Top Ten Tuesdays: ALL TIME Favorite Authors

Top Ten Tuesdays is an original and weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

 

Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Authors

(or Top Twenty)

 

 

ALL TIME Favorite Authors can mean a lot of things for me:  1) Authors I love whether or not I have read all of their works; 2) Authors I love but have not necessarily loved all their work; 3) Authors I love BECAUSE I love all of their work (that I have read); 4) Authors that may not have written the best work, but have story formulas or writing styles I love; 5) Authors whom are auto-buys for whatever reason I cannot pinpoint; 6) Authors I love "just because", if for no other reason.

 

And then there are also those authors who have made this list if only because they hold sentimental value because I DID like them when I was younger, but find no joy in reading new works or re-reading old works.

 

And then sometimes there are those authors which I love merely because of one particular book I have read that I have loved immensely... but no other books written by that author have given me the same kind of pleasure.

 

This is, of course, different from when I have one particular book that I love, but that I have not quite declared the author a favorite yet.

 

These ALL TIME Favorite topics are too broad for my own personal listings.

 

 

ALL TIME Favorites

 

1.  Michael Crichton

I have read the following:  

 

Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Timeline, Sphere, The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Rising Sun, Next, Micro, A Case of Need

 

Michael Crichton has always been a personal favorite ever since the first time I read Jurassic Park and The Lost World back in the good old teenage days of high school.  While I haven't enjoyed (or read) every book he's ever written, he easily became a favorite author of mine wherein I automatically paid attention every time he published a new book.

 

Thought provoking and controversial, I don't think I've ever been bored with any of Crichton's novels.  In fact, a lot of personal research into certain subjects and a lot of high school essays may or may not have been inspired by a Crichton work.  I know a lot of ongoing debates between my brothers and myself usually surrounded a Crichton book--my brothers aren't really bibliophile that I am, but Michael Crichton was one author they didn't mind diving into.

 

 

2.  Dean Koontz

I have read the following:

 

     

Phantoms, Strangers, The Door to December, Intensity, Cold Fire, 77 Shadow Street; novella: The Moonlit Mind

 

Dean Koontz is another author I've admired since I was a teenager.  His story formulas evoke a sense of semi-happily ever after, even if it's not the same kind of Happily Ever After™ I've come to love in the books I read now-a-days.  At the very least, I've always found that Koontz has a great sense of suspense and knows how to hook a reader--it's always his endings that irk the heck out of me because they have either dragged on as if he's trying to reach a specific required page number, or they end abruptly like he's hit that required page number and is in a hurry to find a stopping point.

 

Phantoms is actually one of my most favorite books and definitely my favorite Dean Koontz novel.  Dean Koontz himself has such a large listing of works that I doubt I'll ever be able to finish reading every single one.  But ever since Phantoms as well as several other books I had read, he readily became an author on my favorites list; for a while, he was even an auto-buy author.  I still have a handful of his books sitting on my shelf I haven't gotten around to reading yet.

 

 

3.  J.K. Rowling

I have read the following:

 

Harry Potter series:  The Sorceror's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, The Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince, The Deathly Hallows

 

Cormoran Strike (written as Robert Galbraith):  The Cuckoo's Calling, The Silkworm

 

It took years of being a blind fangirl of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series before I could look back with a more critical, more objective eye and realize the genius that is truly J.K. Rowling.  Back then, I simply enjoyed the Harry Potter series as a young boy's adventure as he grows up in a magical world.  But the series itself and the issues and concepts it brings up are indeed thought-provoking and clever.

 

Even if I didn't like all of the Harry Potter books; even if I have my reserves about how Rowling twisted some of her plot lines throughout the series; and even though I'm not a hundred percent satisfied about how the entire series ended; there is no doubt in my mind that Harry Potter is one of the better top quality childrens/middle grade/young adult series out there.

 

And then I read The Silkworm and further cemented in my mind the state of Queen Rowling's pedestal in the writing world.  The Cuckoo's Calling might have started the series off on shaky footing, but The Silkworm is so much genius.

 

 

4.  Shannon Hale

I have read the following:

 

          

Book of a Thousand Days

Princess Academy:  Princess Academy, Palace of Stone

Books of Bayern:  The Goose Girl

 

The first Shannon Hale book I picked up was a discounted The Goose Girl at a Target.  In the same week I followed up by picking up Princess Academy because I thought the concept was interesting.  The books were read very quickly and I followed with Book of Thousand Days which then became one of my most favorite books... EVER... and of which I have read at least three times already and listened to once as an audio book.

 

I have plans to read more Shannon Hale books as I love her attention to world-building and culture-building details a lot.  It's just that I'm probably still looking for that next Book of a Thousand Days in the rest of her books, and I'm worried the rest won't stand up to it.

 

Still, I'd be hard pressed NOT to insert Shannon Hale into my ALL TIME Favorite Authors list.

 

 

Recent Favorites

 

5.  Julie James

I have read the following:

 

FBI/US Attorney: Something About You, A Lot Like Love, About That Night, Love Irresistibly, It Happened One Wedding

 

Stand alone novels:  Just the Sexiest Man Alive, Practice Makes Perfect

 

Julie James has become an auto-buy, auto-Read Right Now author.  Ever since Something About You and A Lot Like Love, I've come to love her witty characters and breezy, sweet romances.  Love Irresistibly was the one that sealed the deal for me and after that, I become determined to read every book James has written... and so far, I have.

