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2021 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (4)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
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- Illinois (3)
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- Virginia (3)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
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- *Washington, D.C.

International:
Australia (2)
Canada (3)
England (5)
France (1)
Ireland (1)
Switzerland (1)
The Philippines (1)
Wales (1)

My Progress:


21 / 51 states. 41% done!

2021 Children's Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

2021 Children's Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
(Hosted by Yours Truly!)

My Progress:


6 / 25 books. 24% done!

2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge

My Progress:


31 / 50 books. 62% done!

Booklist Queen's 2021 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


35 / 52 books. 67% done!

2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

2021 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

The 52 Club's 2021 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


32 / 52 books. 62% done!
Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: 2020 Author Discoveries


I often put my own twist on the Top Ten Tuesday topic du jour, but when it comes to freebies, I draw a blank.  Should I resurrect an old topic?  Create my own?  Forget about TTT for the week?  Seriously, the pressure can be paralyzing!  After discarding a few ideas, I finally decided on this one:  Top Ten Authors I've Discovered in 2020 (So Far).  Not super exciting, but hopefully it will be a fun way to highlight some new-to-me authors that I've found and enjoyed in this crazy year that is somehow more than half over.

First, though, I want to encourage you to join in the TTT fun.  You won't regret it, I promise!  All you have to do is head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, check out a few quick instructions, make your own list, and then spend some happy hours spreading some love around the book blogosphere.  It's a guaranteed good time!

Top Ten Authors I've Discovered in 2020 (So Far):


1.  Diane Chamberlain (historical/women's fiction)—This is a little bit of a cheat since I actually first read Chamberlain back in 2012.  Apparently, I wasn't overly impressed with The Good Father then, so I didn't grab another of Chamberlain's books until this year.  I loved her newest, Big Lies in a Small Town, which led me to check out Necessary Lies, another one I very much enjoyed.  I've got two of her backlist books out from the library right now, which should give you a clue to how much I'm enjoying her.


2.  Tea Cooper (historical/family sagas/Australian settings)—Although I'd marked several of Tea Cooper's historical novels as "want-to-read" on Goodreads, I hadn't actually read her until this year.  I adored The Woman in the Green Dress and am looking forward to checking out more of Cooper's books.  And, yes, I already have a couple of them downloaded on my Kindle.


3.  Riley Sager (mystery/suspense/psychological thrillers/supernatural)—I'd heard of this buzzy author prior to this year, of course, but until now I hadn't picked up one of his books.  This year, I read Lock Every Door and The Last Time I Lied, both of which I enjoyed.  I'm definitely planning to get to Sager's other two books soon.



4.  Kim Michele Richardson (historical/U.S. South settings)The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is one of my favorite reads so far this year.  I will absolutely be exploring this author's small backlist.  Can't wait!


5.  Janae Marks (contemporary MG/Black characters/race issues)—Marks' debut book came out this year, so I'm all caught up with her.  Phew!  I very much enjoyed From the Desk of Zoe Washington and am excited to see what Marks does next.


6.  Emma Lord (contemporary YA/rom-com)—Lord's debut, Tweet Cute, made a big splash earlier this year.  I loved it, just like everyone else.  Lord's 2021 offering, You Have a Match, sounds like another fun romance.  I'll for sure read it when it comes out in January.


7.  Amy Meyerson (family saga/historical/mystery)—I'm in the middle of The Imperfects, Meyerson's newest, and I'm loving it.  She has one other book out that I'll be reading ASAP.


8.  Amy Harmon (historical/romance)Where the Lost Wander is another one of my favorite reads from 2020.  It's the only book I've read of Harmon's so far, but it certainly won't be the last.


9.  Isla Morley (historical/women's fiction/contemporary adult fiction)—After loving The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I wanted to know more about the Blue people of Kentucky.  Morley's newest, The Last Blue, is a beautifully-written novel on the subject.  She has two other books that I'm anxious to read sometime soon.


10.  Amanda Flower (cozy mysteries/Amish themes)—Someone (Carla?) recommended this author's Amish Candy Shop mystery series and I've been really enjoying it.  I've read the first two installments so far.  The third is waiting for me on Kindle.  It's a clean, entertaining series that makes for perfect light, fluffy reading.

There you have it, ten authors I've discovered (and re-discovered) this year.  Have you read any of them?  What do you think?  Which authors are you excited to have found this year?  I'd love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!   

66 comments:

  1. It sounds like I need to start reading Janae Marks!

    My TTT .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's only written the one book, but it's a really good one. It's very timely - about racism, wrongful imprisonment, family, etc. I really liked it.

      Thanks for coming by, Lydia!

