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New authors 2014, New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014, top 10, top 10 tuesday, top ten, top ten tuesday
(5 in a row! I almost didn’t make it this week. I procrastinated a bit too much. Also, this is my 100th post!)
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They come up with top ten lists that people can blog about every week.
Before this year I rarely branched out and tried a new author, so I made it my goal to read only new authors in 2014! (and I’ve succeeded so far.)
I wanted to only include authors that I’d read more than one book by and got at least 8 stars from me. (Which is why there are only eight, but I did cheat on my ‘rules’ once.)
1. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson & Heroes of Olympus (ALL)
“Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we’re related for better or for worse…and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum.”
― Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters
Strengths: Creating great characters, sense of humor, (bad puns rule!) Knowing what children like, making mythology his own.
Weaknesses: Lots of points of view, (He does this fine I just often wish I could hear another character’s thoughts at that moment instead.) Sappy romantic moments. (He really does romance fine too he just doesn’t do as much romance as most YA authors and I needed another weakness.)
2. Cassandra Clare – Infernal Devi
ces & Mortal Instruments (Books 1-3) The Iron Trial
“Is this the part where you say if I hurt her, you’ll kill me?”
“No” Simon said, “If you hurt Clary she’s quite capable of killing you herself. Possibly with a variety of weapons.”
― Cassandra Clare, City of Glass
Strengths: Creating likable characters, complex world building, non obnoxious love triangles and decent romances
Weaknesses: Overly descriptive, love triangles, lots of romance
3. Laini Taylor – Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Books 1 & 3)
“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”
― Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Strengths: Atmosphere, unique story and setting.
Weaknesses: Darker story, Not a lot of humor (Mostly centered on the best friend character) I wasn’t a fan of the second book (Mainly the main character got weak, but I loved the third book too!)
4. Marissa Meyer – Cinder (All)
“Vanity is a factor, but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”
― Marissa Meyer, Cinder
Strengths: Her characters are great! (As of Winter there will be 9 main characters and they’re all excellent!) Unique take on retelling fairy tales (Made me like retellings) Plenty of humor
Weaknesses: Predictability (I guessed the ending way ahead of time)
5. Marie Lu – Legend (Books 1 & 2) The Young Elites
“Be true to yourself. But that’s something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”
― Marie Lu, The Young Elites
Strengths: Kick butt characters, & interesting worlds
Weaknesses: Her characters in Legend were book very perfect and sounded a lot alike. (I wasn’t bothered by this) One word: Champion. (I didn’t like the end of the Legend trilogy)
6. Leigh Bardugo – Grisha (Books 1 & 2)
“Of course not,” said Sturmhond. “Anything worth doing always starts as a bad idea.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm
Strengths: Dark mysterious characters, unique Russian-like culture, excellent secondary characters, un-guessable plot lines, love quadrangles
Weaknesses: Main characters. (I wasn’t a fan of the main character or her main love interest) Plot lines that don’t always make sense (Okay I’m just not happy with the third book, mainly something that happened towards the end. I won’t rant about it again. Hey at least she made me care enough to be so upset, right?)
7. Derek Landy – Skulduggery Pleasant (All except book 2)
“What is it?” Stephanie whispered.
“That, my dear Valkyrie, is what we call a monster.”
She looked at Skulduggery. “You don’t know what it is, do you?”
“I told you what it is, it’s a horrible monster. Now shut up before it comes over here and eats us.”
― Derek Landy, Skulduggery Pleasant
Strengths: Humor. Witty sarcastic characters. Good world building & action scenes. (I only rated these 7 stars, but they made my list for entertainment value. There’s just some thing so addicting about them.)
Weaknesses: Excessive action, main character doesn’t always think, not a lot of romance.
8. Honorable Mention: Suzanne Collins – The H
unger Games (Books 1 & 2)
My first dystopian and the YA book that got me started.
“It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.”
― Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
(One of the best most accurate quotes ever. That’s why I didn’t like Mockingjay it resonated with me too much.)
Strengths: World building, plotting, tense action scenes
Weaknesses: Killing off characters.
What do you think is the most forgivable and unforgivable writer weakness? I think the most forgivable writer weakness is probably lack of romance, I don’t need romance to be happy. Also if descriptions are too long I can skip them.
For me the most unforgivable thing a writer can have is weak characters. If they are flat or unlikable it ruins the whole book.
Woven Magic Books 
Cassandra Clare can be a bit too descriptive at times indeed! I’ve gotten used to it now, but when I first started City of Bones I had some problems getting into it. And yes, Uncle Rick’s (occasionally bad) puns are the best!
