Faves of TwentyEleven: The Scenes

For today’s most entertaining post of Nomes’ Faves of TwentyEleven meme, Maja and I talk about our favorite scenes of some of the books we read this year.
Hey, did you know you’d have to put up with two long-winded ladies when you decided to read this post?



1. best first chapter
Lisa: The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
Maja: Thyla by Kate Gordon
How I loved the first chapter of Thyla! I agree with you about The Reapers as well, that was one awesome beginning of an amazing story. It makes me so happy when I see someone reading that book. The first chapter of Thyla stayed with me because I was stunned by how well the thoughts of a character with complete amnesia were described.
Maybe I’ll use Thyla for my next TBR intervention, I need to read that book. I have to confess that I didn’t really have a best first chapter in mind before this post, but thinking about it, TRaTA was perhaps the most memorable. It was beautifully written, as the rest of the book, of course.

2. best climax
Lisa: Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Maja: Legend by Marie Lu - unputdownable!
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
I was happy with how the book developed and how the story arc built to the conclusion. What a great book, loved it.

3. best ending
Lisa: Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Maja: Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park
I was so happy with the way things turned out in Flat-Out Love. I rarely feel completely satisfied with the way the author chooses to finish the novel, but I did with this novel. I felt that Park wrapped things up exceptionally well.
I was happy too, but the ending of Flat-Out Love wasn’t my favorite part of the book. I pointed that out in my review as well. That’s a book I’ll be re-reading though, as I was one of the few oblivious people who hadn’t guessed the plot twist! On the other hand, the end of Where She Went felt like the end of labor to me.

4. best plot twist/revelation (no spoilers!)
Lisa: The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Maja: Deadline by Mira Grant
There was one scene, or rather a sentence in Deadline that left me frozen for about 30 seconds, and then I unfroze and started crying like a 2-year-old. I still feel such despair when I remember it.
Yeah, that too. I agree with you. But The Thief is the master of plot twists for me, maybe because I was on the brink of killing myself out of boredom when something hit me with an ax.
We really shouldn’t forget Fingersmith here. Some pretty surprising twists in that one.

5. scariest/most disturbing scene
Lisa: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Maja: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Anna tearing a boy in two surrounded by those bodies buried in the walls is one of the scariest, most horrendous scenes I’ve ever read. I don’t really enjoy horror stories, and I haven’t read that many. I’m sure I could find much scarier stuff if I went looking for it, but I think I’ll pass. Anna was almost too scary for my fragile nerves.
Another one I have to read. Well, for me The Handmaid’s Tale is the most disturbing book of all times probably. In particular, the birth scene was pretty sick.

6. steamiest scene (or sweetest/sexiest kiss award)
Lisa: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Maja: Riiiiight, like I could choose just one.
Cassie and Mircea - the shower scene (Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance)
Corine and Kel (Shady Lady by Ann Aguirre
I have to agree with Maja that this is a tough one, if only for the fact that I read The Harlot this year, where 90% of the book are steamy scenes. I’ll go with Barrons and Mac though, because the build-up tension nearly drove me crazy. Also, Cat and Bones on various occasions definitely held their ground.
Yeah, but that was last year. The new book was lame! Cassie and Mircea had an even steamier scene in one of the earlier books, but I didn’t read that in 2011.
What was last year? Cat and Bones? A YEAR already?! Geez.

7. best swoon-worthy moment
Lisa: The Tears in Heaven bit in Saving June by Hannah Harrington.
Maja: The ending of Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Deirdre and Luke in Lament by Maggie Stiefvater - the theatre scene (final)
Also, what Lisa said.
The Tears in Heaven scene was kinda cheesy but, sorry, I don’t care. I definitely swooned.
Cheesy is good! :D

8. biggest nail-biting moment
Lisa: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Maja: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
I was so tense during the race scene (scene otherwise known as where-is-Sean-where-is-Sean-where-is-Sean-I-want-to-know-NOW) that I nearly jumped out of my own skin.
In the beginning of Shadowfever half of the entire population of the world wanted to know what had happened to Barrons!!


9. most hilarious scene
Lisa: can’t remember which Magic by Ilona Andrews - the bad kitty scene, I’d say
I’ll also have to add various scenes in the Jane True books but frankly, they’re too many to list.
Maja: Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
Oh, man, where should I start? With Carl the monkey flipping people off all the time? Or the unskilled witch Gloria taking her customer’s ability to speak? (That lead to some pissed off mumbling!)
First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - Danger and Will Robinson scene

10. most heart-breaking/tear-jerker moment
Lisa: Feed and The Knife of Letting Go
Maja: Obviously the van scene in Feed. I almost died.
Yeah, I have to agree that the van scene in Feed was really emotional. On the other hand, I really don’t need to tell anybody which scene I am referring to in The Knife of Letting Go because who’s read it would KNOW. And if they don’t, that means they are some heartless pseudo human beings and don’t deserve my consideration. There.
Ummmm, okay. Feeling better?!
Much, thanks :D

BONUS: favourite meet cute
Maja: Umm, those mostly happen in vanilla romances I don’t usually read, so I don’t have one. Lisa, you should write one for me, too. That’s your thing. :D
On second thought, I DO have one: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson, when Lila falls down those stairs straight into Alex’s arms.
Lisa: HA! Maja, I strongly disagree with you on this one :D For example a very good one was how Kate and Curran met in Magic Bites. I loved that scene!
Yeah, only that was definitely not this year!
True, it was this year’s only for me. My bad :D
Lucky you. :( Still, I wouldn’t mind falling down those stairs into Alex’s waiting arms. (Btw, Flat Alex says hi.)
Yeah, Flat Barrons says hi too. He just put on his spiked bracelets and took off his shirt. I fainted a couple of times. Also, I think Missie wanted to see a picture of Barrons...
Everyone wants to see that pic. Please post now. NOW!

Enough said.
*faints again*.

Well, if you’re really sure that you can still put up with us after this, then I suggest you check out tomorrow’s post where we’ll ramble about The Randoms.

Neurotically yours,
Lisa and Maja