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This week's topic...
Top Ten Characters Everyone Loves, But I Just Don't Get
Lauren's Picks
1 -- Bella from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Even though I am not a fan of the Twilight series, I am still grateful for them. I truly believe they reintroduced many young adults back into the wonderful world of reading. But... I don't like Bella. She's incredibly whiny, incredibly needy, and a little dumb at times. But... I think we all have our days. So don't gouge my eyes out. I'm not knocking the series, I just felt like knocking Bella out a few times when I read the books. :)
2 -- Christian from 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James
I'm legit not going to attempt to explain why this character is one of picks. Just keepin it real.
3 -- Kenna from Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs & Tracy Deebs
Man this book had some potential, but I felt like Kenna dragged it down. She was so unsure of herself, so undeniably in her own world that she never looked at the big picture until someone knocked her on her ass. I'm starting to see a pattern to my thoughts here...
4 -- Quin from Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
Do what you mother says, do what your father says, do what all others before you have done... these are not only Quin's thoughts throughout the book, but her way of life. At what point do you take a step back and look at your situation? It just took her way too long for me.
5 -- Willem from Just One Year by Gayle Forman
Oh poor Willem. He had the looks, the passion... oh so much going for him. Unfortunately he still bored me to tears. I am a Gayle Forman fan, so after this book, I was disappointed. Willem did not stand out in a crowd and that's what you want in a main character. Especially when that main character is traveling the world to find someone.
6 -- The Darkling from The Grisha Series
I know so many people just adore him, and I just don't. I never liked him. I thought he was a terrible for Alina. He was cruel, he hurt anyone that got in his way or disappointed him in anyway. I'm not one to romanticize the "tortured soul", maybe that's my problem.
7 -- Lord Greco from The River of Time Series
I know that there are more than a few fans that prefer him to the actual love interest in this series. I don't. I think he's selfish and cold. He does redeem himself a bit in the end, and he played an important role in the life of the MC, but that doesn't make me like him.
8 -- Julia from The Magicians
The whole second book works hard to make you understand, and possibly, like Julia. I'm still not impressed. I think she is very cold hearted. Some people may like a book with characters that aren't designed to be liked... I'm not one of those. I have to like the characters I'm reading about.
9 -- Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door
Okay, I don't HATE her. I just got really frustrated with her. I love the characters in this "trilogy", and she's just at the bottom of the list. She did and said a lot of stupid things. She grew up, but I was still left a bit unsatisfied.
10 -- Ky from the Matched Trilogy.
I know I know! SOooo many people love him. I don't hate him. I just don't particularly like him. He was... OKAY in the first book. After that however, I just got annoyed. He was too self sacrificing. I wanted a bit more of a push from him.
Kimberly's Picks
6 -- The Darkling from The Grisha Series
I know so many people just adore him, and I just don't. I never liked him. I thought he was a terrible for Alina. He was cruel, he hurt anyone that got in his way or disappointed him in anyway. I'm not one to romanticize the "tortured soul", maybe that's my problem.
7 -- Lord Greco from The River of Time Series
I know that there are more than a few fans that prefer him to the actual love interest in this series. I don't. I think he's selfish and cold. He does redeem himself a bit in the end, and he played an important role in the life of the MC, but that doesn't make me like him.
8 -- Julia from The Magicians
The whole second book works hard to make you understand, and possibly, like Julia. I'm still not impressed. I think she is very cold hearted. Some people may like a book with characters that aren't designed to be liked... I'm not one of those. I have to like the characters I'm reading about.
9 -- Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door
Okay, I don't HATE her. I just got really frustrated with her. I love the characters in this "trilogy", and she's just at the bottom of the list. She did and said a lot of stupid things. She grew up, but I was still left a bit unsatisfied.
10 -- Ky from the Matched Trilogy.
I know I know! SOooo many people love him. I don't hate him. I just don't particularly like him. He was... OKAY in the first book. After that however, I just got annoyed. He was too self sacrificing. I wanted a bit more of a push from him.
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Bella is on my list too. I just don't get the love for her. Great list this week.
ReplyDeleteI don't either. Just a preference we have I suppose!
DeleteI have to agree with you, Lola is my least favorite book that I've read in the trilogy so far! While I loved the book itself, her and Cricket just had too much drama and too many quirks that I couldn't like either of them really!