I like reading Modesitte and he likes over description so I was fine with Clare’s it just takes a little skimming or a couple of reads to get to my brain.
The bad puns are some of the funniest parts of the book! I keep trying to get my sister to read them because she’s a fan of the bad pun too.
I can’t believe you’ve only read these authors this year!!! Love Rick Riordan, Derek Landy, Suzanne Collins. Who am I kidding, I love all the above authors and their books!!!!
I was a bit behind. I only read older books and mostly only those by authors I already knew. That’s why the need for a drastic goal for this year. Boy I’m glad I did it, I discovered some fantastic books!
I’m happy that we have similar favorites! 🙂
I like that you gave strengths and weaknesses for the authors. Very cool. I haven’t read Leigh Bardugo yet, but I have Shadow and Bone and I need to read that one soon! Great list, Molly!
Thanks! 🙂 It was tricky thinking of weaknesses for some of my favorites, but all authors have them. Shadow and Bone is a must read, if only to know what everyone’s talking about. It is good though. I actually liked the sequel better, because that’s when my favorite character comes in.
I haven’t tried all of these authors but I have tried most of them and have loved them as well! Great list!
We must have similar tastes then. (At least when it comes to fantasy) I hope you get a chance to try the others, because they’re all really great! Thank you!
Great post. You gave me reasons to read/not read the authors I have been wavering on reading. I like the detail.
Thanks! 🙂 I’m glad I helped you to make up your mind. Though these were all my favorites some weaknesses in writing bother other people more than others.
Absolutely. I’ve been on the fence with the Grisha trilogy but I think I need to read it.
I understand how you feel, I’ve been on the fence with Throne of Glass. Grisha might be one of those over hyped books, but it is good. The sequel might even be better than the first thanks to a certain character.
I enjoy Rick Riordan’s books and so do my students. I have read the whole Percy Jackson series and I read The Lost Hero- but haven’t finished the rest of the series. I just got the second book though and hope to start it soon. 😉
Cinder has been on my list FOREVER! 🙂
Percy Jackson was my favorite read of the year! I can’t believe I waited so long to read it. My mom’s students really like it too. (fifth-grade)
Cinder is really good too! I was surprised by how much I liked it, but it was just so much fun!
You’ve read some amazing authors this year! 🙂 I love how you’ve explained your reasons why.
Thank you! Yeah, it’s been a great year of books for me. I didn’t know what I was missing not reading ‘current’ books!
Congrats on your hundredth post. 🙂 I don’t know that I would call lack of romance a weakness, as such, but if you do, well, I agree. I don’t need romance in a book to enjoy the story. In fact ,some work better without it. The one thing I can’t forgive is poor writing skills (grammar etc). Drive me nuts.
Thank you! Yeah, I’m not sure if lack of romance is a weakness or not, but some people conciser it such. I personally don’t mind either way, if anything I like a strong friendship better. I used be the same way with grammar, but I’ve been reading so many indie books that I’ve gotten better. Not at ignoring it, but in it not bothering me. I highlight everything in my Kindle and it somehow makes me feel better. It might be my OCD.
I need to get my hands on Percy Jackson. So many bloggers love the series and I need to be a part of this bookish fandom.
Yes, yes you do! Not only are the books terrific, but it’s my favorite fandom! So many fun jokes and good fanart. I look forward to hearing what you think. The first Percy Jackson book isn’t the best one, only a 9/10 for me. I think Riordan just had so many ideas he tried to fit them all in.
I don’t know… I’m kind of unforgiving when it comes to weaknesses! I guess maybe a weak plot is forgivable, if the characters are really strong.
At the moment, I’m less likely to forgive pretentious characters. They’re the reason I hated The Fault in Our Stars, and probably the reason I’m not a huge fan of books like Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares (since that was written by two people, I’m not sure which one to blame for the ridiculous Lily).
Yeah, I can forgive little things, but a weak plot or characters are almost always deal breakers for me.
Yeah, I don’t generally like that sort of character either. I haven’t read either of those books. I usually read reviews and see what other people thought of the characters first, if certain things are mentioned I usually move on. (Whiny for one)
Of those I’ve only read Marissa Meyer and Leigh Bardugo. So those others I still haven’t touched wait except Suzanne Collins I read those of course lol.
I was just commenting on your blog, weird timing. I think you’d like Daughter of Smoke and bone. It’s a unique book with great atmosphere and cool characters.
Yes for Laini Taylor this year, she is awesome, I am glad I tried her books
Me too! They’re certainly unique. She created such a cool atmosphere. I hope there’s more to the series. She left it open so she could write more.
