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No Questions Asked, or Angie's Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish

I've never taken part in this meme before, but come on! Your top ten auto-buy authors? That's a list worth making. In the interest of keeping it real, I'm going to limit myself to living authors who, you know, have the potential to actually publish a new book. So. In alphabetical order:

Sarah Addison Allen - I have read and loved all four of her magical realism novels. Favorite: The Peach Keeper
Kristin Cashore - I feel as though Ms. Cashore holds her writing to the highest of standards. And it shows. Favorite: Fire
John Green - It's to do with the awesome. Favorite: The Fault in Our Stars
Juliet Marillier - Because everything is always gorgeous when she has anything to do with it. Favorite: Son of the Shadows (if pressed . . . but only if pressed)
Robin McKinley - She's kind of where it all began. Girls Who Do Things-wise. Fairy Tale Retelling-wise. Speaks to Angie's SOUL-wise. Favorite: I . . . can't. 
Meg Rosoff - Every book she writes is different. And every time I read one my reading muscles get stretched out and noodly. Favorite: How I Live Now
Sharon Shinn - I don't know. I guess I just get the way Shinn sees her worlds. She always surprises me. And her characters are dear friends. Favorite: Archangel. No, Mystic & Rider. No, Archangel. No, wait! I'm sorry, could you please repeat the question?
Maggie Stiefvater - Most people fell when they read The Scorpio Races. Utterly understandably. But I've been on board from her very first book. Favorite: The Scorpio Races (it's just THAT good)
Megan Whelan Turner - I'm a big believer in authors requiring something of their readers. In Ms. Turner's case, it is intelligence, mischief, and heart. Favorite: The Queen of Attolia (see above Marillier comment)
Ellen Emerson White - I have a problem with White's books. I track down used copies of her out of print ones at the slightest provocation and send them around the world to homes where they will be loved. Favorite: The Road Home
Markus Zusak - He does things with words no one else does. Favorite: The Book Thief

That's right. That's eleven. What of it? Couldn't possibly whittle it down one author more. And just because you gave me grief, I'm handing out an honorable mention, too:

Mary Stewart
Still living (96 and going strong!), but her last book came out 16 years ago. She earns a mention here because I own every book she's ever written and because if she did publish a new one, I would go out of my bookish little mind. So there.

Comments

  1. Did I tell you that I bought Shadow of the Forest because of you? I saw your review a few weeks ago and went for it. I haven't read it yet, but when I do, I'll let you know. And because I was on a Fantasy kick, I also bought McKinley's Spindle's End.

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    1. You did not! Ooh, now I'm all giddy. DEFINITELY let me know!

      Spindle's End is my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling. Have you read McKinley before?

      Delete
    2. I haven't! This will be my first. I'll let you know ;-)

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  2. Thanks for the reminder on THE ROAD HOME. You gave it to me!! I've put it on my immediate TBR, so I will get to it soon!

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    1. Ha! See? I have a problem.

      Cannot WAIT to hear what you think.

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    2. I will be sure to let you know :)

      Delete
  3. Yay another fan of Kristin Cashore! :D I love her! I hope she writes more books! She made my list too!

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    1. She is sublime. Can't wait to read the contemporary she's working on. Though I will miss her wonderful fantasy world.

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  4. The Road Home is my sister's favorite (she bought an old library copy on ebay), and one of her few favorite books I can actually stand.

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    1. Truly? I so rarely just run into anyone who's read it, that hearing that makes my day. My keeper copy is an older library copy as well. Much, much read and loved.

      You make me laugh. What are some of her other favorites?

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  5. I'm very much a story person, so it's not often that I buy books solely because a particular author wrote it. But in case of Megan Whalen Turner, I'd read anything she writes after THE QUEEN'S THIEF.

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    1. I hear that. It has to be a proven (time and time again) author to push me over to auto-buy. But MWT . . . just anything she writes.

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  6. Oh, Robin McKinley is on my list too! And I seriously thought about putting down Stiefvater and Sharon Shinn, too. God, such good books. Such amazing, soul-melting books.

    Thanks for sharing your picks!

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    1. Yay!

      Yeah, those ladies know how to bring it. Buying their books is a privilege.

      Delete
  7. Goodness this list makes me so incredibly happy Angie. Especially since basically all these authors would top my Top 10 list too. And also, kudos girl, because I don't think I would have discovered half of them without you! So thanks for passing along your favorites. I don't know what I'd do without them.

    I KNEW Son of the Shadows was your favorite :)

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    1. *hugs* Thanks for indulging me and reading them!

