Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday - 2014 Debuts

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
Debuts, what lovely books. These are books that may make me a fangirl for a new author. The author is coming into the bright world of publishing and this debut will be my first impression of them. It's make or break time. Thankfully, 2014 is offering some very good-looking debuts for me to be excited about.

A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier
Basically, during the Spanish Influenza, a girl refuses to go in a quarantine and then decides to volunteer for Red Cross and is surprised to find herself caring about strangers. One of those strangers is a boy. Historical (and researched) background, headstrong girl, a "handsome medical student and war vet" named Edmund, and deep stuff to make me think all comes together to make me giddy.

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen
It says it's Downton Abbey (YES!) meets The Selection (oh boy) in a dystopian setting with love and rebellion and war. So this might seem like a similar plot these days, but I'm anticipating this greatly.

Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs
Admittedly, I thought this was an adult book by its cover. While I actually didn't want to be intrigued, I was after reading its synopsis since I love summer camp books. 

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas
A alternate universe-type story about prom night? A perfectly fun read when I need to just reeeelaaaax.

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
I feel like I'm always talking about this debut, but I don't apologize because I'm stoked to read it.  A girl goes to complete her crazy bucket list because she thinks she's dying with the help of her best friend who has a crush on her (named Harvey, which I love, since I'm on a dorky H-name kick). And now she has to face the consequences and, my goodness, can it get any cuter?

Nil by Lynne Matson
One year to escape an island or die? Count me in (to read it, not live it). 

Something Real by Heather Demetrios
Reality TV is a guilty pleasure of mine, I won't lie. I don't like how reality TV stars get so famous though because all they do is live in front of the cameras with part normalcy and part scripted thanks to the producers. So this book is making me more excited than it should.

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira 
That cover is gorgeous. I want, please and thank you. Also, it obviously involves letters, which I love.

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller
So far, I haven't heard any really negative reviews on this and I'm incredibly happy because this sounds right up my alley. Historical Europe, scandal in a finishing school that leads an out-of-the-box kind of girl to pursue her dreams even though her parents are trying to marry her off. Everything. All of it. I just...please, I need this.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
I heard quite a few negative reviews at first, but now I'm hearing one positive review after the next and it's giving me Grabby Hands Syndrome. I love retellings. I love Beauty and the Beast. I love fantasy. I love this cover. I love it all.


Bonus: Alienated by Melissa Landers, Pointe by Brandy Colbert, The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings, Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige, The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

Already read and recommend: Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anna Blankman

What are 2014 debuts you're looking forward to?

36 comments:

  1. Love your list as usual! Something Real might've made my list at one point, but I read the sneak preview they Tweeted the link to, and I was immediately turned off.

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    1. Thanks, Emma! Oh no. I didn't see that preview. Why?

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    2. Lots of swearing right off the bat, underage drinking, and the trademark symbol was used constantly. It reminded me of books where they unnecessarily capitalize everything.

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  2. A few of these are new to me! I just finished Cruel Beauty and thought it was really good though I guess I can see some of the issues others might have with it too. I hope you'll like it!

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  3. I've read(and have been recommending to everyone) prisoner of Night & Fog as well! I loved that one so much. I also really liked Cruel Beauty and Ask Again Later is really cute! I'm very much anticipating Love Letters to the Dead & Landry Park(which wasn't even on my radar until a few days ago!)

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    1. I loved the research and the writing and the characters and, ah, everything! It really sucked me in. I hope we both get those then!

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  4. Wow, I actually kind of love how different our lists are, Summer! I LOVED Cruel Beauty, though I don't think every reader will. (Still, I hope you're one of those who does!) I'm pumped about Side Effects May Vary and A Mad, Wicked Folly, too...it's going to be a great year for debuts...AGAIN. :D

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    1. I hope so too! I saw such negative reviews at first and then finally more positive ones. YES. 2014, I love you.

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  5. Completely agree with you about the cover of Breakfast Served Anytime; not like a summer camp book at all! I hope Side Effects May Vary is as good as I want it to be...