 

Which is interesting considering I'm not really into Contemporary Romances unless they're written a certain way--maybe Julie James just writes them in the way that I happen to love.

 

Suddenly One Summer will be her newest addition to her Contemporary collections and will be published this summer.

 

 

 

6.  Cindy Gerard

I have read the following:

 

The Bodyguards:  To the Edge, To the Limit, To the Brink, Over the Line, Under the Wire, Into the Dark

 

Black Ops, Inc:  Show No Mercy, Take No Prisoners, Whisper No Lies, Feel the Heat, Risk No Secrets, With No Remorse, Last Man Standing; novellas/short stories: Leave No Trace, SEALed With a Kiss, Dying to Score

 

Cindy Gerard is also an auto-buy author, even if she's not an auto-Read Right Now author.  While I love her characters, her world, and she does great suspense, she also incorporates a bit of cheesy, tackiness that would make some people roll their eyes.  But I love her just the same and currently own every single one of her Romantic Suspense books in paperback; from the six Bodyguard books, to all seven Black Ops, Inc. books, and her most recent One-Eyed Jacks books (yes, all three of them too).

 

And yes, Johnny Duane Reed is an alpha male standard I will begin to hold all other alpha males in Romantic Suspense up to.  I love him THAT much.  And I <i>will</i> compare and similar romances to the lovely one that is Johnny and his Tinkerbell, Crystal Debrowski.

 

I haven't read any of her older Romances, but one of these days I may give them a go.

 

 

7.  Kasie West

I have read the following:

 

     

Pivot Point:  Pivot Point, Split Second

Stand alone novels:  The Distance Between Us, On the Fence

 

I have this fear that Kasie West will become a one-hit wonder for me (or rather three-hit), but with her nerdy characters and dry sense of humor, I've loved her ever since being pleasantly surprised at how much I loved Pivot Point.  And then I read The Distance Between Us, and despite it's fluff factor and lack of a real story line and the uninspiring conclusion, I fell in love with Caymen and had a girl-crush I hadn't had in a long time.

 

As it stands, The Distance Between Us is one of my favorite YA Contemporaries even though there are others out there that are probably better--The Distance Between Us, however, has charm and character and a sarcastic heroine with my kind of humor.

 

But then On the Fence came around and felt a little off for a Kasie West book and now I panic just a little bit... maybe.

 

The Fill-In Boyfriend will be Kasie West's newest Contemporary, to be published at the end of this spring season.

 

 

8.  Maggie Stiefvater

I have read the following:

 

     

The Raven Cycle:  The Raven Boys; The Dream Thieves; Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Stand alone novels:  The Scorpio Races

 

One word:  Gansey!

Two words:  Maggie Stiefvater!

 

Maggie is magic, is all I have to say.  I didn't think that I'd love a paranormal genre-book as much as I do The Raven Cycle books, but I most certainly do.  Nonsensical humor, fun and genius one-liners, unique and intriguing characters...  And a group of friends who love each other so much that even life-long grudges and lies and jealousies can't seem to break them apart.

 

Maggies charming writing draws you right in, even with a rather mediocre book like The Scorpio Races.

 

And, oh yes, I'm setting myself up for heartbreak, but I just so LOVE Gansey.

 

The Raven King is the fourth and last book of The Raven Cycle quartet and will be published this September.

 

 

Favorite Mangakas

 

9.  Motomi Kyousuke

 

Beast Master, The Beads Club, Youth Survival, Penguin Prince, Love Arrow, Dengeki Daisy

 

 

10. Nakahara Aya

 

Lovely Complex, Secret Base, Nanaco Robin, Ringo Nikki, Tokimeki Gakuen Oujigumi, Hanada

 

 

Manga are still considered books in some aspects and mangaka are their creators and in a way, authors.  Both mangakas listed above have a sense of silly humor and stories that have fairly non-standard male/female roles and love stories, which is why they became two of my most favorite mangaka.

 

Despite the fact that I haven't really touched manga for some time, I am still intrigued to hear of any new works created, and would really love to continue reading Motomi Kyousuke-sama's Dengeki Daisy series.

 

 

-- Plus Ten Honorable Mentions --

(Because I can.)

 

• Juliet Marillier

I have read the following:

 

          

Shadowfell: Shadowfell, Raven Flight, The Caller

Wildwood:  Wildwood Dancing

Stand alone novels:  Heart's Blood

 

Juliet Marillier is fast become one of my favorite Young Adult high fantasy authors.  Her writing is magical, her worlds are beautiful, her characters inspiring, and just... so much more praise.  Slow starts though... but once you get past those first few chapters of story building, the rest of the book progresses fantastically!

 

 

• Victoria Schwab

I have read the following:

 

 

    

The Archived:  The Archived, The Unbound; novella: Leave the Window Open

Stand alone novels:  The Near Witch

 

Victoria Schwab has great imagination and I probably love her mainly because I loved The Archived.  This is an instance where I know she's an excellent writer, but where I'm wary about reading her other works because I've put The Archived at an extremely high spot on my "Favorite Books" pedestal.

