T5W: 2017 Debuts You Are Excited For

Hey guys!

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Laney at Gingerreadslainey and is now run by Sam at Thoughts on Tomes. Basically, there’s a new bookish category each week and I write about my top 5 things in that category every Wednesday. Click here to go to the Goodreads page to get signed up.

This Week’s Topic:

January 11th: 2017 Debuts You Are Excited For 

–There is already a ton of hype for well established authors, but here is an opportunity to discuss some debut (new) authors and showcase their books. There are plenty of debut author challenges and lists you can find if you are having trouble with this one 🙂 

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning 

Pitched as the never-before-told original story of the sea witch from Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” told in the vein of Wicked – from the villainess’s point of view

Click to check out the Goodreads page

Because “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Anderson was one of my all-time favourite childhood stories and because of my intense obsession with mermaids since the beginning of forever, this book definitely has to be on this list. I am also way into background stories of villainesses like my BFF, Elphaba from Wicked. I loved her and I have super high hopes for this villainess and book too. The sea witch from Hans Christian Andersen’s story was supremely evil and deliciously conniving. As a villain, she was fantastic. I almost want to laugh maniacally for her in celebration of this upcoming book.

If Found, Return to Astropop by Lucas Hargis

In which, unaware of one another’s gender or appearance, two gender fluid teens become mutually smitten by reading each other’s journals.

Click to check out the Goodreads page

Admittedly, this description leaves a lot to my imagination, so I’ll just say what put it on this list. I was really interested when I read about the anonymous courtship that was founded in the reading of one another’s journals. I liked the idea of the two ‘gender fluid’ main character, but the anonymity definitely struck a big chord with me.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. 

Click to check out the Goodreads page

I was insanely interested in this book when I first read the description. Given the events that have been reported in the media, and in political platforms, I am especially intrigued by this storyline.  I loved the idea that through Starr’s struggles of dualistic identity, the reader might gain an understanding of the social and racial problems pervading our attention. This book is probably my absolute favourite on this list, apparently arranged in an entirely random order.

Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot

The story of a teen girl’s struggle with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and how love helps her on the road to recovery.

Sixteen-year-old Pea looks normal, but she has a secret: she has Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). It is like having a monster inside of her, one that not only dictates what she can eat, but also causes anxiety, depression, and thoughts that she doesn’t want to have. When she falls crazy-mad in love with Ben, she hides her disorder from him, pretending that she’s fine. At first, everything really does feel like it’s getting better with him around, so she stops taking her anxiety and depression medication. And that’s when the monster really takes over her life.

Click to check out the Goodreads page

It’s been far too long since I’ve read a book about the struggles of addiction and the inner strength that is required for the sufferer to get their life back. I’ve always been crazy -interested in this topic and would absolutely love to read it! I’ll admit that upon reading the description,  I was (and am) a little nervous about the involvement of this Ben guy in the storyline. I really, really hope that he doesn’t ‘save’ the suffering protagonist of the story.  Barf. However, I’m trying to stay optimistic about this one.

The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy

What if the ordinary things in life suddenly…disappeared?

Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home–and the place where Juliet grew up.

Click to check out the Goodreads page

This concept of disappearing memories is truly intriguing and always has been ever since I saw Momento or read about Hermon using a charm to make her parents forget about her existence in the Harry Potter series. I have super high hopes for the awesome potential in this book and can’t wait to see how it turns out. I would absolutely love to get my teeth in this one in 2017!