Monday, December 8, 2014

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

It's time for another rendition of Top Ten Tuesday.  This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's theme a is "wrapping up the year" type theme.  It's Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014. My new-to-me authors list is rather long this year, so it took some work to get it down to ten, but I succeeded. Here we go:

1. John Steinbeck: That's right, before this year, I had never read John Steinbeck. I heard so many people talk about how awful he is, but I actually really liked Of Mice and Men. Is it sad? Well, yes, duh, but it was good.


2. Jane Austen: Yep, this was the first year I have ever read Jane Austen. I only read Pride and Prejudice. I anticipate that some day I will read more.


3. Jeffrey Eugenides: I had heard a lot about Middlesex, but it didn't seem like my kind of book.  But I am reading my way through the Pulitzer Prize winners, so I figured I'd check it out. I actually really liked it. It was fascinating.


4.  JRR Tolkien: Ok, so here's another very famous author I finally read this year. Will I read more?  I am still on the fence. While I enjoyed The Hobbit, I feel like The Lord of the Rings is just too complex for me.  I also read The Silmarillion which was well written and really shows off Tolkien's talent, but was just way too much information for me. I don't know.  We will see where the future leads. 


5. Cormac McCarthy:  The Road was my first go at a McCarthy book.  I really enjoyed it. I know he also wrote No Country for Old Men, but I saw the movie and am not sure the book is for me. One thing is for sure, McCarthy doesn't feel the need to end his book happily!


6. William Golding: Here is another famous author that I can now say I have read.  I loved The Lord of the Flies.  It was captivating and so realistic. I think he did a phenomenal job and I really like the imagery of the book.


7. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman:  I list these two authors together because I have only read a collaboration by them. I full intentions of reading each author separately as well now, because Good Omens was a very good book that made me chuckle out loud.



8. Jennifer Egans: This year I read Jennifer Egans as well.  I don't think she has many other books, so I am not sure I will read her again (unless she writes something new) but I did think A Visit From the Goon Squad was unique and interesting.



9. Gillian Flynn: I also read my first Gillian Flynn book. I was insanely good, but so dark and so pure evil. I am not sure I can handle another one, despite the amazingness of the first book. I don't know. I am still on the fence.


10. Rob Thomas and  Jennifer Graham: I will definitely read more of these books, because I love Veronica Mars! 


10 comments:

  1. As an English major, I loved all the classics you mentioned. Glad you finally got to reading them.

    here's mine

    I also have a $30 gift certicate to Amazon giveaway, so check that out if you want.

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    1. Me too! I have been working my way through the classics, trying to tag off as many as possible.

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  2. I keep putting off the hobbit. One day I will read at least one of JRR Tolkien books.
    Here is my TTT list: http://mooneyesrandomsmile.blogspot.ca/2014/12/top-ten-tuesday-new-to-me-authors-i.html

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    1. The Hobbit is good. I am not sure I could ever of any of the Lord of the Rings books though.

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  3. Yay for Jane Austen, Tolkien, Eugenides, Pratchett, & Gaiman! Hope you enjoy their other works :) I can't wait for the next VM book and I'm with you re: Gillian Flynn: enjoyed reading Gone Girl but I dunno if I can handle her other books, the premises sound so very dark!

    My TTT

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    1. Thanks! I am glad I am not the only one that feels this way about Flynn. I keep trying to explain to people that despite her being a phenomenal writer and the book being excellent, I just can't do another one.

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  4. I adore J.R.R. Tolkien's work! I enjoyed The Lord of the Rings more than I did The Hobbit though. Something about the characters in the Hobbit made me unable to connect to them while there are so many characters in LotR that I love!

    I have never read any book by Gillian Flynn or Jane Austen... Whoops. And I've never read the Veronica Mars books but I want to so badly! I really loved that show and the movie.

    Great list!

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    1. Thanks! I think there are a ton of people who love LotR more than The Hobbit. its obviously insanely popular since those movies are STILL being talked about.

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  5. I love, love John Steinbeck's novels..... I have yet to read them all, but so far East of Eden is my favorite one. I also liked The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Here's a link to my TTT for the week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2014/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-new-to-me.html

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    1. I am definitely going to have to read East of Eden!

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