2011 Debut Author Challenge Wrap-Up

This year was my first year participating in the Debut Author Challenge and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. At the end of last year I had set myself the goal of reading at least 15 books by debut authors and I am proud to say that I have met that goal. In the process I discovered some fantastic new authors and books, and since this is the end of the year I though I would showcase a few of my favorites. So here are some of my favorite 2011 books by debut authors, in no particular order.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly was definitely one of my favorite debut books, if not one of my favorite books this year in general. I loved the premise and the way Cynthia Hand made the angel story her own. It was definitely a great read and if you haven't read it yet I really recommend that you do so as soon as possible.

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

I did not expect to enjoy Witchlanders nearly as much as I did which is why I'm including it on this list. High fantasy stories don't tend to be my cup of tea but with this one I found myself being drawn into the story and loving every minute of if. It was a truly fantastic read.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Everyone kept saying how good Angelfire was but I didn't end up reading it until quite a while after it released. And then I was kicking myself for having waited so long. I loved Ellie's story and everything about the world Courtney Allison Moulton created. This is definitely another book you want to read.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

When I first heard about Wither, I wasn't really sure how I would feel about a story that involves polygamy. But then I started reading and couldn't put it down. And the dystopian world that Lauren DeStefano created felt completely realistic and her writing had me captivated the whole way through.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I couldn't not include Divergent on this list. It was by far one of the best debuts and one of the best books I read this year. Despite its length, I read this one pretty much in one sitting because it was impossible to put it down. If you haven't read this yet, you absolutely need to because you are seriously missing out.

So these are some of my favorite 2011 debuts. There are many more that I enjoyed quite a lot as well, but none quite as much as I did these ones. And now I can't wait to read the sequels to many of these and find out what happens next.