“Oh dear,” Linus Baker said, wiping the sweat from his brow.”
First line in The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune
It’s Tuesday, and I have a Top Ten for you. Or rather, two top fives? This week’s topic is about the new-to-me authors I read back in 2020, which made me realize how many new authors I read last year. I had way more than ten, so to make some kind of order, I decided to share five authors I will not be reading again and five that I can’t wait to read more from.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, so head over there to check out the future topics.
Authors I’m Not Reading Again
🗑️ Blake Crouch
Read: Dark Matter
Considering that I read Crouch’s most popular book and hated it, I don’t think there’s any reason for me to try any of his other works. My biggest problem with the book was also his style of writing and that’s not likely to change.
🗑️ Margaret Owen
Read: The Merciful Crow, The Faithless Hawk
This one is more tentative, but I was incredibly disappointed with Owen’s conclusion to The Merciful Crow duology, so I’m afraid to get invested in one of her stories again. However, it was her debut, so I guess she’s allowed to improve, but she’s not an author I’m itching to try again.
🗑️ Becky Chambers
Read: The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet
There is more than one reason you find this popular author on this list. Firstly, I need more conflict than this book had to offer because without it, I don’t care about the characters. Secondly, I don’t think I like sci-fi set in space. Yes, I’m a fantasy reader who doesn’t like “proper” sci-fi. We exist.
🗑️ Mary E. Pearson
Read: The Kiss of Deception, The Heart of Betrayal
Where Margaret Owen was tentative, this one is technically a lie. I have one book left in The Remnant Chronicles, and I am going to read that, but after that, I’m not picking up more of her books. Not that they’ve been horrible, but I do find them a little too romance-focused and angsty for my taste.
🗑️ Justin Travis Call
Read: The Master of Sorrows
I’ve ranted over this book quite a bit here on the blog, so it shouldn’t be surprising to find the author on this list. His writing style is so far from what I love that I don’t intend to give him a second chance.
Authors I’m Definitely Trying Again
🏆 Natasha Pulley
Read: The Bedlam Stacks, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, The Lost Future of Pepperharrow
If you read my blog regularly, I understand if you’re tired of hearing me talk about Natasha Pulley, but I couldn’t not have her on this list. I will read everything she writes as soon as it’s out, no matter what it is.
🏆 John Boyne
Read: The Heart’s Invisible Furies
I was enthralled by Boyne’s writing in 2020, and I need more. I don’t have an interest in all of his books, but I do have my eyes on The Absolutist as my next read from him.
🏆 Margaret Rogerson
Read: Sorcery of Thorns
Not an author who has a ton of books out, but she appealing because she writes fantasy standalones (or she has done so far) with intriguing premises’. I’m probably going to read her first book, An Enchantment of Ravens, while I wait for her next book, although people don’t seem to love that one as much as Sorcery of Thorns.
🏆 T. J. Klune
Read: The House in the Cerulean Sea
Even though I’m the only person on this entire planet who didn’t absolutely love The House in the Cerulean Sea, I’m going to give this author a second chance. He has quite a few books out, and they all sound different compared to Cerulean Sea. Maybe I just started with the wrong book. I have both Wolfsong and The Lightning-Struck Heart on my TBR.
🏆 R. J. Barker
Read: The Bone Ships
An author who made me love a story set on the sea is one I need to keep an eye on. So far, he only has one other trilogy out, The Wounded Kingdom, but I’m a bit apprehensive about that one since it’s an assassin story, and I tend to avoid those as much as possible. On the other hand, I also tend to avoid seafaring stories, so who knows, maybe I’ll read it.
Honorable mentions: A. J. Hackwtih, Cinda Williams Chima, Emily Tesh, K. D. Edwards, Christina Lauren
Have you read any of these authors? What do you think of them? Also, let me know who your favorite new author of 2020 was. Happy reading!
First Line Reader 
I really want to read The Bone Ships and Sorcery of Thorns, and I’d like to read more from TJ Klune, too!
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I’ve read The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley and absolutely loved it! Definitely on my list to read more of her works
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That’s great to hear! She quickly became one of my favorite authors, so I hope you like her other books too.
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I wholeheartedly agree on The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet! Although I usually absolutely love Sci-fi set in space, so I don’t think you should blame it on that 😁 There just wasn’t really a lot of conflict in this one…
And I’ve read a couple of John Boyne books by now! My favorite one was Crippen, which creeped me out in the most fascinating way 😅 I haven’t read The Heart’s Invisible Furies, though, so I’m intrigued…
And you’re making me want to try Natasha Pulley more with every post you write!
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With The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet I think I just realized that I’ve never loved a book set in space, and since I didn’t love this very popular one either… it might mean that I need to avoid it 😅 But no, it wasn’t the only reason it didn’t work for me.
Crippen by John Boyne was actually one of those I had decided I wasn’t interested in because the synopsis was hinting at a murder mystery, which is the one thing that will make me disinterested in a book immediately 😅. I read again just now, and maybe I should reconsider. That it is based on true events has me intrigued.
Making people read a book by Natasha Pulley? I have found my true goal in life 😂
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T.J. Klune has been on so many lists this week. Hope you like their next book better.
My post.
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Great list! I cannot wait to pick up TJ Klune!
My post!
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Sorry you didn’t love Klune’s book like the rest of us, but I hope his other books work out better for you.
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Sorcery of Thorns was so good and TJ Klune was one of my top books of the year! I’m so sad to hear about Becky Chambers. I’ve had sooo many people recommend her that she’s on my list of what I hope to get to this year! lol
My Top Ten
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Yeah Becky Chambers wasn’t for me, but that was so much down to personal preference. I hope you end up liking her books more 😊
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I know, I’ve heard sooo many people praise her books and then some that say it wasn’t for them. It’s okay though, we are all different! 🙂 I hope I like them bc I bought the first 3. haha.
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omg I can’t wait for you to read Wolfsong!!! it’s so so so so good, one of my favorites on this earth ❤ the main character, Ox, is the most loveable ray of sunshine
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I don’t hear many people talk about that book, so it’s great to know someone loves it that much 😄 I’m even more excited to read it now.
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Mary E. Pearson is prolific, but hit or miss for me, so I get it. I keep coming back because I was impressed by her realistic novel A Room on Lorelai Street, but was less impressed by either The Adoration of Jenna Fox and The Miles Between. …and that’s apparently the last time I checked out what she was doing, but it sounds like she’s sticking to the genres I don’t love.
–RS
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Yeah, I looked through what she had written and was surprised to see how much there was. I’ve only ever heard of The Remnant Chronicles. And since I couldn’t spot any more fantasy, I lost interest.
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