Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favorite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012

(It was hard enough for me to pick just ten. You don't expect me to put them in any kind of ranking, do you? Because I won't. These are in no particular order.)

1)Gabrielle Zevin
I never expected All These Things I've Done to be such an enjoyable, fun but also adventurous story! But what really made that book unique was Zevin's writing and the main character's voice. After a while I was like "Wow, that's so Anya!",because she was such a strong character (in both ways: strong as a person but also very much her own person) - can't wait to read Because It Is My Blood and other books by this fantastic author!

2)Dan Wells
Partials was another book that totally surprised me (aren't those the best ones anyway?). It was such an epic, action-packed adventure - the plot blew me over, but the characters were sooo likable, as well.

3)Lauren Oliver
I waited forever to read this book. I guess it was because I have the version with the not so pretty cover so that it didn't look as attractive :) When I finally picked it up, I had that sensation that you slowly turn to love a story and the characters so much that you can't stop reading it but it takes you forever to figure out how much you really adore that story! Did that...um...make any sense at all?

4)Alex Flinn
Beastly was another surprise. I thought it was a cheesy Paranormal Romance like every other, but I turned to love this (fairy-)tale because of the sweet and slowly developing romance and the two main characters :) I want more Alex Flinn next year!!!

5)Sarah Ockler
I'm a huge contemporary fan (as most of you guys know) but I feel like the more I read it the better the writing has to be for me ton enjoy it (I guess that's the natural order of things...) and Sarah Ockler's writing is gorgeous! I think next to Sarah Dessen she's my favorite contemp author because she just gets how teenagers feel :)

6)Katie McGarry
Pushing the Limits belongs to that other type of contemporary. It's nothing like Sarah Dessen/Ockler with their teens who go through the same things most of us do. This book was about teens dealing with heavy stuff that they shouldn't actually be dealing with. Anyway, McGarry did a brilliant job telling this story, creating her characters, developing a plot and most of all...making me hope for a better future for Noah and Echo throughout the whole book. I can't wait to read more books by her!

7)Gemma Halliday
Okay, I know Deadly Cool is probably not one of the most brilliant novels that have ever been written. I know a lot of people think it's too flat and nothing but maybe a tidbit entertaining. But you know what? This last spring I was overwhelmed by schoolwork, I had no energy for anything anymore and everything I wanted was to sleep and never wake up again - I felt that exhausted. I wouldn't enjoy a single page of the books I attempted to read. And then I read Deadly Cool. And then Social Suicide. And it made me happy and it made me laugh and it reminded me to see the funny side of things and go through life with a smile on my face and to make up for a bad day with a whole bag of ice cream and not feel guilty. Honestly, you guys? Epic tales of magical worlds are awesome - but we do need fluffy, silly reads, too!

8) Michele Jaffe
I read Rosebush this year and it took me a week to get past the first twenty pages. But then I started understanding the story. And I loved every single page of that novel, because Jaffe accomplished to write a book with a great, twisted plot, likable characters, a lot of humour that also contained a great message. This deserves some applause, people!

9) Gayle Forman
I still haven't read Where She Went. And I seriously have no idea why. It's like the Universe does not want this book to make its way safely to my doorstep. Anyway, I loved, loved, loved If I Stay. It made me cry. I never cry. If that's any indication.

10. Richelle Mead
Because I never taught I'd like a Vampire book. Never, ever. She taught me how damn cool those bloodsuckers can be!