I still haven’t read Laini Taylor! I’ve bought the first book in that series because I saw it on sale, but just haven’t gotten to it yet!
You should squeeze it in, because it’s really good! I wasn’t sure with the whole angel mention in the blurb, but they’re just a winged people. She created her own world and culture.
I feel like I really need to read the Grisha books — everyone raves about them! I’ve only read the Legend Series by Marie Lu but I’ve heard mixed things about The Young Elites. I still think I’m going to pick it up though because I really enjoyed the Legend trilogy.
Here’s my TTT
The Grisha books might be a little over hyped, but they’re still good reads. I actually liked the sequel better than the first, more humor. I really liked both Lu’s Legend series and Young Elites, but they’re very different. Young Elites is darker with almost a villain as the main character.
I completely agree with everything you’ve written here Molly! 😀 These are definitely some awesome authors, and they contributed a lot to the genre they write for. Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous choices!
Thank you! They are amazing authors, I’m just sad I didn’t discover them sooner. 🙂 I pretty much read only one genre (fantasy/scifi)
Rick Roirdan was a family favorite this year in my house, my hubby gobbled up the entire Percy Jackson series! I feel left out of the club
And literally laughing out loud over your comment on Suzanne Collin’s weakness SO.VERY.TRUE! Have you read the Overlander series? GAH!
Sparrow’s TTT
The Percy Jackson books were my favorite! I know how you can fix that, read them! It’s my goal to convert everyone. 😉
hehe thank you. No I haven’t read Outlander yet. High death count huh? Kind of like Game of Thrones, don’t get attached because no one is safe.
I’ve read a lot of the authors on here, and I agree on many of your points. I still have yet to read Rick Riordan, though I did just finish my first Marie Lu book (The Young Elites)!
Grats on your 100th post btw!
I’m glad, we must have similar taste when it comes to these kinds of fantasy. I love Percy Jackson! (But I bet you knew that) Young Elites is so different from Legend. I actually liked them both, but a lot of people liked Young Elites who didn’t care for Legend.
Thank you! 🙂
I LOVE this list! This is why you need to always do TTTs, your lists are amazing! I particularly like Suzanne Collins’ weakness of “killing off characters”! HA, so true. I liked Ruin & Rising, but I do know which point angered you. Though, if I were rating the book based on pure critical analysis, I would have to agree with you completely. I loved it too much to care though 😉
Totally not related to anything, but I adore Laini Taylor’s hair in that picture! And BIG congrats on your 100th post!
Thank you! 😀 I’m so glad I decided to joint the TTT madness! hehe yeah, Collin is one of those don’t get attached to characters authors. I really liked the other Grisha books, but that one just didn’t do it for me and I got irrationally angry at it in the end, which kind of tainted the whole thing. I’m glad you were able to look past that. I still want to read the new thief book!
Laini Taylor always has the craziest colored hair! Thank you! 🙂
Oh some great authors there but I need to read some too… so late sometimes!
Thanks! Yeah I was late to read some of these too and there are so many more I’m behind on.
I really like how you organized this post! (and congrats on it being your hundredth!) I completely agree with you on Leigh Bardugo, her Grish series was so creative, but I found the characters I was drawn to were not the main ones (The Darkling, Nikolai, Genya) Alina was meh for me and I couldn’t STAND Mal!
Thank you! I’m so glad someone else feels the same way about the Grisha characters! She created such awesome side characters! I’m hoping the new thief book she focuses on more characters like them. I feel exactly the same way about Alina and Mal! Nikolai was the best though!
Laini is so awesome. she is one of my favs. Happy you got to try all these authors out.
Thanks. I’m glad I got to try all these new authors too! I hope next year I try as many. Laini Taylor’s books rock! I can’t wait to find out what she’s going to write next!
First of all, congrats on your 100th post, Molly! 🙂
I haven’t read Laini Taylor and Leigh Bardugo yet, but I’d like to read the first books of each of their trilogies at some point. Someone just recommended Marissa Meyer to me recently, too. Marie Lu’s Legend is on my shelf; hoping to get to it next year.
I read The Hunger Games a couple years ago, so I was already familiar with Suzanne Collins’ work. I loved the first two books, but came away from Mockingjay confused and dissatisfied. To me, the story falls apart in the second half, and in the epilogue I got the impression that Katniss was unhappy, questioning herself and her decisions.
Thanks!
You have some great books ahead of you! I loved Cinder, it’s just so much fun! Daughter of Smoke and Bone is REALLY good too though! Not that the other’s aren’t, just those are my favorites!
