Debut Author Challenge 2012

The List I created, which is different from the books I did read.

1. Struck
2. Grave Mercy
3. Throne of Glass
4. Catching Jordan
5. Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters
6. Pretty Crooked
7. Cross My Heart
8. The Selection
9. Wentworth Hall
10. Smart Girls Get What They Want
11.Girl Named Digit
12. Love and Leftovers

Review: Cold Fury

Sara Jane comes from an Italian family full of secrets.It isn't until her parents and her brother goes missing after her grandparents die that she figures out the truth. Her family's part of the mob.

Her uncle and his wife wanted more of the family business. Sara Jane suspects her uncle of taking her family. Men are coming after her, wanting the family notebook. A notebook she never knew existed, but a notebook she must find if she wants to survive.

Now Sara Jane's gone into hiding to try to figure everything out. A handful of clues lead her to discover a world hidden right under everyone's nose. Determination and the Cold Fury that runs through her veins are the only things keeping her alive.

My Thoughts: It took me a couple chapters but then I was hooked! One of my favorite books is The Godfather. Sara Jane's story reeled me in and I'm so happy it's the first of a new series. I loved watching Sara Jane figure out the mysteries within her family. I loved watching her fight the bad guys and tame the guys in the mob. I liked her interactions with her two friends and their love for movies. Lots of action, lots of danger, and lots of fights make this debut heart pounding and almost impossible to put down. 

Cover Thoughts: Interesting
Source: Sent for review by the author

Other Teen Books about the Mob:
Son of the Mob
Mob Princess

Review: Struck

* Comes out May 8th*

Destruction hits LA with an earthquake. Mia and her family are trying to escape from the harsh aftermath. Mia and her brother attend school only for the rations at the end of the day.

Their mother isn't well. She's a shell of her former self. Mia's trying to keep the family together. She's not happy when someone at school discovers her secret.

Mia's drawn to lightning. It's struck her over and over again and her body's covered with red scars. The lightning gives her power.

Now other people recognize her power and Mia's caught in a deadly struggle between two organization who claim they need her help. Mia could be the destruction of the earth or she could be the salvation. Mia's sure she doesn't want to be anyone's instrument, but will she have a choice?

My Thoughts: I loved the idea of the lightning as power and a weapon. It was a unique idea to me. I loved the forbidden love angle and Jeremy. He was intense, shy, nerdy, and determined. I liked Mia for her snark, her reservations, her loyalty to her family, and her strength. I liked the two cults - both interesting in their own way and both scary. The ending was intense, tying up the loose ends, but leaving room for more of Mia's story. (A quick check on Goodreads tells me that this book is Struck #1). A great debut with drama, cults, romance, and the possible destruction of the world.


Cover Thoughts: Great! I love the lightning and the scars.


Source: the publisher


Challenge: Debut Author Challenge 2012


Similar Read: Life as We Knew It

Review: Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters

Kelsey is about to start high school. She has big plans to change her image.

First on the list: get on a soccer team. CHECK. She makes the JV team. Unfortunately, she also makes an enemy out of the captain. Now she's stuck as a goalie and hating the fall sports season.

Next - find a boyfriend. Now that Jenna' moved away, maybe it's finally time to start dating Jordan Rothman. There's a big issue here that Kelsey never sees coming.

Finally she wants to find out who's taking the horrible photos of her and publishing them in the school paper. First there's the one from the first day of school in that horrible blazer her mom made her wear. Then there's the one asking if she's a new lunch lady. Then there's the one that scared her. Could they just print a normal picture of her, or better yet leave her alone all together?

Between horrible sporting events, trying to get a date, and horrible photos printed of Kelsey, life isn't going her way. At least she has her three best friends to keep her company. High school's not going to change their friendship....is it?

My Thoughts: I found this book extremely entertaining and loved reading it. I hope that Kelsey's high school years are ALL documented. I'd love to read about the rest of her years in high school and even her first year of college.

I loved the tight friendships - it reminded me of the girls in the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series. Just like Georgia, she had family drama.  I liked Jojo and her character's secret. I thought it was handled well and the outcome was super sweet.  I liked the romantic drama. I ADORED Ben. He was funny, charming, and nervous. All in all, Meredith Zeitlin knocked her debut out of the park. I can't wait to read what she writes next.
 
Cover Thoughts: I like it!


