A week or so ago, I got all psyched for ten books I can't wait to read in 2013. All of those books I am so excited for (and am thinking they'll be on my fave reads of the year list). All of them are from authors I already know and love.
I am also getting excited for books from unknown-to-me authors. Which is the best kind of feeling, having something to look forward to. Books with awesome premises, gorgeous covers and that just give off this vibe that I am going to totally love them.
So here's ten books I am also itching to check out this year, all from authors I've never read before (most are debuts)
[links in the titles got to goodreads]
1. Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair
Sept 3
Now that Leah Kurtz has a place to call home, there’s no way she can tell the truth.
That her name is Faith, not Leah.
That she’s seventeen, not nineteen.
That the baby isn’t hers—she kidnapped her.
She had to kidnap Addy though. She couldn’t let her newborn sister grow up like she did, with parties where the drugs flow all night and an empty refrigerator in the kitchen holding nothing but pickle juice and ketchup packets inside.
She can’t risk losing Chris—the only guy she’s ever given herself to completely—by telling him she’s been lying. He’s the most generous person she’s ever known, and he’s already suffered the tragic deaths of his mom and infant sister.
But being on the run with a newborn catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions, and Chris’s aunt finds a newspaper article about Faith and a missing baby. Faith knows it’s time to run again—from Chris and the only place that’s ever felt like home.
I am seriously ALL OVER THIS ONE, you guys. I love the synopsis and the cover is my kind of mesmerising. I have so many hopes for falling in love with this book.
2. Canary by Rachele Alpine
August 1
Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone.
Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete.
But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes.
Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse.
Canary has me so intrigued with the high stakes premise. And it has me hooked with the mix of prose and verse. I love verse novels, hey. Also, what an utterly stunning and evocative cover.
3. The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
March 21
He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.
Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?
But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.
A whole lot more.
Basically this just looks cute, sounds fun and is pretty different to my usual kind of read. I'm in.
4. Wild Awake by Hilary T Smith
May 28
Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:
1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.
Things that actually happen:
1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.
Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.
I love the blurb for this, pitched to get me smiling already. Love the premise and that cover is just screaming to be read. Also, has some so very favourable early reviews <3
5. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
April 30
A charming and laugh-out-loud novel by Lauren Graham, beloved star of Parenthood and Gilmore Girls, about an aspiring actress trying to make it in mid-nineties New York City.
Franny Banks is a struggling actress in New York City, with just six months left of the three year deadline she gave herself to succeed. But so far, all she has to show for her efforts is a single line in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters and a degrading waitressing job. She lives in Brooklyn with two roommates-Jane, her best friend from college, and Dan, a sci-fi writer, who is very definitely not boyfriend material-and is struggling with her feelings for a suspiciously charming guy in her acting class, all while trying to find a hair-product cocktail that actually works.
Meanwhile, she dreams of doing "important" work, but only ever seems to get auditions for dishwashing liquid and peanut butter commercials. It's hard to tell if she'll run out of time or money first, but either way, failure would mean facing the fact that she has absolutely no skills to make it in the real world. Her father wants her to come home and teach, her agent won't call her back, and her classmate Penelope, who seems supportive, might just turn out to be her toughest competition yet.
Someday, Someday, Maybe is a funny and charming debut about finding yourself, finding love, and, most difficult of all, finding an acting job.
Guys, doesn't this just sound like the perfect rainy day comfort read? And it's by Lauren Graham! <3 I really love breaking up a YA streak with a good adult novel and this one sounds just like my kind of thing.
6. Premeditated by Josin L McQuein
A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists.
Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why.
Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan.
Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair.
Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage.
Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire.
By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.
I've heard so much good stuff about this one. It's not my usual thing, but I am thinking that could be a good thing, hey. I'm pretty keen to check this one out.
7. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
I am not all burnt out of dystopia/post-apocalyptic stuff (largely due to the fact that I have steered clear of many... haha). This sounds good. Great, even. I'll be picking this up, for sure. Anyone read Yancey before? My library doesn't stock him, but I've heard he is rather brilliant.
8. Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor
Meet Anne Dowling – a fresh, original, and funny new YA heroine whose knowing, irreverent voice will remind readers of Pretty Little Liars and Private.
Anne practically runs her exclusive prep school on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she burns part of it down. Accidentally. Her lawyer father decides to send his not-quite-so-innocent only daughter to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to reform her bad girl ways and make it back to New York, making friends at the Wheatley School is the last thing Anne cares about. There is one girl Anne is able to stand, though—her roommate Isabella. That is, until Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.
Anne is convinced someone knows what happened to Isabella the night she was viciously murdered—but no one is talking. That’s when Anne starts to notice how old and creepy the Wheatley School really is. When she meets Isabella’s twin brother and learns he also thinks the school might be covering up the truth about Isabella’s death, Anne can’t help it…she starts poking around. Utilizing her lock-picking skills, unmistakable charm, and the help of a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping around in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.
