Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is New-to-Me Authors I Read In 2018.
Looking back, I see that I spent a big chunk of my reading time in 2018 with authors already familiar (and much loved), but I did manage to try a bunch of new ones too. Here’s a selection of my favorites:
1) Kristin Hannah — loved The Great Alone! I just picked up a copy of Firefly Road to try next.
2)Ā Christina Lauren — who would have thought I’d enjoy their contemporary romances so much?
3)Ā Susan Orlean – The Library Book was fascinating. Must read The Orchid Thief!
4)Ā Celeste Ng – I read Little Fires Everywhere with my book group, and am looking forward to reading Everything I Never Told You.
5)Ā Josh Malerman — Unbury Carol was so strange and wonderful. I’ve read another book and a novel by him so far in 2019, and can’t wait for his new book, Inspection, coming out this spring.
6)Ā Madeline Miller — The Song of Achilles was beautiful. Can’t wait to read Circe with my book group this summer.
7)Ā Jennifer Ryan – I loved The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, which was a debut novel. I hope this talented author releases another book soon — her writing is terrific!
8)Ā Jenny Han – Got totally hooked on the Lara Jean books after watching To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix. Should I read her other books too?
9)Ā Neal Shusterman — how had I not heard of him before? I loved Scythe and Thunderhead, and thought Dry was pretty good as well.
10) Jasmine Guillory — yet another contemporary romance writer. I read two of her books in 2018. Between those and the Christina Lauren, maybe I need to stop saying that I don’t read romance?
Are you a fan of any of these new-to-me authors? Are there any of their works that you’d particularly recommend?
Bookshelf Fantasies 
I have yet to read Josh Malerman, but I’d like to try a book of his soon.
Definitely do! Unbury Carol was really unlike anything else I’ve read.
Great list, Lisa! I’m so pleased to see Madeline Miller on your list – I need to cross Circe off my TBR soon, too. One of these days I’ll have to pick up a copy of Unbury Carol because I think I’d really enjoy it.
I loved the Song of Achilles audiobook! Even though Circe has a different reader (I think), I may do audio for that one as well.
The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir caught my attention immediately. I’ll have to look it up! Unbury Carol sounds good, too.
This is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
If you enjoy historical fiction, definitely check out Chilbury Ladies’ Choir! I loved the village setting and all the amazing women at its heart.
Jenny Han’s other books are really good! Wonderful list.
Any in particular? A friend recommended The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Han, Ng, Miller and Hannah are all authors I also discovered during 2018. š Great list! šš
I loved The Great Alone – it torn my heart into pieces. I hope you enjoy The Firefly Lane – I recall enjoying it when I read it last year as well (I went on a proper Hannahās books binge he he).
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Firefly Lane! Look like we have a bunch of authors in common. š
The only other Jenny Han novel I picked up beside To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series is Shug. It’s a coming-of-age middle grade novel about a girl growing apart from her best friend, who is also her first crush. It’s super cute and surprisingly poignant.
Oh, I haven’t heard of that one! It sounds really good — I’ll see if my library has it.
Josh Malerman was new to me as well last year with Unbury Carol. Definitely strange and beautiful, I am really hoping to read something else by him soon
I just read Bird Box by Malerman — really different than Unbury Carol, but I thought it was great.
Same here: Looking forward to trying Everything I Never Told You. Loved Ng’s storytelling and writing in Little Fires Everywhere.
Ng is really talented — definitely one to keep an eye on!
I haven’t heard a single bad thing about The Library Book! It’s definitely on my TBR. Nice to see Christina Lauren on your list too! I’m definitely hoping to get to The Song of Achilles finally this year. Fingers crossed. š
I got The LIbrary Book as a holiday gift, and for once started it the second I got it. Such a great read!
I’ve got ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ on my reading list and this has inspired me to for sure put it in my 2019 reads!
Awesome! It’s really a great read — I’m looking forward to reading her other book too!