thanks so much to Nicci from Paper Dreams for giving us a few more guys to pine for! Don't forget to cast your vote for your favorite guys! And check out their posts here!

YA Bachelor: The Extremes of YA Good Guys by Nic from DeLibrarie

Yesterday, we got to me the bad boy in YA fiction and learn about his many merits. Today, Nic from DeLibrarie is here to discuss the bad boy's counterpart- the good guy! So before you vote, check out why we love the nice guys!

The Extremes of YA Good Guys

As a YA reader there comes a certain expectation for the main love interest in a story. Because we get so connected to the main heroine we begin to feel as though she is real. She becomes us or our best friend or the person that we wish to be. Because of this connection, we begin to expect the best for our heroine. We want the perfect boyfriend for her so that we can fall in love with him just as much as she does.


It is from this expectation and desire that we get the extremist "good guy" character in most YA novels. This character is always perfectly, breathtakingly handsome in every way. After the first glimpse of him, our heroine discovers that not only does he appear perfect, but he is perfect. He'll be considerate, romantic, and protective, making him the ideal boyfriend. He'll always be available to our heroine, what with her being his top priority, and he's always willing to sacrifice himself for the betterment of his heroine. Not to say that he doesn't have his flaws; he does. However, it's usually something excusable such as a little bit of lying to save her life or being a little bit too protective so that she never gets hurt. But these flaws are an attempt at making the character and his relationship appear realistic and thus more believeable to the reader.


A popular example of this good guy character would be Daniel from the Fallen series by Lauren Kate. Not only does Daniel relive his true love's death over and over again without wavering in his love, but he does what he can to make each of her lives the best it can be; even if it hurts him more. He is handsome and brave and does what he can to protect her from the truth that could kill her. Not only that but he's an angel! Talk about perfect. Another good example is Tam from the Wings series by Aprilynne Pike. He devotes his entire life to Laurel, including his entire career, and saves her life countless times. He waits years and years for her to remember him so that they can be together and continues to hope for it even after she chooses to be with David instead. These guys devote their lives to the one they love and they never stop sacrificing, hoping, and fighting to be with their true love.


The good guy simply embodies every good aspect of love and relationships to the point of perfection. He is everything you could ever want or need. So even though this is a brief description, you can see how we would fall immediately in love with any one of the classic good guy characters in YA books. Every girl wants a handsome guy to protect and love her unconditionally. We all want to be the most important thing to someone else. But rarely will we find this in real life. Which is why we love our YA guys oh so much; they're a dream come true.
So while this character is ideal to us, he is really just the extreme of goodness. He is usually unrealistic and too good to be true. And this extremism is true not only for the good guy character, but also for the bad boy character. The bad boy is just as extreme in that he is devastatingly handsome, dark, dangerous, and is usually broken in some way. He is the character we all dream of having because he doesn't want anyone. He only cares for himself and by gaining his love, you become the only person to really get to know him and in so doing he becomes yours and yours alone. This is the opposite extreme though and in YA stories you usually find one character or the other; sometimes you can find both.


Once in a while you will find a male character who is slightly more realistic in that he keeps his own interests in mind while continuing the traditional good guy course of focusing mostly on the heroine, but this character is rare. Because of its rarity it makes the good guy seem even more extreme and perfect because we grow to expect it. 


We read these books to get entertainment, to experience something we would otherwise never experience, and to fall in love with our dream guy. Without our classic good guy these stories wouldn't be nearly as interesting or worthwhile to us. We need our extreme good guy to dream about until we can find our own substitute love interest in real life. The good guy is what makes these stories so amazing and addicting. Without them, our books just wouldn't be the same.

Thanks so much to Nic from DeLibrarie for reminding us why nice can be so much sweeter! Make sure to read about all 20 Bachelors here and go vote for your favorites!

YA Bachelor: Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome from Alyssa from Readers Unite

While you browsing the guys for YA Bachelor month, Alyssa from Readers Unite put together a guest post on the many merits of the YA bad boy!

We were introduced to the first authentic “bad boy” in Grease, the ever-popular 1978 musical. Danny was the type of guy who rode a motorcycle (or had a really cool car), smoked and drank, wore a heavy chain and them dark sunglasses, fixed machinery with his gang, and dated girls left and right. He had the gelled-back black hair, the dark eyes, and the leather jacket. He was the epitome of Tall, Dark and Handsome and he knew it. He was the type of guy everyone would either fawn over or would run straight away from. Danny broke hearts and he thought only of himself. He set the mold of everyone’s favourite stereotype: the bad boy.

