AAA: Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of My Life Next Door: Top 5 Debut Books

For today’s post, I’m excited to share a post from debut author, Huntley Fitzpatrick. She blew us away with My Life Next Door and I’m sure you’re just as anxious as I am to get your hands on What I Thought Was True, which releases in 2013! Since Huntley is a debut author herself, I thought it would be interesting to see which other 2012 debuts she’s read, loved and recommends. Without further ado, please welcome, Huntley Fitzpatrick!

Top 5 Debut Books

Let me start by saying that I’ve never been good at ranking things. I don’t mean this as a slam against lists, because I’ve been grateful for so many of them. But I get confused, from Oscars to Newbury Award winners, how can you compare a comedy with a drama, a Leonardo di Caprio tearfest with a Steve Carrell laugh-out-loud comedy, a contemporary with a dystopian, a transporting musical with a drama that rearranges the world for you?

That said, I’m straying from the topic, which is my five top debuts of 2012. Just saying it wasn’t easy, and I agonized, and in the end decided to go with the first five that popped up when I wanted to recommend books to a teenaged friend today.

1. Pushing the Limits, by Katie McGarry
I am a sucker for the two-POV book. I so admire authors who can do this and make each perspective incredibly clear and true With this book, I was fell completely into the experience of both characters. Katie McGarry completely captures both Echo’s and Noah’s experiences, different yet interconnected in a fundamental way. I adored this book.

2. Gilt, by Katherine Longshore
I am a history junkie, and specifically a history junkie since reading DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey (if you haven’t read this classic history/mystery story, go find it). I followed that fascination into Henry VIII and you should too, because this amazing book is an extraordinary combination of history and modern day drama, showing in a beautifully written and heartbreaking way that they more we change the more we stay the same. Struggling all along the way with their conflicted relationship, Kitty Tylney follows her friend Catherine Howard into the heart of Henry’s court, and toward disaster for them both. This book kept me up all night, and pondering the could-have-beens long after that.

3. Something like Normal by Trish Doller
I never know where to start with this one, except to say get it, read it and you will love it. Travis comes back from his tour in Afghanistan to fight a different war at home—the quiet, necessary battle of making peace with your family and learning what it means to grow up. His only true—unexpected—ally is Harper, a girl who has her own reasons to distrust and dislike him. Travis’ voice, genuine, conflicted, ultimately compassionate, was what made this book shine for me. One to read and reread.

4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
This book absolutely astonished me. At first, I hesitated to pick it up. A retelling of Cinderella, set in China in the distant future? And Cinderella is a cyborg? Um….?But I kept hearing such wonderful things that I couldn’t resist reading a page….and got completely hooked. The world Meyer sets up is so intricate and so beautifully imagined that it is, indeed, hard to believe this is her first book. A must-read.

5. Scarlet by AC Gaughen
I’ve always been fascinated by Robin Hood and eagerly sought out as many retellings of his story as possible. Scarlet is one of the best, turning the legend on its head by reimagining one of Robin Hood’s lesser known sidekicks, Will Scarlet, as a strong, spirited girl in disguise. This book hits all the high notes—love, adventure, non-stop action, heartbreak—and a heroine with a winning sense of purpose and social justice. I loved it.
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Find Huntley on: Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

A HUGE thank you to Huntley for stopping by and sharing this amazing post with us! I’ve read Pushing the Limits, Gilt and Something Like Normal and loved them all. Cinder and Scarlet look great and since Huntley and I share a similar taste in books, I’m sure I’ll enjoy them both!

Are you a fan of Huntley? Then what are you waiting for? Take the time to appreciate Huntley, by sending her a tweet or message to say thanks and spread the love.

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