      Delete
  2. I like Riley Sager and Amy Harmon as well! The Last Time I Lied is one of my favorites!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I liked both LOCK EVERY DOOR and THE LAST TIME I LIED, but I enjoyed the former better. I seem to be in the minority in that opinion, though!

      Thanks for stopping by, Leslie!

      Delete
  3. I love Amanda Flowers mysteries! I've read 3 of her series start to (current) finish and loved every one. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! You really are a fan. I've only started with Flower, but I'm excited to try out all her series. The Amish Candy Shop one is super fun.

      Thanks for coming by, Louise!

      Delete
  4. I discovered Emma Lord this year too and it was love at first page. I hope her follow up lives up to the greatness of her debut

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do, too. How is she going to top TWEET CUTE? I'm curious to see if she can ...

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!

      Delete
  5. I did the same topic for this week's freebie too! This list has some great recommendations for historical and women's literature I'll be checking out!

    My TTT: https://moonlitbooks.home.blog/2020/07/28/tttnewauthors/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooooh, great minds think alike! I'm excited to see which authors you discovered this year.

      Thanks for stopping by, Evelyn!

      Delete
  6. These are some great authors! Thanks for the nice list! This is such a great idea! 🙃

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've discovered some great ones so far this year. Hopefully, I'll find even more good ones before the year is out.

      Thanks for coming by, Anna!

      Delete
  7. Amy Harmon is a real favorite of mine. I loved Where the Lost Wander and From Sand and Ash was another one that was fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard good things about Harmon's books. I just haven't given her a go until now. I have a copy of WHAT THE WIND KNOWS, so that will be the next one I read by her.

      Thanks for stopping by, Tanya!

      Delete
  8. Great idea for a topic! I started reading Tweet Cute, and so far it's really, well, cute. :) Here's my TTT list this week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's really no other way to describe that book, is there? LOL.

      Thanks for coming by, Lectrice!

      Delete
  9. I haven't read any of these author's work. I honestly do not read a lot of contemporaries or historical books. I also don't always remember the author names that I read. I used to read an author's backlist if I like one of their books but now I look for books by the book and not by the author.

    Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a lovely day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a terrible memory, too. That's why I keep a running list of books I've read this year at the bottom of my blog :) Otherwise, I would forget the titles and authors as well.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lissa!

      Delete
  10. Yes! I'm so happy you found Amy Harmon. I love that lady's books. So good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She seems like a really underrated author. I really need to read more by her.

      Thanks for stopping by, Deanna!

      Delete
  11. This is a great idea for a Top Ten topic:-) I've been meaning to try Riley Sager as well, so thanks for reminding me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you enjoy his books! I sure am.

      Thanks for coming by, Tammy!

      Delete
  12. I like the TTT topic you picked! Nice work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! This was a fun list to put together.

      Thanks for stopping by, JadeSky!

      Delete
  13. Gee, I haven't discovered any of these authors. How can I read all the time and still be so far behind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. I ask myself that question ALL the time! No matter how much I read (and I read A LOT), there are still books and authors I've never heard of. Not a bad problem to have, though ...

      Thanks for coming by, Anne!

      Delete
  14. I love finding new authors. The only one I've read here is Sager and I hope to read more from him soon. Great topic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do, too, especially when they've got a big backlist to keep me reading for a while. It's tough when I have to wait for a new book. I'm not very patient when it comes to books!

      Thanks for stopping by, Barb!

      Delete
  15. I love this TTT. I have also discovered several of these authors this year as well. I do love Amanda Flower. There are a few on here that I need to check out. Great list Susan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was on your blog that I first saw Amanda Flower mentioned. I'm really enjoying her books, so thanks for the rec!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carla!

      Delete
  16. I haven't read any of the authors on your list, but Tweet Cute is on my TBR. A coworker of mine loves Riley Sager's books. I just found out on a different TTT post that Riley Sager is a man! I assumed Riley was a woman's name, I guess, and going by the titles of the books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely a man, although Riley Sager is not his real name. He published some mystery books, apparently, under his real name - Todd Ritter. I saw a discussion of why he uses Riley Sager and it had to do with the fact that readers love to discover new authors, so he got a rebrand and became a "new" author! Interesting.

      Thanks for stopping by, Laurie!

      Delete
  17. I think this is a great topic. Good for you, finding some many new discoveries this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have my favorite authors, for sure, but I also love trying new ones. It's always fun when I discover one I really like.

      Thanks for coming by, Tracy!

      Delete
  18. I love discovering new authors too. Now I have a few more to add to my TBR list. I just finished Sager's latest, and I think you'd really love it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard mixed reviews of Sager's new one, which is weird since his books seem to be almost universally well-received. Our tastes jive pretty well, though, so I'm going to take your word for it! I'm hoping to get to his newest before the year's out. We'll see how it goes.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Ethan!