John Travolta as Danny

Bad boys are found on every corner in YA. Everyone loves them, including their heroines. Why? What’s so attractive about boys who don’t listen and who do whatever they want? For starters, they are attractive. They’re also usually pretty protective and helpful, if you get under their layers. Most bad boys in YA lit nowadays seem to want someone to love them, making them even more interesting – what girl doesn’t want to crack the confused angel-looking guy?

Dimitri from Vampire Academy

Something things all bad boys have in common are their incapability to follow rules. Ky, from Matched, is the perfect example. He doesn’t believe in the rules of his society so what does he do? He breaks them and follows his own. To adults, he’s the perfect criminal. To teenage girls he’s got a fresh mind and a fresh outlook. Another thing they all have in common? Scars, be them physical or emotional. All bad boys have had some tragedy in their past, something to effect them emotionally or physically. This, in fact, is pretty much key – bad boys must be scarred in some way.

There are three types of bad boys. The three are interchangeable and can be combined, but there are three distinctive types:

Type A: He’s badass and has a dangerous reputation.

Type A’s are popular in YA paranormals. Take Dimitri from VA for example: people call him a god and stay away from him because he’s twenty-seven and has more marks then most grown dhampirs. Guys like him are powerful, physically dangerous, and are sexy enough to be breaking hearts everywhere, even without trying. There’s a reason everyone warns you away from him – he’s not exactly trust-worthy and you never quite know what he’s thinking. The required:

• Dark hair/eyes or very light hair/eyes
• A well-worn jacket (preferably leather, but cowboy jackets work, too ;))
• Abs or other sculpted muscles
• A motorcycle!!!
• Great height
• Usually scarred
• Training in combat
• A weapon (stakes are popular, but guns work, too)

Examples: Damon, Dimitri, Jace, Ash, Four, Patch, Pietr, Gale, Emmett, David, Nick, Ren (a whole bunch, huh?)

Jace from Mortal Instruments

Jace from Mortal Instruments

Type B: He’s scarred from his past.

Something monumental happened in the past, maybe something that has changed his view of life and something that has made him put up walls around his heart. Usually, Type B’s have some connection to Type A’s, and vise versa. These type of guys are the tough ones, the ones that don’t let people in and who ace in verbal combat, if not physical, too. These guys are the brooders, the thinkers, the serious. They’re tough-guy facade hides their hurt. The requirements:

• Sarcasm
• Lots of pent-up anger
• Any facial/physical quality, but they’re usually dark haired/dark eyed
• Usually have a scar
• Have a motorcycle
• Are shady
• Aren’t really trust-worthy

Examples: Luc, Christian, Graves, Shane, Jonah, Alex from both Delirium and Perfect Chemistry

Type C: he uses girls to distract him from his problems

The only thing you have to be in danger of when you’re around this type of bad boy is your heart. These boys are playboys and will stop at nothing to get your heart. Why are they classified as bad boys? Because these guys are hot and they know it, and they flip through girls (until they find their “special someone,” that is) like readers flip through pages. These guys are the ones parents warn their girls away from; these are the guys that are a danger to the most crucial part of the body – the heart. Requirements:

Tod from Soul Screamers

• Usually blond with blue eyes/dark haired with dark eyes
• Tall and handsome
• A little “shady”
• Usually rich
• Gorgeous car/clothes
• Usually older than heroine

Examples: Wesley, Puck, Conrad, Max, Zane, Tod

I love me them bad boys. I really, really do. I think they’re layered characters, I think they’re intelligent and deep. Sure, the cliché is used in YA in nearly every novel, but honestly? People write bad boys because it works so well. My favourite YA bad boys were listed above. Who are yours?

Check out other bad boys at Down the Rabbit Hole before the end of YA Bachelor Month!

Thanks so much to Alyssa of Readers Unite. Make sure to go vote for your favorite guys! Polls close July 30th. Go here to check out all the bachelors and here to vote!