      There's no use denying it. But only if pressed. ;)

      Delete
  8. How can you choose your top ten!? That seems so hard! But then I read it and was like.. yeah that's probably right!

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    1. SO hard. But I forced myself to be ruthless. I have so many favorite authors. But these are the ones I do not even question when they have a new book out. And I usually force a copy on you as well. :)

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  9. So many good authors! But seriously, ROBIN MCKINLEY.

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    1. Yeah. She's kind of the one. I don't understand people who don't love McKinley. My brain will not process the notion at all.

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  10. Awesome list! "He does things with words..." Sigh.

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    1. Yeah, I thought of you when I typed that. You fangirl you. ;)

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  11. Stiefvater and Cashore are 2 of my fave authors too. Love the list..

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    1. You obviously have excellent taste, Tanya. Glad you liked it. It was fun to make. Hard, but fun.

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  12. Oh, what a good list! Robin McKinley is top on mine. I just ran down it with the other person on the library desk with me. I have read and really enjoyed to loved all of these authors except Sharon Shinn, whom I've heard of but never read, and Ellen Emerson White, whom I've never even heard of, but you make me think I should track down.

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    1. Fellow McKinley lovers are always welcome here! As for Shinn, well, I obviously think she's the bee's knees. Give ARCHANGEL or MYSTIC & RIDER a go and let me know!

      White is terminally under-appreciated, IMO. But fortunately used copies can generally be tracked down at minimal cost. And the rewards are so, so great.

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  13. This reminds me of how I did inter-library loan for one of White's books and it came and it was a different book with the same title and I was SO disappointed. And now I'm remembering that I never rerequested it!

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    1. Whaattt? This is unacceptable. Which one was it? How can we get it to you??

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  14. ooh, really great list! I still need to finish the Attolia series, but wow, after what happens in book two, how can I not?

    Here's my Top Ten.

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    1. You haven't read KING yet?! Oh, Scarlett. You have got a serious treat in store. Off you go! Quick like a bunny! ;)

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  15. Denise10:47 PM

    I'd be racing you to the store for a new Mary Stewart book. LOVE her! I cancelled a dinner date so I could finish Nine Coaches Waiting the first time I read it.

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    1. Denise, you are officially my hero. That is some serious dedication to an absolutely worthy book. Were I to have a dinner date to cancel I would do so immediately to stay at home and reread Nine Coaches Waiting. Just on principle.

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  16. Totally agree on Sharon Shinn and Mary Stewart!

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  17. Anonymous11:23 AM

    LOL love that you can't name a favorite Robin McKinley book. I've read all of these authors except for Meg Rosoff (I have How I Live Now back home in Manila) and Markus Zusak (I have The Book Thief here in Singapore with me). Love this list, so many of the authors you mentioned are on my auto-buy list as well.

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    1. I kept circling it, but it turns out it's an impossible feat for me!

      I didn't realize you hadn't read those two, Chachic! I'm all excited for you now. They are so, so good. Not like I've ever told you that before, huh? :)

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  18. I considered participating this week, too! Such a great meme topic and list for you, Ang. I love that it pressed you to pick favorites.

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    1. Oh, picking the favorites wasn't part of the meme. I added that because I wanted newbies to have a direction to go when trying out these authors. And, of course, in some instances it's simply NOT possible.

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  19. I like your picks, Angie--particularly Maggie Stiefvater, who is definitely on mine, too. (And sadly--for my pocketbook at least--often in multiple formats.) I have mixed feelings about some of her books, but SHIVER has a piece of my heart that no one else can touch, and I love Raven Boys, too.

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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    1. Yeah, she's a good 'un for sure. The experience of reading SHIVER for the first time is one that has never left me. Especially that ending. Wow.

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  20. I love Marillier and McKinley too! There is so much depth to their characters that they feel almost tangible. and the writing..it hits you and resonates so deeply. I read Daughter of the Forest in high school and stayed up till about 4 am on a school night to finish it. It was that good.

    Have you read Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn? That was the first one of hers that I read, and loved it, but I couldn't get into her other books. Maybe I should give it another go.

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    1. So much depth! DotF is absolutely a stay up into the wee hours of the night to finish book. Absolutely.

      I have read Summers at Castle Auburn! Loved it. It was probably my fourth or fifth Shinn, though. Which ones have you tried?

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  21. This is such a great list. I always love to 'meet' another Mary Stewart enthusiast. I started reading her in Jr. High and never looked back. And I push Juliet Marillier on anyone literate!

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    1. So do I, Amy! I came a bit late my freshman year of college. But wow. I blew through them in a delighted haze.

      Yeah, Marillier is hard to beat.

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