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TTT: Top Ten New-to-Me Authors in 2014


This week's TTT topic: New-to-Me Authors in 2014

This is one of my favorite Top Ten Tuesdays of the year! You can see my list from last year here.

Some of these authors have one my love and devotion forever and ever already because I went and read as much of their work as I could after discovering them and fell more in love. Some are only on their first book, but I will definitely be around for the next because these books impressed me so much.

Name links are to authors' websites. Book links are to my reviews.


Emma Barry: Barry writes witty humorous romances with smart people that take place in the political maneuverings of Washington D.C. If there was ever a more perfect romance series for my tastes, I don't know what it could be.

Brandy Colbert: Pointe is Colbert's debut novel. It is one of my favorite books of the year. It is a hard tough read about hard tough things, but the main character finds her strength in the best of ways.


Liz Czukas: Until last week I would have told you that while Czukas's debut novel, Ask Again Later, was fun, she wasn't going to make this list. Then I read the second novel of hers released this year, Top Ten Clues You're Clueless, and that completely changed. This book is going to be an every December reread now. She has an adult romance (okay, NA-I still really hate using that) coming out next year that I find to be intriguing. Because she has won my trust, I will read it.

Heather Demetrios:  I took Something Real, Demetrios' debut novel, to the pool one afternoon expecting something fun, but nothing that was going to blow my mind. Ha! I loved everything about the book: the characters, the plot, the complexities of the relationships, the descriptions. And while I didn't love Exquisite Captive, the fantasy novel also released by Demetrios this year, the writing still captivated me. I can not wait to read her new contemporary coming out in 2015. 



Jennifer Echols: I have friends who love Echols and have recommended her stuff for the past few years. Her books were on my TBR, but I never seemed to get to them. I was fortunate enough to get a a galley of Biggest Flirts, the first book in her new superlative series. I read it in one delicious sitting and I was hooked. I've been working my way through her backlist ever since and am in complete and total love. (My favorite so far has been Such a Rush.) 

Rosamund Hodge: Cruel Beauty is Hodge's debut novel-and basically everything I've ever wanted in a Beauty and the Beast retelling. This is pretty major since that's my favorite fairy tale. Hodge has won my undying loyalty with this book and a place on my insta-buy author list. 


E.K. Johnston: The Story of Owen is a brilliant book that combines Nordic traditional tales with a modern setting. Despite the title, it's really the story of a girl and her music. It has the best world-building of any book I read this year and themes about propaganda, politics, and the power of story. It's ambitious for any novel, but particularly so for a debut. I'm so excited it's been nominated for the Morris Award.

Virginia Kantra: I started reading the Dare Island Series at the recommendation of Laura Florand (an author who made this list last year) and immediately fell in love with all the characters. I love the way Kantra writes family relationships too. It also takes place in one of my favorite places, NC's Outer Banks.


Jennifer McGowan: Something hard to find in YA is well written historical fiction that is also fun. Another difficult find is good decent female friendships. McGowan's books do both of things so well and also have adventure, mystery, espionage, and romance. Oh my heart.

Genevieve Turner: My newest find! Much thanks to Emma Barry for this recommendation because I loved Summer Chaparral for all the amazing characters, the setting, the historical details, for it being unique historical romance, its diversity-it's so good. This has the potential to be one of my favorite series of all time.

Shockingly no MG authors made the list this year, which is awfully strange since that is the age category I read the most from. Hmmmmm.....

What about you? What are some favorite author discoveries from your reading year?
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Comments

LisaILJ said…
I LOVE Jennifer Echols, I am so happy you enjoyed her work. I've read a few of the authors on your list, but I need to check out a few more. Your list has caused my TBR list to get even longer.
December 9, 2014 at 11:03 AM
Brandy said…
That's what I love most about TTT: getting more books on the TBR! :)
December 9, 2014 at 8:41 PM
Anonymous said…
I don't know most of these! I really need to pick up Cruel Beauty; so many people seem to have loved it. Great list!

Here's mine.
December 10, 2014 at 8:48 AM
Anonymous said…
It makes me happy to see Jennifer Echols in this list! Rosamund Hodge and Virginia Kantra are in my list too. :)

Pointe is already on my wishlist because of you. Looks like I'll be adding Top Ten Clues You're Clueless and Summer Chaparral as well.
December 14, 2014 at 10:10 AM
Brandy said…
Cruel Beauty was a perfect book for me. Rich, beautiful language and complex broken characters are my weakness. :)
December 14, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Brandy said…
I think you will like both those!

I'm glad I finally took your advise on reading Jennifer Echols. :)
December 14, 2014 at 2:53 PM
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