Top Ten Tuesday: Auto-Buy Authors

Top Ten Authors I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List

My first try at Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Just for the record, I am not an auto-buy girl. I always read the synopsis to see if it is a genre or idea that interests me. There is literally only ONE author I auto-buy. So this isn't so much about auto-buy as auto-check. There are definitely authors who, when I see they have a new book out, I immediately go look and read about it, and more than likely will at the very least put it on hold at the library. This is more what this list is about, because auto-buy just isn't really my thing. 

1. The only author I do actually auto-buy: Robert Muchamore. 

I'm sure at this point you're all thinking "What? The one author she auto-buys and I have never heard of him! Who is this guy?"

Well. Robert Muchamore writes some of my favourite series: CHERUB, Henderson's Boys, and Aramov. The second two are a each kind of spin-offs of the first, and each of the three is about teen spies. 

The original series, Cherub, is about an orphaned teen boy, James, and his younger sister, Lauren. After their mother dies, they are recruited by a secret intelligence agency in England called CHERUB, which trains teens as spies because no adults expect kids to be spying on them. It is a fantastic series that is fast-paced, interesting, and funny, and where the missions get more intense with each book. I really love these novels, but the series has ended after 12 books. Hence the spin-offs.

Henderson's Boys is set during WWII and is about the initial foundation of CHERUB by Mr. Henderson, and the first teen spies of the agency.

Aramov is set after the CHERUB series ends and is about two new recruits, Ryan and Ning, and their missions, specifically those revolving around the Aramov Clan, a family of Russian arms dealers.

All fantastic novels. Both action packed and funny. I love them and I buy them all. 

2. The next closest thing I have to an auto-buy: Ellen Hopkins.

Oh, Ellen Hopkins. I have read (and will continue to read) every single one of her YA books. I love them. They're contemporary "issue" books but written in fantastic poetic style. 

Crank might be her most recognized novel. It is her first, and has been mentioned as along the lines of Go Ask Alice. It is loosely based on Ellen's family's struggle with a daughter addicted to methamphetamine, narrated by the teenage addict. It is the first book I read by her and it got me hooked on her work. I did not really enjoy Go Ask Alice, but I loved Crank. 

I also wanted to mention Identical, though. Identical, though not my favourite of her novels, is one I constantly find myself thinking about. That, I'd say, is a sign of a good book. 

3. Patrick Ness.

I devoured his Chaos Walking trilogy last summer and it was my favourite series that year. It was amazing. All three books are on my "Top Ten of 2012" page. I honestly could not put these books down. I have not yet read his newest, A Monster Calls, because I don't like fiction that freaks me out, but I may have to just suck it up because Patrick Ness is worth it. I've also heard it was fantastic. I can't wait for more from him; I'll be all over it. 

4. Maggie Stiefvater.

After reading The Scorpio Races, I would follow this woman anywhere. 

That is all I have to say about that. 

I must read more of her work. And soon.

5. Anna Godbersen.

This one may seem a little strange because I know people hate on her novels for being about selfish, petty, spoiled girls who make dumb decisions and have ridiculous drama in their lives. 

That stuff gets on my nerves too, but for some reason, I just drink her novels up like they're bottles of water on a hot summer day. The fact that both her series, Luxe and Bright Young Things, are set in the past, and during some awesome time periods no less (turn of the century to the 1900s, and the 1920s, respectively), makes them even harder for me to resist. Say what you want about her, I own all 7 novels and would totally check out her next series without missing a beat. 

6. John Green.

I wouldn't be surprised if John Green showed up on lots of lists this week. He is beloved. And he has written some great novels. I just don't really buy them. I get them from the library because I know I'll only read them once. I have read three of his novels so far: Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and An Abundance of Katherines, and even though this means going against the grain, I think Paper Towns is my favourite. I enjoyed them for sure, so I will definitely read his future novels (hence why he is on this list), but for me they are one-time reads. I currently have The Fault in Our Stars on my bedroom floor and keep putting off reading it because I don't want to cry. I'll get there one day. 

7. Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Yes. She totally writes her novels for 13 year olds. And yes, I totally still read them. Her Shadow Children series was one I started years ago and, despite being older and older every time a new one came out, I had to see it through to the end. It was about a society where couples were only allowed to have two children and focused on a boy who was an illegal third child, living in hiding. It was really well written and I loved the concept and own the whole series.

Since I enjoyed that series so much, when I heard about The Missing series from a school book order in 2008 (I was in middle school, so only just over the intended audience), I figured I'd give it a chance. It is about a bunch of kids who were stolen from their lives in different times in the past when they were babies and adopted by unknowing present-day parents. When someone comes along who knows what happens, he wants to send them all back to their proper lives, as their being stolen away has altered history. The main character, Jonah, and his sister have to accompany these children on their return to their lives. I love the history involved. For example, one of the stolen children is from the lost colony of Roanoke. Another is a prince from 1400s England. The logic doesn't always work out, but I still enjoy them and am keeping up with all of the books from this series as well. 

8. And some more recent ones: Tahereh Mafi.

I loved Shatter Me. I think her writing style is amazing and the story was such a great idea. Her characters, while I don't like them all as people *cough Warner cough*, are definitely interesting as characters. I will absolutely own the whole trilogy and I'm sure I'll be excited about what she comes up with next. 

9. Fiona Paul.

Again, only read one book so far but I absolutely loved it. Venom was beautiful and exciting. I loved how Renaissance Venice came alive, and Falco was very... well, swoon-worthy. Yeah, let's go with that. Another trilogy I will definitely own in its entirety, and I'll keep an eye on her work under the name Paula Stokes as well. 

10. Katherine Longshore.

You write me YA about Tudor England and I'll read it. You write me YA about Tudor England like Katherine Longshore has, and you've got yourself a new fan. I can't wait for the rest of this series. Gilt was about Catherine Howard, one of Henry VIII's wives. Anne Boleyn, another wife (and possibly the most famous) is next in Tarnish and I am so excited!

What do you think of my author picks? Who are yours? I've love to visit your posts, so feel free to leave links in the comments!