Saturday, January 11, 2014

Favorite Book Romances



Much like I did a Favorite Fictional Guys and Favorite Fictional Girls, I am also going to present to you my favorite romances on a silver platter. These are my OTPs, the couples I love to ship and do ship with all of my heart, and the ones I'll love to the death. If you don't ship any of these, that's fine and you are entitled to your own opinion, but please don't try to change mine and attack me about my ships. Everyone has different tastes. If you do have the same ship as me though, feel free to leave a Comment so we can fangirl together, please. <3

Let's get this party started, shall we? I will try to incorporate ship names too if existing. I'll write them in cursive.

1. Aria & Perry from Under The Never Sky (Veronica Rossi)



These two. They have stolen my heart and are going to keep it forever. I think what makes these my absolute favorite fictional couple is the gradual way they fell in love. These were two people that were exiled and shunned by their respective societies and who fought side by side with each other for survival in a barren world. They were disgusted by each other at first, and that disgust gradually turned to respect, admiration, friendship and love. Their relationship developed not too fast, not too slow, at the exact right pace and hit all the right notes with me. They complete each other and bring out the best in one another, and they fit so perfectly, I just...








2. Sydney Sage & Adrian Ivashkov from Bloodlines (Richelle Mead)


Who would have guessed? Adrian and Sydney, also called Sydrian, are one of the best suited couples there are out there. How you could not ship these two is beyond me, since there are a hundred and more reasons why these are perfect for each other and I can't even name them all. Sydney is good for Adrian, she's like balm for his soul, and Adrian in turn is also a safe haven for Sydney because with him, she can finally just be herself and kind of turn off for once. They are so different but at the same time so utterly similar, I just askadja. OTP forever.










3. Tris Prior & Tobias Eaton from Divergent (Veronica Roth)


Especially after finishing Allegiant and reading that one dialogue between these, you know which one I mean, I just know that there is no one else that would fit with either of these than the other. There's no one for Tris but Tobias, and there's no one for Tobias but Tris. That's just how it is and it makes the ending so much more painful and it is the truth. They complete each other so incredibly perfectly, they make each other be the best persons they could ever be and that's simply beautiful. (Their name is Fourtris by the way and I will accept nothing else.)










4. Penryn Young & Raffe from Angelfall (Susan Ee)


While I do love Penryn and Raffe respectively as their own persons as well, I think my favorite thing about these two is their relationship, actually. I ship them so hard. Their easy banter around each other, and how they, too, turned smoothly from mutual respect to loving each other so fiercely made my heart melt right then and there. They have impressive dynamics and I really hope everything will work out for them so much. If they don't find a way to be together, I'll cry or something. Especially since Raffryn didn't have much time together in the latest book. :(










5. Tana Bach and Gavriel from The Coldest Girl in Coldtown (Holly Black)


I swear I have been shipping these back when I didn't even know they were going to develop feelings for each other. I just... their deep understanding of one another is so heartfelt and was there right from the beginning, and it connected them right away, so I couldn't help shipping them on the spot. This is a healthy relationship of give and take that stands in contrast to the unhealthy relationship of human/vampire, and it makes their romance that much more interesting and grand. They support and accept one another unconditionally without asking questions, and I think they're good for each other. Good, in the way of they ground the other person and give them stability, which is essential for both of them to hold on. Tana, because of her traumatic past with her mother and Gavriel, because of his imprisonment, and I love how they are the best for each other.





6. Juliette Ferrars & Aaron Warner from Shatter Me (Tahereh Mafi)


I remember, back in the first novel, how everyone was raging about how anyone could even like Warner, let alone ship him with Juliette, that is never gonna happen blah blah, and after reading Destroy Me everyone was gushing about him and now, after Unravel Me, basically everyone is Team Warner. It's funny, especially since I - slides hipster glasses on - have been rooting for him even back in the first one. He's an intriguing guy who obviously has some problems, and I think Juliette can help him, seeing as she has her own things to sort out. Warnerette could be really good for and help each other, I do believe that they could considerably change one another and bring out the best in themselves via the help of the other. That's not to say they are excellent crutches for each other, but I just think they could seriously support one another. (IS THERE ANOTHER SYNONYM FOR "EACH OTHER"?)






