2012 Debut Author Challenge.

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

• To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013.*

*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

RULES & GUIDELINES:

• You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. 
• Your blog must be written in English.
• Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:

• Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
• Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
• If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
• If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

Here are 12 debuts next year that I hope to read, more will be added along the way.

Book Review (20).

On a Dark Wing

by Jordan Dane 

Publication: 27th December 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 384

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

"The choices I had made led to the moment when fate took over. I would learn a lesson I wasn’t prepared for.
And Death would be my willing teacher."


Five years ago Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her lucky break came at the expense of her mother’s life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.

Now she’s the target of Death’s Ravens and an innocent boy’s life is on the line. When Nate Holden—Abbey’s secret crush—starts to climb Alaska’s Denali, the Angel of Death is with him because of her.

Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.

My Thoughts.

I have to start by saying I loved this book, the story starts five years before Abbey has her Mum pick her up from school because she missed the bus, on the way they are in a car accident, while Abbey's lying there a boy with blue eyes  that resembles clouds takes her hand  (Angel Of Death) she hear's her Mum say her name and that is all she remembers, her Mum dies and she wakes up in hospital.

Five years later and Abbey's not popular on account of her Father being the local mortician who keeps the dead bodies in their basement until they're buried, her only friend is a boy named Tanner who is in a wheelchair after being paralysed when he was 12.

Abbey has a crush on a boy at school Nate he and his friend Josh are going to be climbing the Denali mountain with his Dad and some of his Dad's friends (this storyline has to do with Abbey and Death) , every year around her Mum's birthday Abbey and her Dad go up to their family cabin to remember her Mum and it's there she comes face to face with Death again, he's always been watching her and even fell in love with her and he eventually tell's her what happened after the accident (there's a lot Abbey can't remember).

I won't say any more in case I spoil it but when I got to chapter 7 I was like WTF??????

I liked the concept, the part about the accident when Death was telling her what actually happened had me in tears and I liked the alternating views of all the different characters.

I give this 4/5.

Book Review (19).

A Vampire for Christmas

by Laurie London (Goodreads Author), Michele Hauf (Goodreads Author),Caridad Piñeiro (Goodreads Author), Alexis Morgan

Publication: 1st November 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 384
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Appropriate: Adult


All they want for Christmas is you…

It's the time of year for twinkling lights on trees and kisses under the mistletoe. Yet the passing of another year means nothing to the stunning immortals who lurk in the shadows of the new-fallen snow.

And they don't care if you've been naughty or nice.

Let four fanged lovers open your eyes to a passion you never dared to imagine. After all, there's no place like home for the holidays—and these dazzling vampires can't wait for an invitation.

My Thoughts.

I loved this book and will definately seek out a physical copy.

Enchanted By Blood - Laurie London.

I loved this story it's part of Laurie's Sweetblood series and while I've never read that series I understood what was going on just fine.

Charlene went out to a nightclub with her friend Kari who then ditched her for a guy on the way to her car she is followed by two men just as they are about to attack she's saved by a man who shows up out of nowhere, unknown to Charlene the man who saved her Trace is no stranger he's a vampire she had a relationship with a year prior but he wiped her memory after she saw his cousin killing a woman after feeding on her.

As humans aren't allowed to know about vampires he felt it was the only thing left to do, he ends up hiring her to decorate his house for Christmas (she's an interior designer) and she eventually find's out what he is, and that they used to be together.

I loved this and will definately be checking out the Sweetblood series.

Monster's Don't Do Christmas - Michele Hauf

Daniel has only been a vampire one year after being changed one night on his way home from working on Wall Street , he's in the middle of a fight with two werewolves when they are interrupted by a woman Olivia who then invites Daniel into her home to tend to his wounds.

Olivia and he are instantly attracted to each other but when he find's out she's a famous singer he shy's away not wanting to be in the spotlight because of what he is, this story is about a celebrity who just wants to live a normal life and a vampire afraid of falling in love.

When Herald Angel's Sing - Caridad Pineiro

Over a century ago Damien was human and in love with Angelica, that all changed one Christmas Eve when Angelica was killed while trying to save Damien in a fight with a vampire who then changed Damien into a vampire too, a century later and it's Christmas again and the year before Angelica had come back but was ultimately killed again while trying to save Damien in a fight with the same vampire 100 years ago, this year she's back again and we find out she's actually his guardian angel who's trying to save him from killing and going to hell.

This story had a sort of a It's A Wonderful Life theme to it.

All I Want For Christmas - Alexis Morgan

Eagan is a vampire and was born that way, he's an undercover cop who's precinct is full of supernatural beings while on the hunt for some out of control vampires who are paying money to people to drink their blood stakes out at a diner run by Della who see's the good in everyone and doesn't realise most of the customers who frequent her diner are of the supernatural variety. 

They're attracted to each other but it takes Eagan a while to come around, it isn't until Della cuts herself one night and Eagan heals her with his saliva and blood she finds out who he is.

I loved this anthology and give it 5/5.

Australian Vs. U.S.A Book Covers.

Mercy (Mercy #1)

by Rebecca Lim 

Australian.

American.

In My Mailbox (6).

In My Mailbox Is A Weekly Meme Hosted By The Story Siren.

The Extended Edition.

Review.

Scholastic.

Bloomsbury.

NetGalley.

NetGalley.

Won.

Pre-Ordered.

Brought.

Book Review (18).

The Solstice Conspiracy

by Lee Rawn

Publication: 31st October 2010

Publisher: Lightspeed Publishing LLC

Genre: Fantasy

Age Appropriate: Middle-Grade

Two school-age children, Beth and Chris, deal with the challenge of moving to a new home, entering a new school, and then discovering that a garden near their yard has a number of mysterious inhabitants. As they begin to have strange encounters with the small residents dwelling close to their home, Beth becomes the target of some unfriendly creatures who begin to intrude on her daily life and cause her to seek help from unexpected sources.

My Thoughts.

Beth 11 years old, her brother Chris 13 years old and their parents have just moved into a house that's been empty for a few years, the house needs some attention including the backyard which has become more of a junkyard than a garden.

Unbeknownst to them the garden is a magical one a home for fairies and over the years as the garden has filled with junk the fairies have become lazy, and cause of this creatures called Wiggins have been trying to open a portal to come into the human world.

Through it all Beth who hasn't made any friends after first being frightened by Wiggins who threaten her and having her parents think she's hallucinating and going crazy, then see's Fairies but keeps this to herself after her parents reaction over her seeing the Wiggins.

She starts to clean up the garden helped by her neighbour Mrs Peasbody's grandchildren and the fairies.

Hijinks ensue with the Fairies, Wiggins and some Imps which keep you entertained.

While I enjoyed this story it didn't have me constantly wanting to read it, but I'm sure kids will be enthralled by it.

I give this 3.5/5