This week I will be participating in the Top 10 of 2017 hosted by Nancy & Christy from Tales of a Ravenous Reader, Rachel from Fiktshun, Bridget from Dark Faerie Tales, Jaime from Two Chicks On Books , Fallon from Seeing Double in Neverland, Take Me Away To A Great Read, and Bridget from Dark Faerie Tales!
Today's Top 10: Best Debuts of 2017
I read about 50 debuts this year, and there were a bunch of really great ones! I have already featured a few on my Best Books of 2017 and Best Covers of 2017, so to avoid being repetitive, I am featuring even more debuts I adored.
F.C. Yee
Series: #1
Publisher: Amulet Books
This was an uproarious tale, packed with action, folklore, and fantastic characters. It was just fun, fun, fun, and I did a little happy dance when I found out there was going to be more Genie Lo!!!
Sara Jade Alan
Series: n/a
Publisher: Entangled Teen
This is a book that could have gone the melodramatic route, but it didn't. Alan made such great choices when dealing with the main character's cancer diagnosis. This was a beautiful and funny story about something not funny. It made my heart ache and made my heart fill with joy. Alan gave us a story with depth and weight, but kept us from drowning in sadness by tempering it with humor and lots of love.
McKelle George
Series: n/a
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
This was a really great retelling. I loved the characters and the banter was top notch. This book was fun and charming. I smiled, laughed, swooned, and cheered and cannot wait to read more of George's work.
Stephanie Garber
Series: Caraval, #1
Publisher: Flatiron Books
This book was hyped, and it lived up to the hype in my opinion. Garber created such a magical world for the characters to explore. I found her descriptions quite vivid, and I was easily pulled onto the island. This was a magnificent adventure filled with romance, mystery, and magic.
Carlie Sorosiak
Series: n/a
Publisher: HarperTeen
This book was the perfect blend of fluff and substance, hard and soft, heavy and light, happy and sad. It took me through just about every emotion, and left me with my heart bursting with joy. If Sorosiak continues to write books like this, I will read every one of them.
Wendy Brant
Series: n/a
Publisher: Kids Can Press
This one just shot me right in the feels, and it gave me so much more than I expected. I loved the characters and I found myself totally invested in their lives. This was a beautiful and moving story of love and sacrifice, that left me with a mile-wide smile.
Katherine Webber
Series: n/a
Publisher: Delacorte Press
This book filled my heart, broke my heart, made me smile, made me *sniffle*, made me happy, made me sad. I felt just about every emotion while I was reading Wing Jones, and I loved every minute of it. This was a stunning debut from an author I want to read more from featuring strong family ties and a stellar heroine.
Amy Giles
Series: n/a
Publisher: HarperTeen
This was a tough read. It is never easy to sit by as someone's spirit is broken, but I am grateful for the little pieces of joy and hope Giles embedded in the story. It was an honest and sensitive look at child abuse infused with some joy and hope, which was quite intense and left me a little raw, but hopeful.
Sara Biren
Series: n/a
Publisher: Amulet Books
I am utter trash for grief books, and I knew this book would elicit tears, when a few escaped as I read the author's introductory note. This is a sad story of what happens when a life is cut short. It's about those who are left behind, and how they are supposed to survive without that person. A lovely and poignant story of love and loss which hit me right in the feels, and is leaving me wanting more from Sara Biren.
Jared Reck
Series: n/a
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
This heartfelt and funny story of love, friendship, and family broke my heart, but was also terribly lovely. I had a physical book hangover from all the crying, but I loved all the moments I shared with Matt. This book was an emotional rollercoaster. I still cry when I talk about it, so I was obviously deeply affected by the story of first love, first heartbreak, love, and loss. I found this to be a solid debut and I look forward to reading more stories from Reck.
Now it's your turn!
What were some of your favorite debuts of 2017?
Let us know in the comments!
WOW 50 debuts!! Zenn Diagram was such a cute read. I am not even sure which books I read were debuts to be honest but I am sure I read some great ones!
ReplyDeleteI kept track because I was doing a debut authors challenge, but you know, I love getting to know an author from book one.
DeleteCaraval wasn't a total success for me, but I liked it enough to want to continue with Legendary when it comes out!
