I must admit, I don’t normally seek out debut novels unless I hear a lot of good buzz about them; the 2017 releases I’m most excited about are from authors I already know I like. But this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic intrigued me enough to see what I could find, and sure enough, there are several upcoming debuts that look really interesting! Here they are, in publication order:

1. Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale (1/10/17, Del Rey) — This novel is a historical fantasy based on Russian folktales, and according to the cover blurb, it’s perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Naomi Novik’s Uprooted. In other words, the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s night! Find more info on Amazon here.

2. Kristen Orlando, You Don’t Know My Name (1/10/17, Swoon Reads) — I’m a sucker for books about spies, and this one is about a teenage spy-in-training who falls in love with the boy next door. Find more info on Amazon here.

3. Caroline Leech, Wait for Me (1/31/17, HarperTeen) — A World War II novel about the forbidden romance between a Scottish girl and a German POW? Yes, this is relevant to my interests. Find more info on Amazon here.

4. Elan Mastai, All Our Wrong Todays (2/7/17, Dutton) — This book is set in an alternate universe where all those 1950s predictions about “the future” (flying cars, colonization of the moon, etc.) came true. But the main character somehow ends up in our universe instead and must figure out how to get home — or whether he actually wants to. Find more info on Amazon here.

5. Sandhya Menon, When Dimple Met Rishi (5/30/17, Simon Pulse) — The Amazon summary says this is “a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt YA romantic comedy, told in alternating perspectives, about two Indian-American teens whose parents have arranged for them to be married.” I find the tradition of arranged marriages to be fascinating, so I’m definitely interested in reading this one! Find more info on Amazon here.

6. Tiffany Pitcock, Just Friends (8/1/17, Swoon Reads) — I’m not quite sure I follow the plot of this book, but it seems to involve two teens who accidentally become friends and/or whose relationship begins as a ruse. I really enjoy both the “friends to lovers” and the “fake relationship becomes real” tropes, so this one looks very interesting. Find more info on Amazon here.

7. Katy Upperman, Kissing Max Holden (8/1/17, Swoon Reads) — Another teen romance about friends who fall in love. Okay, so my tastes are a bit predictable. Find more info on Amazon here.

What other 2017 debuts should be on my TBR list?

I realize I’m almost a week behind at this point, but I really wanted to do this Top Ten Tuesday topic and list my 10 favorite books of 2016. My list is not exclusively 2016 releases; any book I read this year is fair game. Here’s the list, in no particular order:

1. Helen Simonson, The Summer Before the War — A lovely, character-driven novel about romance and politics in an English village in the months leading up to World War I. My mini-review is here.

2. Alice Tilton, Beginning with a Bash — A Golden Age mystery that feels like a screwball comedy, complete with fast-talking dames and gangsters galore. My mini-review is here.

3. Lucy Parker, Act Like It — An utterly charming contemporary romance that has me impatiently awaiting Lucy Parker’s next novel (which fortunately comes out in February!). My review is here.

4. Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven King — A fitting conclusion to the wonderful and unique Raven Cycle, which contains a surprising number of Owen Glendower references for a young adult series. My mini-review is here.

5. V.E. Schwab, A Darker Shade of Magic — A compelling fantasy novel with a fascinating premise (parallel universes with varying degrees of magic) and well-fleshed-out main characters. I can’t wait to read the sequels! My mini-review is here.

6. Genevieve Cogman, The Invisible Library — Another great fantasy premise: there are an infinite number of universes whose only point of connection is an invisible central library that collects and preserves the literature from each world. My review is here.

7. Jacques Philippe, Interior Freedom — A short but powerful work about letting go of anxiety and trusting in God. This was the book that most deeply affected me this year. My review is here.

8. Georgette Heyer, Envious Casca — One of Heyer’s best mysteries, combining her trademark wit and character development with a top-notch murder mystery. My mini-review is here.

9. Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends — An excellent YA contemporary that’s all about friendship, with a bonus adorable romance. My mini-review is here.

10. David D. Levine, Arabella of Mars — Jane Austen meets Horatio Hornblower in space! My mini-review is here.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I’ll be honest: I know that Christmas is not about the presents, but I still like to receive them, especially if they’re books! Most of my family and friends don’t buy me books, oddly enough…maybe they figure I’ve already read whatever they might pick out? Anyway, here are 10 books I’d like to get from Santa, in no particular order:

1. Melissa McShane, Burning Bright — I heard about this book from inge87 at LibraryThing, who always has amazing recommendations! Also, it’s Regency-era fantasy, which we all know is my kryptonite.

2. Stephanie Scott, Alterations — I may have mentioned this one on a previous TTT list; it’s a YA contemporary retelling of Sabrina! So I obviously need to read it immediately.

3. Julian Fellowes, Belgravia — As a Downton Abbey fan despite the its many flaws, I’m very interested in reading Fellowes’s novel, which is set in the early 19th century.

4. Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning — Fantasy set in a school of magic in Victorian London? Romance, banter, and subversion of the “chosen one” trope? Yes, please!

5. Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends — I’ve already read this one, so technically I can wait for the paperback. But this book was so charming and good that I’m definitely going to need a copy for my own shelves!

6. Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane — When I first saw this book, I frankly thought it looked awful. But then I started reading all the rave reviews, the praise of the humor and fantasy elements, the comparisons to The Princess Bride. I’ve been converted — I need to read this book!

7. Lindsey Kelk, We Were on a Break — After reading and loving two books by Lindsey Kelk, she is officially on my auto-buy list! Fans of British chick lit should definitely check her out.

8. Jane Thynne, Black Roses — Earlier this year I bought another book by Jane Thynne, only to realize that it was the third in a series! Black Roses is the first book, and it’s about a woman who becomes a spy among the Nazis in 1930s and ’40s Germany. I’m eager to read the series but definitely need to start at the beginning!

9. Rachel Bach, Honor’s Knight and Heaven’s Queen — This author also wrote a fantasy series under the name Rachel Aaron, which I LOVED. So of course I want to read her sci-fi trilogy also! I have book one but have been stubbornly waiting until I own all three books to read it.

10. William Ritter, Beastly Bones — I really liked Jackaby, a clever YA historical mystery with more than a few nods to Sherlock Holmes. I’ve been meaning to pick up the sequels for a while, so if Santa wants to leave them under the tree, I’d be fine with it! 🙂

What books are you hoping to receive this Christmas?