Top Ten Tuesday – Authors New-To-Me In 2014

By Rachel

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favourite Authors New-To-Me In 2014

New To Me Authors 2014 1

1. Sarah J Maas – Who isn’t in love with this woman right now? She gets the top spot because I never thought I would find a book or series that would even come close to giving me the feels, anticipation and excitement of Harry Potter, and she’s managed it. Bravo.

2. Colleen Hoover – It’s thanks to blogging that I discovered Maas and Hoover, and I am so, so grateful because I can’t remember what my reading-life was like before I found this funny and genuine woman. Her unique stories amaze and move me!

3. Lauren Oliver – While I had a few issues with the Delirium series, I completely fell in love with Oliver’s writing style, and more than that this girl knows how to make your heart break, and there’s a messed up kind of enjoyment in that.

4. Tess Sharpe – Far From You was an amazing debut, and I can’t wait to read more from Sharpe. It was emotional, mysterious and very well written. I need more already!

5. Katie McGarry – I love the Pushing The Limits series (which is a nice YA/NA cross-over in my opinion). I do love a good romance with issues thrown in, and when NA became more sound, it became one of my favourite type of books to read. Win, win, win.

New To Me Authors 2014 2

6. Juliana Stone – I’ve only read one book by Stone, but Boys Like You was one of my favourite reads of 2014, and for that alone she makes my list!

7. Catherine Linka – A Girl Called Fearless was such an enjoyable Dystopian read, and I really can’t wait for the next book in the series, A Girl Undone.

8. Jamie McGuire – Although Beautiful Disaster is quite the controversial read, I really enjoyed it, for me it was compulsive reading. Beautiful Oblivion didn’t quite hit the mark for me, but I want to try more by McGuire.

9. Shannon A Thompson – I go through genre-binges, where I’ll read and fall in love with one genre exclusively for a while, before becoming restless and switching it up. It had been quite a while since I’d found a paranormal read that grabbed me, and Thompson did this wonderfully with a new take on the genre.

10. Unknown! I’m planning to do quite a bit of reading before the end of the year (fingers crossed!) – so I’m being hopeful and leaving my 10th spot open. I’ve been in a slump lately and would LOVE to find another new favourite author for this year.

I’ve just realised these are all female – perhaps that’s something I need to look at for 2015…

What new and fabulous authors have you come across this year? Based on my Top Ten picks are there any you would recommend to me? Link me up to your list or let me know in the comments! Happy reading, Book Geeks!

About Rachel

Avid reader & #bookblogger. Lover of all things business. A fan of drinks & dancing. Ever optimistic. Feminist.

60 Responses

    1. Rachel

      Ahhh, no way?! Throne of Glass for Sarah J Maas (then read the prequel novella bind-up before moving on with the series), any Colleen Hoover, but especially Maybe Someday. Delirium was worth reading, but I wouldn’t put it super high on your list – apparently other Oliver books are better. Far From You by Sharpe is the only novel she has out at the minute, but it’s very good. Pushing the Limits for Katie McGarry, and the rest of the authors I’ve highlighted my favourites by them above. Some really good books here!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Rachana

    What a coincidence! I’m actually reading A Girl Called Fearless right now 😀 It’s so good! I’m so glad I borrowed it from the library. I almost avoided it because I assumed it wasn’t YA but I was bored and after reading the first few pages, I was instantly hooked… 😛

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    1. Rachel

      Ahhh noooo. To be honest, I struggled with it until the halfway/two thirds mark and then got hooked. Are you tempted to continue it or did you hate it?? R x

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      2. Rachel

        Ohhhh dear. I guess even though it makes me read like 100 pages in 2 hours (quite a lot for me) it isn’t for everyone. Have you given up on Fantasy completely or is there still hope? R x

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      1. thebookheap

        I need to find more contemporary authors I like…I struggle to find ones whose writing don’t make me cringe.

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      3. thebookheap

        thats’ the thing- the contemporary authors who are quite hyped up, I only find “okay” or “good”. I’ve yet to find one that makes me go OH MY GOD AMAZING. I really dislike Nicholas spark’s writing, John Green is good but feels repetitive to me, and while I enjoy Rainbow Rowell (her adult books more than her YA), its not quite to the hyped up standard on the book blogosphere….

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      4. Rachel

        Ahhh. And see I think all of those are majorly over-hyped. I’m gonna throw it out there – have you tried Colleen Hoover? I also really like the Pushing the Limits series by Katie McGarry, and apparently On the Jellicoe Road is amazing but I haven’t read it yet. It’s been a while since I read it (like years) but I really liked Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen… R x

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      5. thebookheap

        I haven’t yet, actually. I’ve been shirking away from the current hyped contemporary authors because of this reason. I’ve read on the jellicoe road and while it was okay, I didn’t think it was great. I’ve been thinking about trying Sarah Dessen cos I’ve not read any of her work.
        Contemporary can be difficult for me because I prefer books where romance isn’t the main plot line,a and I hate anything with long term/terminal illness as it hits too close to home.

