Top Ten Tuesday (2)

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish which features a variety of bookish top ten lists!

The theme for this week is; Top Ten Favorite Authors In X Genre (Ex- Top Ten Favorite Science Fiction Authors, Top Ten Fave Contemporary YA authors) so I chose to list my Top 10 Favorite Newer YA Authors but I did cheat a bit this week cause some of my picks are not exactly that new but could still be considered new-ish ;-)  So here goes!

 1. Laini Taylor , author of the brilliant Daughter of Smoke & Bone easily my top read of 2012.  Laini really impressed me with her poetic writing style & the gothic, magical and and original world she created.  Plus Karou the main protagonist kicks some serious ass and I definitely feel the butterflies for Akiva ;-)  Who else is counting down to book 2: Days of Blood & Starlight?!

2. Veronica Roth, who's responsible for the epic dystopian Divergent.  I felt like Veronica managed to keep her series fresh & real (Insurgent anyone?) in the ever popular dystopian genre.  But with no hint of a cover or official release date in sight for book #3, it looks like we may have to wait awhile to see what Miss Roth has in store for the finale of Tris' adventures.

3. Lauren Oliver.  Ok, I'll admit I'm basing this pick on one book alone.  But come on, that one book was Liesl & Po, an absolutely enchanting & endearing modern fairytale...and also a close second favorite read of 2012.  Even if she'd never written anything else in her life, she'd be on this list.  Just writing this is making me want to re-read Liesl & Po!  I probably should just check out Delirium soon.

4. Ally Condie author of the Matched Trilogy. With the final book Reached coming out in less then a month's time, I'm really curious as to how Ally Condie will deliver.  I especially love how the author puts an emphasis on the value of creative expression & how powerful words can be, so I hope she offers even more in those respects in the conclusion of Matched.

5. Suzanne Collins.  See this pick is not that new but in my opinion it could still be considered recent. And I mean come on, The Hunger Games deserves a spot on this list by sheer awesomeness alone!  The series that launched the dystopian craze that's still sweeping the 'reading' nation.  This series was by far the biggest emotional and nerve-wracking roller coaster ride I've ever taken.

6. Angie Sage.  If you haven't heard about Angie yet, you soon will.  With the 7th book in her magical (magikal?) Septimus Heap Series coming out next year...and her deal to translate this series onto film well underway, Septimus Heap could be the next magical series to take the world by storm.  While I've had my ups and downs where the series is concerned, overall I've still very much enjoyed reading about this quirky & enchanting world.  I'm definitely eagerly anticipating book 7, Fyre's release some time in 2013.

7.J. K. Rowling.  It's official: I can't make any kind of list without putting J.K. Rowling on it. Even if I myself specify this list to be of recent authors, I cheat & throw her in there anyways.  I can't help it, the brilliance that is the Harry Potter will never fade for me.  I'll forever be re-reading the series, listening to it on audiobook, re-watching the movies (while picking apart everything that's different from the books), and playing on PotterMore.

8.Kelley Armstrong.  Again, not really recent but a recent discovery for me.  And while I've only read her Darkest Powers Trilogy I instantly loved Kelley's writing style, characters and PG-creepiness.  I'm eager to get into her adult Women of the Otherworld series!

9.Rick Riordan.  Mythology = win in my book.  Greek, Roman, Egyptian; you name it, I'm in!  Rick Riodan's got a handle on all 3, almost simultaneously coming out with a series for each mythological system.  I've only recently finished the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series but I really enjoyed it!  I have the first book of his Egyptian inspired Kane Chronicles series.  I'm dying to check out The Heroes of Olympus series where Riodan meshes both Roman & Greek myths but I think starting to read them now would involve too much torturous waiting...

10. Stephenie Meyer. Yup, again.  She gave us (me) Edward Cullen...which led to Robert Pattinson, she makes the list. ;-)

What authors made YOUR list this week?  Link me up below so I can check out your list 

& don't forget to let me know if you're a new follower so I can return the favor ♥