Top Ten Tuesday: 2013's New-To-Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies over at

The Broke And The Bookish!

This Week's Topic:
Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

Writing this list and going through the books I've read this year, I realized I really didn't read that many new authors.  I read a lot from authors I already enjoyed.  Hellooooo goal for 2014.  I love finding those new authours.  Last year, Jennifer L. Armentrout was my favourite new-to-me author.  This year, I have to say it was Rae Carson.  Guys, the Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy did terrible things to my heart.  I just loved it.  I cannot wait to read more from Rae, as well as these 9 other awesome authors!

Links to my reviews (if available):

The Girl of Fire and Thorns | The Crown of Embers | The Bitter Kingdom

Anna and the French Kiss | Partials | Fragments

The 5th Wave | Pivot Point | The Distance Between Us

Fangirl | The Summer I Turned Pretty | Burn for Burn

Fire With Fire | Golden

Reviews coming for Ann Aguirre's Razorland Trilogy

Who was your favourite new-to-you authour this year?  Who do I need to check out?

"Waiting On" Split Second

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

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Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything. (From Goodreads)

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If you have yet to read Pivot Point, do it now!  It is such an addicting book with an ending that left me a mess.  I'm sure the sequel will leave me no better.  Get ready guys, because Split Second hits shelves on February 11th, 2014!

Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Published July 2nd, 2013
HarperTeen
320 pages (Paperback)

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Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company. 

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about. (From Goodreads)

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I enjoyed The Distance Between Us, but I kind of had some issues with it.

As far as contemporary books go, it was a good read.  I sped through the first 80% of the book.  The story was easy to read and had a nice flow to it.  I always picture books as movies in my head as I read them, and this one in particular flowed wonderfully.  The relationship between Cayman and Xander built nicely.  I liked the sarcasm that Cayman used.  It was her way of separating herself from the real world, and many people, including myself, can relate to her feelings and doubts.

The first problem was that, with about 40 pages left, I sat the book down for almost a month.  I just lost interest.  If anything, the point I sat the book down at was the climax of the story.  There was no particular reason for this.  I just sat it down and went to something else.  When I finally did finish the book, I encountered the second issue.  The ending left so many questions open!  It felt like there should have been one or two more chapters, simply to tie up the loose ends.  The ending was simply to blunt for my liking, as if you reach a steep drop with no where to go.

I think fans of contemporary will really enjoy this one, with the exception of the ending.  I liked it, but wouldn't say that it was a favourite.

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Published February 12th, 2012

HarperTeen

343 pages (Hardcover)

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Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without. (From Goodreads)

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The question here is what took me so long to read this?  

I was skeptical at first.  My hatred of flashbacks is well documented, and while Pivot Point does not contain flashbacks, the strange POV had me seriously worried.  It's a single perspective that alternates between what I'm going to call two different realities.  It's strange, but original and very well done.  

The characters were fantastic.  It was really cool to see how the different scenarios dictated how Addie developed.  Then there are Trevor and Duke that are similar but oh-so different.  I liked seeing the different relationships, and how Addie changed with each.

And there was a love-triangle type thing that I didn't hate!  Me like!  I want to say that there was a moment between Addie and Trevor that actually made my heart flutter.  I wanted more Trevor the whole way, but even Duke gave me some swoon moments.  I call this madness!

Overall, I just loved Pivot Point.  It had it's slow moments, but was an original read with a crazy ending that has left me desperate for more.  Jump on this book now, and you will not be disappointed!

"Waiting On" The Distance Between Us

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week I am excited for...

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about. (From Goodreads)

Guys.  Look at that cover.  I am in love with it.  I guess the book sounds great, too.  Set for release on July 2nd, 2013, this is a book that I cannot wait to display on my shelf (and read too).

What are you waiting on?

Much love, Samantha