Swoon-Worthy {Fictional} Guys From A-Z {L}

My Swoony Pick for the letter "L" is...

Lucas Parker

From The Shadow Falls Series by C.C Hunter

Why?

He is stubborn as... heck, but he's really a big softy. Especially when it comes to Kylie

He's very thoughtful and sweet {like when he got Socks Jr.}

He's also very protective of his friends, and will stand up for whatever is right.

I was having trouble finding some good Lucas quotes to share with you all. But if you guys have any, let me know!

Who are your favorite Swoony guys with "L" names? Let me know that, too!

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything
My Rating: 4 Stars
Date Read: September 2015



Publication Date:September 1, 2015
Hardcover, 320 Pages




Summary From Goodreads:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

My Review:

*Possible Spoilers*

I was kind of confused when I first started this book, because, I mean, she's allergic to everything, and so I wasn't sure how the story could really go anywhere. But I started reading it and the farther I got into it, the more sense it made.

I liked the fact that it wasn't just a narration. The story was told through narration, and e-mails and IMs and a couple of other things that gave the book more depth and made it more interesting.

I liked the relationship between Maddie and Olly. It was just so sweet and adorable. I was rooting for their happy ending from the very beginning. And I thought that I liked the relationship between Maddie and her mom, but then... stuff happened and I was just like woah... um... okay?  but I guess love makes you do crazy things sometimes.

Maddie did a lot of growing up during the book. Figuring out who she was, and deciding that it was time to start making her own decisions, and I think that she handled it pretty well given the circumstances.

Review: The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis

My Rating: 5 Fan-Freaking-Tastic Stars
Date Read: September 2015



Publication Date: September 8, 2015
Hardcover, 336 Pages






Summary From Goodreads:
"Funny, sweet, and hopeful."--Kirkus Reviews

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie's rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.

Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when she's still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory.

Then Maggie's whole world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again. But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she's ever met. Ben's life isn't easy, but he doesn't see limits, only possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her sight doesn't have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if what she's currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the magnetic lead singer of Maggie's new favorite band, who just happens to be Ben's brother.

But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future...before she loses everything she has grown to love.

My Review: *Warning: Slight Spoilers Ahead*

I loved this book so much. It was so good that I was up at 2 am Tweeting about it. My thoughts after finishing were: This book is perfect and beautiful and heartbreaking all rolled into one, and I love it! 

This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me really appreciate the things that I normally take for granted {like being able to see}
  
I'll admit, I was extremely hesitant and doubtful before I started reading this book because, well, the premise just makes it sound so... I don't know, sad. It reminded me of The Fault In Our Stars, and that was something that I just wasn't ready to deal with. I wasn't really in the mood to bawl my eyes out, but I started this book anyway. At 8 p.m... And I'm actually pretty glad that I did.


I thought Ben was beyond precious. He was extremely endearing, and he said whatever he thought, without anything going through a filter first, but it wasn't bratty. Sometimes it was hard to remember that he was only 10, because some of the things he said and did made him seem older. Like when he planned this big special trip for Thea to see the stars and the sunrise... it was pretty fantastic.

I usually tend to lean towards books that have a little more romance in it. This one had some hints of romance, but it was very toned down, because the story focused more on Ben and Maggie, and their friendship, and I was absolutely A-Okay with that.

I loved seeing Maggie's character development through the book as she came to term with her blindness, and as she forgave her mother, and confronted her parents about not trying to protect her too much. I loved how her relationship with Ben grew stronger, and how she and Mason grew closer. Ah, it was just so perfect.

Review: Reawakened by Colleen Houck

Reawakened

My Rating: 5 Stars
Date Read: August 2015



Publication Date:  August 11, 2015
Hardcover, 400 pages


Summary from Goodreads:
  When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.


And she really can’t imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe.


But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.


From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself. 

My Review:

Can we just take a moment to stare at that cover? I mean, it's gorgeous. And it's even prettier when you're holding it in your hands.

I'll admit that it took me awhile to really get into the book. I thought that Lilly was going to be one of those spoiled rotten rich girls, and I really just cannot stand it when the main character is all snooty. But I stuck with it, and I am ever so glad that I did. In fact, I ended up liking it so much that I ended up staying up until around 2:30 am to finish it. {I had to be up by 6 am to get to work, so that just goes to show you how dedicated I really was to this book.}

I was really fascinated by the whole Egyptian Mythology aspect. It's something that you don't get a lot of that in YA. Greek Mythology, sure, but it's very rare to find something with Egyptian Mythology in it.

I was familiar with some of the names and stories already because, *ahem*, I was maybe just the slightest bit obsessed with Yu-Gi-Oh when I was younger, so I kind of did my research on the Egyptian Mythology way back when...

I was kind of annoyed at Amon for a while because he was kind of... um... well, annoying. But I got over that real quick as the story progressed, and we got to learn more about who he was. I loved his brothers, too. They were completely hilarious and lovable.

It was really late, or really early I guess, when I finished the book. It was one of those things where  I was kind of slap happy, but at the same time, I was really upset with the kind of cliffhanger at the end... but it was totally worth it, and I highly suggest this book to anyone and everyone. 

Swoon-Worthy {Fictional} Guys From A-Z {K}

My Swoony Pick for the letter "K" is...

