Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week’s theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!
My list of favourite authors is very small because I can’t bring myself to call an author a favourite author unless I’ve read more than one book/series by them. J.K. Rowling, for example, isn’t one of my favourite authors because as much as I love the original Harry Potter series, I haven’t read any of her other books. So the authors on this list aren’t new favourites by any means, but they’re all authors I want to read more of after reading them for the first time in 2018.
So, in the order I read them, here are the best authors I read in 2018!
Marie Brennan: I tried reading A Natural History of Dragons a few years ago and couldn’t get into it, but last year I tried the audiobook and I ended up listening to the first and second books in that series and really enjoying them! I’m hoping to carry on with the series this year and I’d like to check out Midnight Never Come, too, because it’s the Tudor era + the fae and I love the Tudor era.
Eloise Williams: I feel like 2018 was the year of rediscovery for me. I rediscovered fantasy and series and I also read a few Middle Grade books, too. I didn’t love Gaslight but I did enjoy it, and it was so refreshing to read a novel set in Victorian era Cardiff rather than Victorian era London – I think Williams has a lot of potential as a Middle Grade author.
Joy McCullough: Blood Water Paint was one of my favourite books of 2018 and I can’t wait to read what McCullough brings out next.
Leigh Bardugo: All I’ve really done for the past year is talk about how much I love Six of Crows, so I can’t imagine any of you are surprised to see Bardugo on this list. She also just seems like a genuinely lovely person.
Emily Skrutskie: I had so much fun with Skrutskie’s The Abyss Surrounds Us duology in 2018, and if she continues to write f/f SFF then she’s definitely an author I’m going to read more of in future.
Sarah Moss: Moss is an author I’ve been meaning to read for a little while and 2018 was finally the year I checked her out when I read her new novella, Ghost Wall. She writes beautifully and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
Karen McManus: One of Us Is Lying was such a pleasant surprise for me in 2018, so the next time I’m in the mood for a YA Thriller McManus is the author I’ll be reaching for.
Stephanie Burgis: Burgis is another author I’ve been meaning to read for years and I finally checked her out when I read Snowspelled in December which ended up being one of my Top Ten Books of the year. She writes the kind of Fantasy of Manners I like, so I’m excited to read more from her this year.
Katrina Kendrick: This is kind of cheating because Katrina Kendrick is the Romance pseudonym of Elizabeth May, who I have read before, but she’s still made this list because she made me realise I do, in fact, like Historical Romance and it’s a genre I’ve been too snobby about for too long.
Effie Calvin: As you might have seen from my review, I didn’t love The Queen of Ieflaria as much as I hoped to but I loved Calvin’s worldbuilding and I was really excited to discover a new author who writes f/f fantasy so I’m planning to read more of Calvin’s work this year!
Which authors made your list this week?
Jessticulates 
Ooh, I am so late in returning a comment here but! I had the exact same thing with Marie Brennan. The first book didn’t really capture me, and then I ended up such a huge fan of the whole series.
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Loved your list! I have to read Six of Crows but I wanted to read Shadow and Bone first.
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I’m glad to hear about A Natural History of Dragons – I tried it ages ago in print and had a hard time getting into it, but might give it another shot now on audio if that was more successful for you. Sometimes format makes all the different!
Dani @ The Restricted Section
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I haven’t read any of these — but judging by covers alone, I see a few that grab my attention. I think I’ll check out Snowspelled, at the very least. Love your description!
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I think you’d enjoy Snowspelled! She incorporates a lot of world-building into a fairly short story, but it doesn’t take over the plot at all. 🙂
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Looks like you have found many new authors last year that I’d like to check out.
Happy reading to you in 2019!! I hope you find more new to you authors this year.
Here’s a link to my TTT post this week: https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2019/01/top-ten-tuesday-new-to-me-authors-i.html
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Thank you, happy reading to you too! 😀
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omg I LOVE Elizabeth May! She made my list this week too and I’m currently reading the second book in her Falconer series! I don’t really feel like I’ve tried historical romance before, but maybe I should?! She’s an excellent writer. 😍 I also ADORE Six of Crows *flails to see it on your list*
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Ugh Six of Crows gave me so many feelings. I need to carry on with that trilogy! I actually have a copy of The Vanishing Throne from NetGalley that I still haven’t read because I’m the literal worst, so I need to get on that this year.
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I actually read Six of Crows for the first time in 2018; unfortunately, I think I’m a bit of an outlier because I didn’t really care for it that much!
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Everyone has different tastes! I think it’s one of those books where you have to love the characters and you have to love heist stories to love the book – I know a few people who aren’t big fans of heist stories didn’t enjoy the book all that much so you’re definitely not alone. 🙂
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I was going to try A Natural History of dragons too but had the same problem- had trouble getting into it. Maybe it’s time to try again! And Karen McManus- yes! I loved One Of Us Is Lying! Looking forward to reading her new one soon.
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I’ll definitely be reading more McManus in future! I would recommend the Lady Trent audiobooks – the narrator does a really good job and I enjoyed listening to them far more than I enjoyed trying to read it.
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I’ve just finished reading my first Sarah Moss book, Bodies of Light, and I agree that she writes beautifully. I’m looking forward to reading Ghost Wall. 🙂
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That’s one I want to get to, glad to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
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I have yet to read Six Of Crows! It’s going to be a show on Netflix with another one of the authors series, right? I’m definitely going to be checking it out 🙂
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Yes, it was just announced! I’m so excited but also a little nervous – I love those characters so much. Would definitely recommend reading Six of Crows; I adored it. 😀
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I’m looking forward to reading more from Leigh Bardugo. I really need to finish the Grisha trilogy.
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Yeah, me too! I’d like to finish it before King of Scars is released.
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I haven’t read many of these authors. I do like Leigh Bardugo though.
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She’s great! 🙂
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Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite authors, so glad you enjoyed her books last year!
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I had so much fun with Six of Crows! I’m not enjoying the Grisha trilogy as much, not that I expected to, but I’m really excited for King of Scars. 🙂
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Yes it was amazing! I’m on the last Grisha book now, and her writing has definitely improved since then. Me too!
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The Abyss Surrounds us does sound like a good read.
This is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
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It’s really fun, especially if you’re in the mood for some f/f sci-fi!
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Yes, Sarah Moss is a great writer. Congratulations on discovering her! 🙂
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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I’m really looking forward to reading more by her!
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