YA Bachelor: The Love Triangle by Tiffany from For Those About To Read

Voting has been open one day! Make sure to go cast your vote and enter to win a book of your choice! May the best bachelor win. For your viewing pleasures, Tiffany from For Those About To Read is talking YA love triangles! Enjoy!

Love Triangles in YA literature.

I am in love with love—and suspense—which is why love triangles are one of my favorite parts of YA literature. There are many types of love triangles in literature, all of which are fantastic in their own way.

The Bad Boy v. The Nice Guy

Who doesn’t love reading about a bad boy? They’re usually complex, dynamic, and fascinating. When it comes to a love triangle between a bad boy and a nice guy though, I usually want the heroine to end up with the nice guy and I want to read a spin-off series about the bad boy.

The boys in this type of love triangle are so different, however, that I think it makes it easier for readers to decide which boy they like best.

The Soul Mate v. The Charming Friend

Triangles between soul mates and charming friends are always very easy for me. Date the soulmate! Why waste your time on the charming friend? However, many people do favor the friend over the clearly destined soul mate. An example of this is the Edward-Bella-Jacob triangle from the Twilight saga.

Personally, I think that Edward and Bella are clearly destined to be together, so Bella should just leave Jacob alone. However, there are many people out there who would completely disagree with me on this. I think this type of triangle really allows the reader to pick which character they like best. Oftentimes, both men are good matches for the heroine, and she will usually be very happy either way.

The Safe Choice v. The Forbidden Love

Forbidden love is just delightful. Society has been in love with these stories for ages: Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, and Helen and Paris are just a few of the couples whose romances have captured the imagination of readers for centuries. What makes these romances so much fun to read?

I think it’s that the love between the couples who are forbidden to be together is usually really pure, and you just can’t help rooting for them to overcome the odds and be together. Part of me always feels bad for the safe choice because he is usually such a nice guy! However, the safe choice never sparks the same kind of passion that the forbidden love does.

The Same-species v. The Other-species

This type of love triangle just seems to be popping up everywhere. Unfortunately, it usually ends up with someone changing species to make their chance love more realistic. I don’t think that I have a generalization for how I feel about these types of love triangles because the circumstances that these come about are usually very different. However, I will say that this type of triangle exists in Aprilynne Pike’s Wings series, and I will be heart-broken if the heroine choses the other-species guy!

No matter what type of love triangle you’re reading about though, it adds a great element to the story. There is the mystery of who will end up with who, the inner turmoil as the character sorts out their feelings, and the emotional investment that the reader feels towards a specific couple. I think love triangles really capture the hearts of romantics and non-romantics alike and add a layer to the story that wouldn’t be there otherwise.

Run over to Tiffany from For Those About To Read to enter to win Bloodlines by Rachel Mead. All details are there!

Thanks so much to Tiffany from For Those About To Read for the amazing article on love triangles. Don't forget to go vote for your favorite guy. For all the bachelor posts, go here and to vote, go here!

YA Bachelor: My First Literary Crush from Hiba of Woven Strands

Don't forget to vote for your favorite YA guys in the polls which are only open until July 30th! Today, we have Hiba of Woven Strands, here to talk about her first literary crush!

My First Literary Crush 

People who don’t read novels don’t understand what I mean when I say: “Books are my shelter.” I don’t mean it literally, where you stack books and create a little shelter like we used to do when we were kids. I mean, they are my home when I am in pain, when I’m sad and even when I’m really happy.

I’ve come to realize that Young Adult novels have become my escape from the real world, don’t you?

Well, there is one problem when seeking shelter in a world that doesn’t exist, submerged in near perfect characters. I’m talking about lead male characters here ladies. You start to believe the world you live in --for the couple hours or days you’re reading-- that particular book. And what happens (since our fragile hearts are looking for it) we find true love. For just a moment our heart flutters, we giggle, and we blush.

My first flutter happened when Elizabeth Bennet met Mr. Darcy. I know, I know, you all expected me to say Edward Cullin or Jace Wayland, maybe even Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Well, I must explain, I am not that old, I did watch Pride and Prejudice before I read the book, and I’ve always had a hard time reading Jane Austin’s books.

I love Jane Austin’s time period because women were so poise and humble; men these days call it “hard to get!” Women needed to prove themselves worthy of equality and I think what made Mr. Darcy so appealing is that he let Elizabeth challenged that idea.