Source: My Library



Similar Read: The Daughters and The Darlings are Forever


Challenge: 2012 Debut Author Challenge

Review: Pretty Crooked

Willa and her mom move to a posh neighborhood where Willa enrolls in private school. It's the first time they've had money.  Willa isn't too sure about the school, but she lands among the Glitterati.

She soon discovers that the popular girls aren't the nicest girls. They talk trash about their fellow students, especially those students on scholarship. Willa can't bring herself to break up with the Glitterati, but she wants to find a way to help the scholarship students.

Willa begins thief lessons. Soon she's taking money from purses and buying items in secret for the girls.  She's a modern day Robin Hood. Willa loves the rush she gets from seeing the scholarship girls wear the clothes. She wants to do more and more.

Will her big ideas be her downfall?

My Thoughts: In writing this review, an idea just occurred to me in the future of the series. In my mind it makes sense and I can't wait to see if it's true. I liked this book. I liked the action. I liked the modern day Robin Hood idea. There were times that I didn't like Willa and I didn't understand her decisions.  I'm interested to uncover the truth about her mother. I really liked Tre. I didn't really like Aidan, but I could see his charm.  The ending took me by complete surprise and it will keep me reading the next book.


Cover Thoughts: Cute - but it doesn't totally match the book


Source: Netgalley

Challenge: Debut Author 2012

Review: Catching Jordan

Jordan's the quarterback for her high school football team. She's awesome at her job. She loves being in charge of team and being one of the guys.

Jordan's nervous about next year. She wants to go play for the University of Alabama. She's counting on her dream coming true. She's doing everything in her power to make her dream come true.

Ty moves to town. He's a big time quarterback from Texas. Jordan's never been interested in dating any of the players on her team - until now.

She's also nervous that Ty might be trying to steal her job. Can she win the guy and still keep her dream alive?

My Thoughts: I LOVED this one - I love gutsy girls and sports book. I loved the twist with Jordan and her father. I loved her friendship with Henry. I wasn't crazy about Ty. I liked the mature themes that ran through this novel. I loved how Jordan rules her team and the jokes she had with the guys. I loved the humor. I can't wait to read more by this author - a smashing debut!

Cover Thoughts: LOVE it - check out Melissa Walker's Cover Story

Source: My Library

Similar Read: Dairy Queen and Shut Out

Up Next: Stealing Parker out October 2012

Review: Love and Leftovers

Marcie's mom left her dad and moved halfway across the country. She thought it was just for the summer.

She was wrong. She's not returning home to her friends, to her boyfriend, to her school. Now she's forced to start a new school - where everything thinks she's stuck up because she wasn't friendly over the summer.

Marcie tries to cope with her life changing. She tries to cope with her mother's depression. She tries to move on with her life.

She meets a boy. He doesn't take the place of Linus her boyfriend, but he becomes something. She's not sure she knows what love is - and she desperately wants to find out. Who does she love? Who loves her? Can Marcie figure out her life?

My Thoughts: A debut novel - Love & Leftovers is a novel in verse. Marcie's confusion about life and love rings true. Her lost, her loneliness, and her feelings drive her actions. I enjoyed watching her figure out her new life and trying to blend it together with her old life. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Cover Thoughts: Cute - love the sneakers and how it works with the book.

Source: My library

Debut Author Challenge 2012

This is my second year participating in this challenge.

Here are some of the books I'm looking forward to reading:

Born Wicked : great cover - I love stories about witches. Plus there's banned books, tea parties, and a forbidden romance.
Gathering Storm: great cover with glittering balls, raising the dead, and a the choice between two boys.
Queen of Glass: No cover yet on goodreads and not much description - but a key word of assassin
Ditched: I really like prom books and this one look very different
Spies and Prejudice: the combination of Veronica Mars and Jane Austen sounds awesome
Pretty Crooked: Modern day Robin Hood with romance
What She Left Behind: family drama, a missing mom, and a big mystery
Seeing Cinderella: Magic glasses change the way Callie looks at the world
Cross my Heart: The death of her sister forces Laura into a different life - where things aren't what they seem.
Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters: Looks awesome! Kelsey 's starting high school and she's determined to have a lucky year - however things don't go according to plan.
The Selection: America wins the chance to capture the Prince's heart - even though she has a secret boyfriend back home.
Reunited: Love the road trip idea with three girls who used to be best friend