Yeah, I liked the first two Hunger Games, but Mockingjay wasn’t my kind of book. I know it’s accurate for Katniss to have PTSD, but it’s not fun to read from that point of view.
I feel horrid that I have had an autographed ARC of Legend still sitting on my to-read pile and many of the bloggers I follow love her! Really need to read it next year.
I’m a pretty forgiving person as far as writing goes, but I do take issue with badly written romances, especially when it’s a major part of the story. Better just have no romance than one with two characters who lose perspective because they just want to snog all day.
Yes, you should feel bad lol. Legend is a good dystopian. The characters are what made it for me.
I totally agree with you about bad romances! It is so annoying to have two great characters completely lose their personalities after they fall in love. Or when they don’t know each other and suddenly they can’t live without one another.
TAYLOR IS JUST AMAZING, ISN’T SHE? I actually got to meet her this year and she’s an absolute queen. I can just imagine her thought process, amazing! Strangely enough, I was completely different from you. I mean, I liked the last book but WOW that second one blew me away. I was so attracted to that darker shift that her book took. There was something so alluring about her writing. AND I agree with you about Bardugo. I adore her writing to bits and pieces but the weird plot line threw me off. That begin said, I am very excited about her next series! 😀
You’re so lucky that you got to meet Taylor! Yes, I really liked Daughter of Shadow and Bone, it’s so unique! haha that’s so weird. I didn’t like the second much at all. See I didn’t like the darker parts and I was so annoyed with how wimpy Karou acted!
I’m glad you agree with me about the end of Grisha. 🙂 I still want to read the next series. The thief thing just sounds so cool and I hope the characters will be more like her minor characters in the first series.
Congrats on 100 posts, Molly!! Time to celebrate with… a nice nap 🙂 Hehe! I think your Mockingjay quote is perfect – I was nodding as I read it! Great post too, I learned about lots of authors!
Thank you! A nap sounds great, you must know me well. 😉 That Mockingjay quote is just so true! Thanks again! I’m glad you liked it.
First congrats on the 100th post!!! And doing TTT five weeks in a row! Don’t worry about the procrastinating, this is probably the first week in two months that I haven’t waited till literally an hour before my post was supposed to be up.
I didn’t know you’d just started reading Rick Riordan this year! You have lot’s of great authors on here, I too tend to be bad with branching out but mostly when it comes to fantasy and series!
As for your question, my answers are pretty much the same as yours. The worst thing an author can do is have weak characters with no personality. Also, as much as I hate insta-love and love triangles, if the author does it right, I’m quick to forgive about that. =)
Thanks! 🙂 I’m shocked that I’ve managed to not procrastinate for almost a month. (On these posts at least)
Yeah, I can’t believe I only read Percy Jackson this year either! I owned the first three books for years, but I never started them. I was afraid I’d just be annoyed by the mythology, but he did it so well that’s one of the best parts of the books! I had so much fun discovering new authors this year I plan to try to do it again next year. (though there will have to be some repeat authors for sequels)
I can forgive love triangles, but it’s hard to pull off instant love. It can be done, but it has to be not only attraction and not obsessive you’re all I think about love. That’s just annoying.
I love Laini Taylor’s hair! So pretty! I have to admit all these authors are new to me! Haven’t read any of them, but have heard of Cinder. Actually would like to read that one sometime! Great post!
Taylor always has the coolist hair colors! Must be why she gave Karou blue hair! That’s great, then you have plenty of great authors to try! Cinder is one of the best! It’s just so much fun and I didn’t really expect to like it. Thanks! 🙂
I’m with you there! Weak characters is the worst! But I do like romance in my reads, if only a little. I usually get bored otherwise. 😦 Other than that, there needs to be some original and exciting element or even character. If every book I read contained Magnus Bane, I would love them all ahah 😉
I like good relationships in my reads, but I don’t care if it’s romantic or friendship or friendship that might eventually be romance. I used to think I needed something special, but I’ve read some good books that had completely been done before, and I still enjoyed them. haha yeah I’m really hoping that Magnus is in all of the Mortal Instrument series.
Yeah for your 100th post! I liked that you have strengths and weaknesses for the authors. It really helps other readers decide if they would like that author’s work. I agree with the forgivable and unforgivable writer weakness. I can look past the romance and descriptions, but I have a hard time enjoying a story with weak or flat characters.
Thanks! 🙂 I’ve found that every author has things they don’t do as well and things they excel at. I’m glad we agree. A lot of people need a little romance in a book, but I don’t mind either way. Characters are usually my sticking point, if the characters are bad the book is bad too. Merry Christmas! 🙂