Oh Mr. Darcy! It wasn’t his looks that I fell in love with, even though he was dark tall and handsome —pure perfection-- there was more to him. It was his pride, his way of thinking, and his self-control around Jane that attracted me to him. What I believe most is that, only Elizabeth brought that side of him out. If it wasn’t for her, he would have been passed unnoticed.

I believe that YA novels are inspired by Mr. Darcy’s character. Every modern day author has a little bit of Jane Austen in them, and every lead male love interest has a Mr. Darcy in them a.k.a the “bad boy”.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the theme happens to be, and what women truly want, is someone with the full qualities and experiences of a man. We want to be the first to stir emotions of love and infatuation in that man, and we want to be unconditionally accepted for who we are by him. That’s what YA books provide; they fill holes that we might have. Even if --in reality-- we already have our night in shinning armor, our literary crushes will always be there when we need them, no matter what.

Who is your first Literary Crush? And what do you think of Mr. Darcy’s character? Is he a basis for all the new male lead characters of our time? I would like to hear your thoughts.

Hiba <3

WovenStrands © 2011 

Thanks to the amazing Hiba from Woven Strands for sharing her first crush! These are were all the love starts. Don't forget to show your love for the amazing guys that we've displayed all this month! Go here to view all 20 Bachelors that  you voted in and here to vote!

YA Bachelor Voting Open!

All month we've seen posts for all of our bachelors. Now it's time to vote for the winners. Please full out all the voting categories and then fill out the form to be entered to win the final giveaway. There will be two voting winners. They will get to pick a book of their choice with one of the 53 original bachelors everyone chose. Go here to see a list with links to all of the posts.

Rules:

• You may only vote once
• Must be 13 years or older to enter the contest
• International (you are eligible to enter if the Book Depository ships to you!)
• Polls are open until July 30th, that's 5 days
• In order to enter you must vote and then fill out the form at the bottom

Best Bad Boy- This category is open to the baddest of the bad.

Best Bad Boy

• Dimitri of The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
• Damon of The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith
• Luc of Personal Demons series by Lisa Desrochers
• Patch of Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Ash of The Iron Fey series by Julia Kagawa
• Jace of The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare
• Archer of Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins
• Will of The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare

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Sweetest Nice Guy- If he's sweet, you'll find him under the category!

Sweetest Nice Guy

• Dimitri of The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
• Peeta of The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
• Adam of If I Stay series by Gayle Forman
• Sam of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
• Ky of Matched series by Ally Condie
• Four of Divergent series by Veronica Roth
• Alex of Delirium series by Lauren Oliver
• Lend of Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White
• Jay of The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting
• Daniel of Fallen series by Lauren Kate
• St. Clair of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

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Favorite "Regular" Guy- This is for all the normal bachelors. They might not have any super powers but that doesn't mean they aren't special!

Favorite "Regular Guy"

• Peeta of The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
• Adam of If I Stay series by Gayle Forman
• Ky of Matched series by Ally Condie
• Four of Divergent series by Veronica Roth
• Jay of The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting
• St. Clair of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

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Favorite Supernatural Being- Vampires, werewolves and everything in between! If he's supernatural, he's here.

Favorite Supernatural Being

• Dimitri of The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
• Damon of The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith
• Luc of Personal Demons series by Lisa Desrochers
• Sam of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
• Ash of The Iron Fey series by Julia Kagawa
• Edward of The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
• Jace of The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare
• Archer of Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins
• Ren of The Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer
• Lend of Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White
• Daniel of Fallen series by Lauren Kate

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Sexiest- Self explanatory ladies (and gents)!

Sexiest

• Dimitri of The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
• Adam of If I Stay series by Gayle Forman
• Damon of The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith
• Luc of Personal Demons series by Lisa Desrochers
• Sam of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
• Patch of Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Ash of The Iron Fey series by Julia Kagawa
• Edward of The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
• Jace of The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare
• Four of Divergent series by Veronica Roth
• Archer of Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins
• Jay of The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting
• Ren of The Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer
• Lend of Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White
• Will of The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare
• Daniel of Fallen series by Lauren Kate
• St. Clair of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

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Best One-Liner- From the funny to the drop dead sexy and everything in between. The lines were chosen by the hostess and showcase the best of the best! Please pick your favorite line!

