Top 10 of 2012: Day Four

This year, Coranne and I are happy to take part in the Top 10 of 2012 meme.  There have been a ton of amazing books that have come out this year, or which we've read this year, and so we're spreading our top picks out with a new theme every day. 

Today, we're each sharing our favorite book boyfriends from books published in 2012! Be sure to share your favorites in the comments, too.

Sarah's Picks:

(As a side note, because I have to be different and contrary and can't follow rules, and also because I read a lot of books this year with really gross male characters in them - a rant for another time - I'm picking my favorite Book Significant Others Regardless of Gender.  So there.)

Alex - The Hallowed Ones

By Laura Bickle

Published on September 25, 2012
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
See our review here!

Alex is the young Outsider who Katie finds and rescues whenever her Amish community has been spared from a vicious plague of vampires which are destroying the rest of the world.  We only get some small glimpses into his past and character, because the book's focus is largely on Katie and worldbuilding, but what you learn is pretty fascinating.  He's educated, devoted, and caring, and just a little bit of a bad boy, who happens to put his foot in his mouth a whole lot around Katie.  He's willing to put himself in danger to keep Katie safe.  I'm looking forward to the next book in this series so we can learn more about him!

Dov - No Man's Land

By S.T. Underdahl

Published on November 8, 2012
Published by Flux
See our review here!

Picking Dov for this list makes me feel a bit skeevy as he reads like such a young teenager and I am, well, not, but it's inevitable if most of the books you read are YA and you aren't a teen anymore.  Anyhow, weird feelings aside, I thought Dov was a fascinating, complex character who people wrote off because he dressed like an emo kid.  He's sensitive and caring and really wants to do right by his brother, who is dealing with PTSD after returning home from Afghanistan.  If I were the target age reader for this book, I would definitely  want to hang out with Dov and get to know him better.  Dov has issues of his own to work out, but as he grows up over the course of the book, you can tell that he's going to be a pretty stand-up guy when he's older.

Jamie - Code Name Verity

By Elizabeth Wein

Published on May 15, 2012
Published by Hyperion
See our review here!

Looks like something from this book is going to wind up on almost all of my best-of lists, huh? Anyhow, I would be remiss to not add Jamie Beaufort-Stuart to my list of book boyfriends.  He's a minor character  in the scheme of things, but he pops up right when you need him.  Jamie's an RAF pilot injured in the war who now flies transport planes, along with Maddie, one of the main characters of the story.  He helps Maddie out of some sticky situations, lets her cry on him, and generally believes that she can do anything.  The relationship between Jamie and Maddie is just subtext but he's the kind of guy who I would want by my side when things got tough.

Kami - Unspoken

By Sarah Rees Brennan

Published on September 11, 2012
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
See our review here!

Kami is awesome!  I want more ladies like her in books!  Alright, so she would probably be a very frustrating person to be in a relationship with -- she does what she wants, when she wants, no matter what anyone else has to say about the matter -- but, man, there would never be a dull moment, ever.  Imagine the fun dates you could go on, investigating mysteries, causing trouble, breaking and entering... okay, maybe that last one's a bit much, but still.  You get the picture. You'd get to have a fun companion and learn more than you ever wanted to know about a small town's secrets.

Astrid - Ask the Passengers

By A.S. King

Published on October 23, 2012
Published by Little, Brown BFYR

Ask the Passengers is somewhat of a coming of age story for Astrid, who is coming to terms with her sexuality in a town that isn't exactly accepting of anyone who is different.  She has to spend a lot of time pretending to be someone she isn't, just to keep things safe.  On top of that, she has to deal with a very dysfunctional family, horrible bullying at school, and a sort-of-girlfriend who is still learning about boundaries.  End-of-book Astrid, the one who comes out on the other side of all of these trials, would make a great Book Significant Other, because she has so much love to give and is ready to give it to someone special and deserving.  

Coranne's Picks:

Henry- The Goddess Legacy

By Aimee Carter

Published on July 2012
Published by Harlequin Teen

Henry... sigh. *bats eyelashes* I have a thing for the God of the Underworld- his story has always fascinated me. I loved finding out his backstory, and although I didn't absolutely agree with everything he said/ did- it didn't make me love him less. It is ironic because I just had a baby and named him Henry- but I swear my husband picked the name, haha!

James- The Goddess Legacy

By Aimee Carter

Published on July 2012
Published by Harlequin Teen

I will be honest. I didn't like James in the regular Goddess series. I thought he was manipulative and didn't have Kate's best interests at heart.  I was even leery about reading about James in this book.  I am so glad I did.  I totally had misunderstood him, pretty much like everyone else in the book did.  He really gets the bad end of every deal in this book and is treated horribly by his Mount Olympus family.  No wonder he acts the way he does!

Hector- Crown of Embers

By Rae Carson

Published on September 2012
Published by Green Willow Books

Hector  *swoony face*  Hector is a fantastic hero in this book.  He protects Elisa without smothering her and really does make her a better person.  The romance in this book is smoldering and the romantic tension is crazy! This is hands down one of my favorite romances that I have read in any book!

Kishan - Tiger's Destiny

By Colleen Houck

Published on September 2012
Published by Splinter

Poor Kishan.  He adores Kelsey and truly wants what is best for her- even if it isn't him.  It is hard being in love with the same person as your brother.  Harder still to be dating her when she obviously would rather be with your brother.  As much as Ren gets all the love in this book- Kishan is just as fabulous of a pick. He really is the ultimate book boyfriend.

Hunter- Mystic City

By Theo Lawrence

Published on October 2012
Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

This book stuck with me for the unexpected romance. I expected insta love and a cheesy story, but what I found was ultimately more complex than I thought.  I loved Hunter and how he cared for Aria. He cared enough about her well-being to wipe himself completely from her life and allow her memories of him to disappear.  Aria and Hunter are in a constant struggle in this book, and the ending isn't what I expected at all!