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

I am back on the blog this week after an unexpected hiatus due to my job unfortunately being made redundant. I thought I would reappear with a familiar friend in the form of a Top Ten Tuesday!

I love this one as I have had the luxury of reading a few new others this year and hope I can read some more books by them in 2014. It was quite an eye opener to how many new authors I have encountered this year but also showed me how much I have stuck to familiar authors this year so I think as part of my reading goal for 2014 I might try challenge myself to read some more new authors.

1. Michael Grant - Gone Series

I am still making my way through the Gone series (2 to go) and I have been thoroughly impressed with the 4 I have read so far. Each one amps up the tension and keeps you guessing. I am still trying to work out what is going to happen and I really hope Fear and Light tie up all the loose ends. Michael Grant has also released a new series called Bzrk series which I think I might give a whirl.

2. Cassandra Clare

I have officially jumped on the bandwagon of the Mortal Instruments series. I raced through City of Bones and City of Ashes and have recently got my hands on City of Glass and I am really looking forward to what happens. I think this series does a great job of repairing the damage to vampire reputations. No sparkly vampires here but some genuinely chilling supernatural beings. Another unique series and worth a read for fans of vampire/supernatural fiction. Cassandra Clare has written a prequel and sequel trilogy for this series and I am debating getting my hands on these.

3. Veronica Roth

Another series here but I am hooked on the Divergent trilogy and I am eagerly waiting to read the final instalment when I finally manage to get a copy.  I was so impressed with the first two that I bought my sister in law copies for her birthday as I just knew she would enjoy them. I reviewed Divergent early on the blog. Roth has written some additional books from the point of view of Four and I think i need to give them a read next year.

4.  Elizabeth Wein

As part of the Carnegie Award I read Code Name Verity and was seriously gripped and surprised by the clever twists the plot took. This was a really different book for me to read as it wasn't fantasy or science fiction. I love reading books on book award shortlists as I think it helps you discover new authors you wouldn't have read before. Wein released Rose Under Fire not long ago and I have wondered about reading this.

5. Marcus Sedgwick

Midwinterblood was also shortlisted for the Carnegie award and I really was rooting for this one to win. I was so impressed with the way Sedgwick wrote the story and found myself captivated to the point that I just couldn't put the book down. I have got a fair few copies of other books by Sedgwick to read next year. I really want to read My Sword Hand is Singing.

6. Linda Castillo

Ok so I admit that this is not a Young Adult book and I would not recommend this at all for teenagers but for those who like crime fiction Castillo was an interesting discovery.  Castillo creates realistic characters who are featured throughout the series. I have a new on to read called Her Last Breath which has recently been released.

7. Sophie McKenzie

I really enjoyed Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie. The storyline was particularly clever for a young adult crime story. I haven't yet read the rest of the series but I often recommend this book as a starting point for you crime/mystery fans.

8. Kiera Cass

As I have mentioned before I was not sure about reading The Selection series. I had mistakenly judged the books by the covers and assumed they would be slushy romance but I was very wrong and think this is a wonderful introduction to dystopian stories for young adults. The final in the series The One is out next year and I will definitely be reading this treat.

9. C.J Flood

I loved Infinite Sky when I read it earlier this year and apparently there is to be a second instalment in 2014 (if goodreads is to be believed). For Flood this was a debut novel and I was really impressed with the quality of the writing and again considering the genre is not normally by cup of tea it really moved me and I would happily recommend this to students.

10. Sarah Crossan

I really enjoyed Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan which I read again as part of Carnegie. I had convinced myself I had read Breathe by her as well but realised recently that although I own a copy I haven't yet read it. As this featured on the Carnegie long list for 2014 I am going to make sure I get this one read. I love the style of Weight of Water and the brilliance of a story constructed with so few words. Breathe looks right up my street so I am sure I will enjoy it.