Top 5 Tuesday || Authors From K to T

When I say Top 5 Tuesday, I really mean Top 10.

I was supposed to do K through O last week, but stress decided to slide tackle me into oblivion. But never fear! We’re tackling authors from K to T today, smashing two entire Top 5 Tuesday prompts together! It’s ambitious, it’s exciting, and it’s hopefully not too outlandish? I guess Shanah @ Bionic Bookworm Blog will have to be the judge of that, since she runs the prompts.

Without further ado, though…here’s ten of my favorites!

K is for Julie Kagawa

While I’m not super familiar with Julie Kagawa’s work, Shadow of the Fox was the first ARC I ever received, and it completely captivated me. I had so much fun with Yumeko’s journey, and I’m actually reading Night of the Dragon right now, with a plan to review it this Thursday. Letting this series go is going to be so hard, because I’ve had so much fun with the anime-esque adventure elements and all of the mythological components. Really, props to Julie Kagawa for writing such a fun, engaging series!

L is for Scott Lynch

Scott Lynch is actually the author who convinced me to really get back into writing and take it seriously. I discovered The Lies of Locke Lamora in high school when I was really feeling stuck and hopeless, and that book reminded me exactly what you can do with words. The world-building, the wit, the schemes…I have such a fondness for it, and almost want to reread it again now. And I’m not much of a rereader, so that should tell you how much I appreciate Scott Lynch’s work.

Plus, I’ve been very patient waiting for the next book in the Gentleman Bastard sequence. So patient.

M is for Linsey Miller

Partly because of her pun wars with Rosiee Thor, partly because I got to meet her in August and had a lovely chat, and partly because her books are just a good time, Linsey Miller gets this spot! I loved the Mask of Shadows duology, especially since it was the first I’ve read with a genderfluid protagonist, and I’m so so so so so excited to read Belle Révolte soon! Plus, Linsey always does such a lovely job of writing inclusive queerness, and she wrote the first book I ever read with a character who’s aro but not ace. Seeing that distinction made my heart so full. 💚

N is for Natasha Ngan

I fell head over heels for Girls of Paper and Fire when it came out, and even though I didn’t enjoy the sequel quite as much, Natasha Ngan has absolutely earned this place on my favorites list. She writes about trauma with such a sensitive touch, neither diminishing it nor sensationalizing it, and I think that can be a delicate line to walk. Not only that, but her world-building is bright and intricate, and I still can’t believe an f/f series got as much publicity as it did. It warms my heart, and I really, really hope Lei and Wren get the happy ending they’ve been kept from for so long. I’m completely invested in their story, and both eager and afraid to see it end.

O is for Margaret Owen

From the money dance in the opening chapters of The Merciful Crow, Margaret Owen had me hooked. I read her book the day of the October signing I went to, just so I could say something to her, and holy hell, was it worth it. Her prose is so sharp and chilling when it needs to be, and she has no qualms about digging in deep to question how things work and why. Plus, her world-building is encouragingly inclusive; I can always get behind fantasy without homophobia or transphobia.

Also, in case you missed it, she’s funny as all hell. Not only was she a dad jokes terror at the signing, but her Twitter is an adventure every day. I catch myself sending her tweets to friends all the time because even in these wild times, she manages to make me laugh, or at least snort a little bit.

Also, she’s a super talented artist! Which means she did a lot of art for her own book! Which is so cool! I can string words together, but I’m not the most talented artist, which gives me deep appreciation for folks who can do both. Not sure what kind of deal you have to make with the devil, but the results sure seem worth it.

P is for Katy Rose Pool

Katy Rose Pool only earned this spot recently, but boy did she earn it! I actually reviewed There Will Come a Darkness just yesterday, and it was without a doubt a five star read. I was so impressed with the way she balanced her five POVs without making a single one uninteresting to me, and I’m so worried about all the characters. They’re just a bunch of good people trying to make good decisions while everything is going down the tubes, and I love them. 🥺

Also, she mentioned at her event in October that she just…pantsed her way through the plot until it was cohesive. On her debut. The power that has, especially with such a solid end product. 10/10, would place on favorite author list again. And again. And again.

Q is for… You know what? Never mind.

You’re funny if you thought I had an author for this one. You’re really, really funny.

R is for Margaret Rogerson

Sorcery of Thorns did me in last year, crafting a personal attack on me, and I can’t say thank you enough. It also ensured Margaret Rogerson a place on this list, even though I haven’t gotten to An Enchantment of Ravens just yet. She has a knack for banter that doesn’t turn into sour sniping, managed to make one of the most engaging standalones I’ve read in ages, and paints such a vivid picture with her words. I’m not a big rereader until a lot of time has passed (remembering plot twists is a little too easy for me), but I already want to pick up Sorcery of Thorns again so it can take me out at the knees for the second time. What a masterpiece.

S is for V.E. Schwab

Not a single one of you should be surprised that V.E. Schwab takes S. It was tough, since there’s a lot of authors I adore whose names begin with S, but in the end, it was no contest. I own basically all of her books save for a couple of the Steel Prince comics, and there hasn’t been a single one I didn’t like. I admire her command over prose so much, and when I got to hear her speak last March, I was totally enamored. She’s funny and brilliant and does a lot with words that I dream of doing one day.

Also, I just really like her dog, Riley. She posts pictures of the pup on her Instagram sometimes, and that dog is such a fuzzy relief.

T is for Angie Thomas

Believe it or not, I have very few T authors on my shelf. 🤔 But Angie Thomas absolutely earned this spot. I really loved The Hate U Give, and I’m planning to get my hands on On the Come Up when my library reopens. I think she has such a clear, dynamic voice, and my experience so far makes me excited to get into more of her work! Plus, I’d love to see what she does outside of contemporary, if she ventures into other genres. It’s a rare author who can make me this curious about the rest of their work after only one book.

 

So, there we are! Nine of my favorite authors, and one pesky letter that refuses to show up on my shelves. Did you manage to find an author for Q? Do we have any authors in common? Let’s chat!