The Naughty List: A Debut Author Challenge Mini Review

Title: The Naughty List

Author: Suzanne Young

Pages: 272
 Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: February 4, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read For: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Won From: Story Siren - Feb DAC winner

Summary from Amazon: 
This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team
...more As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty!

When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe?

The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 
The Naughty List was a funny and unique debut book and such a pleasant surprise! The plot wasn't like anything that I have read before and since it was light and also funny, it made for the perfect book for my reading mood. Moving along quickly with several unexpected events, I bonded with the characters right from the start and just loved the premise of the story. Once I started reading, it was just so cute and good I didn't want to stop, so it didn't take me very long to finish. Despite how unique the plot was and it also very unrealistic that a cheerleading squad would form a society that catches boyfriend cheaters, but it was enjoyable so I didn't mind that it was unrealistic.

Overall, I highly enjoyed reading about the funny and charming SOS cheerleaders! I recommend The Naughty List to any girl who wants revenge for a former cheating boyfriend or just wants to read a story about girls catching the dirty cheaters. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series, So Many Boys! 

Rating:

Queen of Secrets: A Debut Author Challenge Review

Title: Queen of Secrets

Author: Jenny Meyerhoff

Pages: 240
 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication Date: June 22, 2010

My Edition: Hardback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read For: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received From: Henry Holt InGroup

Summary from Goodreads: 
This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team
...more This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team. However, she didn't expect her estranged cousin to join the football team. Micah is instantly branded a freak for praying during games, and Essie doesn’t want anything to do with him. As the football team’s teasing of Micah shifts into hazing, Essie is forced to make a choice between the boy she might love and the cousin she barely knows.
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 

Queen of Secrets was a sweet and honest novel about a young teen torn between her best friends, her new boyfriend, her cousin and the popular crowd. The characters and storyline were a tad cliche but nonetheless very enjoyable to read about. I finished basically the entire book in a day while at work during breaks and was very sad when I finished, partly because I loved the characters and also because I didn't have anything else to read. The story moved along quickly through Essie's story and her many secrets and troubles. The ending ended a little too perfectly, but I liked that Essie, her friends, and her family were all happy and that she no longer had to keep any more secrets.

I liked Essie's character, but at some points I just didn't understand how she could be such a follower, naive, and secretive mainly about keeping that the weird, new kid is actually her cousin. She is a good girl but just makes several mistakes along the way of growing up. I liked the relationship between Austin and Essie a lot because Austin always was loyal and kind and also very different than the popular crowd. The back story of her family and dead parents was very troubled and sad, and I could never imagine going through both parents dying then growing up with my grandparents as my guardians.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading about all the great characters and story. I recommend Queen of Secrets to anyone looking for a fast paced, relatable, and fun story with some high school relationships and cliches. Meyerhoff's debut YA novel was a pleasant surprise, so I'm looking forward to hopefully more YA novels by her soon! 

Rating:

Jane: A Debut Author Challenge Review

Title: Jane

Author: April Lindner

Pages: 384
 Publisher: Poppy

Publication Date: October 11, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Received From: Hip Scouts

Summary from Amazon: 
Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.

But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?

An irresistible romance interwoven with a darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 

April Lindner wrote a refreshingly sweet and enchanting debut novel about a young woman's experience through a loss, finding love, and discovery of beautiful self. Jane is a modern retelling of the classic Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and was so fantastic that by the end, I longed to start reading the classic Jane Eyre right away! The wonderful loveable characters and story were so great and very hard not to like, that to stop reading was virtually impossible. The reality of the plot ever happening is slim to none though, but besides that it was highly enjoyable to read.

Jane even though being a retelling of a classic was very unique and enjoyable. Jane knew her true self and her place in the world, but when suddenly both of her parents die leaving her with practically no money, she's forced to drop out of college and find a job as a nanny. Since Jane fit the criteria of level headed, non girly-girl, nor a obsessed fan of pop culture, she landed the job as being the nanny of a mega rock star's daughter Maddie. The story is all about Jane's experience at the Thornfield Park Mansion and the many new people she meets while there. All throughout the story were so many things I would have never expected but enjoyed them greatly! The romance in the story between Jane and her boss was sweet and irresistible, it made the story that much better.

Nico, Jane, and Maddie have made the list as some of my favorite characters from all the books I've read. They all had such unique personalities that made them much different than all the other literary characters but in a very good way. There were so many happy than sad moments but thankfully the end ended on a happy high note which I just adored. I loved Jane so much and definitely can't wait to read more from April Lindner in the future!

