Top 10 Tuesday: Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By

Hello Fellow Readers! Today I am participating in Top 10 Tuesday, created by That Artsy Reader Girl. Typically, I don't keep track of the authors I read so I am excited to see who exactly I've been reading the most from and what genre it is! I've had to deep dive into my goodreads books, but while some authors I knew would be picked, others I was surprised about. By the way, the authors are not listed in any particular order, besides who I discovered and whatnot. Enjoy!

1. Shel Silverstein (5 Books)

Not sure if I wanted to include childhood books but I have read these again as an adult so I am including them. I loved these books as a kid and Shel Silverstein was actually the first author I read on my own. 

2. Angie Fox (5 books)

I really liked Angie Fox's Southern Ghost Hunter series, and as soon as I have read the entire series I will dive into her demon slayers series. 

3. Susan Dennard (4 Books)

I've really enjoyed the witchlands series, which I will be started Bloodwitch this month, and I have also delved into her Something strange and deadly series as well. 

4. Jim Butcher (8 Books)

I like Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series and I am currently listening to the 8th audiobook, I really liked The Aeronaut's Windlass and will be reading the second book when it gets published (hopefully, soon!!!!) and I do have the first book in the Codex Alera series. 

5. Mira Grant (3 Books)

The Newsflesh series are one of my all time favorite zombie books to date, and I really want to read her Parasitology book, as well as her Rolling the deep series. 

6. Auralee Wallace (2 books)

I know I have only read two books by Wallace but I really loved them, and I really wish she would continue this series. I know she also writes a murder mystery series that I want to get into when I have the time. 

7. Amanda Lovelace (2 books)

While I loved to read poems as a child and teenage, Lovelace was the one who really connected my adulthood to poetry. I really need to get more of her books because her poetry really inspires me. 

8. Sarah Blaffer Hrdy (2 books)

I honestly didn't think I would see any non fiction writers on here but I was wrong. Sarah Blaffer Hrdy is a anthropologist and I really love her work. She mostly focuses on female reproduction and instincts. 

9. Amanda M. Lee (3 books)

I don't think I have ever properly reviewed these books on the blog which is a shame because I really liked them. I plan on rereading them in between my requests to make sure I can share with you all my feelings on them

10. Neil Gaiman (3 books)

This one surprised me because I thought I would have read more books by Gaiman but I have only read 3 and one was an anthology. I am currently listening to the full cast production of American Gods, and I want to read more books by him I just have to make some time. 

Something Strange and Deadly; Susan Dennard

Title: Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1)
Author: Susan Dennard
Genre: Young Adult; Steampunk; Horror
Published: July 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen

Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt’s brother is missing. After discovering the Dead are rising and wreaking havoc in Philadelphia, she knows that her brother is involved.
So Eleanor enlists the help of the Spirit-Hunters. This motley crew, hired to protect the city from supernatural forces, is after the necromancer who has been reanimating corpses. Their skills can save her brother. Yet as Eleanor spends time with the Spirit-Hunters and their handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. Now not only is her reputation at risk, but her very life hangs in the balance.
In Something Strange and Deadly, Susan Dennard weaves together beautifully imagined scenes of action, adventure, and vivid Victorian life to create an entertaining steampunk tapestry of humor, horror, and romance. Readers will be intrigued from the start.

Rating

Hello Fellow Readers,

So I guess I've been on a Susan Dennard kick and I am so happy that I have. Her ability to weave worlds and tackle different genres such as Fantasy and in this case horror and steampunk I really love. Author's who can multi-genre always have a big one up on other authors for me. Anyway on to the book.

The book opens up with Eleanor trying to meet her brother at the train station, only he doesn't show, then the dead comes. I like that it opens up a bit with action even though Eleanor is not an action hero (yet). Eleanor at first was maddening, she was mousey, shy, and a little rude which is such a bad combination for me. Eventually, we see Eleanor start to open up and actually show her backbone and that she had the ability to think about situations rather than just take them at face value. Being able to actually read and see Eleanor grow was really great and I love that Dennard did that (and did it well).

The background characters were great, and I wish that we had more interaction with some more but I didn't mind it. The one thing I did mind was the romance and the 'twist' of who the necromancer was. First, I felt the romance was sudden and quick. It went from a casual sudden attract to FEELINGS, I wish that Dennard would have pushed it until the second book to give it a bit of a foundation. I saw the twist a mile away and knew exactly how that was going to go since the beginning of the book, this is the reason why I didn't give this book a higher rating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will read the second one. 

