Top 10 in 2011: Characters

Lisa at A Life Bound by Books, Jessica from Confessions of Bookaholic, Rachel from Fiktshun, and Jaime and Patricia from Two Chicks on Books are hosting a week of looking back and looking forward through the Top 10 of 2011 series. Each day I will be posting a new Top 10 list. I love making lists so it will be nice to recap this year's books with these Top 10 lists.

I decided that if I already chose a character as a "book boyfriend" that they couldn't qualify again for top 10 character of the year as well. Again, there are SPOILERS ahead so read at your own risk.

Top 10 Characters of 2011:

Character: Katniss
Title: The Hunger Games series
Author: Suzanne Collins

Why I chose Katniss as a favorite character:
Katniss is one of my favorite characters of all time. You start rooting her from the first chapter of the book and the moment she sacrifices herself by taking the place of her sister in the Games just breaks your heart because she loves her sister THAT much. She's a survivor because against all the odds, she somehow manages to provide for her family in the wilderness. She is a bad ass because she can adeptly work a bow and arrow. At the same time, she is vulnerable and that makes her real. I think young adult readers (that are actually young adults) greatly benefit from a strong, bold, courageous character like Katniss in YA literature. I can't wait to see what she's like in the movies.

Character: Emma Morley
Title: One Day
Author: David Nicholls

Why I chose Emma as a favorite character:
While reading One Day, I completely sympathized with Emma Morley. She is Dexter's best friend even though she obviously wants more from him. I feel like all of us were an "Emma" at some point or another where we were friends with someone all the while hoping that he/she would someday wake up and realize just how wonderful you are and how they cannot live another day without you. She's not the most confident or prettiest girl, which I could definitely relate to, but she's the girl next door. Dexter takes advantage of her in so many ways throughout their whole time together, but like I said, you know why she does it and you can't wait for things to just work out for her and Dexter so she can finally be with the man she's loved all along.

Character: Julie Seagle
Title: Flat Out Love
Author: Jessica Park

Why I chose Julie as a favorite character:
If I were a college student right now, I'd probably be a lot like Julie. Through unlikely circumstances, she ends up befriending the youngest child of the family she lives with while going to school who believes that a flat, cardboard cut out of her older brother is "real." She is so endearing with Celeste. I love her witty banter with Matt and Finn. Like Julie, I'm very sarcastic, but not nearly as witty. Plus, if I were in college right now, I would probably use facebook a lot too. (Heck, I do that right now as a full-fledged adult!)

Character: Enzo
Title: The Art of Racing in the Rain
Author: Garth Stein

Why I chose Enzo as a favorite character:
I just adore Enzo. The Art of Racing in the Rain is told from the perspective of a dog and Enzo is so pure and sweet. He wants so much to be human and throughout the whole book, he talks about what he'll do as a human. Enzo's loyalty and love for his master, Denny, is unconditional in only a way a dog could love someone unconditionally. Definitely one of my favorite characters, ever.

Character: Nathan
Title: The Christmas Shoes & The Christmas Blessing
Author: Donna VanLiere

Why I chose Nathan as a favorite character:
Nathan is an 8-year old boy whose mother is slowly dying. His story had me in tears for most of the book because his love for his mother is so pure. On Christmas Eve, he realizes that he is losing time with his mother on Earth and he scrounges up what little money he can find to buy the perfect pair of shoes for his mama so she will look nice when she goes to Heaven. Doesn't that just melt your heart?! The Christmas Blessing picks up while Nathan is in his 3rd year as a medical student.

Character: Jacob Jankowski
Title: Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen

Why I chose Jacob as a favorite character:
This story follows Jacob Jankowski, who is telling his story in flashbacks of his time working with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth when he was much younger. He's an orphan who out of desperation is tossed onto a train and somehow ends up joining the circus. He's not outwardly brave, but you root for him for who he is on the inside. He falls in love for the wrong girl. Somehow the elephant, Rosie, makes a connection to him and the story is all about the relationship between the three of them.

Character: Hugo Cabret
Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Author: Brian Selznick

Why I chose Hugo as a favorite character:
I have a soft spot for orphans. Hugo is an orphan who lives in the walls of the train station making sure the clocks work. He's a survivor. He steals because he has to and somehow in the midst of all of this he finds time to work on a project his late father left behind. An all-around wonderful middle grade fiction character.

Character: Olive C. Spence
Title: Dying to Meet You
Author: Kate Klise

Why I chose Olive as a favorite character:
Olive C. Spence is the ghost that is haunting the home that Spencer and Ignatius B. Grumply lives in. I'd like to think that if I were a ghost, I would definitely be a lot like Olive - maybe not so much meddling in other people's lives, but definitely borrowing books from the local library.

Just like my other posts, I chose some TV characters as well.

Character: Phil Dunphy
TV Show: Modern Family

Why I chose Phil as a favorite character:
I LOVE Modern Family. Like most TV shows recently, I've started them late and I'm glad I finally caught on to Modern Family. I actually love all the characters and for a long time could not decide who I liked the most. However, lately while watching the show, I just love all of Phil's scenes. He's a father to three and tries really hard to be the "cool dad" even though he doesn't always get it. Even though he often finds himself in all kinds of mischief, his intentions are always good and that's what makes him loveable. Of course, Ty Burrell's comedic timing is right on point which just makes Phil all the more hilarious.

Character: Alicia Florrick
TV Show: The Good Wife

Why I chose Alicia as a favorite character:
The Good Wife is such a wonderful show and it owes a lot of it to Julianna Marguilles who plays Alicia Florrick. Alicia is the wife of a politician who has been caught in a prostitution scandal. She goes back to work as a lawyer and is an amazing one at that. She is smart and intelligent, but she's also vulnerable especially when it comes to her family. Even though she is a lawyer, she is not always confident and it's her insecurities that make her relatable. She's emotional and real. Can't wait to see what Season 2 has in store!