Best One-Liner

• Dimitri for “I'll do things that'll make you lose control within seconds.”
• Peeta for "I remember everything about you,’’ says Peeta, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. ‘’You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention.’’
• Damon for “I love you, Elena. And it’s because I love you that I can’t be selfish with you.”
• Luc for "So, how hot would you like it? I’m capable of all levels of hotness, from Luc-warm to—and I’m being literal here—hotter than hell."
• Patch for "You should go," I breathed. "You should definitely go." "Go here?" His mouth was on my shoulder. "Or here?" It moved up my neck."
• Ky for "I believe in you. That's more faith than I ever thought I'd have."
• Ash for "Touch her, and I'll freeze your testicles off and put them in a jar. Understand?”
• Edward for "Well...don't be offended, but you smell like a dog."
• Jace for "There is no pretending, I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."
• Ren for “That means you like it.”
• Jay for “I was just waiting for you to want me as much as I wanted you.” His words were quiet but carried one hell of an impact. “I knew we were going to be together; it was just a matter of time. I kept hoping that you would figure it out. But for a smart girl, you’re a little dense, Vi."
• Daniel for “How many times have I told you I will always find you?”
• Will for "Bloodthirsty little beats. Never trust a duck."

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Best Fighter- Some of the boys in this category can actually use weapons and some are willing to put every thing on the line to fight for the girl they love. All are delicious!

Best Fighter

• Dimitri of The Vampire Academy
• Adam of If I Stay
• Peeta of The Hunger Games
• Will of The Infernal Devices
• Ky of Matched
• Ash of The Iron Fey
• Four of Divergent
• Jace of The Mortal Instruments

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Change My Mind- This is the category where you'll want to consult the list for all the posts. Choose the post that is the most creative, most persuasive and most wonderful (though they all are). The winning hostess will receive a book of her choice!

Change My Mind

• Alice from Alice Marvels for Dimitri of The Vampire Academy
• Phanee from funny wool for Peeta of The Hunger Games
• Caitlin from The Cait Files from Damon of The Vampire Diaries
• Pixie from Page Turners from Adam of If I Stay
• Megan from Amethyst Daydream from Luc of Personal Demons
• Becky from Becky's Barmy Blog from Sam of The Wolves of Mercy Falls
• Sonia from The Story Queen forKy of Matched
• Del from DeLibrarie for Patch of Hush, Hush
• Penelope from The Reading Fever for Ash of The Iron Fey
• Ladies of Book Nerds Across America for Edward of Twilight
• Jessi from The Elliott Review for Four of Divergent
• Lieder from Songs and Stories for Jace of The Mortal Instruments
• Shortie Says & Brooke from Brooke Reports for Alex of Delirium
• Julie from That's Swell! A Reel Swell Productions for Archer of Hex Hall
• Sara from Just Another Story for Ren of Nightshade
• Cade from Braintasia Books for Lend of Paranormalcy
• Ashley from Book Labyrinth for Jay of The Body Finder
• Valerie from Stuck In Books for Will of The Infernal Devices
• Brooke from Brooke Reports for Daniel of Fallen
• Emile from Emilie's Book World for St. Clair of Anna and the French Kiss

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Overall Favorite- This is the holy grail of the voting categories. This is where everyone goes head to head for the overall best. So which YA guy is THE sexiest, THE cutest, THE best in show. Choose wisely!

Overall Favorite

• Dimitri of The Vampire Academy
• Peeta of The Hunger Games
• Damon of The Vampire Dairies
• Adam of If I Stay
• Luc of Personal Demons
• Sam of The Wolves of Mercy Falls
• Ky of Matched
• Patch of Hush, Hush
• Ash of The Iron Fey
• Edward of Twilight
• Four of Divergent
• Jace of The Mortal Instruments
• Alex of Delirium
• Archer of Hex Hall
• Ren of Nightshade
• Lend of Paranormalcy
• Jay of The Body Finder
• Will of The Infernal Devices
• Daniel of Fallen
• St. Clair of Anna and the French Kiss

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Now that you're done with the voting, reward yourself! Fill out this form and enter to win a book of your choice.



Thanks so much for joining me during YA Bachelor month. From the posters, to the authors, to the commenters, you have all made it great. I can't express my gratitude. Please, shout out on Twitter for your favorites and post up reminders to vote and enter into the contest. Polls are open till July 30th and I'll announce winners July 31st.