Characters Who Captured My Heart in 2012

As I have said many many many times: I love characters. Characters are why I love to read. As we arrive at the time of year when lists of the best books start to come, I like to take time to focus on the characters I fell in love with. I did this last year and it was a nice way to look back over the year's reading. Some of these books won't end up making my Best Reads of 2012 list, and yet I still feel the need to recognize them for making me love the characters whose stories they told.

Links are to my reviews.

Fer and Rook
There is so much to love about Winterling, but Fer and Rook make up the best part of that love for me. Particularly Rook. I always love characters who are heroic and angry about being heroic at the same time. Good stuff.

Julie and Maddie
Just typing their names made me tear up. Again. Code Name Verity is just the most beautiful story of friendship, heroism, courage, and humanity that has been written in a long time. There is a definite need to avoid spoilers of any kind about this book so that's all I'm saying. If you haven't read it yet: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???

Sage
I didn't think The False Prince was a perfect book by any means, but I will forgive what I see as flaws in plotting if I love a main character, and I do love Sage. I have heard him described places as a "poor man's Gen" but I think that is unfair to him and the uniqueness of his character. He is a bit like Gen but he is also very different and my affection for him is different but it is very much there. I can't wait to see what happens to him next as his story continues.

Auggie and Friends
The wonder that is Wonder is the talk of the year as far as kidlit goes. It is a great book, not a perfect book, but a great one. And it's greatness comes from the wonderful characters who are given a voice and become real to the reader in so many ways.

Aluna, Hoku, Calli, Dash
I can't even begin to say enough good things about the amazingness of this foursome. I love them all and feel very protective of all of them. Which doesn't bode well for my future peace of mind as the Above World trilogy continues I think. (I may like Dash the most. Just a little.)

Elisa and Hector
I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns last year and enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked Elisa and her story and loved the glimpses of Hector in that book. But I came just shy of falling completely in love. That changed this year with the second installment in the trilogy, The Crown of Embers. This book made me feel it all and it was largely do to how much I came to care for both Elisa and Hector. I love them both separately and I love what they are like together.

Julia and Jason
Meant to Be is one of those fluffy romantic contemporary novels that I usually enjoy on some level, but don't spend days thinking about. I spent days thinking about this one. I loved Julia and Jason and much of that comes from how much I enjoy the sort of dynamic the two of them have.

Tori and Milo
Quicksilver doesn't come out until March 2013 (in the US) which is why that link leads you to its Goodreads page rather than my review. My review will post in February, but since I read a galley of the book this year it belongs. Mostly I'm super excited to be able to start telling everyone about it. Tori is unique in so many ways and amazing in each and every one of them. Her story is mind blowing, but what really captured me was how much of a real person she came to be to me through it. Milo is her best friend Milo is her best friend and stands by her through some stuff that...well, we'll just say they prove he is one incredible in every way.

Your turn now. What characters have you read about this year who have captured your heart?

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