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    1. I hoped I wasn't the only one who thought that! I just thought it was strange.

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  6. Ooh, some of these are new to me but now they are on my TBR :D
    I know what you mean about Cruel Beauty! Everyone seemed to hate it at first and I was like "Oh, great" but then it seemed like everyone gave it five stars. Well, I finally read it and must admit it is a great read :)

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  7. Ask Again Later, Something Real, and Alienated are on my list! Landry Park is one that looks good, and Nil has an interesting premise. The Art of Lainey and Cruel Beauty are two that I'm looking forward to also! :) Love the list, Summer! :)

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    1. Thanks, Jessica! Amazing books coming up, huh?

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  8. Beauty and the beast is my favorite tale and I absolutely LOVED Cruel beauty :D How is it possible I haven't heard of A death-struck year yet? Spanish influenza is a fascinating topic.

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    1. Woo, another point towards CB! Isn't it? I love all the new historical YA books coming of late.

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  9. Landry Park is my WoW pick for tomorrow! (Did I kill the surprise)? lol
    I'm so happy someone else is excited about it! Though to be honest, I just discovered the book yesterday. haha But I keep thinking about how awesome it'll be! :)

    YES to Side Effects! That is one of my MOST-ANTICIPATED as well! I keep seeing Love Letters to the Dead pop up on lists, so I'm keeping my eye on that one. Heather reviewed A Mad, Wicked Folly and really fell in love it! I hope you do too. :) Then there's Cruel Beauty; I don't think I was ever that interested in it, but like you, all the positive reviews are making me reconsider. Great list, Summer!

    By the way, thanks for putting A Death-Struck Year on my radar. I haven't heard of it before, but now I'm left wanting to know more! Off to Goodreads! :)

    Marlene @ The Flyleaf Review

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    1. Haha, well, I can't wait to see it still. Yes! I only discovered it a week or two ago and just can't wait.

      I'm loving your whole comment because I feel like we're fangirl buddies.

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  10. dont have any of these on my list but saw them and was tempted.. am adding a few to my TBR though

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  11. Great list! Cruel Beauty was yummy! My review for it goes up next week. And I'm also looking forward to reading NIL. Those are the only two that I'm really familiar with, so I'm going to look into the others.

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  12. You have so many great picks! Something Real sounds awesome and I've been seeing all these amazing reviews for it. I love the cover and premise for Love Letters to the Dead, too :)

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  13. Side Effects may vary! *happy dance* It's on sooooo many lists <3
    You have some awesome picks and I'm gonna go and add some to my Goodreads shelf for sure!

    *jumps over to goodreads*

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  14. Awesome list, Summer!! I actually just finished reading Ask Again Later, and it was super cute and the perfect book to sit and relax with. I loved it. :)

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  15. Great list! I'm so excited for so many of these and a few made my list too. Side Effects May Vary & Love Letters to the Dead are the two I am most excited to read, they both look so good! There seems to be so many good books coming out in 2014, I'm not sure where I'll find the time to read them all. I hope you get to all of your picks :) My TTT.

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  16. We have quite a few debuts in common. Go us! And I really hope you love Love Letters! Breakfast Served Anytime looks so cute, and I can't wait to get my hands on Wicked Folly. Happy debut reading!

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  17. There are so many amazing-sounding books on this list! I'm incredibly excited for A Mad, Wicked Folly; Side Effects May Vary; Something Real; and Cruel Beauty for the same reasons you are, so let's hope they live up to our expectations. :) I've read Breakfast Served Anytime and thought is was a bit forgettable, but it is written in a beautifully serene style that I hope you appreciate as much as I did. Also, I'm so glad to hear that you recommend Prisoner of Night and Fog because I need to love that book. It sounds like such a "me" book with its different perspective on a fascinating time/place in history, and if I don't, I will be horribly disappointed.

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    1. I'm TRYING to keep my expectations modest, but they're increasing daily. It definitely is a you book, I think. Definitely after The Book Thief ;)

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