Our Favorite Swoony Quotes (with Kaina from These Flying Pages!)

Hello lovelies! For the past few weeks, Kaina @These Flying Pages and I have been discussing the swooniest guys in books, and decided to come up with a list of our favorite swoony quotes from books. To give a bit of background, we were originally talking about nicknames/pet names we absolutely hate (and would hate to be called), which developed into what pet names we didn’t mind being called, and eventually led us to discuss our favorite male love interests in books and the way they spoke to the protagonist/person they loved. So let’s get started!

WARNING: Spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk ;)

“There is no one I would rather see the sunrise with than you.” 
- Renee Ahdieh, The Wrath and the Dawn

“You're like a grey sky. You're beautiful, even though you don't want to be.”
- Jasmine Warga, My Heart and Other Black Holes

“I hold the bottle out into the rain and watch as the steady flow slowly fills it. When there is enough, enough that Beth can clearly see, I close the bottle and hand it to her.

She raises a skeptical eyebrow, but accepts the bottle.

"It's our rain Beth."

Her head barely shakes to show her confusion while I rub the back of my neck and search for my courage. "I told you I loved you in this rain and when you doubt my words, I want you to look at this bottle.” 
- Katie McGarry, Dare You To

“You can be Han Solo," he said, kissing her throat. "And I'll be Boba Fett. I'll cross the sky for you.”
- Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park

"I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” 
- John Green, TFIOS

“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” 
- John Green, TFIOS

“Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.

"After all this time?"

"Always," said Snape.”
- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“But the you who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, the same you I’ll be in love with tomorrow.”
- Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“You don’t share me. You own me.” 
- Gayle Forman, Where She Went

“You're perfect," He said roughly, cutting off my protest. "And if I had to do it over again, I would save you every time." His mouth closed over mine and there was no more thought. No more worry. No more pain or loss or fear.”
- Sara B. Larson, Defy

“It's okay if you're crazy," he said softly.

"You don't even know-"

"I don't have to know," he said. "I'm rooting for you.”
- Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“I like your glasses,” he said. “I like your Simon Snow T-shirts. I like that you don’t smile at everyone, because then, when you smile at me.… Cather.” He kissed her mouth. “Look at me.”

She did.

“I choose you over everyone.” 
- Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“If I were to live a thousand years, I would belong to you for all of them. If we were to live a thousand lives, I would want to make you mine in each one.” 
- Michelle Hodkin, The Evolution of Mara Dyer

“You're the girl who called me an asshole the first time we spoke. The girl who tried to pay for lunch even after you learned I have more money than God. You're the girl who risked her ass to save a dying dog, who makes my chest ache whether you're wearing green silk or ripped jeans. You're the girl that I--" Noah stopped, then took a step closer to me. "You are my girl.” 
- Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

“You’re not a pit stop. You’re my finish line. There’s no one after you.” 
- Krista Ritchie, Kiss the Sky

“I want to be the friend you fall hopelessly in love with. The one you take into your arms and into your bed and into the private world you keep trapped in your head. I want to be that kind of friend. The one who will memorize the things you say as well as the shape of your lips when you say them. I want to know every curve, every freckle, every shiver of your body.

I want to know where to touch you, I want to know how to touch you. I want to know convince you to design a smile just for me. Yes, I do want to be your friend. I want to be your best friend in the entire world.” 
- Tahereh Mafi, Unravel Me

“I didn't know what to say, but my heart was racing as he slid his hands down to mine. He placed them on his chest, right above his heart. "I have hope," he said, his gaze never leaving mine. "I have hope because I love you-I've been in love with you, Avery. Probably before I even realized that I was."

"You loved me?"

Cam dropped his forehead to mine and his chest rose sharply under my hands. "I love you."

My heart stuttered. "You love me?"

"Yes, sweetheart.” 
- J. Lynn, Wait for You

“I love you,” he says again, “and no other man will ever say those words and mean them the way I do.” 
- Krista Ritchie, Ricochet

“I am catastrophically in love with you.”
- Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess

So those were our favorite swoony quotes!!! What are yours?
~ Alexandra

Why I Usually Avoid Reading Romance

Today I would like to discuss romance novels, especially of the young adult genre.  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy romance, however I prefer not to read books revolving solely around the romance, and here are a few reasons why.

