Top 10 Tuesday: My Top Auto-Buy Authors

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is another one that I've looked forward to for a long while. I'm very careful with my money and loathe to part with it. I hate the idea of dropping $20 on a book only to find out that I dislike it. I read everything before buying; the library is my friend. But a few authors have proven themselves awesome enough and trustworthy enough to earn a spot on my mental auto-buy list.

In alphabetical order, here are those authors:

Agatha Christie. Yes, Dame Agatha is dead and probably won't be releasing a book any time soon. However, should some manuscript of hers be found and turned into a book, a la Tolkien, BAM! Automatic buy. I'm slowly working to buy all of her currently existing works as we speak. My collection must be complete.

Ally Carter. All hail Ally Carter, queen of thieves and spies. Her Heist Society series is hilariously awesome, and her Gallagher Girls series is equally so, though tragically coming to a close this year. Sigh. I haven't read her two adult books yet, but based on their synopses, they look to be equally amazing.

Elizabeth Wein. By virtue of being a stupendous writer, Ms. Wein has made readers all over the globe sob their collective eyes out. I don't normally enjoy books that make me cry, but Code Name Verity was just too fantastic. Its companion novel, Rose Under Fire, is set to come out in September, and we wants it, Precious. She also has a fabulous-sounding Arthurian series on my to-buy list that my good buddy Chachic has been promoting.

Kristin Cashore. Ms. Cashore's Graceling Realm series has been touted as some of the best YA high fantasy to come down the pipe in decades, a sentiment that I strongly agree with. I don't know if she plans to stop with Bitterblue or keep going, but no matter what she comes up with next, I'll be right there waiting to add it to my shelf.

Megan Whalen Turner. Yes. Always and forever. Of all the authors in this list, MWT is the only author that I've preordered without reading. I was studying abroad in England when A Conspiracy of Kings was to be released, so I preordered the book months in advance so it would be waiting for me when I returned home. The Queen's Thief series is set to have at least two more books before ending, and you better believe I'll be preordering those the second they become available. Long live MWT!

Patricia Polacco. I've written an entire post on how much I love this lady. Patricia Polacco's picture books were such a big part of my childhood. Whenever I get around to having kids, you better believe my shelves will be overflowing with Polaccos for them to choose from for bedtime reads.

Rachel Hartman. Technically, this one may be a bit premature, seeing as Ms. Hartman has only published one book thus far. However, that book was the delightful and enchanting Seraphina, so I don't think I'm acting too rashly. Indeed, just the thought of the sequel Drachomachia has me licking my literary chops.

Rae Carson. I adored Ms. Carson's Fire & Thorns series. Her heroine is ridiculously clever and awesome, her world-building is mind-blowing, and her love interest... Mmmmmmm, Hector. Pardon my drool. The final installment of the series is due this year, and Ms. Carson already has another book in the works. Magical Gold Rush, everybody. Such an idea just can't be beat.

Robin LaFevers. I think it's been well-established that I'm an RLL fangirl. I've thoroughly enjoyed the first two books of the His Fair Assassin series, as well as the few books of the Nathaniel Fludd series that I've been able to obtain. Now if I can just get my hands on some Theodosia tales, life will be good.

Tamora Pierce. Tamora Pierce is the Grand Poobah of YA high fantasy. She currently has nine series set within two distinct universes, the Tortall universe and the Circle universe. I've only read books from the Tortall universe, but I've been completely enraptured. I still need to purchase and read the rest of the Tortall books before moving on to the Circle books, but it's only a matter of time.

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I'm going to have to sit on my hands for a few days to resist buying all the missing books from my collection RIGHT THIS SECOND. In the meantime, who are your top auto-buy authors? And what do you think of the authors I've listed?