Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I’ve Read The Most


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week, we’re talking about the authors I’ve read the most. This was a surprisingly challenging topic because I’d rather read a debut author than return to an old favorite. I have a tendency to read one or two books by an author and then never read that author again. That’s because there are so many books and so little time! I love discovering innovative creators and fresh ideas. I usually don’t want to read the same person’s stuff over and over.

This post took a lot of scrolling through Goodreads and counting books on my shelves, but I think I’ve figured out which authors I’ve read the most. (This is one of those moments when having my books shelved by author would have been very helpful . . . .)

*This post contains affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.




Authors I’ve Read The Most







Lois Lowry
(6+ books read)


The Giver was assigned reading for me in seventh grade. It was the first time I remember being assigned a book that didn’t make me want to commit book arson. I loved The Giver. It sparked my obsession with dystopian literature. It’s possible that my love of historical fiction can also be blamed on Lois Lowry. I don’t know. My bookish past is messy. I’m not completely sure how many Lowry books I’ve read. Goodreads informs me it’s at least six. I have a feeling there were more.













Marcus Sedgwick
(7 books read)


I keep returning to Marcus Sedgwick because his novels are weird and varied. When you pick one up, you have no idea what kind of journey you’re about to take. He writes everything from historical fiction, to contemporary, to science fiction, to experimental bizarreness. Most of his books don’t fit into any category. Some of them blew my mind and others made my brain shut down from boredom. He definitely has a wide range.













V.E. Schwab
(7 books read)


I’m not a huge fan of fantasy or science fiction because I’m tired of seeing the same tropes over and over, but V.E. Schwab somehow manages to shake up the tropes enough to make them feel fresh. If you love antiheroes, her work is a must-read. You’ll hate her characters, but they’re so twisted and complicated that you’ll still be thinking about them after you finish the book.













John Green
(7 books read)


I don’t actually remember when I discovered John Green. Probably in my late teens or very early twenties. I just remember loving the topics that his books discuss. His characters are funny, pretentious, creative, and unapologetically intelligent. I wished my high school friends were like them. Now that I’m a proper adult, I think I’ve outgrown John Green books a bit, but I still have good memories of reading them and would recommend them to teens.













Gary Paulsen
(8+ books read)


A preteen favorite! Also, I have no idea how many Gary Paulsen books I’ve actually read. He has written a billion of them. I’m going with 8 because that’s how many I own. Fun fact: All of my Gary Paulsen books were Christmas gifts from my parents. My parents don’t read, so they probably wandered into a bookstore and asked, “What should we buy for a kid who’s obsessed with wilderness stories?” Big thanks to that forgotten bookstore employee because I loved Hatchet. I read it over, and over, and over.




I recommend: Hatchet, Winterdance









Neal Shusterman
(9 books read)


I picked up my first Neal Shusterman book because of Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction. Shout out to Nicole for introducing me to a brilliant author. I’m a slow reader, but I plowed through the Unwind Dystology like it was chocolate cake. JUST GIVE IT ALL TO ME RIGHT NOW. I neglected my entire life for a few days to finish that series. I like Neal Shusterman’s books because he makes me look at the world in ways I hadn’t considered before. He tackles big ethical questions. His dystopias are compulsively readable with tons of plot twists. I can’t sleep if I’m in the middle of a Neal Shusterman novel. I’ll stay up all night to finish it.




I recommend: UnwindChallenger Deep, Scythe









J.K. Rowling
(9 books read)


The first Harry Potter book came out when I was in elementary school. The seventh one came out when I was in college. This series was a massive part of my life and helped make me a bookworm. I loved the excitement and the community that sprang up around the series. Looking forward to the next Harry Potter book kept me going through difficult times.




I recommend: Buying Harry Potter books from used bookstores. They’re easy books to find, and used bookstores badly need your support.









