Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. This week I'm sharing the top ten debuts I'm looking forward to this year. (click the book covers to go to the goodreads page for each book). 

1. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon




Being allergic to the world is an interesting concept - I'm curious to see how this one goes.

2. The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne






First of all, I love this cover. Plus, this sounds like a promising contemporary with the political, romantic, and family-drama themes that would be interesting to read about.

3. Tiny Pretty Things by Sonia Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton




I know there are other books about ballet out there (eg. Bunheads), but I am yet to read one - and this could be a good start.

4. The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes

This book looks like it has more depth than a simple YA survival story - I'm intrigued...

5. Between the Notes by Sharon Huss Roat

It's always fascinating to read books with a musical element woven into it, and this looks like a novel with heart too. 

6. Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

This is the story of a girl with schizophrenia who cannot tell the difference between delusion and reality - I've never read anything like this before but from the looks of reviews so far it's a really moving novel.

7. The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi

Having a book set in such a short period of time could make a really good read. 

8. First, There Was Forever by Juliana Romano

I love contemporaries with a strong friendship theme (eg. Walking on Trampolines, Summer Sisters) - so this one looks like it could be the next hit for me. 

9. The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman

This, like a few other books on my list, has been compared to We Were Liars - and since I loved that I can't wait to see what this brings to the table. 

10. Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

This is technically not a debut  (so I'm bending the rules a little bit) BUT I love that striking cover, and this sounds like a dream cruise which goes horrifyingly bad. 

Over to you - what books are you anticipating this year?

Genie's Weekly News (16)

Hi everyone and welcome to my weekly blog feature to recap the week with bookish news and what to expect coming up! So without further ado...

*Reading Right Now*





This is the conclusion to the Exalted series and I'm ready to see what big twists and turns will reveal themselves. 

*Previous Posts*

• The 2014 Recap and Annual Book Survey
• Review: In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken  
• Discussion: 5 things to do if you come across a non-reader  

*Recommendation of the Week*

Look out for the review of this one next week! It's JACKIE FRENCH. And amazing. (As usual.)

*From The Interwebs*

• Sunny @ A Sunny Spot celebrated her 3 year blogoversary
• Kelly @ Diva Booknerd recapped 2014 and had her 2 year blogoversary
• Jeann @ Happy Indulgence shared her favourite movies of 2014
• Emily @ The Loony Teen Writer posted her Janurary Loony Blurbs
• Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity talked about her 2014 challenge outcomes

*Haul*

One of my favourite authors and friends on the other side of the world, Jessica Brooks sent me this lovely present that arrived just in time for the end of 2014. It's a minature quote book around the theme of 'What Would Jane Do?' - giving some Jane Austen advice and wisdom from her books and letters. I love it! :)

*Sneak Peek at Next Week*

I'll be posting my review for To Love A Sunburnt Country by Jackie French, do the January Loony Blurbs post and more!

Mini Dual Reviews: Glenn Maxwell Cricket Series & Giveaway

Lucky Break by Glenn Maxwell/Patrick Loughlin
Series: Glenn Maxwell #1
Released: 1st December 2014
Genre: MG Contemporary/Sport
Source: Publisher
Pages: 167
Goodreads | Bookworld

The first Glenn Maxwell book finds a young cricket player hoping to survive a sports training camp where one of the best players is also his rival

Will Albright is a 12-year-old batting whiz and captain of his local cricket team, The Kew Rangers. But when his coach nominates him to attend a T20 Training camp, Will soon discovers that standing out in a sea of young cricket talent won’t be easy. Especially when Darren "Killer" McKinnon, a super quick pace bowler, has taken a deadly dislike to him. Luckily Will’s hero, Glenn Maxwell, is on hand to provide some much needed cricket advice. If Will can survive Killer’s bouncers long enough, he just may have a shot of making it through the camp alive and gaining a place at the brand new T20 Youth Academy.

Academy All-Stars by Glenn Maxwell/Patrick Loughlin
Series: Glenn Maxwell #2
Released: 1st December 2014
Genre: MG Contemporary/Sport
Source: Publisher
Pages: 154
Goodreads | Bookworld

In the second Glenn Maxwell book, an up-and-coming junior cricketer is mentored on his journey by a star Australian cricket player.