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      6. Rachel

        I have to say, while those ones are hyped (though not to the extent of the Rainbows and Johns of the world), I’ve still really enjoyed them. Maybe Someday has romance, and illness, but I would say it has so much more than that too. Ugly Love has romance, but again CoHo writes her stories in such a way that to me, they always feel original. The Pushing the Limits series has romance, but it also has what I call “issues” – people who are far from perfect facing realistic issues that many of us have IRL. I read Sarah Dessen when I was 16/17, so I don’t know if me now would like it. I guess with contemps you’ll struggle because when I think about it, most of them are either romance or illness novels… I’ll have a think though and see what I can come up with. I read a lot more paranormal, dystopian and fantasy now than I do contemp, but there are still some in there… R x

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Caught Read Handed

    I have heard such good things about Sarah J. Maas. It seems like all of the blogs I follow are raving about her. I have almost bought Throne of Glass like a hundred times. Looks like I really need to do that soon! I won’t lie, I’m not at all a fan of Lauren Oliver. I read Panic and Rooms and didn’t like either, so I don’t think I’ll read any more of her.
    My TTT!

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    1. Rachel

      I was so, so afraid of the hype – so I just bought the first book, but by the halfway point I was straight online to snap the rest of them up. I even paid extra for the third book signed (and I’m always looking for deals, not RRP!), and I just won the first two signed in a giveaway (I had a choice of signed books and chose the ones I’ve already read and loved over new reads). That has to say something?? I think you’ll really like Celaena… Oh, I have an idea!! I’ll have double copies of the first two books soon – swapsies?? R x

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      2. Rachel

        Sounds like a plan!! Oh, I’m excited by this too! International Book Geek Swaps!! (Don’t worry, I have the nice covers!! 😉 lol). I’ll email you so we can talk deets R x

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  9. journeythroughfiction

    Yay, Sarah J. Maas! I’m completely in awe of her books right now. The ToG series is just pure awesomeness, and the wait for book #4 will be horrid! Ooh, I just read a novella by Katie McGarry the other day, (Red at Night) and I loved it! I haven’t read any of her main novels yet, but after loving the novella, I really have to try her other books. Great list 😀

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    1. Rachel

      I’ve done TOG and TAB, I’m halfway through COM at the minute, and I’m loving it. I have Red at Night but haven’t read it yet – I love the Pushing the Limits series! Romance, angst, real-life issues – it’s all good! R x

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    1. Rachel

      I’m falling behind on my Katie McGarry reads… I might have to fit one more in before the end of the year! I kind of fell in love with (well written) NA this year, and to me her books might be YA but they have an NA vibe to them, so I ❤ them! R x

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      1. Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook

        They totally have an NA vibe! The characters are always a bit more mature, I think, because of the tough situations they have to deal with.

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  12. thefictionalreader

    You’ve got such a great list! I love Sarah J. Maas’ writing and Colleen Hoover’s and Katie McGarry’s too. I enjoyed Beautiful Disaster as well. There are some books in here that are on my to-read list as well, like Far From You.

    I picked up Delirium once but wasn’t in the mood for it and put it back down. That combined with the mixed reviews I’ve heard makes me hesitant to pick it back up.

    Great list!

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    1. Rachel

      Thanks! Far From You was really good, and a great debut!

      The first book in Delirium is really good – and the next two are still enjoyable, I’m glad I read them, the finale just wasn’t overly satisfying, but I didn’t hate it. If you like Dystopians you should still give it a go.

      R x

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    1. Rachel

      I had big hopes but they may be slightly unrealistic!! Lol I have two weeks off work though, so I’m hoping to fit in a good bit of reading and relaxing in between Xmas parties!! R x

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Shannon A Thompson

    Oh, thank you so much for including me on your list! I loved reading about your choices, and I am very humbled to be a part of this post. Sounds like I have a few new authors to check out as well!
    ~SAT

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    1. Rachel

      Really looking forward to getting to your next two books on my TBR over Christmas, Shannon! Hope you’re keeping well with your blog-break 🙂 R x

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    1. Rachel

      LOL! I was surprised there were no male authors up there, I guess I do read a lot by females. I never thought it was that intentional – but I suppose when it comes to YA contemporaries there aren’t as many male authors??

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  18. BringMyBooks

    Hmmmm… Fabulous female authors to complete your 10 new-to-me author list… Patricia Wrede, Tana French, Vanessa Diffenbaugh, Kimberley Freeman, Marisa De los Santos, etc etc etc?? 😉

    Love this list, Rachel!

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    1. Rachel

      Can you believe I’ve kept this comment on hold so I could copy and paste your list and email it to myself, because I just knew I’d forget the author names otherwise??? Lol! I’ve finally released it! Thanks for the recs, going to go stalk them on Goodreads and see if anything tickles my fancy! R x

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  20. Trish @ Between My Lines

    Like you I’ve read most of these in the last year and fallen in love with them too. And I know I would never have found Colleen Hoover or Lauren Oliver if not for the blogging world. So I’m also hugely grateful.
    Good luck with number 10!

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