7. Blue Sargent & Richard Campbell Gansey III from The Raven Cycle (Maggie Stiefvater)


They haven't even kissed yet but they're in my Top 10 nevertheless. I think their dynamics are great as well, especially how their feelings grow during The Dream Thieves, the second installment. They know their limits and that they can't dare to step over them, but we all know what the outcome's gonna be since we've known since the Prologue of the first book but I just... maybe something's gonna prevent it, change it, something! Blue and Gansey, Bluesey, are adorably cute and perfectly tuned to each other, while also being playful and sassy with each other (Jane and Dick, I mean, come on). I could never ship Blue with Adam or Noah, no one but Gansey fits her.








8. Alina Starkov & The Darkling from Shadow & Bone (Leigh Bardugo)


Some might do a double take now and be like, "WHAT?" But yes, yes I still ship them. I will defy you all and never stop, even if it looks as hopeless and bleak for them as it currently does. I will never ship her with Mal, and while I tolerate them and their relationship, I just think she'd be better off with the Darkling after all. Maybe she could convince him to lay off the villainy a bit and they'd rule Ravka just and right together? That'd be pretty sweet. But anyway, all things aside, I think Mal brings her nothing but grief, yeah he does support and love her, but he's never understood her Grisha power and her personality overall nor will he ever do understand her fully. The Darkling however, has seen Alina as she truly is and didn't turn away, as he's so beautifully said himself, and that is true. Darklina are alike and they're literally two puzzle pieces, two opposites that are meant to fit together and stand side by side.




9. Kennedy Waters & Jared Lockhart from Unbreakable (Kami Garcia)


Yes, I've only read this a couple weeks ago, but I still ship them like crazy. I've said it in my review, but I shipped them right from the get go and didn't stop, and I only shipped them harder as the story progressed. Jaredy, as they've been called, just have that little something, that spark that flies off the pages and lands in the reader's heart. They, too, share an understanding of how the other person works and they accept who they are. I love them.












10. Meghan Chase & Ash from The Iron Fey (Julie Kagawa)


This is probably a huge surprise for everyone who knows me and I know I've used this joke up and dry but it's just so true. How could the romance of my favorite book not be on here, too? I don't even know what I liked first, the individual characters or their relationship? I internally screamed when Ash asked Meghan to dance at Elysium and from there on out, I was totally sold. They are simply perfect, I don't have to say anything else, and I will ship them for the rest of my existence.











11. Theresa Gray & James Carstairs from The Infernal Devices (Cassandra Clare)


Yeah, I am one of the very few Jessa shippers out there, which has made my life considerably harder. While I was crying tears of joy and dancing in euphoria when Tessa and Jem finally got it on, most of the rest of the fandom was weeping for Will and how it'll break his heart. Great. No one to celebrate with me. Oh well, I still loved Will a lot and I do like Herongray as well, so I thought the ending that Cassandra Clare chose was absolutely brilliant and perfect. Nevertheless, back to topic: I loved how gentle Jem was, how he always cared for Tessa, raising her morale and spirits and whatnot. I don't know, but after everything he's been through, I just thought Jem deserved love much more than Will, and I simply shipped him with Tess. Plus, at that time, Will was an asshole towards her, so I went with the more reasonable and nicer choice, and it stuck for the rest of the series. (Fun fact: Even before I started reading I already knew of the relationship between Tessa & Will and shipped them then, but I basically switched Teams during the novel.)



12. Lena Haloway & Alex Sheathes from Delirium (Lauren Oliver)


It's been so long since I've read this series, but I still love the characters and their relationship so much. Again, Alex and Lena help each other out and I think what's especially beautiful about this couple is that they learn new things with one another. Lena learns that love isn't a disease, but something worth having and knowing, and Alex learns that they are still people that can be saved and that he can be loved after all. That what he's fighting for is the right thing to do. They share a beautiful love and I can't tell you how nervous I was during Requiem.










13. Sophie Mercer & Archer Cross from Hex Hall (Rachel Hawkins)


At first, I thought this was kind of the same old, same old, with the gorgeous hot guy that was dating the bitchy girl, but in the end falls in love with the main character anyways. However, even despite all those stereotypes and clichés, I loved their relationship anyways. They had wonderful dynamics, their dialogue with each other and general behavior and attitude towards one another was funny, smooth and sexy. Their first kiss scene is one of the absolute hottest I can remember to be honest, and I think one of the best placed, best timed and most shocking. Writing this, I actually get the huge urge to go re-read this series, oh man. Anyways, Sophie and Archer are a very hot, sweet couple and I like them lots.








