Debut Author Challenge: 2016 Wrap Up!

It's time to wrap up the one challenge I did (and completed!) in 2016.  The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

My goal for 2016 was to read 12 debut books, and I read 12!  Here are the books that I've read since my last update in September:

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

Nothing is as it seems in the old-fashioned town of Rowan's Glen.

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival

Underwater by Marisa Reichardt

A girl struggles with her role in a school shooting.

I'm planning on doing the 2017 Debut Author Challenge as well.  Sign up here!

How did you do in your challenge?

Update me in the comments below!

Underwater by Marisa Reichardt

Underwater by Marisa Reichardt
Published by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux in January 2016
Debut Challenge 2016

"Morgan didn’t mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive—first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then herself.

But Morgan can’t move on. She can’t even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she’s underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school.

When it seems Morgan can’t hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside."

Will you like it?
I loved the slow evolution of Morgan over the entire book.  She transitioned slowly from being total recluse to going back to a version of her old normal.  Morgan also struggled with father issues, and that also played a huge part in her wanting to become better.

I really liked Evan.  He understood what Morgan went through, but didn't take any of her crap.  I truly appreciated him standing up for himself.  Yes, Morgan was sick but that didn't mean that she needed to treat him like crap.  I loved their relationship.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library.

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Published by Sourcebooks Fire in January 2016
Debut Challenge 2016

"10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03 a.m. The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05 a.m. Someone starts shooting.

Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival. " - From Goodreads

Will you like it?
This book.  So many strong emotions.  So many brutal moments.  I wish I would have found out more about each of the characters.  It was a pretty short book, so there would have been enough space to delve into the backgrounds more.  I especially wanted to know more about the shooter, and maybe even have a chapter with his point-of-view so that we could get a sense of how he worked.  This had a lot of violence, so this isn't a book for those who are sensitive to it.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers in May 2016

"Stay on the roads. Don’t enter the woods. Never go out at night.

Those are the rules in Rowan’s Glen, a remote farming community in the Missouri Ozarks where Ivy Templeton’s family has lived for centuries. It’s an old-fashioned way of life, full of superstition and traditions, and sixteen-year-old Ivy loves it. The other kids at school may think the Glen kids are weird, but Ivy doesn’t care—she has her cousin Heather as her best friend. The two girls share everything with each other—or so Ivy thinks. When Heather goes missing after a May Day celebration, Ivy discovers that both her best friend and her beloved hometown are as full of secrets as the woods that surround them." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Wow! I was pleasantly surprised with this book.  I loved the character development in this book.  Ivy and her friends weren't the only ones that were fleshed out; all characters that we came into contact with had some backstory.  I also factor into my ratings on mysteries how fast I can figure out "whodunit".  With this story, I was SHOCKED with every twist and turn that happened.  This is definitely a must read for those who really like mysteries and suspense.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library.

Debut Author Challenge: September Check-in

I've decided to do quarterly check-ins for the ONE challenge I'm doing this year.  The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

My goal for 2016 is to read 12 debut books, and by the end of September I have read 9 out of 12 books.

After the Woods by Kim Savage

After surviving a kidnapping, Julia finally understands why she was taken.

The Killer in Me by Margot Harrison

Nina is connected to a serial killer.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

How is your challenge coming along?

Update me in the comments below!

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers in March 2016
Rebel of the Sands #1

"She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him... or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
I really liked this story.  Until 3/4 through the story.  A plot twist came out of nowhere and I would have appreciated some foreshadowing.  I get why the author did what she did, but I felt blindsided.  Also!  When Jin and Amani finally get to their destination, he acts really different.  I know the author tried to make it Amani's story, but I also felt that Jin turned from hot to cold too quickly.  I still plan on reading the rest of the series though.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The Killer In Me by Margot Harrison

The Killer In Me by Margot Harrison
Published by Disney-Hyperion in July 2016

"Seventeen-year-old Nina Barrows knows all about the Thief. She’s intimately familiar with his hunting methods: how he stalks and kills at random, how he disposes of his victims’ bodies in an abandoned mine in the deepest, most desolate part of a desert.

