Top Ten Tuesday #19

Created by The Broke and The Bookish 
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021

1) Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My first read of 2021 was Mexican Gothic, my first read by Moreno-Garcia! I loved the spooky gothic vibes and I also managed to read The Beautiful Ones by her as well! I really enjoyed both, so I've added several books by her, including Gods of Jade and Shadow, to my TBR!

2) V.E. Schwab

Another early January 2021 read for me was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. My very first Schwab book, and an instant favorite. One of my favorite books ever kind of favorite! In 2021 I also managed to read her Shades of Magic trilogy, which introduced me to the fantastic character that is Lila Bard. I've definitely got more Schwab in my future.

3) Kendare Blake

A hit-or-miss new-to-me author has been Kendare Blake. I loved the concept of her Three Dark Crowns Quartet, but was less of the fan of the execution. It could have been a book shorter I think. That being said, I stuck around and tried out All These Bodies, her historical fiction horror, and was blown away. While I didn't read it all in one sitting, I finished it all within 24 hours! Blake did a fantastic job with All These Bodies and I am curious about Anna Dressed in Blood.

4) Heidi Heilig

Heilig was a life-changing discovery for me in 2021. I adored each book in her Shadow Players Trilogy. A Kingdom For a Stage did NOT suffer from second book syndrome which is a rare treat, plus her method of story telling mixes regular prose with letters, newspaper clippings, and songs. It's a truly well-developed world with well-rounded characters that I couldn't recommend more!

5) Axie Oh

In 2021, I discovered XOXO and fell in love. This is such a charming contemporary romance that I couldn't get enough of. Oh's upcoming book The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a highly anticipated 2022 release for me and I'm trying to be patient for my pre-order to arrive. I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of GIRL which you can read here.

6) Malinda Lo

Lo has actually been on my TBR for several years now. For Marie Lu's Warcross tour, she had a Boston with Malinda Lo that I attended and immediately wanted to read A Line in the Dark. I still haven't, buuuut this put Lo on my radar and I DID read Last Night at the Telegraph Club in 2021. LAST is an extremely moving work of historical fiction (with a fantastic audiobook narrator) that delved into overlapping minority identities in the 1950's. It was seriously amazing, and made my best of 2021 read recap post over on Instagram.

7) Marissa Meyer

Meyer has been on my TBR for a long long time, and within the last year I've read three of her books! I started with Heartless, which I almost DNF'd several times and ended up being just a 'meh' experience, but I'm so glad I gave her another chance. I've adored The Lunar Chronicles! I've listened to the audiobooks of both Cinder and Scarlet so far and already have the next in the series on hold from my library. I'm planning on trying Renegades as well!

8) Darcie Little Badger

I discovered Elatsoe on my quest for fantasy standalones and I couldn't be happier. Set in Texas, the the story is steeped in the culture of the Lipan Apache tribe. This book also has Western Fae and Vampires, as well as asexual representation. It’s such a rich and vibrant standalone fantasy, and I’ll definitely be looking out for more from Darcie Little Badger.

9) Maureen Johnson

With Johnson's latest Stevie mystery The Box in the Woods being a standalone sequel, I thought it'd be the perfect jumping off point as a new reader. They are a great opportunity to 'sample' the characters and world building with the benefit of an all-inclusive plot. No loose ends like a series might have! And if you *do* like it, you can go back and read the original trilogy! All of the Truly Devious books are certainly on my TBR now.

10) Erin Morgenstern

Last but certainly not least, another author I read for the first time in 2021 was Erin Morgenstern! I found a signed first edition of her debut, The Night Circus, at a local used bookstore and it felt meant to be. A 4-star read for me, ti was utterly charming. It's hard to believe that this was a debut book! I've got The Starless Sea on my 2022 TBR for sure.

What Authors 

Did You Discover in 2021?