ReplyDeleteCristina @ Girl in the Pages
I agree I know Twilight brought me back to reading. I’m in the love category in some of yours like Bella, Christian, and Lola. Then undecided on the Darkling, I love him as a character but yeah he was so messed up and book two and three really did me in for him.
ReplyDeleteI HATED Ky. He was the reason I never finished the series! I don't understand how anyone could like him....ugh.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not the only one who disliked him! I almost felt guilty typing it.
DeleteI can't believe I forgot Bella! I guess she's soooo far off my radar she didn't even make this list!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
She and Christian are on the top of the list for me!
DeleteYou know that meme that shows a trailer home and says if Christian Grey lived here, than 50 Shades of Grey would have been a horror story? lol Not for me, but I did read the first two in the series because it's hard for me to quit series (not so much nowadays though).
ReplyDeleteI disliked Ky so much that I didn't even try with book 2. I just did not get the romance in that one, and the whole dystopian world was a little sketchy for my tastes.
I gave in and read the 50 Shades series because all of my IRL friends couldn't fathom how a avid reader like me hadn't read the books yet. I finally did. Peer pressure... I'm telling ya... it still exists into your late 20's.
DeleteChristian was on my list, too
ReplyDeleteThat was an easy pick for me.
DeleteOh man, I'm so with you on Ky from Matched! I thought Xander was way better! If I read those books now I don't think I would have made it through the whole series. I also never understood why people wanted Alina to end up with the Darkling. He was a fascinating character, no doubt, but he was a villain, not boyfriend material!
ReplyDeleteI wanted her to pick Xander!!! Ah. He was my favorite from the beginning. Poor guy.
DeleteOo I love the Darkling. My inner goth just loves him lol. I didn't think anyone liked Bella from Twilight...:P
ReplyDeleteI'm with you all on so many of these, especially Bella, Christian, The Darkling, and Julia. I focused on ships I don't ship and I almost included The Darkling and Alina because I just don't get it. I think he's a good villain but not an empathetic character.
ReplyDeleteCassi @ My Thoughts Literally
I am so glad I'm not like the Darkling. He was so terrible, and he gets so much love that I don't feel like he deserves.
ReplyDeleteOut of your choices I have only read the Twilight series. It has been a few years since I read them, I don't remember particularly loving or disliking Bella to be honest.
ReplyDeleteThe Darkling is on my list, too!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a great topic. I got pretty passionate about it! I'm excited to see the characters that other people didn't get/disliked/hated. :)
Yay! He's on someone else's list! ( I'm sure I broke a few hearts by including him....)
DeleteOMG I forgot about Ky! He totally annoyed me!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't dislike Willem? I just related a lot to Allyson so it was sort of a letdown when we switched to his POV, I think.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit back and forth on both the Magicians and Grisha series for a similar reason--I didn't really like some of the characters, even if the world was interesting.
ReplyDeleteI agree so much with the dislike of Willem. I loved Forman's If I Stay but found Just One Day kind of slow and boring, and Willem was part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteAs for you, Kimberly... I suppose I can see where you're coming from with Lola, but man was I obsessed with her wardrobe too much to care.
Me too! I loved the characters from the rest of Forman's novels, but Willem let me down.
Delete"As for me" hahaha. I know I know. There's much to like about her. I just had a few hangups.
DeleteI couldn't stand basically any of the characters in The Magicians.
ReplyDeleteYeah... I'm starting to think we're not supposed to? Haha. I have no idea.
DeleteI've struggled with the entire Lev Grossman trilogy, mainly because MOST of the characters give me a "wrinkly-nose" feeling... My friends swear the 3rd one is amazing, but I'm not convinced...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bella...in fact, she made my list, too! Bella and Edward! urghh!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with all the ones I've read so great list, girls. I didn't like Lola. At all. I couldn't stand that book, really. Cricket was adorable, but I certainly didn't ship them. And yeah, well, no surprise that I didn't like Bella. I've read worse characters but she was bland and obsessive. Ky makes me want to hurl too. He was so damn dull!
ReplyDeleteOk I 100% agree with you about Lola and The Darkling omg yes I just don't get him AT ALL!! He even made my list. Lola almost did.
ReplyDeleteBut.....I can't agree about Christian. There's just something about him that I like. I have only read and finished books 1 & 2 and I am 3/4th or so done with the 3rd. But to each their own :)
Hahaha, I had Edward on my list! Still haven't read The Magician King, but I'm intrigued to see how Julia works in that group
ReplyDelete