Now, for the first time, Nina has the chance to do something about the serial killer that no one else knows exists. With the help of her former best friend, Warren, she tracks the Thief two thousand miles, to his home turf—the deserts of New Mexico.

But the man she meets there seems nothing like the brutal sociopath with whom she’s had a disturbing connection her whole life. To anyone else, Dylan Shadwell is exactly what he appears to be: a young veteran committed to his girlfriend and her young daughter. As Nina spends more time with him, she begins to doubt the truth she once held as certain: Dylan Shadwell is the Thief. She even starts to wonder . . . what if there is no Thief?" -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Truthfully, I was really annoyed with the main character for the middle third of the novel.  Nina doubts herself and her visions.  It wasn't like a "maybe these are dreams" but a litany of "maybe, yes, no" over and over again.  Would read it again for the ending though.  The premise was very interesting, and I would recommend this book solely based on that fact.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

After the Woods by Kim Savage

After the Woods by Kim Savage
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in February 2016

"Would you risk your life to save your best friend?

Julia did. When a paroled predator attacked Liv in the woods, Julia fought back and got caught. Liv ran, leaving Julia in the woods for a terrifying 48 hours that she remembers only in flashbacks. One year later, Liv seems bent on self-destruction, starving herself, doing drugs, and hooking up with a violent new boyfriend. A dead girl turns up in those same woods, and Julia’s memories resurface alongside clues unearthed by an ambitious reporter that link the girl to Julia’s abductor. As the devastating truth becomes clear, Julia realizes that after the woods was just the beginning."  -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Some of the parts of this book are far-fetched.  The video game that allows women to be hunted like deer?  Honestly, if that truly existed and was as popular in the book in real life, there would be so much backlash to shut that game down.

I really like Julia.  She was analytical and wanted to understand her kidnapping, and so she turned to facts and figures to try to explain it away.  When that couldn't work, she went looking for answers.  Liv (the best friend) was definitely bitchy in trying to make Julia forget and not delve into the circumstances behind the abduction too hard.  But I thought this book was a good thrilling read with two very flawed main characters.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

Debut Author Challenge: June Check-in

I've decided to do quarterly check-ins for the ONE challenge I'm doing this year.  The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

My goal for 2016 is to read 12 debut books, and by accident I have read 6 out of 12 through June.

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

How did Blackbeard become a terrible pirate?

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

A great reminder that life is messy.

How is your challenge coming along?  Have you read something that I need to read?

Leave a list or link in the comments!

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman
Published by Simon Pulse in February 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Normally I am not the biggest fan of historical fiction.  But this book was AWESOME.  I was drawn in with the first chapter.  While the synopsis refers to Teach Drummond as Blackbeard, when we begin our story he is just a merchant's son.  I loved the way that his and Anne's relationship grew- slowly and steadily- rather than a quick dive.  This book is going to be a series, and I am super PUMPED.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin
Published by Simon Pulse in January 2016.
Debut Author, 2016

"Few things come as naturally to Harper as epic mistakes. In the past year she was kicked off the swim team, earned a reputation as Carson High’s easiest hook-up, and officially became the black sheep of her family. But her worst mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend, Declan.

Now, after two semesters of silence, Declan is home from boarding school for the summer. Everything about him is different—he’s taller, stronger…more handsome. Harper has changed, too, especially in the wake of her mom’s cancer diagnosis.

While Declan wants nothing to do with Harper, he’s still Declan, her Declan, and the only person she wants to talk to about what’s really going on. But he’s also the one person she’s lost the right to seek comfort from.

As their mutual friends and shared histories draw them together again, Harper and Declan must decide which parts of their past are still salvageable, and which parts they’ll have to let go of once and for all."

Will you like it?
I had a hard time with this book.  It was messy, but almost too messy.  I was also underwhelmed.  It felt like another book where the girl is having a hard time and turns to drugs and alcohol.  The parents in this one.  Sheesh.  They should have seen that their child was struggling.  Overall, this book reminds me that life is messy, and everyone needs to heal at their own pace.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

Debut Author Challenge: March Check-in

I've decided to do quarterly check-ins for the ONE challenge I'm doing this year.  The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

My goal for 2016 is to read 12 debut books, and so far I'm really proud to say that I've kept up with my goal!  Through March, I've read four books:

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

What debuts have you read this year?

