Top Ten Tuesday | New-to-me authors I read in 2018

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, where book bloggers are invited to share their top ten lists centered on a certain theme.

This week’s theme was new-to-me authors that I read in 2018. I explored a lot of different genres last year and found so many new favorite authors! In my list this week, I’m including what I read from each author and what I’m hoping to read from them next.

Here’s my top ten:

1. Kerry Winfrey 

What I read: Things Jolie Needs to Do Before She Bites It and Love and Other Alien Experiences

What I want to read from Kerry next: Waiting For Tom Hanks 

I loved both of Kerry’s YA rom-coms, and Things Jolie Needs to Do Before She Bites It was definitely one of my favorites of 2018 (Jolie reminded me so much of my teenaged self!). Her adult rom-com debut comes out this summer and even though I rarely read adult fiction, I know this one’s going to be at the top of my summer TBR this year.

Check out Kerry Winfrey’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

2. Rebecca Barrow

What I read: This Is What It Feels Like

What I want to read from Rebecca next: You Don’t Know Me but I Know You

This is What it Feels Like was such a fun read about girl bands, falling in love, and friend breakups that I never wanted to end. I loved it from beginning to end and adored each of the main characters so much. Now I’d dying to read her other novel, and am really hoping I can get to it at some point this year!

Check out Rebecca Barrow’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

3. Tehlor Kay Mejia 

What I read: Starsong (short story) in  Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft 

What I want to read from Tehlor next: We Set the Dark on Fire 

Toil & Trouble was one of my favorite YA anthologies I’ve read, and Tehlor’s story about a teenaged bruja and Instagram model flirting with a  cute girl won my heart over. We Set the Dark on Fire is her YA fantasy debut, and I’m crossing my fingers for a good audio version! 

Check out Tehlor Kay Mejia’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

4. Ashley Herring Blake

What I read: Girl Made of Stars, How to Make a Wish, and Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World 

What I want to read from Ashley next: The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James 

Ashley Herring Blake quickly became one of my favorite authors in 2018, and I read all of her novels except Suffer Love, which I’m saving for when I’m really in the mood for more of her writing. I’m eagerly anticipating her next queer middle grade novel The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James, which is out in March!

Check out Ashley Herring Blake’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

5. Sara Farizan

What I read: Why I Learned to Cook (short story) in Fresh Ink: An Anthology 

What I want to read from Sara next: If You Could Be Mine 

Sara Farizan’s story in Fresh Ink about queer girls in love learning to cook was so beautiful, and was one of my favorites in the anthology. I always want more f/f YA stories, so If You Could Be Mine has definitely found a spot on my TBR this year! I’m also interested in her newest novel, Here to Stay. 

Follow Sara Farizan on Twitter. 

6. Renée Watson

What I read: Piecing Me Together

What I want to read from Renée next: Watch us Rise 

In 2018, I finally had the chance to read a Renée Watson book, and Piecing Me Together definitely didn’t disappoint me! Her newest book is out in February and is written with Ellen Hagan. Watch Us Rise is about feminist uprisings, which I love seeing more of in YA (and I’m especially excited to see a novel that addresses intersectionality!).

Check out Renée Watson’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

7. Janelle Milanes

What I read: Analee, In Real Life

What I want to read next from Janelle: The Victoria in My Head 

Analee, In Real Life was an endearing rom-com about a girl gamer, fake dating, and family. It had own-voices Cuban American rep and the main character starts volunteering at the public library, which was more than enough to win me over. Janelle has such a real, accessible, and fun writing style, so I’m hoping to read The Victoria in My Head soon too! 

Check out Janelle Milanes’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

8. Lily Anderson

What I read: Undead Girl Gang

What I want to read from Lily next: The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

At this point, I’ve talked about Undead Girl Gang here approximately 300 times because I just love it that much. I’m so glad I got the chance to meet Lily at a book signing in 2018, and it makes me so happy that she’s also a librarian! I’m really hoping to pick up her first novel, The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You, which is a Much Ado About Nothing retelling. 

Check out Lily Anderson’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

9. Courtney Summers

What I read: Sadie

What I want to read from Courtney next: All the Rage 

Like a lot of other readers in 2018, I was blown away by Sadie. It was haunting, masterfully written, and a novel that I know I’ll never forget. I absolutely need to read more from Courtney, and I want to start with All the Rage, which, like Sadie, deals with sexual violence. I can’t wait to see what her next novel is like!

Check out Courtney Summers’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

10. Elana K. Arnold

What I read: Damsel

What I want to read next from Elana: What Girls Are Made Of

Damsel was so different from anything I’d read before, but it ended up being incredibly moving and is a novel I can’t stop thinking about. Elana was an author that hadn’t really been on my radar before, but now I absolutely need to read more of her work! The one I’m most excited to read next is What Girls Are Made Of, which is a YA contemporary dealing with love, reproductive health, and what girls experience growing up.

Check out Elana K. Arnold’s website and follow her on Twitter. 

What new-to-you authors did you discover in 2018?