Killian Jones {Captain Hook}

From Once Upon A Time

The ever so devilishly charming Captain Killian Jones is portrayed by the oh so very hunky Colin O'Donoghue

This is another one of those instances where I'm just like:

Because I mean, seriously, they're both pretty awesome. I mean seriously... I can't even with him *SWOON*

WHY?

Well, first of all, he is ridiculously good looking.

 He started out as the bad guy who was always playing both sides, depending on which one was going to be more beneficial to him.

I loved him despite this fact {like, from the moment he was first introduced} because I knew that he was going to end up a hero.

He's so freaking sassy, it's hilarious. Some of the things he says...

It's adorable/hilarious to see him learning about all the new technology and stuff when he got to Storybrooke

He rocks that guyliner. And the leather.

He's got that sexy "Pirate Swagger" {not my words, but they're true nonetheless.}

Okay, okay, and when Pan was all":

 Hook told Emma because he loves her and he is super awesome, I was all: "Awww, Boo Yah! In yo' face Pan!!"

Some Of My Favorite Hook Quotes Are:

"A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets."

Emma: "You're a crazy person. Or a liar. Or both."

Hook: "I prefer dashing, rapscallion, scoundrel." 

"My secret is that I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first, my Milah. To believe I could find someone else that is... Until you."

"There is always a crisis. Perhaps you should consider living your life during them, otherwise you might miss it."

"I don't bloody know. I hit the Emma button and she answers. Usually." {Hook trying to explain how his cell phone works to Elsa}

"I have all the time in the world unless another monster appears and kills me."

"I'd go to the end of the world for her... or time."

Hook: "What are you doing?"
Emma: "Getting ready for a fight."
Hook: "Well, I've never known you to need to get ready for a fight. I thought it was always a natural state."

"Don't you know, Emma? It's you."

It's my job, well I hope it's my job, to protect your heart."

Hook: "Swan?"
Emma: Hook!"
Hook: "What the Hell are you doing? You're depriving me of a dashing rescue!"
Emma: "Sorry, the only one who saves me is me."

Hook: "Need a hand, Love?"
Emma: "Is that a joke?"
Hook: "No, I'm being quite serious."

"Actually, I quite fancy you from time to time, when you're not yelling at me."

 

Swoon-Worthy {Fictional} Guys From A-Z {J}

My Swoony Pick for the letter "J" is...

James "Jem" Carstairs

From The Infernal Devices

By Cassandra Clare

{I do not have any clue who this person is. I found this picture when I did a Google search of Jem Carstairs.}

Why?

Jem is really at the top of my Swoon Worthy Fictional Guys list, he really is. 

He's very sweet, and caring, but at the same time he could kick your a** without really having to think twice about it.

He plays the violin

He's so sweet. I said that once already, but it's worth repeating. He's the sweetest, most considerate and thoughtful guy EVER.

And, just, arrrgh, I can't really even articulate how awesome he is.

Some of my favorite Jem quotes are:

"Must you go? I was rather hoping you'd stay and be a ministering angel, but if you must go, you must."
"I'll stay," Will said a bit crossly, and threw himself down in the armchair Tessa had just vacated. "I can minister angelically."
"None too convincingly. And you're not as pretty to look at as Tessa is," Jem said, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the pillow.
"How rude. Many who have gazed upon me have compared the experience to gazing at the radiance of the sun."
Jem still had his eyes closed. "If they mean it gives you a headache, they aren't wrong.”

“So you don't ever get angry at him?"
Jem laughed out loud. "I would hardly say that. Sometimes I want to strangle him."
"How on earth do you prevent yourself?"
"I go to my favorite place in London," said Jem, "and I stand and look at the water, and I think about the continuity of life, and how the river rolls on, oblivious of the petty upsets in our lives."
Tessa was fascinated. "Does that work?"
"Not really, but after that I think about how I could kill him while he slept if I really wanted to, and then I feel better.”

“Jem seemed to look through her then, as if he were seeing something beyond her, beyond the corridor, beyond the Institute itself. "Whatever you are physically," he said, "male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside." He smiled them, seeming to have come back to himself, slightly embarrassed. "That's what I believe.” “Jem seemed to look through her then, as if he were seeing something beyond her, beyond the corridor, beyond the Institute itself. "Whatever you are physically," he said, "male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside." He smiled them, seeming to have come back to himself, slightly embarrassed. "That's what I believe.”

“She smiled at him. “How did you know just what I’d want to see?”
“How could I not?” he said. “When I think of you, and you are not there, I see you in my mind’s eye always with a book in your hand.” He looked away from her as he said it, but not before she caught the slight flush on his cheekbones. He was so pale, he could never hide even the least blush, she thought — and was surprised how affectionate the thought was.”

“Wo wei ni xie de,” he said, as he raised the violin to his left shoulder, tucking it under his chin. He had told her many violinists used a shoulder rest, but he did not: there was a slight mark on the side of his throat, like a permanent bruise, where the violin rested.
“You — made something for me?” Tessa asked.
“I wrote something for you,” he corrected, with a smile, and began to play.” 

“I can offer you my life, but it is a short life; I can offer you my heart, though I have no idea how many more beats it shall sustain”

“His eyes went soft and silver as she spoke. “Zhe shi jie shang, wo shi zui ai ne de,” he whispered.
She understood it. In all the world, you are what I love the most.” 

And really, there are soooooooo many more, but I'm going to stop there.

Do any of your favorite Swoon-Worthy boys have names that start with "J"? {First, last, or a nickname, it doesn't matter} If so, tell me in the comments below!!