Top Ten Tuesday – Characters I Love

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is “Character Traits that I Love.” Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish but is currently being run by That Artsy Reader Girl. I haven’t participated in a long long time but I love this meme. Today I would like to focus on my top character traits that I enjoy in my Halloween themed reading.

Clever. Who doesn’t love a clever character? But, when you are reading spooky books clever comes in the form of characters like Velma Dinkley, the calm logical mind in the midst of chaos. I am always so thankful for a clever character because I know when faced with a possessed doll or ghostly visitor I would just run around screaming.
Special Talent. I know, I know. It’s a bit silly but I am a sucker for a character with a special talent. For example, Agent Aloysius Pendergast from Relic (and all the amazing books by Preston and Child) is an expert in an eclectic mix of subjects. It makes the books so nuanced and my connection to the character so deep. Also, I wanna be cool like Pendergast!
Humor. Even the scariest of moments in enhanced with humor. Perhaps this is why I love dark-comedy as much as I love light-scary. I mean, Crowley, from Good Omens is such a perfect example. The world is ending you say? Chastise the plants.
Self-Depricating. I love when a strong and smart character is confident enough to make fun of themselves. Peeta from the Hunger Games won me over with his self-depreciating commentary.
Loyalty. I love characters that are loyal to the very end. This is especially true in scary stories where your very life could depend on the loyalty of friends.
Adventurous. This is probably because I am fairly risk-averse but I love an adventurous spirit in a character. Not too much, just enough to step out of their comfort zone. Because, as we all know, too much adventure in a scary story usually leads to death.
Dedicated. Like Jack in The Shining, I am always interested in anyone who is so dedicated to their craft that they are willing to upend their whole life. Obviously, dedication takes all forms…
Naughty. I like when characters are a bit…badly behaved. Nothing terrible, just the sneaking suspicion that they aren’t following the rules. My obsession with The Illuminae Files is only fed by the naughtiness of Kady and Hannah. Oh, and the naughty snark of Aidan? Yes, please!
Weird. There is nothing more fun than a weird character. The ones who march to the beat of their own drummers! The Luna Lovegoods. I love them all.
Kind. This one is a bit harder to find in frighteningly good reads but a kind character will capture my heart forever. A sweet older person who helps the kids avoid the witches, a next door neighbor, it doesn’t matter. These kind characters are the ones that always make me fall in love with the story.