Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new theme is suggested for bloggers to participate in. This week’s prompt is New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021.
Hello Readers! While some of you may be ready for January to move on along, I’m relishing this month that doesn’t seem like it will ever end. November and December flew by for me, and I’ve needed this month that feels never-ending to catch up on some reading! At the moment, I’m on pace with my ARCs (advanced reader copies), but I’m reading ahead, hoping that means I can pick up some books off my backlist in February. Fingers crossed!
Today we’re talking about new-to-us authors we discovered in 2021, and I’ve decided that means only authors who’ve published more than one book. No debut authors here! It might be their debut book I read, but they’ve since published something else. Which really limited my choices because I read a LOT of debut ARCs last year. 😉
Let’s see who I discovered!
(Link to Goodreads author profile through author’s name.
Link to Goodreads synopsis through book title.)
1
Kate Clayborn
I fell hard for Kate Clayborn’s Love at First last year when I won an advanced copy. I’ve slowly been collecting her backlist books. Now I just need to find the time to read them!
My review
Also available: Love Lettering and Chance of a Lifetime Series
Upcoming: She announced on her Twitter in November of 2021 that her next book should be available in 2023!
2
Priscilla Oliveras
I read three of Oliveras’ published works last year, including a novel and two short stories, but it all started for me with Anchored Hearts, the second installment in her Keys to Love Series (each one can be read as a standalone). I also read Summer in the City, which included her short story, and Amor Actually, a holiday anthology of short stories by Latinx authors inspired by the film Love Actually. I’m so happy to have discovered Oliveras!
My Review of Anchored Hearts
My Review of Summer in the City
My Review of Amor Actually
Also available: Island Affair (Keys to Love, #1) and Matched to Perfection Series
Upcoming: West Side Love Story expected June 1, 2022
3
Trish Doller
When I was invited to read Float Plan (Beck Sisters, #1) by Trish Doller, I couldn’t resist the adventurous synopsis. I’m a sucker for travel romance and this one checked off all the right boxes. Her next novel, The Suite Spot, which is the second installment in the Beck Sisters Series, is one of my next reads, as well!
My Review
Also available: Something Like Normal, Start Here, and In a Perfect World – all of which appear to be Young Adult or New Adult
Upcoming: The Suite Spot (Beck Sisters, #2) Expected March 8, 2022
4
Jenny Colgan
I’d had Jenny Colgan’s The Bookshop on the Corner (Scottish Bookshop, #1) sitting on my shelf for a while but I finally read it last year and I adored it! So when I had the opportunity to read her holiday romance The Christmas Bookshop, I jumped at the chance!
My review of The Christmas Bookshop
Also available: The Bookshop on the Shore (Scottish Bookshop, #2), 500 Miles From You (Scottish Bookshop, #3), Mure Series, and Little Beach Street Bakery Series
Upcoming: An Island Wedding (Mure, #5) expected May 24, 2022
5
Jennifer Mathieu
Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie was published way back in 2017, but when I saw the release of the adaptation on Netflix, I knew I wanted to read it first. I enjoyed both! I was happy to snag a copy of her latest novel Bad Girls Never Say Die on BookishFirst. It’s a gender swapped retelling of The Outsiders set in 1960’s Texas. I’m hoping to read it soon!
My Review
Also available: The Truth About Alice, Devoted, and Afterward
Recent Release: Bad Girls Never Say Die published October 19, 2021
6
Beth O’Leary
Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare had been on my radar since it was published in 2019, so when I saw the ebook on sale last year, I snatched it up. It quickly moved to the top of my TBR and I enjoyed it so much, I promptly picked up her latest book, The Road Trip, enjoying it, as well!
My Review of The Road Trip
Also available: The Switch
Upcoming: The No-Show expected April 12, 2022
7
Madeline Miller
I’ve owned Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles (2011) and Circe (2018) for years, but I finally read Achilles last summer and I was blown away! I finally understood what all the hype has been about. It was an emotional read, and there was no way I could pick up Circe quickly after. I fully intend to read Circe this year!
Also available: Her short stories Galatea and Heracles’ Bow
Upcoming: She’s currently working on two projects, one about Persephone and one about The Tempest.
8
Sabaa Tahir
I’m late to this party, but I finally picked up Sabaa Tahir’s young adult fantasy book An Ember in the Ashes… and I was hooked! I’ve already added the second installment A Torch Against the Night to my shelf, with plans to read it as soon as possible!
Also available: A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes, #3) and A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes, #4)
Upcoming: All My Rage expected March 1, 2022 (I read an excerpt of this yesterday on BookishFirst and it was amazing!)