Arthur Conan Doyle
(9 books read)


Harry Potter helped me survive teenage depression and Sherlock Holmes helped me survive a pandemic. (Well, I’ve survived it so far. It’s not over.) When Coronavirus started spreading in the US, I found myself doom scrolling on Twitter. I was worried about my people and constantly checking on you all. Since doom scrolling is a terrible use of mental energy, I distracted myself by reading (or rereading) every Sherlock Holmes book. If you want to get into classics, I recommend Sherlock Holmes as a starting point. The books are dated, but they’re accessible and faster paced than most classics. Also, who can pass up a good mystery?













Margaret Atwood
(22+ books read)


Margaret Atwood is one of the reasons I went to grad school. After reading a few of her novels as a college student, I developed an interest in narrative structure. I spent grad school studying how structure can be used to build suspense and convey meaning. I know. I’m weird. Normal humans don’t care about that stuff. But, I ended up reading a ton of Margaret Atwood’s work because she’s not afraid to experiment with her writing. In addition to being structurally interesting, her books are full of odd characters and dark humor.













Stephen King
(30+ books read)


Stephen King is the reason this blog exists. I hated reading until I found my parents’ copy of The Tommyknockers when I was 11. Now that I’m a grownup with too much reading experience, I can tell you that The Tommyknockers is a terrible book, but it blew my 11-year-old mind. I didn’t know that fiction could feel so real and intense. After The Tommyknockers, I devoured every Stephen King book I could find. I think I was drawn to their unflinching grittiness. You know that bad things are going to happen and none of the characters are safe. My younger self was a suspense junkie.



















Which author have you read the most?








39 comments:

  1. Margaret Atwood was on my list, too! And Lois Lowry is a great choice.

    My TTT .

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  2. I read Lois Lowry and the original Sherlock Holmes as a teen. And although Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author, I haven't read any of her books! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. J.K. Rowling is on my list too. I´ve read a few books by V. E. Schwab but not enough that she would have made it onto my list. Guess, time will change that *smile*

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  4. Stephen King didn’t quite make my list but I’ve read plenty by him. Funny that Tommyknockers is what got you hooked (not his finest) but whatever does the trick! :)

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  5. I have read all John Green's books and I am a fan. I am an outsider when it comes to my feelings about Alaska and my favorite book of his is An Abundance of Katherines.

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  6. Wow. Look at all the Stephen King and Margaret Atwood books.

    I've read the most books by Mo Willems---28.

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  7. Was Neil Shusterman the one who did a novel -- kind of dark, as I recall -- about a club of outcasts who do mischief on whose who bully them?

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  8. I too would rather read a debut author than one I have read before! I am not sure if I can even list 10 authors

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  9. 'Doom scrolling' that's an interesting way to put it - I can relate though, I took like 5/6 weeks off Twitter for that very same reason.

    And bookish wise, I totally agree with the Sherlock Holmes books being good for beginner's with classics.

    Varied list!

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  10. What a great list! I’m happy to see Conan Doyle, I love the Sherlock Holmes books.

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  11. Nicely done! I'd like to read more books by GARY PAULSEN. Here's my TTT list.

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  12. 30 books by King? WOW. I am very impressed. I always tell myself to read more of his books and then I don't...afraid they might be scary! Ha! I love Marcus Sedgwick. I haven't read anything by him for a few years, I must check to see what he has that is new.

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  13. I read a lot of Stephen King as a teenager, not sure exactly how many, though!

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  14. I've read almost everything JKR has written. I'm making my way through V.E. Schwab's books but I do love her work and I plan to read all of them. I think I've read two books by Sedgwick maybe? LOVE Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Favorite of mine for sure.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  15. Ooh, Lois Lowry. I was not a big Giver fan (though I did enjoy the sequel, not realizing it was a sequel), but Number the Stars is an absolute fave.

    Actually, beyond Rowling, I've read 1 or 2 from most of the juvenile authors on your list, but Paulsen is the absolute best. That bookstore employee did you the greatest favor. I also couldn't quite remember how many I've read -- I honestly only have concrete memories of 5 or 6, including the two you pictured, but I'm sure I read more than that in elementary. He's just really fantastic at wilderness adventure. And/or sled dogs.

