In honor of Valentine’s Day, today’s Artsy Reader Girl-sponsored Top Ten Tuesday covers SHIPPING.
My last post about Top 10 Favorite Ships didn’t include many book couples.
You’ll see some overlap in this post, but not much.
For this post, I limited myself to traditional books – no manga or graphic novels this time.
These are my top ten book couples.
WE’RE COUNTING DOWN.
10. Grace x Rafe (Far From the Tree)
Grace: I gave my baby up for adoption.
Rafe: You’re a good person who made a difficult decision.
WHAT TEENAGE BOY IS THIS COOL?
9. Kate x August (This Savage Song)
That’s where this book is going, right?
It’s not about to drop me in Platonic Town, right?
I’m not even halfway through the book and I ship it!
8. Willowdean x Bo (Dumplin’)
Insecurity makes romance rough.
Thank God for patient partners.
7. Alice x Takumi (Let’s Talk About Love)
A thousand sobbing emojis for this book’s ending.
I desire nothing more than to be seen and accepted.
For once, I trust the blind optimism behind Takumi’s, “We’ll figure it out together.”
6. Jane x G (My Lady Jane)
How did a comedic fantasy make animal transformation DEVASTATING?
Jane begs G, “Stay with me.”
He doesn’t.
I weep.
These two make a cameo in My Plain Jane. They’re still together in the afterlife!
Gonna give that a theological pass because it’s so darn cute.
5. Zuzana x Mik (Night of Cake and Puppets)
I’ve loved these two as a couple from the beginning, but Mik’s careful treatment of Zuzana’s magical puppets did me in all over again.
Both characters agree that cake is as important as true love.
I don’t let myself feel gooey and romantic very often.
With this pairing, I allow it.
4. Trixie x Ben (The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You)
I didn’t think I could love the original Beatrice x Benedick pairing more until Lily Anderson reimagined them as sassy teens who fall in love over graphic novels, facial hair, and creepy Halloween costumes.
UGH, the reveal of Ben as Trixie’s Halloween savior – SO GOOD.
I just decided I’m rereading this for Valentine’s Day.
3. Mara x Charlie (Girl Made of Stars)
The culture I grew up in treated dating as drama. Crushes required the counsel of thousands. People asked God, “IS THIS THE PERSON YOU WANT ME TO MARRY?”
Shouldn’t relationships be easier than that?
Mara and Charlie go from best friends to girlfriends with nary a hiccup.
Goals.
2. Ronan x Adam (The Raven Cycle)
RONAN’S SECOND SECRET WAS ADAM PARRISH.
Adam’s nonchalant acceptance of Ronan’s crush makes me feel things.
And I dig Ronan’s seduction method of mockery and mix tapes.
“MAYBE I DREAMED YOU.”
“Thanks for the perfect teeth, then.”
My smol heart sings.
1. Cinder x Kai (The Lunar Chronicles)
As happens so often on this blog, I didn’t plan this.
I love a good well-intentioned abduction.
And loving acceptance.
And traversing the galaxy to find each other.
Kai sneakily rhapsodizes about his own relationship while OFFICIATING SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING.
He caps this off with a perfect riverside proposal.
Suffice it to say I am weeping at my laptop.
This list is likely to change in the next few months.
What can I say. It happens.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
