Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward To Their Sophomore Novels

Since I missed last week's Top Ten Tuesday prompt about debut authors, who's sophomore novels we're most looking forward to, I am posting my list a week late.  This topic was too good to completely miss, so please excuse me being a week behind.  Let me know in the comments if you've read any of these debuts, and if you too are looking forward to their next novels.

1. Juliana Romano -- I read FIRST THERE WAS FOREVER earlier this year and was completely swept up by it.  It's the type of story this quiet contemporary reader really gravitates toward, full of heart and emotion, in the coming ages of being a teen.  Her sophomore novel, SUMMER IN THE INVISIBLE CITY, sounds just as fabulous -- I can't wait to read it!

2. Ellie Cahill -- Though I know this author is not a debut, as she uses this pen name for her New Adult novels, but I still decided to include her in this list because these are her first NA novels to write.  WHEN JOSS MET MATT was such a refreshing, addicting read.  I'm really looking forward to CALL ME, MAYBE, her second NA novel, because these are the type of fun, easy-going romances I crave.

3. Michelle Levy -- I'm not sure what this author is working on next, but after reading NOT AFTER EVERYTHING, I know it will be on my TBR list when it's out there.  This novel is another quietly, yet so emotional read that truly gripped me.  I have high hopes for what she plans to produce next.

4. Bethany Chase -- As the year wraps up, I already know this novel will be at the top of my favorites list, so of course I am looking forward to Bethany Chase's next novel.  THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY is everything I yearn for in adult contemporary fiction.  Everything from the depth of emotion, to the identifiable setting, to the unforgettable journey -- it all just swept me up and away.  I will read anything this woman writes.

5. Annie Cardi -- Another emotional, yet so rewarding debut that completely won me over.  THE CHANCE YOU WON'T RETURN was one of my favorite debuts read last year, so of course I am eagerly waiting to read what Annie Cardi has in store for her readers next.  I know it will be brilliant!

6. Kristin Rae -- WISH YOU WERE ITALIAN was such an adventurous, fun debut from Kristin Rae!  Her writing style captivated me in an unexpected way.  What could have been told from just the surface, delved much deeper -- casting a unique, and unforgettable story.  I am really looking forward to her sophomore novel, WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED.

7. Sarah Combs -- This list would not be complete if Sarah Combs were not on it.  Her debut novel, BREAKFAST SERVED ANYTIME was my most favorite read of 2014.  It so quietly, yet eloquently told the story of how one summer can change a young teen's life.  Her richness with words, and ability to tell an unforgettable story, pulled at my heart.  I know her next novel will be just as breathtaking.

8. Nickolas Butler -- SHOTGUN LOVESONGS was such an engrossing, beautifully told adult novel.  I listened to the audio of it and found myself sitting in my car idle, long after I reached my destination because I wasn't quite ready to turn it off.  BENEATH THE BONFIRE is sure to be amazing, I just know it, and now I must get my hands on it.

9. Ashley Poston -- Hello gorgeous book covers!  THE SOUND OF US was the perfect blend of music + romance + teenage angst for this contemporary reader.  I can't wait to read her follow up, WE OWN THE NIGHT, which I'm sure is going to be a win for me as well.

10. Jenny Kaczorowski -- Another series from Bloomsbury Spark that I am eagerly waiting to continue.  THE ART OF FALLING was a refreshing, enjoyable read and I am really looking forward to THE TRICK OF LANDING.  The So-Cal vibe is really screaming my name.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Review: Not After Everything by Michelle Levy

Not After Everything by Michelle Levy
Published: August 4, 2015 by Dial
Source: Received from the publisher

A gritty but hopeful love story about two struggling teens—
great for fans of The Spectacular Now, Willow, and Eleanor and Park

Tyler has a football scholarship to Stanford, a hot girlfriend, and a reliable army of friends to party with. Then his mom kills herself. And Tyler lets it all go. Now he needs to dodge what his dad is offering (verbal tirades and abuse) and earn what his dad isn’t (money). Tyler finds a job that crashes him into Jordyn, his former childhood friend turned angry-loner goth-girl. She brings Tyler an unexpected reprieve from the never-ending pity party his life has become. How could he not fall for her? But with his dad more brutally unpredictable than ever, Tyler knows he can’t risk bringing Jordyn too deeply into the chaos. So when violence rocks his world again, will it be Jordyn who shows him the way to a hopeful future? Or after everything, will Tyler have to find it in himself? [goodreads]

I have such a soft spot when it comes to contemporary YAs told from the male point of view.  And this novel did not disappoint one bit with its authentic, raw, emotional voice.  Immediately I was drawn to Tyler's story.  I saw his broken, misshapen, ugly world for what it was -- but I also saw the beauty and potential of what it could be.  Tyler's voice is the type that demands to be heard, but not in an overbearing way.  His story slowly unfolds through soft whispers, heart-stopping, emotional truths.  I could not tear my eyes away from this book until I saw it out until the very end.

Tyler's world revolved around high school football and the group of people he called his friends.  While his home life was a wreck, he put on the shiny facade that he'd crafted so well, to impress his girlfriend and those who idolized him.  But when his mother commits suicide, and his father uses him as the punching bag to take alcohol induced grief out on, Tyler's facade begins to crack.  He quits the football team, and breaks up with his girlfriend.  He's pulling away, burrowing in a dark hole, just biding his time until he's eighteen and old enough to leave his abusive father behind.  But the death of his mother continues to haunt him.  It's through his one stable relationship, with his therapist, that he begins to mend the pieces of his broken life back together again.

I really appreciate the brutally honest relationship Tyler had with his therapist.  Their interactions were among my favorites through out the novel.  My heart hurt for this broken boy, and seeing him able to reach out and really talk to someone, showed such potential and growth.  While finding his way down this new path, he also takes on a new job at a local photographer's studio.  It's here that he is forced to take a second look at someone who opens his eyes in a whole new way.

Tyler and Jordyn are complete opposites.  Their relationship begins as a mutual hate, but under all that fire lies a passion for something more.  I really appreciated the slow build that was formed between these two characters, and it wasn't an instant "let me fix you" type of relationship.  They had to understand one another first before they could build that trust.  It wasn't always easy, but the pay off was definitely worth the struggles.

This novel reminded me a lot of Mindi Scott's writing in Freefall, another YA contemporary told from a male point of view that I immediately gravitated towards.  The rawness and authenticity felt very spot-on, and I never questioned the protagonists's motives or intentions.  This novel packs a very powerful emotional punch; presenting dark and gritty themes.  There is no sugar coating in the realism of its portrayal.  If you're a fan of books that make you feel, and think long after the page has been turned, then I highly recommend picking this one up.  It's a story that will stick with me, one I'll continue to recommend for years to come.