ReplyDeleteI know some people had issues with it, but it delighted me. I think because I am not really a fantasy reader, I am not as harsh on certain things that are really important to SFF readers.
DeleteCaraval was on mine as well!
ReplyDeleteI really liked it. The world was interesting and I want to know more.
DeleteI loved Speak Easy, Speak Love too. Hopefully, we'll get another novel by McKelle soon! I'm hoping to get to If Birds Fly Back in the new year since it sounds like the kind of book I usually love. Caraval was a mixed bag for me. Some parts I liked but some parts made me want to rip my hair out; however, I'm still curious enough to read Legendary.
ReplyDeleteMcKelle dazzled me!!! That book was fabulous. I adored If Birds Fly Back. It had a cool mixed format and I thought the story was great.
DeleteI love that Zenn Diagram made your list. That was a surprise favorite read for me this year.
ReplyDeleteZenn was one of the most pleasant surprises I got this year. This book keeps popping up on my lists, because I loved it so much.
DeleteCarval is one I really want to read! I also have Speak Easy Speak Love on my kindle waiting for me whenever I am reading.
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely check out Speak Easy. Every character is incredible, and it was a great re-telling. Nothing but love.
DeleteI totally agree with you on Caraval! It is so incredible and really hard to believe that it is a debut. I am really looking forward to book 2 in the series. I also really enjoyed When Dimple Met Rishi. Great list! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I had Legendary right now. I really enjoyed the book, and the things Garber was telling us at BookCon really whet my appetite for the next book. WDMR was a win for me. Any book that makes me that happy deserves a place on my best list.
DeleteI am floored that you read upwards of 50 debuts this year! Go you!
ReplyDeleteI was so impressed with A Messy, Beautiful Life. The way Alan managed to inject such humor into a serious subject was perfect.
My list would include A List of Cages by Robin Roe (broke my heart), Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman (everything I love in a YA), and Goodnight Nic by Marley Jacobs (I laughed, I cried).
It was a goal of mine to read debuts. Just think about it. When all those authors blow up, I can say I was an early fan, right? Entangled books are usually good for me, but A Messy, Beautiful Life was great. A List of Cages is on my shortlist. I have been meaning to read it. I know I will love it. Upperman rated high for me. She made my preliminary list and her new books looks awesome! I just read the synopsis and your review for Goodnight Nic, and I added it to my TBR.
DeleteSo happy you added Goodnight, Nic! It was fantastic and I’m so glad I took a chance on it.
DeleteDebuts are great - I like finding new favorite authors! I still need to read Speak Easy Speak Love and Caraval still. I feel like I'm always behind on the more popular YA books. haah
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Both were so great! I don't know if all my books were the most popular. I definitely had quite a few major reads on my list, but I think I found some lesser known gems too. I hope more people will take a chance on them.
DeleteI didn't remember that The Short History was a debut author. I enjoyed that one and hope to read Caraval soon.
ReplyDeleteShort History is Reck's debut. I can't wait to see how his next book destroys my heart.
DeleteI need to get to Caraval. It sounds like a lot of fun and I just never got to it in 2017 *sigh*
ReplyDeleteCarval was fun. I thought the world was very interesting and the magic was cool too.
DeleteGreat list! I enjoyed Caraval this year as well!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely looking forward to more from Garber.
DeleteLoved Caraval and Now Is Everything! I'm not sure if I already mentioned this to you, but feel free to link these Top 10 of 2017 posts up to my Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up. I'm including end of year posts this month too!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Yeah! Glad we had some favorites in common. I will definitely check out your link up. Thanks!
DeleteYaassss! Genie Lo was awesome - I can't wait for more! :)
ReplyDeleteI know!!! You made me so happy, when you told me there was going to be a sequel.
DeleteYou did great with the debut authors. I loved Caraval and want to read Genie Lo and Speak Easy soon.
ReplyDeleteGenie Lo was fantastic! So much fun and packed with action and wit. Speak Easy was fabulous. I adored George's writing and her characters were incredible.
DeleteI need to pay closer attention to which books are debuts. I usually don’t know. It looks like you read some good ones.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!