There are a tonne of debut books out this month! Congratulations to all of the debut authors, and I hope you’ve been having the most wonderful few weeks.
Released in February
Once again, in order of appearance, here’s what a bunch of the February debuts are about. Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin features a teenager who isn’t sure which gender to ID as. Sometimes Riley is a girl, and sometimes Riley is a boy. Once again, there is a bunch of fantasy novels coming out this month, the most important (imo) of which being Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, which is a fantasy inspired by culture in the Middle East and also Westerns. I’ve got a copy of it that I need to jump into ASAP. Where Futures End by Parker Peevyhouse is about different (parallel?) worlds, so I am here for that. I’m not so sure about Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake since it’s a paranormal, and that’s not really my cup of tea, but feel free to shout at me if I should be reading it. The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie is set on a SPACE PIRATE SHIP AW YISS, and After the Woods by Kim Savage is a thriller that I am DYING to read. Speaking of dying to read, I neeeeed to get my hands on a copy of Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman, which is about Blackbeard before he became a pirate. I’m told there’s no pirating at all, but still. I live in hope. I keep getting These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas and Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto confused, but the former is Jane Austen meets X-MEN (SO YEAAAAAAH I must read it) and the latter is a steampunk that I’ve heard some… interesting… things about.
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The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
This book is, so far, my book of the year. The Girl From Everywhere is wonderfully written, with the perfect blend of time travel and mythology focussed mainly on Hawaii but also incorporating mythologies from India and China. I absolutely adored it, and the only reason I didn’t give it five stars was because of a stupid guy who I deeply dislike. He’s a Finn. And also because I want the story in the sequel to grow even better.
Assassin’s Heart by Sarah Ahiers
On the other end of the spectrum, Assassin’s Heart was awful. The writing was dull and it didn’t stand out to me or grip me at all. You can tell that this is a debut, as Ahiers has yet to find her own voice. The book is also full of clichés and it didn’t hold my interest.
So many great-looking books! I can’t wait to read BLACKHEARTS, WHERE FUTURES END, THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE, and REVENGE AND THE WILD. Bummer that ASSASSIN’S HEART wasn’t good. I know it’s gotten lots of buzz. Thanks for sharing your opinion!
I loved Revenge and the Wild, and thought Heidi Heilig’s prose in The Girl from Everywhere was so gorgeously descriptive. I agree with you re: Assassin’s Heart though – there were so many things about the book that put me off.