Rating:

Shadow Hills: A 2010 Debut Author Challenge Review

Title: Shadow Hills

Author: Anastasia Hopcus

Pages: 400
 Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publication Date: July 13, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read for: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received from: Anastasia Hopcus for review

Summary from Amazon: 
After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA -- a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach -- the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after -- seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Review: 
In Shadow Hills, Anastasia Hopcus writes an amazingly, unique story about a young girl Persephone "Phe" who is strangely connected to the town of Shadow Hills. The story has many great elements of romance, mystery, action, and town history which I highly enjoyed reading. The writing, characters, and back story were all very well-developed and unlike anything other YA book. At first, I didn't really get into the story, but when I actually sat down and started reading, I just couldn't stop. Once Phe learns the town's secret, the plot action quickens, and I didn't put the book down til I finished. The ending was one of the best and very satisfying and unexpected.

The beginning starts off with being introduced to Persephone Archer who moves to Shadow Hills to go the Devenish Preparatory School after her sister receives a brochure for the boarding school. Phe's sister just died and her family is very messed up about it, so Phe decides to move away to the town where her and her sister have been having dreams about. While at the school and town, everything starts to reveal itself about the mysterious dreams, the weird townies, and her part in the town's history. The characters were lovable and some very irritable, and I just loved Phe and her friends especially Zach. The relationship between Phe and Zach was complicated, but I loved them together.

I really enjoyed reading Shadow Hills and highly recommend picking up at the library or bookstore right away! Anastasia Hopcus is a debut author this year, and her first book is definitely a success. I can't wait to read her future YA books because they have to be just as fabulous as Shadow Hills. Thanks so much to Anastasia for sending me a review copy several months ago.

Rating:

My Blood Approves: A Debut Author Challenge Book Review

Title: My Blood Approves

Author: Amanda Hocking
Pages: 266

Publisher: lulu.com

Publication Date: May 5, 2010

My Edition: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal

Reading Level: Young Adult

Received from: Amanda Hocking for review

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham's life feels out of control after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave hits aside, Jack's unlike anyone she's ever met.

Then she meets his brother, Peter. His eyes pierce through her, and she can barely breathe when he's around. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him.

But falling for two very different guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood...

Review:

My Blood Approves tells a unique story of a vampire romance with a twist pretty different than most of the vampire stories I've read. Since the tremendous success of the Twilight saga, the popularity has brought tons of literature and movies that involve immortal and fantasy characters. Since then, every book I read that includes vampire characters seem to be rip offs or very similar to Twilight. Stories about vampires are definitely not at all new  and Twilight is also definitely not the most original either. So with that said, My Blood Approves' vampires had some very unique characteristics but the plot had several similarities to the saga. Besides the similarities, the story was very good and very hard to put down because of the romance, drama, and suspense.

The story is about Alice who's saved by a mysterious, older boy while in a sticky situation who later turns out to be a vampire. He attracts everyone around her except herself until she meets his family and they all start to bond over their unusual situation. With the knowledge of their true selves, her life turns upside down and results in her and the two vampire brothers to be in a very messed up love triangle. The stress of their messy relationship was so much fun to read, and I really enjoyed trying to figure out who Alice would end up with, either Jack who is lovable and kind or the one she is meant for the irritable and confused Peter. I loved Jack because he was so funny and nice, but I rooted for Peter and Alice together because her blood is meant for him.

The writing was good but there were several grammatical mistakes which did take away from the story. Besides that, I highly enjoyed My Blood Approves and really need to read the next two in the series. Unfortunately I don't have an ebook reader to read them on, otherwise I would buy them. The covers of the series are absolutely gorgeous and just love the clouds and trees on the vibrant background colors. Hopefully I can read Fate and Flutter very soon. You can buy the ebook of My Blood Approves for only 99 cents at Amazon, so I would recommend buying it right away. Thanks to Amanda for providing with a copy in exchange for a review!

Rating:

The Summer of Skinny Dipping Review: A 2010 Debut Author Challenge Book

Title: The Summer of Skinny Dipping

Author: Amanda Howells

Pages: 304
 Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: June 1, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read for: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received from: Sourcebooks for review

Summary from Goodreads: 
"Sometimes I still wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the very beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life. My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything...."