 

 

• Maria V. Snyder

I have read the following:

 

       

Study: Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study; novella: Assassin Study

Glass:  Storm Glass, Sea Glass, Spy Glass

 

     

Insiders:  Inside Out, Outside In

Healer:  Touch of Power, Scent of Magic, Taste of Death

 

I believe I have almost read every single Maria V. Snyder book.  I am still finding a place in my extensive and ever-changing reading list to insert her newest book, Shadow Study.  Even if Maria isn't the best writer, and even if a lot of stories have strange progression, logic, and haphazard conclusions, there is just a certain charm to her stories and characters that have hooked me to her.

 

 

• Marissa Meyer

I have read the following:

 

     

The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder, Scarlet; novellas: Glitches, The Queen's Army, The Little Android

 

I would love to add Marissa Meyer to my ALL TIME FAVORITES list, but while I've gushed over the two Lunar Chronicles books I've read, while I was reading them, whenever I look back, it just feels like there's something missing.  And it's probably also a new one that my favorite of this series so far is the novella The Little Android.

 

 

• Rae Carson

I have read the following:

 

     

Fire and Thorns:  The Girl of Fire and Thorns, The Crown of Embers, The Bitter Kingdom; novellas: The Shadow Cats, The Shattered Mountain, The King's Guard

 

I loved Fire and Thorns, and thus I probably love Rae Carson because of Fire and Thorns.  But have no fear, she's publishing a new series soon with it's first book out in Septemeber, Walk On Earth a Stranger.  I'm looking forward to it.

 

 

• Leslie Kelly (Leslie A. Kelly, Leslie Parrish)

I have read the following:

 

      

Black CATs:  Fade to Black, Pitch Black, Black at Heart

(second set of covers uses one of Leslie Kelly's pseudonyms, Leslie Parrish)

 

     

Extrasensory Agents:  Cold Sight

Walker Brothers:  She Drives Me Crazy, She's Got the Look

 

I got into Leslie Kelly because of her three Black CAT Romantic Suspense books.  But it was surprisingly one of her Contemporary Romances that got me to definitively love her.  Strange how things work.  I have plans to finish the only other Extrasensory Agents book as well as get into the Veronica Sloan duology with hopes that she'll be writing more Romantic Suspense soon.  Otherwise, this is one author I have actually considered diving into her old Harlequin romances (since I've never really been a straight-up Romance-only genre reader).

 

 

• Kylie Brant

I have read the following:

 

Mindhunters:  Waking Nightmare, Waking Evil, Waking the Dead, Deadly Intent, Deadly Dreams, Deadly Sins

 

The Mindhunters caught me by surprise and became one of my favorite Romantic Suspense series.  With strong, independent, skilled, and resourceful women in each book, what's not to love?  It's because of this series that I grew to admire the job of criminal profiling.  Kylie Brant presents fairly balanced stories of equal parts Romance and Mystery Thriller.  And then I found that Kylie Brant may be returning to the Mindhunters series at some time with more books.  I am so, totally on board with that.  (As am I on-board with going back and reading the rest of her earlier work.)

 

 

Pamela Clare

I have read the following:

 

I-Team:  Extreme Exposure, Hard Evidence, Unlawful Contact, Naked Edge, Breaking Point, Striking Distance; novellas/short stories: Heaven Can't Wait, Skin Deep, Marc & Julian Make a Beer Run, First Strike 

 

Pamela Clare could probably be my first foray into racier types of books with the side bonus of a suspenseful crime thriller to give me some thought-provoking substance.  And Pamela Clare was probably my first experience with wonderfully created, good guy, respectful alpha-males who don't just stand around and glower at everyone.  I've loved all of her books and all of her characters despite the fact that they just don't do the same thing for me as other favorite Romantic Suspense books do.

 

Pamela has a new I-Team novel in the works.

 

 

• Harper Lee

I have read the following:

 

To Kill a Mockingbird

 

To be honest, I only remember that To Kill a Mockingbird was one of the many required classic literature reads in high school that I actually enjoyed (aside from Mark Twain).

 

 

• Amy Tan

I have read the following:

 

     

The Hundred Secret Senses, The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife, The Bonesetter's Daughter, The Opposite of Fate

 

Back when I was a lot younger, Amy Tan was one of a very sparse selection of minority authors--Asian authors, to be specific.  And during my young pre-teen and teenage years, the books written by Amy Tan just felt like they spoke to me, even if none of the stories she's written really coincide with anything similar in my own real life; the only similarities between me and an Amy Tan heroine was the fact that these were women raised in American, fairly Americanized, with parents and relatives who are still very much traditional Chinese all-around whom they struggle to understand and cope with in their daily lives.

 

Amy Tan holds sentimental value for me and I may or may not continue to read her books.

 

 

***

 

And there we have a BIG LONG LIST of ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS. 

 

 

 

Original post: anitactruong.booklikes.com/post/1139143/top-ten-tuesdays-all-time-favorite-authors