9
Jen DeLuca
Another book that had been waiting on my shelf for too long was Jen DeLuca’s renaissance faire-themed Well Met. I felt certain I would enjoy this one since so many of you enjoyed it, and I wasn’t wrong. I’m eager to continue the series!
Also available: Well Played and Well Matched
Upcoming: Well Traveled expected September 6, 2022
10
Suzanne Redfearn
When the author Suzanne Redfearn reached out to me on Instagram and invited me to read her newest novel Hadley and Grace, I quickly accepted. And I enjoyed this Thelma and Louise-inspired road-trip book! I was also invited to read her Amazon Original short story The Marriage Test, however, despite it being well-written, it was just okay for me. She has invited me to read her upcoming book Moment in Time about three friends, and I’m very excited to get to that one!
My Review of Hadley and Grace
My Review of The Marriage Test
Also available: Hush Little Baby, No Ordinary Life, and In an Instant (probably her most popular book)
Upcoming: Moment in Time expected March 8, 2022
Who is the favorite author you discovered in 2021? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Great list – I really liked Miller’s Circe but haven’t got to Achilles yet… there are so many Greek myth retellings out there (and Pat Barker is my go-to in that genre)
These are my new-to-me authors from last year.
I’m excited to get to Circe, but I’m just nervous it will be as emotional as Achilles. 🙂 I’ve never heard of Pat Barker, but I’ll look her up. Thanks for the recommendation!
I love Beth O’Leary! Denise Williams is definitely one of my new favorite authors that I discovered in 2021!
My Top Ten
Yes! I can’t seem to read enough Beth O’Leary fast enough. 😉 I would love to get an arc of her new one, but I know it probably won’t happen. Denise Williams is on my tbr. I need to pick up one of her books soon!
Funnily enough, Kate Clayborn is on my list, too, but at the opposite end of the spectrum. LOL I didn’t enjoy Love at First and probably won’t pick up more from Clayborn. I’ve enjoyed a couple from Jen DeLuca.
Ha! I definitely can have an unpopular opinion about romance. It seems more and more the ones I love the most don’t have the highest average ratings on Goodreads. I’m trying to remember that when I pick out books, as well. 😉
I really need to read Moxie. I really enjoyed the movie.
I think you would enjoy it then! But the movie did make some changes that I think worked better. It was a great book, though. 🙂
Good to know. I always need time between the two so I don’t compare as much.
Yes, I’m terrible about comparing them. Drives my family crazy. Ha!
I know I drive people crazy with it, too.
Great list! Well Met and The Bookshop on the Corner are both still on my TBR, but I do hope to get to them sooner rather than later!
My TTT: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2022/01/25/top-ten-tuesday-new-to-me-authors-i-discovered-in-2021/
Both great books! I hope you can read them soon. 🙂
Fingers crossed! I think I bought the ebook of Bookshop, so I have no excuse on that one…
Haha!
Several of these authors are either on my TBR (Jen DeLuca) and others that I have read. I think Sabaa Tahir and Madeline Miller are the only two not on my TBR anywhere.
DeLuca was a lot of fun! Both Tahir and Miller are great writers. 🙂
Definitely adding them to my authors to check out list.
You have so many amazing books on here. I loved so many of these books! <3 Good job staying ahead of your ARC's. I'm doing well too!! miraculously! I only have two next month and I already read one.. so yay!! haha. I just bought Float Plan!! 🙂
Thank you!! Yay for being ahead! I had 5 ARCs for February (!!) and I’ve read 3 of them, so I’m feeling great, as well. I’m looking forward to some backlist reads. Oooh, I hope you enjoy Float Plan as much as I did. I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts. 🙂
That’s awesome!! I’ve only got 2 for next month and have read one. I have actually hit a good amount of backlist this month… I’ve crazily read a ton of books. I’m sure a slump is headed my way 😂😂😂
Same here! I read so much in January, I’m nervous about February. Lol
Me too!! I’m trying so hard not to fall into a serious slump!!
Yes! I have no time for that. 😉
I read six of these, and I can say, I loved them! Glad you did too. Doller is a favorite of mine. You did have Where the Stars Still Shine, which was wonderful. I think my first was Something Like Normal (it felt older than YA because of the characters’ ages and situation, but not the sex/romance type of NA).
Ooh, okay! Thank you for the recommendations. I was hoping someone would help me out with the author’s backlist books. 🙂
So many great authors! Madeline Miller is one of my faves!
I can’t wait to pick up Circe!
This is a fun prompt! I’ve only read a couple of the authors you’ve listed here but glad you found so many you enjoyed!
Thank you! <3