Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Popular Authors to Read


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  I haven't participated in a few months, but this week's topic had me instantly composing a mental list. Here we go...

POPULAR AUTHORS I'VE NEVER READ

1. Rainbow Rowell
A current blogger favorite, her novel Eleanor & Park is on my wish list.

2. Jo Nesbo
Sandy and Jill introduced me to Nesbo's Harry Hole novels. After reading their rave reviews, I finally snagged a copy of The Redbreast at our library book sale.

3. Simon Von Booy
His novel Everything Beautiful Began After was one of my earliest kindle purchases, but I still haven't read it.

4. Thrity Umrigar
I just know I'm going to love her books and even have two of them on my shelf. What am I waiting for?

5. Liane Moriarty
I think I'll start with The Husband's Secret.

6. John Green
I know.  The Fault in our Stars is on my kindle and it's been there since last fall. I promise to read it soon.

7. Joshilyn Jackson
Surely I'm the last person on earth to read this author. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is in my audible library. It's narrated by the author.

8. Fay Weldon
The description of Habits of the House says "From the award-winning novelist and writer of Upstairs Downstairs, the launch of a brilliant new trilogy about what life was really like for masters and servants before the world of Downton Abbey." How can I resist?

9. Paul Auster
Suggestions of where to start are welcome!

10. Georgette Heyer
This prolific author lived from 1902-1974 and has a very loyal band of blogger fans. Will I become part of that group?



Have you read any of these authors? Where should I start?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit The Broke and the Bookish.

52 comments:

  1. I've read several of those authors and want to urge you to read them ASAP but I know how it is.

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    1. Kathy - So many books, so little reading time ;-)

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  2. Many of these I haven't read either and like you Everything Beautiful Began After was one of the very first books I bought for my kindle. Looking for Alaska is my favorite John Green but I think I'm in the minority there. I have a few Georgette Heyer but haven't read them yet!

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    1. Trish - I expect to like John Green and now I'm curious about Looking for Alaska.

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    2. Looking for Alaska is my FAVE Green...

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  3. Wow, the only author I've read here is John Green! Rainbow Rowell is actually the number one on my list! Happy reading! :D
    Top 10 Popular Authors I Haven't Read Yet
    Reviews: Solving For Ex || White Hot Kiss Giveaway

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    1. Divergent Gryffindor - Funny we both have Rowell in the number one slot and the rest of our lists are so different!

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  4. I am familiar with four authors on your list. Of your books mentioned, I've read The Husband's Secret and The Fault In Our Stars. Both very enjoyable.

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    1. Pat - I have a feeling I'm going to love both of those books!

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  5. I need to stop visiting you. Every time I do my Amazon bill goes up.

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  6. I haven't read John Green, Joshilyn Jackson, Rainbow Rowell or Jo Nesbo! Maybe we should read some of these together.

    I highly recommend Simon Von Booy. Everything Beautiful Began After is amazing and his short story collections are also great.
    I think you will love Thrity Umrigar. She's an amazing writer. The Weight of Heaven was recommended to me a few years ago. I haven't read it yet but it's on my shelf and I'm hoping to read it in the next month or so. I have read her novels, The Space Between Us and The World We Found. Both are very good but I thought The Space Between Us was a little better. There are too many good books!

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    1. Amy - That would be great! I need to spend some time and read all the wonderful books that are accumulating on my kindle.

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  7. I really like Auster. The first book of his I read was a memoir! It was a good way to slide into his fiction since I learned a lot about him as a person and many of the things he's experienced in life pop up in his very wonky fiction. I've loved The New York Trilogy and Man in the Dark the most so far. Simon Van Booy is a super must-read!

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    1. Andi - I hadn't considered starting with a memoir, but that actually makes a lot of sense...

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  8. I read Auster's New York Trilogy and am kind of on the fence about whether I like him or not. He's a great writer, but his stories are . . . odd. I haven't written him off yet, though. I just think you have to be prepared for weirdness, like Murakami.

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    1. Trish - Funny, I haven't read Murakami either... and I thought of him right after I hit the publish button!

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    2. Trish, I love Auster but have never been able to get into the NY Trilogy. Try some of his other more accessible books like Brooklyn Follies.

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  9. I have 2 of Joshilyn Jackson's books on my library shelf. They sound like I would like them but haven't been able to find time to read them.

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    1. Linda - I thought for sure I was the only one who hasn't read Jackson! We'll both get to her eventually...

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  10. I've read Heyer and Nesbo, but none of the others on your list.

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    1. Carol - I think it was your recent post about Nesbo that prompted me to include him here!

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  11. The only ones on your list I have read are Fay Weldon (Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen) and Georgette Heyer (uneven--some great some meh!).

    John Green's Fault in Our Stars is on my list too!

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    1. JaneGS - Your comment reminded me that I purchased Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen for my kindle not too long ago... the 'virtual shelf' is kinking me. I can never remember what's on it!!

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  12. I've read several on your list. I liked Georgette Heyer's mysteries but I love her Regency books, they're a hoot. I liked The Fault in Our Stars but was underwhelmed by John Green's Looking for Alaska. I've only read one book by Jo Nesbo, Headhunters, which I did not like at all. I know I've read Fay Weldon but it's been so long I can hardly remember it. However, I know she wrote the script for the 1980s BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice which was just wonderful.