Leave a list or link in the comments!

Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers
Published by HarperTeen in February 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Lea is a kick ass assassin (female power!).  I loved the Mob aspects of this story, coupled with the threads of Romeo and Juliet.  While I did have a couple of moments where I wanted to beat Lea over the head with a stick, she did end up redeeming herself at the end (major character development).  Overall, this book is for you if you like fantasy coupled with star-crossed lovers and the Mob.  I hope Val plays a larger role in the next story.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Published by Katherine Tegen Books in March 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Murder!  Mystery!  Mayhem!  Those are great reasons to read this book.  My biggest draw was that it was a Holmes and Watson retelling with a TWIST.  First off, there are a few things that don't get explained.  For example, how Holmes/ Watson/ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are real people.  Charlotte's drug use is also glossed over, and I hope it gets resolved in the next books.  BUT.  The characters are wonderfully flawed.  While we know a lot of Watson's back story, I have a feeling we have only scratched the surface of Holmes.  Overall, it was a delightful mystery, and I can't wait to read more with these characters.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei
Published by Disney-Hyperion in January 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"Eight years ago, Addie Webster was the victim of the most notorious kidnapping case of the decade. Addie vanished—and her high-profile parents were forced to move on.

Mark Webster is now president of the United States, fighting to keep the oval office after a tumultuous first term. Then, the unthinkable happens: the president’s daughter resurfaces. Addie is brought back into her family’s fold, but who is this sixteen-year-old girl with a quiet, burning intelligence now living in the White House? There are those in the president’s political circle who find her timely return suspicious.

When the NSA approaches Darrow Fergusson, Addie’s childhood best friend and the son of the president’s chief of staff, he doesn't know what to think. How could this slip of a girl be a threat to national security? But at the risk of having his own secrets exposed by the powerful government agency, Darrow agrees to spy on Addie.

It soon becomes apparent that Addie is much more than the traumatized victim of a sick political fringe group. Addie has come with a mission. Will she choose to complete it? And what will happen if she does?" -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
The reason I picked this up was because of the kidnapping aspect.  I have a weird fascination with kidnapping stories.  While the kidnapping was a small secondary aspect of the story, this book did not disappoint!  This story has elements of cyber-terrorism and mild political thrillers, along with the dynamics of a dysfunctional family.  Overall, if you like political thrillers along with dysfunctional families, you should pick up this book!

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright
Published by Merit Press in January 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"In this modern day fairytale, Evie is on a path to figure out who her mom really was, while discovering for herself what the future will hold. Charged with her late mother’s letters, Evie embarks on a quest into her past. The first item on the list is to attend Oxford, her mom’s alma mater. There, Evie stumbles upon a real life prince charming, Edmund Stuart the second Prince of England, who is all too happy to be the counterpart to her damsel in distress.

Evie can’t resist her growing attraction to Edmund as they spend more time together trying to unravel the clues her mother left behind. But, when doubts arise as to whether or not Edmund could ever be with an untitled American, what really ends up unraveling is Evie’s heart. When Evie uncovers all the facts about her mom’s former life, she realizes her mom’s past can open doors she never dreamed possible, doors that can help her be with Edmund. But, with everything now unveiled, Evie starts to crack under the pressure of new family responsibilities and the realization that her perfect prince may want her for all the wrong reasons." --From Goodreads

Will you like it?
If you like romance at all, you will like this book.  If you like anything about the English royal family, you will love this book.  Overall, this was a perfect book to read on Valentine's Day.  It was light and fluffy; the perfect deviation from my normal heavy fantasy reads.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.

2016 Debut Author Challenge

I wasn't going to do any challenges this year.  BUT.  I decided to do the Debut Author Challenge hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

It was a challenge I signed up for last year, and I completely and utterly failed at keeping track of it.  Now I'm only going to do one challenge, so it should be much easier, right?  I'm going to try to do at least 12 books in 2016, but I hope I'm going to read more debuts than that.