FIVE Challenge: Great Debuts

I've been wanting to do some sort of a wrap-up post with 2010, with regards to reading books and blogging. What better way to get started than through Persnickety Snark's challenge?

These are in no particular order. All of these scored 5 stars, naturally. And I've limited this to 2010 debuts, since debut in the open-ended way just boggles my mind!

1. Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala {review}

Deeply complex and thought-provoking, Cupala's debut novel took great presence in my bookshelf. TMAS is so much more than a pregnancy novel; it takes providence with dealing with grief, overcoming familial strife, being alone but finding out that there is hope, that things that will be, will be. Not to mention that Ms Cupala is a total sweetie-pie, and the novel and its journey personally correlates to her past.

2. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver {review}

Before I Fall was the first debut 2010 novel that I tackled, and despite reading this one on computer, I sped through it. I love novels that are larger than life and teach without preaching the lesson: that every action has its own reaction. Sam is a total drama queen with a charmed life, which naturally provoked me to hate her. But then she grew as a person! ... *sigh*

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins {review}

Come on. What a breath of fresh air Anna was! So, so swoon-worthy with characters that felt real in a world that is real. Both light and heavy, Anna addresses so many different things, but not in an overwhelming kind of way. It was just beautiful, romantic...the romance between Anna and the Etienne was insane.

4. Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber {review}

This book is so, so, so ridiculously underrated. Crossing the Tracks is inspiring and very well thought out. The characters are written extremely well--I remember feigning deep disdain for Iris' father and loving Mrs. Nesbitt and dreamboat Leroy. This book would be perfect for a book discussion.

5. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger {review}

Characters well fleshed out. Bianca is sassy and sees the world for what it is: a giant crap bucket. She's not pessimistic; she's realistic. Keplinger's debut tells a great lesson, that you can't run from your problems forever. Feelings develop, spells are broken, and that-repulsive-guy-you-hate-with-benefits becomes something real. Love that the characters all have their own demons, and that no one character was perfect.

Honourable mentions:

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson {review}

Stork by Wendy Delsol {review}

The Light of Asteria by Elizabeth Isaacs {review}

I'm very disappointed in myself. I didn't get to reading so many debut 2010 novels. Such as Harmonic Feedback, which I've been dying to read since I started blogging (I finally scored  myself a copy!) So, for some of the top fives I'll be doing "Honourable Mentions", as well as "What Could Have Been" (which will have 5 titles).

What Could Have Been:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Girl Saves Boy by Steph Bowe
Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
Sea by Heidi R. Kling