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    1. Karen K. - I have one of Heyer's mysteries on my kindle (Footsteps in the Dark?), but think the Regency books will prove to be more my speed.

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  13. Hmmm. These are all unread authors for me, except Georgette Heyer, and I've never even heard of most of them (except for Fay Weldon and Jo Nesbo). So I'm looking forward to discovering a new author through you. :)

    All I can say is that I agree with Karen - GH's regency romances are just a lot of fun. I only discovered them a couple of years ago when people were reading her for her centennial. Our library has recently gotten a bunch of them on audio, and I think they're perfect, slightly mindless entertainment. But we all need that sometimes, don't we? I've listened to Bath Tangle (possibly my favorite), Sprig Muslin and a few others; I've also heard that A Civil Contract (?) is very good.

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    1. Audrey - Oooh, Heyer on audio?! I'll have to check and see which ones are available through audible... hopefully Bath Tangle is on their list. Thanks for the suggestions!

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  14. I've read several of these and they are all fastastic, but really, you need to get on that Rainbow Rowell ASAP. She's so much fun.

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    1. Heather - I know!! Have a feeling Eleanor &Park would be perfect for our upcoming vacation...

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  15. Auster comes in two flavors offbeat/experimental and linear/easy read. I would highly suggest starting with the latter. The best example of that is Brooklyn Follies, kind a Persephone-esque story of a cranky old man in Brooklyn. Also Sunset Park fits into that enjoyable read category. I think Man In the Dark is a good short read that is kind of a bridge to his more experimental work. And as much I have enjoyed all the Auster I have finished, I have not been able to get into his New York trilogy.

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    1. Thomas - Thank you! Had a feeling there was something I needed to know about Auster before randomly selecting a title... Brooklyn Follies sounds like the perfect starting point.

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  16. Green - I got half way thru Paper Towns and then lost my book! I was really enjoying his writing. Love Rowell and drool over Umrigar! I just got a Nesbo because of Jill, too!

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    1. Lisa - So many great authors out there... wish we all had more time to read! Hope you get another copy of Paper Towns :(

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  17. Georgette Heyer and Nesbo are the only two I've read. Good list!

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    1. Peggy - I have a feeling those two are *very* different ;-)

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  18. Very interesting list! I have a few of these on mine, too and can happily share that I just finished my first Georgette Heyer! I read Venetia and thoroughly enjoyed it - I even had to look up a few words (more than a few - the lady has a vocabulary that includes all the words you know you've looked up a few times over the years but can't remember...)

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    1. Care - Venetia sounds perfect... love me some good vocab words ;-)

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  19. I'd read a book by Paul Auster which I think is unique and brilliant. The movie adaptation too is equally excellent. It's The Music of Chance.

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    1. Thank you, Arti. I will look up The Music of Chance - what a great title!

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  20. I'd highly recommend (along with everyone else) Rowell and Gree. I'm also going to try to read The Husband's Secret this year.

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    1. Melissa - Everyone seems to love both Rowell and Green. I should make more time for YA authors.

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  21. Thrity Umrigar is awesome! I love her books. I've got her newest one and can't wait to read it.

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    1. Darlene - I just know I'm going to love her books!

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  22. John Green is on my list too! I recently read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Pretty good. The other authors I am less familiar with. Here’s my TTT .

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    1. Jay Riv - Hope we both get a chance to read him soon.

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  23. I've read a book by Joshilyn Jackson and also a book by Georgette Heyer and was underwhelmed by both. I'm willing to give both a second chance - part of my problem with "gods in alabama" was the story itself, but I liked a few of the characters. I'm not sure Heyer is for me since the book I read ("Frederica") is well-regarded by her fans.

    I also want to tick Rowell and van Booy off my to-read list someday soon. I'm worried I won't like Rowell after all the praise I've heard.

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    1. Agoodstoppingpoint - It's hard when all that praise heightens expectations. I try not to let it, but you know how that goes...

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  24. I've only read 5,6 & 7 and liked them all. Like you, I really want to try Heyer.

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    1. Stacybuckeye - Even though I have one of Heyer's mysteries on my kindle, I think I'd enjoy her Regency novels more.

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  25. Eleanor and Park (Rainbow Rowell) is very good, but I think Attachments is even better. I loved both, though, and am anxious to read her new book, Landline. One of my co-workers has the ARC, so I'm hoping she'll let me borrow it once she's finished.

    Liane Moriarty is another new-to-me author. I've loved What Alice Forgot and am now eager to dive into all her other material.

    Yep, John Green. I loved The Fault in Our Stars and want to read his entire backlist.

    I've only read one book by Joshilyn Jackson (Gods in Alabama) and was a bit disappointed, so I haven't gone on to try anything else by her.

    I have a couple of books by Umrigar in my stacks. They came highly recommended by a friend, so I'm not sure why I haven't picked them up yet...

    You're in for a treat with all of these authors!

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  26. Les - I think so, too. Will probably start with Green, but am wondering if that'll be too sad for vacation...

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