Top Ten Tuesday (48)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Debuts of EVER

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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Debuts are hot tickets around these parts. I love reading books by first-time authors because, lots of times, they kind of blow me away with their new voices and worlds and characters. It wasn’t easy narrowing down my list of 10 favorite debuts, but this is, I think, I pretty good one. I love all of these debuts HARD, friends.

Graceling (Graceling #1) by Kristin Cashore

Yeah, yeah, I know. I keep dropping this one on y’all lately, I think because I’m itching for a reread before I jump into BITTERBLUE. But since we’re talking about my favorite debuts, I really can’t leave this one out. It’s too stellar and too important in my own reading experience to ignore. It basically ignited my interest in YA, and reignited my love for fantasy.

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Seriously one of the cutest, most heart-warming, slow-burny contemps in the world. PLUS a road trip, PLUS great writing, PLUS characters that really resonated with me. I could read this debut over and over again because I love it so much. Good stuff never gets old, you know?

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

I can’t deal with how much this debut blew me away the first time I read it, and how much it STILL blows me away to this day. I almost can’t believe that this IS a debut to be honest with you. It’s so passionate and emotional and gorgeous, and it has these imperfect, unique characters that I adore.

Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

This book came out in the shadow of DIVERGENT, itself a pretty awesome debut, but I’ve always had a softer spot for LEGEND. I think it’s because of the way I just felt this connection with Day. And you know what? June too. I know that she’s sometimes a little harder to like, especially in comparison to the charming Day, but I felt lots of emotions reading about both of their losses, and the way they come together…it just stuck in my mind.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Honestly? CINDER was so incredible. The world-building in this science fiction retelling of Cinderella was some of the best I’ve read. I’m not always the hugest sci-fi person out there, but I’m a BIG fan of this book: the characters, the world, the conflict, all of it. Another one that I had a hard time believing was the author’s first go round (although I believe Marissa Meyer cut her teeth on Sailor Moon fanfic, so she had some experience from that).

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling

DUH x infinity. If I hadn’t ever read the first Harry Potter, I wouldn’t be reading YA right now. I probably wouldn’t have gone to library school. I honestly believe this is true. Moving on.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

AHHH, Anna and Etienne! I just actually reread this book and I swear, it never loses its swooniness. This was one debut where I devoured it in one sitting and immediately became a fangirl of the author, avowing to read every one of her words forever.

The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern #1) by Shannon Hale

Another book that I keep bringing up lately, subconsciously projecting my need to REREAD. I can’t think of anything about this book that is less than awesome. I remember the first time I read it I took it out of my library and I was completely swept up in Isi’s story. Like, I felt like I was in the same world (I KNOW I’M WEIRD). That kind of magical stuff just doesn’t happen very often.

The Lightening Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

Percy! My goodness, I love these books. LOVE ‘EM. They appealed to my inner 10-year-old self, who checked the D’Aulaire’s book of Greek mythology out of her elementary school library and refused to part with it, even at the expense of late fees. Plus, Percy Jackson is one of those heroes who is instantly likable and awesome.

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (Pink Carnation #1) by Lauren Willig

Historical romance FTW! Also, spies. And sexytimes. And humor, and danger, and a pretty legit contemporary framing story, too. I’ve been a big fan of this series since this first one came out, and now I look forward to new books every year. SO good, and an excellent debut for sure.