After getting dumped by her boyfriend, Mia is looking forward to spending a relaxing summer in the Hamptons with her glamorous cousins. But when she arrives she find her cousins distant, moody, and caught up with a fast crowd. Mia finds herself lonelier than ever, until she meets her next-door-neighbor, Simon Ross. And from the very first time he encourages her to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.

Timeless in feel, The Summer of Skinny-Dipping is a poignant, literary coming-of-age romance that will live on long after summer has ended. 

Review: 
The Summer of Skinny Dipping was much different than I was expecting but in a very good way. I didn't expect the great and emotional story and definitely not the sad and dramatic ending. The writing and story line was very detailed and easy to follow. I read it fairly quickly and even cried pretty hard at the ending. It is a perfect summer read which is good since summer is approaching quickly! I've loved basically every debut novel I've read so far this year, and this has held up as a really great one also.

The story begins with Mia who was just dumped by her first boyfriend and is going to spend the summer in the Hamptons with her family at her aunt's and cousins' beach house. She used to have a close relationship with her cousin but when she arrives she finds her cousin changed, distant, and moody with major issues. When Mia meets the boy next door Simon, everything starts to change. They start to form a close relationship as friends and then bond over late nights. The story focuses on solving family problems, finding first true love, and most importantly learning how to trust and how to be a friend.

The story moved along quickly from each night to the next and had absolutely no dull moments. I enjoyed reading about the late night swims Mia and Simon went on and especially enjoyed once they started to really bond and open up to one another. Mia's cousins were very irritating at times since they were total snobs, but as I found out more about their situation, they became more tolerable to read. At the beginning of the summer, Mia was a troubled teen with many family and self issues, but by the end of the summer, she finally found her true self and experienced the best summer of her life. 

The Summer of Skinny Dipping reminded me a lot of Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler because of the similar themes, but both had a very different storyline. If you liked Ockler's book or want to read a fun summer book, then I would definitely recommend reading The Summer of Skinny Dipping. Since I really enjoyed Howells's first YA novel, I'm looking forward to reading more YA stories by her in the future! 

Rating:

The Duff Review: A 2010 Debut Author Challenge Book

Title: The Duff: Designated Fat Ugly Friend

Author: Kody Keplinger

Pages: 288
 Publisher: Poppy

Publication Date: September 7, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: YA, 15+
(lots of sexual and language content)
Challenge Read for: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received from: Hip Scouts for review 

Summary from Amazon: 

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review:

Wow, The Duff was a hilarious, sweet story filled with friendship, boys, love, and family issues. The title alone (which is a term I've never heard but love it now) made me want to start reading it instantly...which I did! I couldn't believe when I found out the author, Kody Keplinger, is only eighteen and just started college. The novel was very well-written and had great descriptions and dialogue, so I absolutely can't wait to read more from her in the future! I starting reading it late at night and finished the next day. It is very fast-paced, and I loved every second of it.


The main character Bianca is unfortunately the "duff" of her friends. She comes to realize this after a jerky guy, aka Mr. Too Full of Himself named Wesley, tells this to her at a local teen club and nicknames her Duffy. The term starts to run her life and their newly forming relationship. Some family problems with her parents turn her life upside down, and she turns to a guy to get mind off things. Bianca is very realistic & knows how things are and is a tad pessimistic. Wesley is a play boy who does every girl and starts to like Bianca even though she is the Duff. Funny enough, they are actually perfect together but don't know this themselves. Bianca's friends however are the perfect supportive friends, and I really liked reading about them.


The plot was a little predictable but still very satisfying. The ending of course was a little maddening at first but ended just perfectly. I wish it never ended because I just couldn't get enough of the story and characters. If you're looking to read a funny, romantic, fast-paced, light, and amazing read, then I totally recommend reading The Duff!

Rating:

The Cinderella Society: A 2010 Debut Author Challenge Review

Title: The Cinderella Society

Author: Kay Cassidy

Pages: 336
 Publisher: Egmont USA

Publication Date: April 13, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read For: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received from: won from Kay's blog!

Summary from Amazon: 
Sixteen-year-old Jess Parker survives by staying invisible. After nine schools in ten years, she's come to terms with life as a perpetual new girl, neither popular nor outcast. At Mt. Sterling High, Jess gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret club of the most popular girls in school, where makeovers are the first order of official business. But there's more to being a Cindy than just reinventing yourself from the outside, a concept lost on Jess as she dives tiara-first into creating a hot new look.