You guys, I am not usually into the pretty little liar scene (or Kate Brian's series) but I have more than a feeling Kara Taylor's debut will be something fresh and unique. Once upon a time I read an earlier manuscript of Kara's and I loved it so. Her voice and humour was amazing and she brought this really dreamy swoon in the form of a hot Aussie muso = love. If this premise at all intrigues you, you should definitely be adding this to your wishlists.
9. If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin
August 1
Throughout their whole childhood, Finn and Autumn were inseparable—they finished each other's sentences, they knew just what to say when the other person was hurting. But one incident in middle school puts them in separate social worlds come high school, and Autumn has been happily dating James for the last 2 years. But she's always wondered what if...
The night she's about to get the answer is also one of terrible tragedy.
I am intrigued by this one. I love a good sad, haunting kind of contemporary. And I have always loved exploring what ifs. Also, the cover is so simple but has this perfect emotive vibe, like wishing in the rain.
10. Meet Me At the River by Nine De Gramont
October 15
Stepsiblings Tressa and Luke, close as children, fell in love as teens, and neither the disapproval of those around them nor even Luke's death can keep them apart as long as Tressa needs him.
OKAY I AM TOTALLY CHEATING WITH THIS ONE.
Nina De Gramont's book, Every Little Thing in the World, is one of my fave contemporary YA reads of recent years. I would have had this on my earlier lst, but only just discovered it. YOU GUYS. I don't even care that the blurb is so short, I am completely sold and insanely excited to finally read more of Nina's work. So wanting this. Such long wait...
So, tell me, are any of these books on your wishlist?
I would also love to know which books you're dying to get your hands on (I am a teeny bit out of the loop with upcoming reads...)
I am also getting excited for books from unknown-to-me authors. Which is the best kind of feeling, having something to look forward to. Books with awesome premises, gorgeous covers and that just give off this vibe that I am going to totally love them.
So here's ten books I am also itching to check out this year, all from authors I've never read before (most are debuts)
[links in the titles got to goodreads]
Sept 3
Now that Leah Kurtz has a place to call home, there’s no way she can tell the truth.
That her name is Faith, not Leah.
That she’s seventeen, not nineteen.
That the baby isn’t hers—she kidnapped her.
She had to kidnap Addy though. She couldn’t let her newborn sister grow up like she did, with parties where the drugs flow all night and an empty refrigerator in the kitchen holding nothing but pickle juice and ketchup packets inside.
She can’t risk losing Chris—the only guy she’s ever given herself to completely—by telling him she’s been lying. He’s the most generous person she’s ever known, and he’s already suffered the tragic deaths of his mom and infant sister.
But being on the run with a newborn catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions, and Chris’s aunt finds a newspaper article about Faith and a missing baby. Faith knows it’s time to run again—from Chris and the only place that’s ever felt like home.
I am seriously ALL OVER THIS ONE, you guys. I love the synopsis and the cover is my kind of mesmerising. I have so many hopes for falling in love with this book.
August 1
Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone.
Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete.
But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes.
Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse.
Canary has me so intrigued with the high stakes premise. And it has me hooked with the mix of prose and verse. I love verse novels, hey. Also, what an utterly stunning and evocative cover.
March 21
He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.
Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?
But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.
A whole lot more.
Basically this just looks cute, sounds fun and is pretty different to my usual kind of read. I'm in.
May 28
Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:
1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.
Things that actually happen:
1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.
Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.
I love the blurb for this, pitched to get me smiling already. Love the premise and that cover is just screaming to be read. Also, has some so very favourable early reviews <3
April 30
Franny Banks is a struggling actress in New York City, with just six months left of the three year deadline she gave herself to succeed. But so far, all she has to show for her efforts is a single line in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters and a degrading waitressing job. She lives in Brooklyn with two roommates-Jane, her best friend from college, and Dan, a sci-fi writer, who is very definitely not boyfriend material-and is struggling with her feelings for a suspiciously charming guy in her acting class, all while trying to find a hair-product cocktail that actually works.
Meanwhile, she dreams of doing "important" work, but only ever seems to get auditions for dishwashing liquid and peanut butter commercials. It's hard to tell if she'll run out of time or money first, but either way, failure would mean facing the fact that she has absolutely no skills to make it in the real world. Her father wants her to come home and teach, her agent won't call her back, and her classmate Penelope, who seems supportive, might just turn out to be her toughest competition yet.
Someday, Someday, Maybe is a funny and charming debut about finding yourself, finding love, and, most difficult of all, finding an acting job.
Guys, doesn't this just sound like the perfect rainy day comfort read? And it's by Lauren Graham! <3 I really love breaking up a YA streak with a good adult novel and this one sounds just like my kind of thing.
A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists.
Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why.
Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan.
Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair.
Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage.
Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire.
By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.