Sightwitch; Susan Dennard

Title: Sightwitch (The Witchlands #0.5)
Author: Susan Dennard
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult
Published: February 13, 2018
Publisher: Tor Teen

Before Safi and Iseult battled a Bloodwitch...
Before Merik returned from the dead…
Ryber Fortiza was a Sightwitch Sister at a secluded convent, waiting to be called by her goddess into the depths of the mountain. There she would receive the gift of foretelling. But when that call never comes, Ryber finds herself the only Sister without the Sight.
Years pass and Ryber’s misfit pain becomes a dull ache, until one day, Sisters who already possess the Sight are summoned into the mountain, never to return. Soon enough, Ryber is the only Sister left. Now, it is up to her to save her Sisters, though she does not have the Sight—and though she does not know what might await her inside the mountain.
On her journey underground, she encounters a young captain named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he got there. Together, the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, their road filled with horrors, and what they find at the end of that road will alter the fate of the Witchlands forever.
Set a year before Truthwitch, Sightwitch is a companion novella that also serves as a set up to Bloodwitch, as well as an expansion of the Witchlands world.

 Rating

Hello Fellow Readers!

I will say I really loved this book. Not only did it give more insight into the Witchlands world, but it also gave us Ryber who I really hope has a larger part to play in the series now. I feel like until now the Witchlands had a small story to tell but with the addition of Sightwitch the story is gaining momentum and stories are starting to make more sense. 

Ryber is great, I love how she was so strict, but eventually through her progress of trying to save her Threadfamily so learns to bend and break rules. The Rook was by far my favorite character (despite being a bird) and the illustrations were great, and with the side notes added a dimension that I didn't know I was missing until now. 

I know that they won't include that in the next books but it doesn't mean I can't enjoy them. 

Windwitch; Susan Dennard

Title: Windwitch (The Witchlands #2)
Author: Susan Dennard
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult 
Published:January 10, 2017
Publisher: Tor Teen

Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…
After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.
When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?
After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

Rating

Hello Fellow Readers!

So this took me so long to read. As you can see by my rating that I really enjoyed this book, but I just kept putting it down and it would take a while before I picked it up again. Finally, I decided to force myself to sit down and just read it. I really enjoyed this book, it doesn't pick up directly after the last book but it does catch you up very quickly.

The chapters are like the last book in which they are told from different points of view, this was done very well and despite the somewhat large assembly of characters. There was never a time that I ever felt lost or confused about who was speaking. I will say that I did love other POVs more than others, it wasn't because they were boring or anything like that it was mostly just because some characters (to me) are just more interesting than others. 

I really enjoyed Iseult and Aeduan, I liked them in the first book as well and this just continued my affection for them. Safi was also interesting, so was Marik and Vivia but I just enjoyed Aeduan and Iseult more. I do wish that Dennard would give me more when it comes to the history of the Witchland worlds. I just feel like I am getting trickles of information and while I don't want an expo dump I wish she would share more. 

Other than that it was definitely a great book and I will continue this series

Truthwitch; Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1)

Author: Susan Dennard

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published: January 5th 2016

"In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.
Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.
Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.
In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch."

RATING

Hello Fellow Readers,

I've had this on my list to read for a while but it has been checked out at my library and I was unsure if I wanted to buy it because lately I can't seem to really like any of the fantasy YA books I have read. I'm glad I finally got to check this out. I won't lie, I really liked this book. From the beginning I really liked Safi and Iseult friendship, they work really well off of each other. Safi being the one that takes risks and Iseult being the straight shooter who helps keep Safi focused.  Of course when Safiya leads them into a bit of trouble that causes a chain reaction of things do things get interesting. The book starts right into the thick of things, leading to a blood witch named Aeduan to stay on their tail. Considering that Safi is a rare Truthwitch  this turns out to be very dangerous.

Dennard does an amazing job at keeping you interested in the different character point of views, I can honestly say that I did not dislike any of the main characters and there was not one point of view that I loved more than the others. The tension between Safi and Prince Merik was great and I really found myself rooting for them to get together.  I liked Merik so much that I think I'll be adding him to my list of top book boyfriends. 

The reason I didn't give it a 5 out of 5 was because it was a bit on the predictable side for me, and I kept wanted to reach in and knock some sense into Aeduan to stop acting like a jerk since he showed time and time again he had redeemable qualities and his interactions with Iseult was so interesting. 

I will be getting Windwitch as soon as it's available in the library.

About The Author

Susan Dennard is from Georgia and has a master's degree in marine biology which has allowed her to travel to almost all continents. She has since settled down and decided to write full time. Her first novel Something Strange and Deadly was published by HarperCollins and is currently available in stores. When she is not writing she is taking walks on the beach with her dogs Asimov and Princess Leia. 

Website: http://susandennard.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4499623.Susan_Dennard