Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

It’s been a while since my last Top Ten Tuesday, and I love this topic! Can’t wait to see who other bloggers have been reading this year! 🙂 It seems amazing that I only read some of these books in 2013…it feels like I have known them much longer! This is just a selection of the great authors I have discovered for the first time this year, it was hard to choose…

1) Patrick Ness

How did I go this long without reading Patrick Ness? I am now a big fan, and was lucky to meet him at the Mountains to Sea book festival this year. It was amazing to meet him, and he was very lovely. More Than This is one of my favourite books of 2013, I couldn’t put it down!

Proof copy of More Than This

2) Veronica Roth

Divergent was one of the first books I read this year, and I loved it! I have finished the trilogy, and actually met Veronica Roth at her event in Dublin last month. Divergent is my favourite book of the three – I found the world so gripping, and the idea of the factions was very compelling. I love Tris’ character, she is amazingly strong, but also develops a lot throughout the books.

3) Deirdre Sullivan

Another series I came late to! Prim is one of my new favourite characters – her voice is so strong in the books, I love how funny and quirky she is. Improper Order is also a very moving book, and deals  with some serious topics in a very sensitive and honest way(trying to avoid spoilers here!). I also love the layout of the books – the definitions, or the crossword clues in Improper Order. If you haven’t read Prim Improper yet – do it!

4) Donna Tartt

I read my first Donna Tartt book (The Goldfinch) recently, and loved it. It appealed strongly to my arty side, and the painting of the title is written about beautifully. I helped out at an event recently at which Donna Tartt spoke – to a packed room of 500 fans! Her writing is incredible (she spends about 10 years on each book) and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

5) Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman was my pick for Grown Ups Read YA bookclub in May. I love fantasy, and I thought this was an excellent read. The world building was incredible – Hartman spent 10 years writing the book, and the world she creates is wonderfully detailed. I can’t wait to read the next book!

6) Sarah Crossan

I loved The Weight of Water, and I can’t wait to read Resist, the sequel to dystopian novel Breathe. Sarah Crossan was at the CBI Conference this year, I was so excited to meet her that I just said “I love your books!” All the questions and smart things just went right out of my head!

7) Laura Jarratt

I reviewed By Any Other Name earlier this year, and I loved it! Still haven’t got around to reading her first book Skin Deep – but it’s on my list!

8) Mo Willems

This year I have definitely developed a greater interest in picture books. They combine books and art – two of my favourite things – so what’s not to love? I discovered Mo Willems through my work on Mad About Books. I adored Knufflebunny – it was a cute tale that made me laugh, and the combination of illustration and photography was really interesting. I missed his event in Dublin – but I got an excellent surprise on my way into college when he was drawing in the window of Hodges Figgis!

9) Jon Klassen

Another wonderful picture book author/artist I am delighted to have discovered this year. I had heard of Jon Klassen before, but it was only when I heard he was coming to the CBI Conference that I sought out his books. They are wonderfully funny, and I love his illustrative style. A new favourite!

Extra Yarn

And last but not least…

10) Maureen Johnson

I haven’t read a full book by Maureen Johnson yet, but I loved her story in Let It Snow (currently reading) so much that I have to read more of her work!

Thanks for reading! Please leave a link to your TTT below if you took part, I would love to discover more new authors! 🙂