Debut Showcase: March 2014

The purpose of this feature is to show you guys which YA debuts I'm most looking forward to, and which ones I've enjoyed. Hopefully it'll also help build some buzz around some of these debuts. There will be one post at the beginning of each month showing all the debuts that are being released in that month. I'll also be linking to my reviews of debuts from the previous month so you can see which ones were a hit!

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Uninvited #1
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Rating: ★★★

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

Having heard a lot of negative reviews about Jordan's first YA series, Firelight, I was hesitant to read Uninvited... but also kind of curious. The synopsis is what ultimately made up my mind, because I love a good dystopian where the government claims to be able to detect Kill Genes or Kill Instincts, or anything of the sort. This happened in The Forsaken as well, and it's always intriguing to see how the government deals with it. 

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer
Elemental #4
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Star Rating: ★★★★

Rating: Essential

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.

And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.

Gareth Brody sat in a chipped plastic chair in the prison waiting room, listening for the guard to call his name.

---

Since reading the novella, I have been very excited for Nick's story. He was never my favourite Merrick brother; in fact, while I certainly liked him, he was always my least favourite. I didn't feel as though I knew enough about him to really like him. But the novella changed that, and after reading it I had hoped that he would grow on me more. 

Top Ten Books I'd Give A Theme Song To

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books I'd Give a Theme Song To

This was such a fun list to write! Some of my choices are a bit obscure (cf. #10), but I'm not even sorry. Feel free to link up your lists in the comments below so I can see which topic you've chosen to do this week!

New Releases: February 25 - March 3, 2014

A couple of these sound really good, particularly the contemporaries! I'm in a contemporary sort of mood at the moment. Which releases are you looking forward to? Also, I wanted to thank all of you who comment on these New Releases posts. I was considering stopping doing them so I could post more reviews and discussions, but since a lot of you seem to find them useful, I will carry on. I'm glad to help!