      Delete
  19. It's so awesome to discover new authors! I've found so many amazing ones this year. I am sooo tempted by Riley Sager but I've heard his books are really creepy/scary?? I'm a big chicken. haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are creepy and intense! If you don't want to be scared, you might want to give Sager a wide berth. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary, too, but I like Sager. His books creep me out just the right amount. Ha ha.

      Thanks for stopping by, Leslie!

      Delete
  20. I discovered Beth O'Leary this year. I don't usually read rom-coms but both her books were just what I needed. They were British rom-coms that I listened to on audio. Glad you discovered some good authors. I'll have to check out Emma Lord's books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've never heard of Beth O'Leary. I'll have to check her out. Sometimes a fun rom-com is just the thing!

      Thanks for coming by, Laura!

      Delete
  21. I'm quite pleased that I've read something from almost all of them and the ones I haven't well I am going to look out for those. Lovely post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! I'm impressed that you're familiar with most of these. I hope you enjoy the ones you're not familiar with as well.

      Thanks for stopping by, Mystica!

      Delete
  22. I haven't read any of them. But I'll definitely try!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope at least one of these authors turns out to be a good fit for you. Enjoy!

      Thanks for coming by, Meghna!

      Delete
  23. I haven't read any of these authors, but I'm in the holds queue for From the Desk of Zoe Washington.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, good! It's a great book. I hope you enjoy it.

      Thanks for stopping by, sprite!

      Delete
  24. Really interested in Morley and Richardson! Great pick for a freebie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've only read one book by each of them, but they're two of the best books I've read this year. I need to read their other books and compare/contrast.

      Thanks for coming by, Debra!

      Delete
  25. You came up with a good freebie TTT post! Of your new authors, I've read (and really like) Riley Sager. And I own The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, I just haven't read it yet. Fun post. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need to read BOOKWOMAN! It's sooo good. I think you'll love it.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lark!

      Delete
  26. Like me, you have mostly female authors on your reading list. I love discovering new-to-me authors; that feeling of a new set of books spread out before me is exciting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely tend to read white female authors. I need to branch out more!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Helen!

      Delete
  27. You got me with The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, must go and look that one up. Oddly enough I just bought the JoJo Moyes book so I'll be able to compare at some stage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought the Moyes book, too, but I read the first few pages and couldn't really get into it. Could have just been a mood thing, though. TROUBLESOME, on the other hand, sucked me in right from the first page. I loved it. I need to have another go at the Moyes book so I can compare and contrast the two. I'll be interested to see what you think of them.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cath!

      Delete
  28. Oh I enjoy Amanda Flowers stories!! And I'll be looking into the others. Thanks for all the great suggestions :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Her books are super fun! I need to read more of them.

      Thanks for stopping by, Jessica!

      Delete
  29. No better feeling than finding an author you like who isn't on their debut, so you can go pick up a backlist from the library. It's like being bookish royalty: your wish is my command, you DON'T have to wait another year or more for the next one!

    And yay for Amy Harmon! I am also on the only-1-book-so-far train, but she is for me what Tea Cooper is for you. I almost felt weird putting her on a "favorite new-to-me authors" list last year because I'd been attached to the idea of several of her books for so long.

    This is always such a fun topic; I loved reading all of your answers so much that now I have to include my own, in no particular order:

    1. Katherine Center
    2. Hannah Richell
    3. Doreen Tovey
    4. Alden G. Stevens (midcentury throwback time!)
    5. K.A. Tucker
    6. Liz Johnson
    7. Debbie Burns
    8. Heather Vogel Fredericks
    9. Val McDermid
    10. Emylia Hall

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? I'm all about having a backlist to read through.

      I discovered Center last year, so I'm still catching up on her backlist. I've read two of hers so far and loved them both.

      I haven't read any of your other authors, although I'm definitely interested in some of them. There are a few here I've never heard of, so I'll definitely check those out.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, RS!

      Delete
  30. This is a great idea for a post, love it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It was a fun list to put together.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  31. Great list! The only authors on it I've read are Diane Chamberlain and Amanda Flower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you've found some new authors to pique your interest :)

      Thanks for coming by, Carol!

      Delete
  32. This is a great post and topic choice. I really love Riley Sager's books.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I like this post topic! I considered choosing the same one, but decided to write about my 2020 favorite books. I’m glad you found so many awesome authors.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

    ReplyDelete
  34. This is a great topic! I feel like if I ever read Diane Chamberlain I would love her. And so glad to see Tea Cooper on your list.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Heard lots of good things about Tweet Cute - will have to try some of hers!

    ReplyDelete

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