14. Gwendolyn Shepherd & Gideon de Villiers from Ruby Red (Kerstin Gier)


Another funny and hilarious couple that went from despising each other to falling in love. Another well done, gradual transition and another lovely romance that makes my insides melt.

















15. Mackenzie Bishop & Wesley Ayers from The Archived (Victoria Schwab)


I can't really tell you why I ship these, apart from yes they're good for each other and fit perfectly, it's just that I love their relationship. I love it. It's totally subjective. I could probably scramble some arguments together to give you an essay on how and why, but I don't think it would have as many pages as my essay for, say, Darklina.














16. Nikki Beckett & Cole Stockton from Everneath (Brodi Ashton)


This relationship partially annoys the crap out of me because Nikki never, not once, gives Cole a fair and square chance to win her heart in this series. Never, and it pisses me off to no end, because he definitely deserves one, and if he'd ever gotten one, he would have totally swept her off her feet and carried her away into the sunset. Nikki and Cole are perfect for each other, they are, they are, they are. You can't tell me otherwise, I'm convinced of this. 100% convinced. Sure, Jack is a nice guy and all that, but Cole understands Nikki on such a deep level and he loves her so unconditionally, and they've spent a whole century together. I just... they're perfect.










17. Charlaina di Heyse & Maxmillian from The Pledge (Kimberly Derting)


I was going to write "something new at last", but then I remembered that Charlie was actually on my Girls list. Right. Doesn't matter. I simply loved these two, and it was completely superficial and fickle of me to ship them right away, because this is pretty much insta-love. There hasn't been much interaction going on between them when they already start kissing and all that, but I guess everyone's gotta have their guilty pleasures and that one pairing they love even despite the insta-love. This is it for me, and I think they did grow beyond that, though. Charlie and Max are anchors for one another and keep them grounded in reality, and they're both so unconditionally supportive no matter what it's truly admirable.







I guess I'll have to stop somewhere, though, so I'll draw the line here. I could go on, but I wouldn't really know what to say about them, or where they stand on the list. I simply like those couples subjectively, there aren't any particular reasons why I think they belong together forever, not exactly. And I think I am going to make another blog post about which "Teams" I'm on (God, I hate phrasing it like that, but what else can I do?) when there are love triangles, since there are quite a lot. Some of these have obviously been picked up here (like Cole, or Warner), but still.
However, I do want to list some of my other favorite couples that aren't threatened by any love triangles, but about which I don't really have anything to say, I just... ship them. And these would be:
Karou & Akiva from Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Laini Taylor), Em & Finn from All Our Yesterdays (Cristin Terrill), Zelia Benten & Cyrad from Control (Lydia Kang), Anna Olliphant & Étienne St Clair from Anna and the French KissMorgan Stockhour & Basil from Perfect Ruin (Lauren DeStefano), Daenerys Targaryen & Daario Naharis from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, Lilac LaRoux & Tarver Merendsen from These Broken Stars (Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner) and Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson (Rick Riordan). That would be all (Oh God this was already too much).

SPECIAL MENTION: my OTP of all my OTPs, literally the ship that I ship the hardest of them all, the yacht in my harbor, which is Allison Argent & Isaac Lahey, Allisaac, from the TV series Teen Wolf. Sue me, bite me, whatever, but yes I ship 'em. Ship 'em unconditionally. You can tell me Scallison will be endgame, Scisaac is better or whatever, but I will still ship these two to hell and back, no matter what you say.

Take care <3

PS: I am so so unbelievably sorry that they are absolutely no gay couples on this list, but off the top of my head I can really think of only one that's even close to canon, which would be Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood from Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments, which I do ship. Otherwise, all I come up with would be Thomas Bryant & Metias Iparis from Legend by Marie Lu, Marlene and Lynn from Divergent by Veronica Roth and also Aline and Helen from, again, Mortal Instruments. And of course, Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell from A Song of Ice and Fire, which ... heeey. Consider these officially on the list now because I really ship them a lot. There we go.

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