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Swoon-Worthy Bookish Characters | Top Ten Tuesday

Happy October, you guys!

If you're lucky enough to live somewhere the world experiences Fall, please adopt me *puppy dog eyes*

I'm linking up with "The Broke and the Bookish" for another Top Ten Tuesday (what else is new, Shanu) and this week's prompt is "Top Ten Book Boyfriends/Girlfriends".

So, basically, it's time to declare our eternal, undying love for some of our favorite characters. You know, the ones that induced some MAJOR. HARDCORE. CRUSHING.

I'm sure you can't wait to read all about my STEAMY REACTIONS TO THESE UBER-MAGICAL MEN. So, without further ado, I give you my top 10 beloved book boyfriends and some of their beautiful words.

swoon-worthy bookish characters | Top Ten Tuesday

1. Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss

I thought I would start off with this list slow and not hit you in the face with my most intense crushes just yet. Etienne is such a cute character and my 16-year old self fell reaaally in love with him.

His eyes lock on mine. "Anna, I promise that I will never leave you."

My heart pounds in response. And Étienne knows it, because he takes my hand and holds it against his chest, to show me how hard his heart is pounding, too.

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2. Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Did you think I was going to wait long before I HIT YOU IN THE FACE WITH MY MOST INTENSE CRUSHES?!?

My love for "Death Incarnate, Night Triumphant" is well-documented on the blog. So, of course, he is on the list.. Hell, he is the reason this list exists (That and also, the current week's TTT prompt). #rhysandtrashforever

“So I’m your huntress and thief?” His hands slid down to cup the backs of my knees as he said with a roguish grin, “You are my salvation, Feyre.”

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3. Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows series

SO. MUCH. LOVE. FOR. THIS. BOOK. How have I not read "Crooked Kingdoms" yet? I loved all the characters really but, Kaz has a special place in my heart.

She smiled then, her cheeks red, her cheeks scattered with some kind of dust. It was a smile he thought he might die to earn again.

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4. Rowan Whitehorn from Throne of Glass Series

I have a lot of issues with this series but, I did enjoy the character of Rowan Whitehorn. And by that I mean, I found myself crushing on him hard. How could one not?

She realized that Rowan saw each of those thoughts and more as he reached into his tunic and pulled out a dagger. Her dagger. He extended it to her, it's long blade gleaming as if he'd been secretly polishing and caring for it these months.

And when she grasped the dagger, it's weight lighter than she remembered, Rowan looked into her eyes, into her very core of her, and said, 'Fireheart'.”

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5. Park from Eleanor and Park

Rainbow Rowell writes the most beautiful stories but I think, out of all her books, I enjoyed reading "Eleanor and Park" the most. The characters are so well thought-out. I adored Park and Eleanor's relationship.

Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.

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6. Edward Cullen from Twilight series

Okay. OKAY. I know what you're thinking. How is Edward Cullen on the same list as HIGH LORD OF THE NIGHT COURT?? LET ME EXPLAIN.

This series rekindled the spark between me and reading. I was 15 years old and madly in love with Edward. Like, seriously in love. Seriously enough to inspire fan fiction, on my part. I know. So much cringe, though. I'm blaming #SmittenSmolShanu.

Of course that doesn't take away from the fact, that I absolutely loved reading these books and have re-read them quite a few times. So, clearly I have loved them. Edward definitely needed a mention.

I struggled to find the words to name the feelings that flooded through me, but I had no words strong enough to hold them. For a long moment, I drowned in them. When I surfaced, I was not the same man I had been. My life was an unending, unchanging midnight. It must, by necessity, always be midnight for me. So how was it possible that the sun was rising now, in the middle of my midnight?

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7. Elias Veturius from A Torch against the Night series

I read this series last year and found myself developing ~feelings ~ for Elias. My love for him isn't the passionate, wildly-burning kind (That's for Rhys *swoons*). Instead, I admire and am in awe of this character.

Laia is curled in a ball on the other, one hand on her armlet, fast asleep. "You are my temple", I murmur as I knee beside her. "You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release."

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8. Simon Snow and Baz from Carry On

Okay, so technically I'm cheating here, but, like I'm supposed to choose??? Between these two??? Just how??? These two are so ADORABLE, you guys.

And let's not forget that Simon and Baz are into each other. So, like what am I even doing here??? (#makingthingsawkward #that'swhat). But, I can't even handle their cuteness.

He's still looking in my eyes. Staring me down like he did that dragon, chin tilted and locked. "I'm not the Chosen One," he says.

I meet his gaze and sneer. My arm is a steel band around his waist. "I choose you," I say. "Simon Snow, I choose you.”

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9. Conrad from The Summer I Turned Pretty series

My 16-year old was so thoroughly in love with Conrad, it's not even a joke (Can you tell I read a lot and fell in love a lot when I was 16? LOL).

I recently had a re-read of this series and surprisingly loved it just as much. Jenny Han is one of my favorite writers, tbh. And did I mention I'm 23? Clearly, I have a type. #butnotreally

The thing was, Jeremiah was right. I did love him. I knew the exact moment it became real too. Conrad got up early to make a special belated Father's Day breakfast, only Mr. Fisher hadn't been able to come down the night before. He wasn't there the next morning the way he was supposed to be. Conrad cooked anyway, and he was thirteen and a terrible cook, but we all ate it. Watching him serving rubbery eggs and pretending not to be sad, I thought to myself, I will love this boy forever.

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10. Gansey from The The Raven Cycle series

Haha.. you thought I would finish off a list without mentioning Stiefvater! Oh, you ignorant human.

Can we all just agree that Richard Gansey III is just precious? People fall in love with Ronan and with Adam. But I fell in love with Gansey (And Noah, of course. HOW COULD YOU NOT?). Gansey with his obsession with dead Welsh kings and a certain fatherly attitude towards his friends. Gansey is PRECIOUS!

Casually, out of the view of Ronan, making sure Adam was still sleeping, Gansey dangled his hand between the driver's seat and the door. Palm up, fingers stretched back to Blue. This was not allowed. He knew it was not allowed, by rules he himself had set... She would not see the gesture, anyway. She would ignore it if she did. His heart hummed. Blue touched his fingertips. Just this. He pinched her fingers lightly, just for a moment, and then he withdrew his hand and put it back on the wheel. His chest felt warm. This was not allowed. Ronan had not seen; Adam was still sleeping. The only casualty was his pulse.

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So, that's it for this week's TTT! Do any of you participate? Leave a link to your blog down below so I can bring you pastries!

Also, because this can't be ignored, tell me what is your favorite thing about Fall. Let me live vicariously through you guys :)

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