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February 13, 2018 , Tue | Book Couples Countdown | 0 or add you thoughts!

Welcome to Day 7 of Book Couples Countdown!! I chose Nesta and Cassian for this illustrious final spot, because I can never stop obsessing over them. Also, since I love basically every single romance Sarah J. Maas has created, it felt right for one of hers to be my ultimate pick!

Art by Monolime.

Okay, so I’m just going to start by saying that I can never get enough of these two. I read fan fiction, I’ve got fan art framed on my wall, and I am unreasonably excited for their story to continue in the next part of this series. Is it May yet?!

They hit every note for me when it comes to my personal preferences for a great romance. I love a good slow burn. I love witty banter. I love tough, sometimes unkind, exteriors masking a depth of emotion. I love badass characters who are also reserved and have a strength of presence. I think you can see how I’m a total Nessian fangirl!

Art by Salome Totladze.

That said, one thing I’m excited for is their softening of each other. I feel like this might have to happen a little bit, because they both carry some emotional baggage and deal with it through behaviors that can be damaging at times, especially in regard to how they relate to each other. Cassian leans on physical dominance and humor, while Nesta is oh so cold and distant. I think that as they try (hopefully) to define their relationship, they’ll help each other to grow past these crutches. read more

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February 8, 2018 , Thu | Book Couples Countdown | 0 or add you thoughts!

It’s Day 2 of Book Couples Countdown, and our lovebirds for the day are a pair of thieving legends! Oh how I love the infamous Dirtyhands and his Wraith.

Art by Kevin Wada. These are two of the illustrations included on the inside of the dust jacket for Target’s exclusive edition of Crooked Kingdom.

One of the things that immediately interested me about these two is that they aren’t total opposites. It seems like a lot of books, especially YA ones, feature couples with two very different personalities, in one way or another. I think this is often done because it creates great romantic tension. Conflict is a key ingredient in dramatic romances, and let’s face it, that’s what we all want out of a book romance, right? Nina and Matthias are actually an example of this! Nina is outspoken. Matthias is particularly reserved. This makes for some comical and endearing scenes between the two. Jesper and Wylan are also pretty different in core personality, although I think they are less of a stark contrast than Nina and Matthias. Inej and Kaz have a good bit in common, and I could see another writer struggling to make this work in a way that maintains interest. Kaz and Inej are both damaged, quiet, introspective, and driven. That last characteristic brings me to the next thing I adore about this pair. They let one another be who they are and do what they want. Even when the other’s choice is uncomfortable or difficult for them, they work to help each other attain their goals. read more

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