I've heard so much good stuff about this one. It's not my usual thing, but I am thinking that could be a good thing, hey. I'm pretty keen to check this one out.
The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
I am not all burnt out of dystopia/post-apocalyptic stuff (largely due to the fact that I have steered clear of many... haha). This sounds good. Great, even. I'll be picking this up, for sure. Anyone read Yancey before? My library doesn't stock him, but I've heard he is rather brilliant.
Meet Anne Dowling – a fresh, original, and funny new YA heroine whose knowing, irreverent voice will remind readers of Pretty Little Liars and Private.
Anne practically runs her exclusive prep school on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she burns part of it down. Accidentally. Her lawyer father decides to send his not-quite-so-innocent only daughter to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to reform her bad girl ways and make it back to New York, making friends at the Wheatley School is the last thing Anne cares about. There is one girl Anne is able to stand, though—her roommate Isabella. That is, until Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.
Anne is convinced someone knows what happened to Isabella the night she was viciously murdered—but no one is talking. That’s when Anne starts to notice how old and creepy the Wheatley School really is. When she meets Isabella’s twin brother and learns he also thinks the school might be covering up the truth about Isabella’s death, Anne can’t help it…she starts poking around. Utilizing her lock-picking skills, unmistakable charm, and the help of a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping around in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.
You guys, I am not usually into the pretty little liar scene (or Kate Brian's series) but I have more than a feeling Kara Taylor's debut will be something fresh and unique. Once upon a time I read an earlier manuscript of Kara's and I loved it so. Her voice and humour was amazing and she brought this really dreamy swoon in the form of a hot Aussie muso = love. If this premise at all intrigues you, you should definitely be adding this to your wishlists.
August 1
Throughout their whole childhood, Finn and Autumn were inseparable—they finished each other's sentences, they knew just what to say when the other person was hurting. But one incident in middle school puts them in separate social worlds come high school, and Autumn has been happily dating James for the last 2 years. But she's always wondered what if...
The night she's about to get the answer is also one of terrible tragedy.
I am intrigued by this one. I love a good sad, haunting kind of contemporary. And I have always loved exploring what ifs. Also, the cover is so simple but has this perfect emotive vibe, like wishing in the rain.
October 15
Stepsiblings Tressa and Luke, close as children, fell in love as teens, and neither the disapproval of those around them nor even Luke's death can keep them apart as long as Tressa needs him.
OKAY I AM TOTALLY CHEATING WITH THIS ONE.
Nina De Gramont's book, Every Little Thing in the World, is one of my fave contemporary YA reads of recent years. I would have had this on my earlier lst, but only just discovered it. YOU GUYS. I don't even care that the blurb is so short, I am completely sold and insanely excited to finally read more of Nina's work. So wanting this. Such long wait...
So, tell me, are any of these books on your wishlist?
I would also love to know which books you're dying to get your hands on (I am a teeny bit out of the loop with upcoming reads...)
Hello there! A lot of the books on your wishlist are on mine as well. Wild Awake and Someday, Someday, Maybe are at the very top of mine. :D
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that Lauren Graham wrote a book. I'm excited to read it and see if her bubbling personalty will shine through the pages.
ReplyDeleteSo many of these sound great!! Wild Awake especially sounds fun and interesting. Great choices. =)
ReplyDeleteAwesome list!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so waiting for Canary and Leap of Faith! and I actually got Someday, Someday, Maybe for review - I adore Lauren Graham since Gilmore Girls so I'm really excited!! -
I hope you get to read all of these.
Nome so many great books on your list! I can't wait for Wild Awake, Canary, The Art of Wishing and If He Had Been With Me either, they all sound fantastic! I've seen The 5th Wave everywhere as of late, so I think I will have to give that book a try too! Also Leap of Faith? How had I not heard of that book before! I'm adding it to the tbr as we speak! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of most of the books on your list, and yet most of them sound awesome. This is good for me! Leap of Faith and Wild Awake especially catch my attention--A+ for that wonderful Wild Awake synopsis. And I agree with you in being excited for a new Nina De Gramont book. I remember reading Every Little Thing in the World and being mesmerized by how well she wrote.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your excitement!
I had no idea Lauren Graham had a book releasing. Must read that one! I'm also really looking forward to reading Premeditated! Some great picks here, Nomes! :)
ReplyDeleteWHAT! Lauren Graham, aka THE Lorelei Gilmore, has a book coming out?? And set in the 90s??? I need this now!
ReplyDeleteI'm excited about Canary and Wild Awake too. I also can't wait for the new Text Prize Winner, Zac and Mia. Great picks, Nomes.
-Magige
Oh my Lauren Graham has a book! I am so excited. I LOVED Gilmore Girls.
ReplyDeleteWild Awake also looks really good, I'll be adding that to my list and Meet me By the River!
Wild Awake was FANTASTIC and I've heard GREAT things about the 5th Wave, so you're in for some great books for sure this year!(:
ReplyDelete