It’s been a little while since I’ve done an article on books (honestly, half the reason I do them so infrequently is because of how nearly-impossible it is to get pictures for an article on books). So, I was trying to think of a good article for this week and eventually settled on a Top 10 list of my favorite authors! A lot of these names have appeared on this blog before in my other literature-focused articles, but I still think it’s a fun enough topic.
(Rest assured, there’s hundreds of amazing authors I love who didn’t make this list for a variety of reasons, up-to-and-including because I forgot about them in the moment. Oops! I still love their books!)
Let’s get into it!
10) Michael Crichton
One of the most well-known sci-fi authors of all-time, and probably the author I would’ve said was my favorite about ten years ago. I don’t even particularly like him less (although there is plenty of reason to, given his anti-science takes, often questionable female representation, etc.). It’s just that I realize I like other authors more. Crichton has such a huge library of completed works, and yet there’s plenty that just don’t interest me. Still, his heavy hitters are literary classics for a reason, and I’ll never get tired of re-visiting Jurassic Park, Sphere, Prey, and Pirate Latitudes.
9) Marissa Meyer
An established name in the universe of YA literature, and for good reason. She’s written four series by this point, and more than proven her worth in a very congested market. I am, of course, a particularly massive fan of the Renegades trilogy, but I also had fun reading through the graphic novel duology that she created, Wires and Nerve. I’ve yet to venture into the Lunar Chronicles series, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it!
8) Matthew Ward
He wrote for gaming (both digital and tabletop) companies for years, and finally started to branch out into his own literary universes. I, for one, am extremely glad he chose to do so, because he crafted the best Adult Fantasy series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading in my life. The Legacy Trilogy is the stuff of legends, and anyone with even a passing interest in the genre needs to give it a read. It’s got character-building and world-building that are second to none. He’s also just begun a journey into a new series that I am eagerly awaiting jumping into (I’m holding off until at least book two is done, so I don’t die of anticipation waiting for more).
7) Kelley Armstrong
An exceptionally prolific author who I am somewhat ashamed to admit has written a ton of books I’ve never read. That’s a mistake I aim to correct in the future, because everything of hers that I’ve read so far has been fantastic. The standout highlight is easily the Rip Through Time series, which just released its third entry (and also as a companion novella). It’s fresh, fun, and engagingly witty. That freshness even carried over into one of my YA favorites from last year (in fact, Kelley Armstrong claimed two spots in my 10 Top 2023 Books list), Someone Is Always Watching. Not many authors can handle both Adult and YA, but she sure can!
6) Holly Jackson
The woman who singlehandedly redefined the YA mystery/thriller genre, crafting a tale so good it’s been imitated and copied countless times in the five years since its release. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is exactly as incredible as you’ve heard it is, but what often goes understated is just how awesome the rest of the series, and all of Jackson’s work, is! The trilogy is excellent from start-to-finish, and she proved she wasn’t a one-trick pony by jumping right into Five Survive the very next year, and followed that up with The Reappearance of Rachel Price just a few weeks ago! I’ve had that last one on my bedside table and have been dying to get into it. If only my library hold list wasn’t so backlogged with other things!
5) Karen M McManus
Holly Jackson might’ve revolutionized the genre, but Karen McManus proved that you can tell nearly endless stories within the same core framework, and each one still manages to be fresh and exciting. She’s practically the queen of YA Thriller/Mystery, with her headliner One of Us Is Lying series being what first put her on the map. It’s a fantastic series that really sucks you into its world and characters, but McManus’ one-offs are just as great. Stories like Two Can Keep A Secret and Nothing More To Tell are great, and despite having similar core frameworks as all her stories, are each as invigorating and original as the last.
4) Sarah J Maas
The single most popular YA author of our modern times, and it’s not even close. You can’t go anywhere in the realm of literature without stumbling upon her name written somewhere. Now, she isn’t perfect. I have a few issues with how she portrays male characters (she has a type and wants you to know it), her world-building can be a bit hit-or-miss, and sometimes she can’t help but pause the drama for a sex scene that feels out of place.
But, she didn’t get popular for no reason. Throne of Glass is still probably my favorite book series of all time, and her subsequent series also have massive fanbases. She blows the competition out of the water when it comes to characters. The cast in her series are some of the best out there, making it nearly impossible to pick out a favorite. Combined with good action scenes, engaging character relationships, and serviceable plotting, and its no wonder she’s so renowned.
3) Richelle Mead
It takes a lot to make a fantasy series about vampires stand out in a post-Twilight world. It takes about a million times more effort to turn that idea into a six-book series, then add a six-book sequel series on top of that! And yet Richelle Mead did just that with the phenomenal Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. This series scratches that YA itch wonderfully, while managing to avoid some of the pitfalls that plague lesser authors in the realm of YA. Her stories are intricate but deeply character-focused, and all the better for it.
Some of my favorite heroes and villains in literature have come from her stories, and I’ve really only touched on her two biggest series! She’s got plenty more aside, so there’s a little something for everyone even if vampires aren’t your particular cup of tea. It’s a shame that she seems to have retired from writing, but if she comes back with a new novel, I’ll be first in line to purchase it!
2) Kara Thomas
As cheesy as it is to admit, the phrase ‘Kara Thomas doesn’t miss‘ just kept going through my head as I binged this author’s works during the past few months (yes, she’s the newest author to place on this list comparative to when I read her works, and I won’t hear any honeymoon phase arguments, please and thank you). I’m ashamed it took me so long to discover her work, but at least I finally did! She’s written seven novels, I’ve read five so far, and I’ve given each of them a 5-Star rating on my Goodreads!
There’s just something magical about the way that Thomas writes, and the way in which she just gets each step of the process right. The characters are perfect. The plot is perfect. The descriptions and pacing are perfect. The tone and style is perfect. And by golly are the twists some of the best in the business! I don’t think I’ve accurately predicted the ending of a single one of her novels so far, and it overjoys me to no end each time! A stellar YA author!
1) Andy McDermott
It simply couldn’t be anyone else.
I am (jokingly) convinced that Andy McDermott is either a clone of me, or a future version of me who traveled back in time to create the most consistently-engaging and addictive action-adventure novel series of all time. Never in my life have I encountered an author whose writing style is so similar to my own. Or, perhaps, it’s the other way around, given that I read a novel of his long before I began my own authorial journey in earnest!
Regardless, his breakout Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase series is the most me book series I have ever, and will ever, read in my life. Every single aspect of it appeals to me, and I could keep reading his works until the die I day without getting bored of them. I don’t know how the madman does it, but he just keeps coming up with wildly inventive and uniquely fresh action scenes, set pieces, and world-travelling adventures! There’s even talks of a film adaptation of the first book, The Hunt For Atlantis! Yes please!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 