Tuesday 9 December 2014

Top Ten Tuesday | Best Female Authors of 2014!


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014', which I'm really excited about because I was actually planning on writing a blog post on this topic anyway!

I tend to read a lot more female authors than male ones, so today I'm going to share with you my top ten female authors of 2014 - all of these ladies are worth checking out!

Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989): So far this year I've read Frenchman's Creek and Rebecca and I adored them both. I've put off reading anything by du Maurier for so long, no idea why, and now that I've finally started reading her work I've learned that I absolutely love her and I'm making it my mission to try and read as much of her work as possible.

Robin LaFevers: I heard a lot of great things about Grave Mercy, but I was still somewhat sceptical when I bought myself a copy of it right at the beginning of this year. I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would, and I loved Dark Triumph even more. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Mortal Heart and I'm definitely going to read more of LaFevers' work in future.

Mira Grant: I've read Feed and Deadline this year, and while I'm desperate to finish the trilogy I'm savouring Blackout because I'm not quite ready for this series to end. I'm definitely planning on reading Grant's other series; both her Parasitology series and her October Daye series (written under her real name of Seanan McGuire).

Jenny Colgan: I don't tend to read a lot of contemporary, but for whatever reason I've been on a real contemporary kick this month and in doing so discovered Jenny Colgan. While I thought Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams sounded cute, I had no idea I was going to like it as much as I did. I loved Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop even more, and now I can't wait to read more of Colgan's work! Next up I'm hoping to read The Christmas Surprise, the next Rosie Hopkins book, and in the year I'm planning on reading Little Beach Street Bakery and The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris. Her books are perfect for people who have a sweet tooth!

Jemma L. King: I don't tend to read a lot of poetry either - something I need to change! - and yet one of the best books I've read this year is The Undressed, a stunning poetry collection by Welsh poet Jemma L. King. I highly recommend checking this collection out, because it's just perfection.

Geraldine Brooks: After reading Year of Wonders earlier this year, which I really enjoyed, I've been meaning to read more of Brooks' work. I've heard wonderful things about March, and I'd like to read Caleb's Crossing, too.

Margaret Atwood: I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't read any of Atwood's fiction until this year when I read The Penelopiad with one of my friends.. I'm really eager to read Alias Grace, and I need to cross The Handmaid's Tale off my TBR, too.

Sarah Waters: I'd been meaning to read some of Waters' work for years, and this year I finally accomplished that goal when I read Affinity back in April. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading some of Waters' other novels - particularly Fingersmith.

Shirley Jackson (1916-1965): One of the girls on my course recommended Shirley Jackson to me last year, and after receiving a copy of The Haunting of Hill House last Christmas I got the chance to check her out for myself this year. I still need to read The Lottery, though!

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935): Charlotte Perkins Gilman is another author I've been meaning to read for a while, and one that I only managed to cross off my TBR fairly recently when I read The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories. She's well known for her feminist fiction, and I'm hoping to read her utopian novel Herland soon!

Who made your list?

16 comments:

  1. Love your theme for this week's TTT. So many of these ladies are on my TBR- du Maurier, Waters, Jackson, and Gilaman.
    If you like Robin LaFevers, I highly recommend her middle grade series, the first book is Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos. It's about a young girl whose parents own an ancient history museum, and she has a special power that connects her to the artifacts. It's so fun and enjoyable!

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    1. Thanks. =) Oh yeah, I actually own a copy of the first Theodosia book - I'm planning on reading it once I have the His Fair Assassin trilogy under my belt. =D

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  2. I love Daphne du Maurier's writing! It's beautiful. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier!

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  3. You've got one of my all-time favorite authors on this list-- Shirley Jackson! I also really have to push The Handmaid's Tale-- I read it early this year and loved it. I've been meaning to read Rebecca forever and ever. Maybe I will get around to it soon!

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    1. I think one of the reasons I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale yet is because so many people recommend it and I'm worried I'll end up not liking it! I'm definitely going to read it, though. =) Hopefully soon!

      I definitely recommend Rebecca. =D

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  4. Ahhh, it's nice to see someone discovering du Maurier and Shirley Jackson! Love both of them. Great list!

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  5. What a fantastic list! Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks are among my all-time favorite books, so it's great to see these authors on your list (among so many others whom I love). Looks like you have a great reading year!

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  6. I love both LaFevers and Mira Grant! I recently finished Mortal Heart and it was absolutely perfect. I've only read Parasite by Grant, but it was OH so good.
    -Jon from Bookish Antics!

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  7. So glad you discoved Robinl aFevers this year. I love her so much! I've had HANDMAID'S TALE for years and...still have to read it. I'm hiding with you...well, you're in the light now!

    I'm so glad you're with me on the Snyder books! <3

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  8. I love Robin LaFevers! I have Mortal Heart ready to go but I've been so busy I haven't had time. I've been wanting to try out du Maurier, I've heard Rebecca is fantastic. Mira Grants Parasitology books are amazing as well!

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  9. Robin LaFevers made it to my list too! I still haven't read Mortal Heart though I must remedy that before 2014 ends, haha.

    Great list! You definitely added some titles to my TBR :p

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  10. Aw, I love this! Mine ended up being all female too, though I didn't plan it that way. I need to read Robin LaFevers for sure, I keep hearing such great things. And I would love to read Mira Grant's books too. And, I had no idea that she was writing under a pen name! The things you learn. Great list :)

    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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  11. Gahhhhh I need the second Robin LaFevers book! Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed Grave Mercy...but I need Sybella's story. As soon as she is introduced in the book I was like....I need a book about you!! So I was pretty excited when I saw she's the MC of the second book. Obviously we agree on Mira Grant - did you know she's going to be writing more books in this universe? Not following the same characters, but still. I am SO EXCITED!! And I'd like to add that I wholeheartedly approve of reading Margaret Atwood, and if it helps I think The Handmaid's Tale is one of the best things I've ever read, and The Blind Assassin is just as good (but very different. I get the feeling all of her books are very, very different)

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  12. I love Geraldine Brooks! I am hoping to read Caleb's Crossing before the end of the year but I'm sad that it will mean I have read all of her novels.

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