(Please note that these are not always present in all romance books, and that they are just observations based on a few books I've read from the genre.  Please also note that I have read some romance books I thoroughly enjoyed.)

1. The dreaded insta-love.  This is not the case in all romance books, but it is rather prevalent within the genre.  The girl falls in love with the guy at first sight, or something like that, and it's all:

Or…

I'm sorry, but… What?!?! I may not have ever been in love, but come on, it can't be that simple! Just stop.  Please.  Maybe a character is instantly attracted to the love interest, but attraction and love are not synonymous.  Maybe there's a spark.  I'll allow a spark, I'll allow instant chemistry.  But no way am I ever going to believe that you fell in love with someone within a day or a week of knowing each other.

2. The cliches.  Opposites attract: bad boy falls for good girl, nerd and jock/cheerleader become the power couple of the school, etc etc.  It gets extremely old extremely fast.  I'm not saying it is impossible for these things to happen, but there are other kinds of relationships too.

I mean, I absolutely adore The Breakfast Club and I totally ship Bender and Claire, but lately it's just been crazy how often a good girl falls for a bad boy.  I mean, seriously?!? Is that all you've got?

3. The plot.  I know it isn't true for all romance books, but it usually seems to be one of the following (similar to my point about cliches, but specifically in regard to the plot):

• Main character hates the eventual love interest's guts, but is somehow forced into a situation where he/she is stuck with said love interest.  The two start to get to know each other and realize the other isn't as bad as they thought, and start to have feelings for one another that eventually grows into a true romantic relationship.
• Main character pines for the love interest, but is too shy to speak up and said love interest is already in a relationship.  Said love interest eventually breaks up/is broken up with and is single, and begins to get to know guy/girl and realizes he/she the one they want to be with.
• Main character gets the love interest of their dreams, only to lose them to someone or something.  The main character either finds a way to prove his/her love or find some new love interest who loves them back.
• Main character is in love (or falls in love) with love interest, but something from main character or love interest's past is revealed and nothing is the same.
• (Or something along the lines of one of mentioned plots)

4. Love triangles.  Need I say more?

What are your thoughts on romance novels?

~Alexandra

Love Triangles

I often find myself attracted to books that have love triangles.  It is not because there are love triangles in it that draws me in, but it just happens.  I am actually not a huge fan of them; I am not completely against love triangles, but for the most part I'm not exactly a fan of them either…

I know it can be a good way to add suspense, tension and conflict in books, however I just do not see how it is really logical.  Maybe I'm just cynical because I've never been in a relationship, but to be honest, I feel like it is atypical for two people to be fighting over the same person, not a typical thing.  And it is a very typical thing these days in young adult fiction, no matter what genre.  I mean, most of these love triangle things happen in trilogies, and I do not think that two people are going to wait three books-worth of time to let the girl (or guy) decide between them, no matter how much in love they are with the person.

I mean, it's kind of pathetic and sad to watch characters pine over characters that do not love them in return… Maybe it's not that simple but what about “If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were"?  Fine, I do admire the characters for trying to win their loves back, but I mean half the time its a worthless effort.  Okay, to be fair I know that the character often cares deeply or "loves both" of the love interests, but I still feel like said character always fancies one more than the other.  I know that love is a complicated thing, but the characters should not be getting themselves into situations where they are in love with two people… Once again probably not that simple, but love triangles are such cliches these days.

Why isn't it this simple?

Also, there is more to life than just love, no matter what the Beatles say (and by that, I am referring to their song "All You Need is Love").  I am far from saying that all characters stuck in love triangles are completely focused on their love lives (in fact, many have much bigger problems on their plates, like Katniss from The Hunger Games), but some are completely absorbed in their romances, and can often come across as mundane and self-absorbed because of it.

I will admit that I am probably more of a classical/scientific thinker than a romantic one, so I am taking a more "logical" or "scientific" view on a topic that is far from logical or scientific, but nonetheless, love triangles are strange phenomena that are too often found in the pages of books these days, and I felt the need to talk about it.  (The strangest thing is that I am a total sap when it comes to a good romance, yet I am extremely cynical at the same time.  Perhaps one day I'll understand…) Anyway, what are your thoughts?  Do you agree?  Disagree? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

~Alexandra