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  16. You've got some great authors on here! My top author was L.M. Montgomery. :)

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  17. I love your list! I started reading the Cassidy Blake series and really like it. I may have to branch out into her other works too.

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  18. Another fan of The Long Walk! Now I know for sure you're a Stephen King fan! I read that one every few years and always come away with a different take. Not that he needs more sales, but I often think it's too bad that so many people only think of him as a horror author and think they won't like his books. They don't realize how nuanced his stories are, how much morality and religion and ethics and spirituality are in every one of them. I'm also impressed with how many Atwood books you've read. I've only read The Handmaid's Tale many years ago and loved it so keep meaning to read more of her work.

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  19. Wow that is a lot from some of these authors! Neal Shusterman must be close to the top of my list for sure. I feel like Goodreads should be able to tell us stats like this- what is the point of plugging in all this info if they can't give us some easy statistics to work with!? Rude.

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  20. Schwab has quickly become one of my all time favorite authors. :)

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  21. None of those authors was on my TTT though I've read books by #s 1, 4, 5, 7, and 9 but have never heard of 2, 3, and 6. Even though they're not my genre, some of those books sound quite interesting.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

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  22. Arthur Conan Doyle! Goodness, don't think anyone else mentioned him and he was just so awesome! Great list. You gave me some inspiration to authors I don't know as well. Interested in Marcus Sedgwick especially. Hopping over to Goodreads now to check him out!

    Thanks for visiting me!

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  23. I'v read 2 of John Green's novels and enjoyed them. Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment.

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  24. I have read Rowling and King from your list, but know most of the others. I've always wanted to dive into Doyle, but never seems to happen.

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  25. You KNOW I'm right there with you on pretty much all of this. I discovered Sedgwick through you, so thanks for that, and yes, Paulsen has written SO MUCH MORE than Hatchet.

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  26. I really curious with V.E. Schwab. Last week, his name is everywhere for the most-awaited released book.

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  27. I love Lewis Lowry. Number the Stars is one of the books that got me into reading.

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  28. Great list! King made my list as well. I also love Lowry, Shusterman, and Rowling (at least the HP books - I haven't read her others).

    Happy TTT (on a Friday)!

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  29. So interesting to learn about your grad school studies! I've heard great things about VE Schwab, one day I'll actually read one of her books!

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  30. V.E. Schwab made my list this week too. I need to read more of Margaret Atwood's books. I've read a few and loved them.

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  31. Wow you've read a lot of Margaret Atwood and Stephen King. Interesting to hear the why on Margaret Atwood. Thanks for visiting my TTT!

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  32. I think my most read author is JK Rowling (though that doesn't mean I subscribe to her views individually), but if we are including childhood favorites my answer would be RL Stine. I THRIVED off of Goosebumps books as a kid, and would constantly leave the library with an armful of them. I'm currently trying to collect them all for my niece!

    I really love these Top Ten Tuesdays! I think I'm going to take part in them as well!

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  33. Ha I forgot Arthur Conan Doyle! I really need to start picking up some Neal Shusterman books. I do have Scythe waiting on me.

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  34. I'm impressed with your Atwood reading. I think I've read 7 of her books and have enjoyed them. Maybe Alias Grace might be a favorite ... though I liked Handmaid's and The Testaments too. Stone Mattress was good too.

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  35. Wow! I didn't even know Margaret Atwood has written so many books! I only knew about The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments. I probably own 7 VE Schwab books (I tend to buy them when they go on sale) but I've only read 1 so far.

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  36. Stephen King is on a lot of these lists, including mine. I did the post last week instead of this week for no good reason!

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  37. Sorry for the late comment ! I just started bloghopping again :)
    Great list

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  38. I’ve read a few of theses authors; I was surprised to see Rowling here nut to each their own! A new author I love is Matthew Haig.

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