Hello bookworms!!

Since I did read a few books during the year and there was a high chance of me reading some debut authors or some authors’ works that I haven’t read before. While I won’t say that I would read every work of theirs but it’s a possibility and that’s more than enough for me.

They all left enough of an impression on me that this post came to be. So, there’s that.

Let’s get on with it, then, shall we?

M. A. Carrick

When I requested the arc of The Mask of Mirrors I didn’t realise that it wasn’t actually a single person who wrote the book. It was only after I started actually reading the book that I learned about the duo. Yes, I am sort of stupid. In any case, I really enjoyed the writing. When I read it the first time, I wasn’t sure if I really liked the book or not. However the more time passed, I kept thinking of the world and the characters. So, when the chance came for me to request the sequel and I read the first book all over again, I knew for sure that this is a duo that I absolutely do wanna see if there’s anything else that they would write. Rook and Rose series is amazing and even though I am not quite finished with the second book ‘The Liar’s Knot‘ I know I wanna read the third book too!

Everina Maxwell

I absolutely loved Winter’s Orbit when it came out back in February. It was so tropey but in the best ways possible and the fact that there was a complex politicking happening in the background gives me hope that I could definitely expect something more from this author. I think the author had a very clear idea as to what she wanted from this story and she set out to write it. It worked incredibly well because we can see some glimpses of the world and how the solar system works and how there are tensions between the planets and how the auditor of the galactic committee could make or break the situation. It was pretty brilliant and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

Christelle Dabos

I have been seeing the first book in the Mirror Visitor quartet everywhere since last year? And I keep meaning to get to them! I finally bought the first book and it’s translated from French and it was supposed to be a unique fantasy setting. And it delivered. I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to read the next books in next year. There were a couple of things that I had strong feelings for but there were a few issues that I couldn’t quite ignore. So, this series went on the backburner for a little bit but I would still love to see how it goes.

John Gwynne

Oh, haha. Yeah, I finally read one of his books! It only took him starting a new series for me to finally pick up his book and it absolutely showed me all the hype was worth it. The atmospheric world building, to the absolutely great characters and a great paced plot, what else can a bookworm ask for? Not much else, as it turns out. It did turn out to be a bit more brutal than I was expecting but that’s fine. I wasn’t too badly surprised by it and once I realised that it’s a thing then I was okay throughout the book. All this to say that I can’t wait to read The Faithful and the Fallen as soon as possible.

Shelley Parker-Chan

Ok, so I will admit that it’s the time period that lured me in with the promises of it being a mix of Mulan and The Song of Achilles. Of course, I was gonna read it. However what made me love the book was the writing, the absolutely amazing characterization of people in the story and the plot itself. Since it is so heavily based on the historical period it’s set in, I had to read up a bit to get some context but I can’t wait for the next book in this duology, the author has left such an impression on me that it’s unlikely I will ever forget what a brilliant book She Who Became the Sun is.

J. T. Greathouse

I had the opportunity to read The Hand of the Sun King and I am so glad that I got to read it because it was good. This is a brilliant debut and I can’t wait to read the next books in the series.  There’s a certain charm to this coming of age fantasy because the tropes of school, magic and calligraphy are done so well. Tropes when done well can be the best things ever and this is one of those instances. There’s friendship, there’s heartbreak, there’s betrayal and a fascinating magic system. The author did really well in revealing different parts of this world. The cultures and traditions felt real, lived in and their struggles and magic also worked around the environment they lived in. Let’s just say I will be reading all the books in this trilogy!

Susanna Clarke

Yes, I am late to the party with this author. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has been sitting on my shelves for a while now but Piranesi lured me in because of it’s size and I am so glad I read as soon as I could. I can’t say much about the book without spoiling it but let’s just say that I loved the author’s writing style, it was whimsical and atmospheric, the majority of the book was spent in bafflement if I am being honest but when the last bit of the book came about, it kinda blew my mind and so many things made sense. It was wonderfully done and I loved it. So, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has risen up on my priority reads, so yay for that.

Alix E. Harrow

So, after deliberating for a long while whether to read this author’s debut or the latest book, I ended up picking up the latest book which was The Once and Future Witches. I really loved the short chapters, the relationships between the characters, especially the bond between the sisters. I really enjoyed the way the magic and characters lived together in discomfort and harmony. The only thing I didn’t care for was perhaps the fact that the book could have, maybe, wrapped up earlier than it’s actual length. However that’s a personal preference and not something to actually crib about.

Stuart Turton

The Devil and the Dark Water! I absolutely loved this book, everything felt bonkers but in the best way possible. There were multple POVs done right and that always makes me love a book. The fact that only one of the guesses for what was happening in the book came true was such a good feeling. I will definitely be reading Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle sometime soon. It sounds good in exactly the kind of madness that was present in The Devil and the Dark Water.

Honourable mentions below because they totally deserve their spot in this list!

P. Djeli Clark

I had only read a novella by this author before I started reading the Dead Djinn Universe and that did not do the justice for this author’s writing, I think. Because I devoured the Dead Djinn Universe series in a single month or so and I can’t wait to read more from this world. Everything worked for me, from the novellas, short stories set in the same universe to the latest novel. So, trust me when I say that I will definitely be keeping an eye out for anything related to this series.

Ryan Cahill

Ok, so I have only read a novella but it was wild and it left enough of an impact on me that I have to talk about this author. A self-published author who very kindly made the prequel novella in his series available for all. The Fall is full of action and emotions and fast paced in its brutality. This was a great introduction to this world and I kept turning the pages to see what devastation was ahead of me. Now, I can’t wait to read the first book in this series.

+++++

These are not the only authors I read this year or the only books I loved obviously but these ones hold a special place in my heart and deserve all the praise I can shower on them. So, that’s that. I am sure I will discover some more authors that would be on my auto-buy list in the coming year so be on the look out for that at the end of 2022.

What about you? Have you discovered any new authors this year? Tell me so I can make a note of it to check them out too!