Talented young batsmen Will Albright has earned himself a place at the brand new T20 Youth Academy, but in order to prove himself worthy of playing for Victoria, he will first have to face everything the academy can throw at him—including more bone rattling bouncers from his arch nemesis, Darren "Killer" McKinnon. To make things even more challenging, Will must compete with his best mate Shavil for the highly sought-after opening batsmen spot. Can Australian T20 all-rounder Glenn Maxwell help Will adjust his game and earn a spot on the State team without losing his friend—or his head? .

Thank you to Random House Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The first two books in this new series by Australian cricketing legend Glenn Maxwell, in collaboration with author Patrick Loughlin, are sure to be a hit with middle-grade readers who are looking for something with a sporty theme. The great thing about these novels is that they not only stay true to the facts of the sport itself, but also have a positive message at their core. 

With a glossary at the back and profile of Glenn Maxwell himself at the end of the books, even children who play other sports will have exposure to a cricket-education. The cricket-buffs among young readers will also be able to take home some advice from Glenn with his own tips on batting and other skills which he learnt playing in the T20. In all, alongside the narrative itself it was nice to have these extra bonuses which add to the value of the books. 

Another positive element was the fact that these books aren't really bias towards either gender. Although the cover images may suggest that the stories are targeted towards boys, there are some prominent female characters as well who are outstanding cricketers themselves (and definitely put the boys to the test!). Glenn features as a character in the plot, which is an interesting twist which fans of his should appreciate. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

This series would be a promising kick-start to get kids reading if they aren't bookworms already. I'd definitely recommend it to any young hopefuls who are passionate about cricket, and are looking for a story that features an activity they are passionate about.

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Discussion: 5 things to do if you come across a non-reader

It's a pretty harrowing thought - but....some people out there DON'T READ. AT ALL.

Shocking, I know. *sigh*

In fact - they might just hate books altogether. 

That in itself is a hard thing to accept for us bookaholics - but alas - it is a phenomenon that does exist.

Though it may be tempting to simply look down upon people who think in this way, there are much more effective methods of turning even the most passionate book-haters into bookworms (or at least occasional readers), rather than simply doing this:

If you know any non-readers out there, here are a few of my tips on how to encourage them to pick up a book and get reading:

1. Explain that within the realm of infinite pages and possibilities, it's not all about those big heavy classics which may instill fear in some people because of their daunting size. 

Side note: This doesn't mean that one should avoid classics altogether for this reason - and in fact, there are some which are quite short eg. The Great Gatsby. 

Obviously there are many genres out there to choose from, and taking a person along to a library or bookstore with you could really be a positive experience. Try to suss out what they might like by making a few suggestions, and perhaps you could be well on your way to convincing someone that books aren't so scary after all.

2. If that doesn't work - maybe convincing them via movies could be a help. 

These days book-to-movie adaptations are more popular than ever, so if you know the person has seen a bookish movie, then why not say that it may be good to read the book? Even better, if you know an adaptation is coming out soon, a buddy-read may be helpful so that you can bond over the book before going to see the movie together.

The Fault In Our Stars is one of the most prominent examples, but a few others in the YA world include:

• The Maze Runner
• The Book Thief
• If I Stay
• Vampire Academy 
• The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay Part 1
• Divergent
• The Giver

3. Take them to a book event

Now it might be hard to convince them to go in the first place, but this could still be worth a shot. What they expect to be a gruelling and boring experience at first, might just turn out to be something they enjoy. If there are authors signing, that would be even more special - having a signed book and meeting the writer in real life can be really motivational when it comes to picking up their story which they took so much effort to write. 

4. Get reinforcements. 

In the form of your own companions who are fellow readers, or virtually through book blogs - providing exposure to a non-reader to these reading advocates can make all the difference. Getting them in touch with a non-reader to reader convert could well be a method of getting through to them from the perspective of somebody who's also felt that way. If they can understand that the reading community is a wide, welcoming and diverse one, then they might just feel more compelled to join. We don't bite (most of the time)*

*just kidding!

5. Last resort - shove a book in their face and hope for the best.

This gif is probably one of my all-time favourites. It just works in so many situations.