With a date with her popular crush and a chance to finally fit in, Jess's life seems to be a perfect fairy tale. That is until the Wickeds--led by Jess's archenemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers her new sisterhood is about much more than who rules Mt. Sterling High School. It's a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys need Jess on special assignment. But when the mission threatens to destroy her new dream life, Jess is forced to choose between this dream realized and honoring the Sisterhood. What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Review:

The Cinderella Society was such a cute, funny, and a highly original Cinderella story. It starts off with introducing the main character Jess who has moved many times is used to being the "new kid". She doesn't fit in and is a social outcast until she is picked to become apart of the Cinderella Society. Jess becomes a Cindy whose mission is to keep the Reggies safe from the Wickeds. That may sound sort of weird and lame but believe me it's totally not, it's brilliant.

The plot was just so original and great...I loved it! The Cinderella Society is my new favorite Cinderella type story because it's definitely not your typical version with the evil stepmom & daughters and the happily ever after. It was so much better than that because they are a society which really cares about improving the lives of the members and the regular people.

The characters were another part I just loved. Sarah Jane (Jess's TCS Big Sister) was probably my favorite character because she a kind, honest, nice, and down-to-earth person. Also, Jess was a great heroin that I could really connect with. I didn't agree or like some of her decisions, but in the end she really started to understand her role and turned things around by being herself again. The relationship she starts after her TCS makeover was very entertaining but of course complicated. Their relationship was a little irritating at times because he could be a little mean and selfish. After hearing his side and his feelings, I finally understood his character and started to like him and Jess together.

The ending was great, but it has a cliffhanger for a sequel(s). I can't wait to find out what happens next in the sequel with will come out next spring! The cover is adorable and fits the book perfectly. I can't believe this is Kay Cassidy's first book because it is so amazing and well-written. The Cinderella Society is definitely one of the cutest, funniest debut novels of the year. I highly recommend picking up a copy today (it just came out this April 13)!

Rating:

Birthmarked: A 2010 Debut Author Challenge Review

Title: Birthmarked

Author: Caragh M. O'Brien

Pages: 368
 Publisher: Roaring Book Press

Publication Date: March 30, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge Read For: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received From: Henry Holt InGroup

Summary from Caragh's website:

After climate change, on the north shore of Unlake Superior, a dystopian world is divided between those who live inside the wall, and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. It’s Gaia’s job to “advance” a quota of infants from poverty into the walled Enclave, until the night one agonized mother objects, and Gaia’s parents disappear.

As Gaia’s efforts to save her parents take her within the wall, she faces the brutal injustice of the Enclave and discovers she alone holds the key to a secret code, a code of “birthmarked” babies and genetic merit.

Fraught with difficult moral choices and rich with intricate layers of codes, BIRTHMARKED explores a colorful, cruel, eerily familiar world where a criminal is defined by her genes, and one girl can make all the difference.


Review:

Wow, Birthmarked was such an amazing book! It had a totally unique, intriguing, dystopian story filled with adventure and action with a touch of romance. From the first page, I was immersed into the story and just had to keep reading. Never once bored while reading, every page just added to the intrigue of the book. It is truly a page turner that you wouldn't want to put down til you're finished.

I loved the main character Gaia because even though she is scarred and "ugly" on half of her face, she is a beautiful and strong girl. She went to great lengths to save her family and never once thought of giving up on them. I also loved Leon since he risks his own life to help Gaia and her family. It was really interesting to read about Gaia and her society in a weird time period set in about 300 years from now. Gaia is a midwife and every month she has a quota of three babies that have to be given to the Enclave. Her parents are then taken by the Enclave, and Gaia is left to wonder where they are and why they were taken. The book is about her story to find her parents and figure out what the Enclave wants from them.

I have never read anything like Birthmarked, and I really loved it. The ending was very dramatic and some events were very unexpected. It was a cliff-hanger that left me both happy and sad, so I hope there will be a sequel! This is Caragh's first book for teens, and she did an amazing job. It was well-written, and the characters and history were nicely developed. I loved the characters and the story she created, so I look forward to reading other books by her in the future.