It's all or nothing - if all else fails, just giving them a book as a gift or one of your own to borrow (if you're willing to risk it), is something that could kick-start those non-readers who have no idea what to choose. Going for a well-known release might pay off in this case, especially if it's received lots of positive hype, but if you're willing to lend some of your own lesser-known gems then this could work as well. Encouraging them to enter book giveaways on blogs is another way to introduce them to books with the possibility of a freebie, as well as immersing them into a plethora of bookish posts to be found. 

If you're lucky and at least one of these options work, that person who once avoided books will become one who embraces them. 

What do you think of my tips? Do you have any of your own to add?

Review: In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken
Released: 1st November 2014
Series: The Darkest Minds #3
Published by: HarperCollins Australia
Genre: YA Dystopian
Source: Publisher
Pages: 485
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Bookworld | The Book Depository

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds. They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IANN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the rehabilitation camps housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

You learned to look up, craning your neck to gaze over the razor wire curled around the top of the fence. Otherwise, it was too easy to forget that there was a world beyond the rusting metal pen they'd thrown all of us animals into. 

In this epic conclusion to The Darkest Minds trilogy, Alexandra Bracken has once again shown that she sure knows how to execute stunning worldbuilding, complex characters and a thrilling plot. In The Afterlight is a dystopian novel that doesn't shy away from the action, and throws you right into the middle of it. For fans of the previous two books in the series, I can confidently say that this certainly didn't disappoint. 

Memory and imagination are two different beasts, processed and handled in different ways by the mind.

What I really enjoyed in this book was the more concentrated focus on the mental capabilities which Ruby and Clancy possess. It was interesting to see how Ruby utilised her 'orange' capabilities in different situations, trying to break through the mental barriers which other people held up and using them for good. She was also faced with challenges to using her 'powers', and the ethical side thinking back to what she had to do to Liam in the first book. All of these instances were described with Bracken's beautifully crafted imagery which aided in providing us readers with an insight into what Ruby can do. 

I wish I could have let myself believe that they'd kept her alive long enough to matter, but what was the point? It was easier to feel the numbness of certainty than live along the burning edge of hope.

Ruby as a character herself really grew as a person and matured in this story. She was able to take the lead of the group with Cole's help and work under pressure, along with kicking some but when it came down to it. I admired her strength, courage and selflessness throughout, and she has become one of my all-time favourite female protagonists. Aside from her, the secondary characters as always were given equal attention, which could definitely be achieved within the almost 500 pages. Despite the length, everything felt like it was necessary to build to the intense final chapters - as relationships were tested, unlikely pairings formed, and not everyone could survive. Zu, Vida, Chubs and Liam all have their own special roles to play, and it was great to see more into Zu's character especially. Vida as always had all the sarcastic remarks down-pat (which I loved), and Liam's southern charm obviously makes him hard to resist.  

These are the types of romantic feels you will be faced with. 

I saw the future with sharp clarity and it wasn't a road, it wasn't a sky, it wasn't anything beautiful. It was mud and rain and a thousand days bleeding into a stream of black. 

The real focal point of the novel is of course freeing the children in the camps, especially Thurmond which was the largest and most brutal. This is where the worldbuilding really came to shine, and you could sense that the author had taken much time and effort to create this world where children who are red, orange, green, blue or yellow are feared for their abilities. New secrets came to light regarding how they were treated, and the basis of IAAN in the first place. Government conspiracies, Clancy's manipulative attitude and new allies all made this story a thrilling one. 

"I see it in colors", I said. "A deep blue, fading into golds and reds - like fire on a horizon. Afterlight. It's a sky that wants you to guess if the sun is about to rise or set."

The message that I got from this book was one of hope. Hope that a society can change its mindset and not live in fear of the unknown or those who are different. Hope that love can be found when it is based on trust and that relationships, if they are based on a deep connection - can withstand anything. Hope that freedom can be achieved if people are determined enough to fight for it. Ruby and her comrades were at the cusp of changing their world for the better, and in all - I enjoyed every minute of watching them trying to achieve that.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In The Afterlight is the type of book that'll captivate you from beginning to end. I have been a huge fan of the series from the beginning, and now can't wait to see what Alexandra Bracken will write next!