Rating:

 

Guardian of the Dead: DAC Review

 


Title: Guardian of the Dead

Author: Karen Healey

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 

April 1, 2010

Pages: 333

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: YA & Ages 12+

Where I got it from: Hip Scouts 

Summary from Amazon:

This is an intriguing YA urban fantasy in the tradition of Holly Black and Wicked Lovely. Set in New Zealand, Ellie's main concerns at her boarding school are hanging out with her best friend Kevin, her crush on the mysterious Mark, and her paper deadline. That is, until a mysterious older woman seems to set her sights on Kevin, who is Maori, and has more than just romantic plans for him. In an effort to save him, Ellie is thrown into the world of Maori lore, and eventually finds herself in an all-out war with mist dwelling Maori fairy people called the patupaiarehe who need human lives to gain immortality. The strong, fresh voice of the narrator will pull readers in, along with all the deliciously scary details: the serial killer who removes victim's eyes; the mysterious crazy bum who forces a Bible on Ellie telling her she needs it; handsome, mysterious Mark who steals the Bible from her and then casts a forgetting charm on her. All of this culminates in a unique, incredible adventure steeped with mythology, Maori fairies, monsters, betrayal, and an epic battle.

Review:

Guardian of the Dead was an interesting and original but a very confusing book full of New Zealand mythology and history. I really was excited to read this book, and the beginning kept up to my beforehand excitement. The beginning was really good, and I really liked how it was written and the characters. Once I hit the middle, the story became very confusing with all the Māori mythology which I didn't really understand and I couldn't follow the history. I really liked the different mythical creatures, but I wish I knew more about the Māori and their culture, so I could've understood the book better.

Besides the mythology, I really liked the characters. The main character Ellie was a great character, and I loved reading from her point of view. I also liked her best friend Kevin, Iris, and her crush Mark. All the characters even the magicians were nicely developed and fun to read about. The ending wasn't as boring as the middle because there was lots of action. The ending was surprising and pretty good. In conclusion, I really liked the characters and the exposition of the story. The middle was a little boring and confusing, but the ending wrapped everything up and was even a little sad. I wish I had liked the story I little more, but I still recommend reading it. I look forward to reading more from the debut author Karen Healey because I really liked her writing style and the original story line.

Rating:

Before I Fall: Debut Author Challenge Review

 
Title: Before I Fall

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date:

 March 2, 2010

Pages: 470

My Edition: ARC Paperback 

Reading Level: YA: Ages 14+ 

Where I got it: 

B&N's First Look 

Reviewed for: B&N's First Look Book Club & Debut Author Challenge

Summary from Amazon:
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Review:
Before I Fall was an amazing story about a teenage girl whose every action on one single  day can make a huge difference in many people's lives. She lives the same day seven times and sees that every act she does has an impact on someone else. In the beginning of the story, you meet Samantha and her friends. They are the "popular" senior girls of the school, and everyone wants to be them and all that. They all are selfish, nasty, petty, and cruel to all the other unpopular people at their high school. They say and do want they want, and they get away with it because they don't think about how they affect everyone around them.

I won't go much more into the plot than what I stated above because you will figure that all out in the first twenty pages or so, and the unexpected plot makes the book so amazing. I loved the story because it was very original and unlike many other Young Adult books. The mean things Sam and her friends did made her very hard to like in the beginning of the story, but finally by the end I started to really like and even admire her. Once she finds out that she can change something important each day as she relives the same day over and over, she starts to make the right decisions and changes her attitude towards her old life.

The ending was sad, even though you knew what must happen. It was a really good ending, and it left me thinking about the story even after finishing it. I teared up at the end because I was moved by Sam's final act. She was a great character who made a total 360 by the end of the story. I don't have any complaints about the book, so I can guarantee you that you will have trouble putting this book down because each page keeps you wanting more. Even though she does relive the same day seven times, it never was repetitive because each day was so different. I can't believe this is Lauren Oliver's first book; it was very well written and unique, she made it seem like she had been writing for years. I look forward to reading other books by her in the future!

Rating:

2010 Debut Author Challenge Info & List

The Story Siren is hosting the 2010 Debut Author Challenge, and you can find out more about it at her blog HERE. The challenge runs from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. I'm going to try to read as many as possible because they are so many great new books coming out in 2010. You can sign up for the challenge HERE. Here is my list which will probably change many times as time goes by. I'm aiming at reading at least 20 debut books.

2010 Debut Author Challenge List:

1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver *

2. Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey *

3. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien *

4. The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy *

5. The Duff by Kody Keplinger *
6. The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells *

7. My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking * 

8. Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus *
9. Jane by April Lindner *
10. Queen of Secrets by Jenny Meyerhoff *
11. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young *

12. Dirty Little Secrets by CJ Omololu

14. The Iron King by Julie Kawaga

15. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

16. The Mark by Jen Nadol
17. Beautiful Between by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
18. Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards
19. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

BOLD = Own
* = Finished