I have a reading idiosyncrazy idiosyncrasy. When some readers really enjoy a book, they tend to devour everything by that author. Me? I STAY AWAY. It hasn’t always been like this – the reason I have read tons of Jodi Picoult and Karen Kingsbury. I think it started in university when I realised I don’t have time to read everything I want to read. So now, when I have read a book that I absolutely adored, I actually willfully stay away from reading another work by the same author. I think partially it is because I don’t want to ruin my experience, but also partially because I want to read as many different voices as possible, and not restrict myself.
So although today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is “Ten authors I’ve only read one book from but NEED to read more”, I’m asking: SHOULD I read more of these authors?
1. Zeina Abirached – I Remember Beirut
I wrote a mini-review for this graphic novel here. I really enjoyed reading it, especially as it was the first book I ever read set in Lebanon. She has another graphic novel, also about her childhood in the war, so I am a bit wary of reading the same author and the same setting. The other option would be for me to read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, which is also a graphic novel that sounds similar but not the same, and set in Iran.
2. Benjamin Alire Saenz – Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Okay, lets be frank: Ari and Dante don’t exactly have hectic adventures. If you think about it, the plot is kind of boring. And yet I couldn’t stop reading this book. Saenz writes absolutely beautifully, so even though I’m not thaaaat interested in reading about a teen in rehab, I have a feeling Saenz probably wrote so beautifully about it in Last Night I Sang to the Monster.
3. Mindy McGinnis – Not a Drop to Drink
I kind of expected to find this book a little lame and full of tropes, but I liked it. Apart from the whole romance things, which I did not “feel”, it was good! But now there’s In a Handful of Dust, which is a sequel but not a sequel (huh?) and I want to read more about Lucy… I think! But what if it’s just the same story rehashed?
4. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief
I waited for the hype to die down well and proper before reading this and I loved it. My brother, at the same time, read I am the Messenger, which he loved. He says it’s quite funny and awesome. It sounds verrrry different from The Book Thief though. Which is not a problem but… will I like it?
5. Jennifer Donnelly – Revolution
I really enjoyed the way Revolution weaved together history and music. I’m interested in A Northern Light which seems to have more recent history (1900s) and writing/words. It sounds pretty awesome too.
6. Elizabeth Wein – Code Name Verity
I REALLY want to read Rose Under Fire but I keep avoiding it! CNV really kind of broke my heart and I don’t know if I can take more of its awesomeness. Am I weird? I’m weird aren’t I.
7. George Orwell – Animal Farm
People say a writer writes the same story over and over. I thought Animal Farm was decent, but isn’t 1984 kind of similar? I’m kind of over reading things because I feel compelled to…
8. David Levitan – Every Day
I tried reading Two Boys Kissing, which sounded awesome, but I couldn’t get into it. Something about the tone. But there’s a whole bunch of other Levithan books that sound so cute and awesome.
9. Rainbow Rowell – Eleanor & Park
Okay, this one is definitely a fear of being let down! I really enjoyed E&P but quite specifically because of the characters. Fangirl and Landline just don’t sound appealing to me, to be honest… Attachments, maybe?
10. Gayle Forman – Just One Day
SERIOUS HYPE MONSTER. I don’t think I would have read it if not for the fact that I won it, and then it was pretty awesome. Do I want to find out what happens in Just One Year, though? I’m not sure. I’m not all that interested in D*ckwad’s excuses, y’know? And then Forman has some other books that are apparently awesome, but still: HYPE MONSTER!
As you can probably tell, I really do want to read more of these authors, I just need a bit of a push.
So, push me already! 🙂
Whispers Unto the Aether 
oh wow.. loved the post and your views.. I love graphic novels.. Will try this one 🙂
Thanks! I Remember Beirut is fantastic. Hope you enjoy it!
will do!
I can help you on George Orwell. 1984 is nothing like Animal Farm. Animal Farm is a pleasant little fairytale about a bunch of animals running their own farm, and then we realise things aren’t quite so pleasant as it seems. 1984 is a story of a bleak dystopian society where, unlike the YA dystopias of today, one person does not have the ability to change things around. I haven’t read any of his other novels, but 1984 is definitely worth the read. It’s not as easy to read as Animal Farm, though. You’re gonna work to get through it.
Thank you! That’s a good bit of insight for when I do get around to reading it.
Love what you’ve done with this week’s topic. If I LOVE a book by an author (that’s not part of a series) I do tend to want to read more by them, but I also get the fear. The fear that the book I read is their best and all others will ruin it for me, or the fear that for some reason that particular novel spoke to me and all others will fall flat (it took me a while to read another Colleen Hoover because of this!). There’s a few books on here I want to read but haven’t got round to yet – like Code Name Verity, and there are some authors I’ve read other books by but not the ones you’ve mentioned – so I’m officially useless today!
My TTT: http://confessionsofabookgeek.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/top-ten-tuesday-authors-ive-only-read-one-book-by-and-need-more/
How could I have forgotten about George Orwell and Gayle Forman! I’ve only read Animal Farm and If I stay by them.
Great list and thanks for stopping by my blog!
Code Name Verity broke my heart so much! I’m kind of worried about reading Rose Under Fire because I’m not sure if it’s as good as CNV. I feel the same about I Am The Messenger too – what if I don’t like it as much as The Book Thief? Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I have heard really good things about Rose Under Fire, but yeah, I’m always worried it won’t be as good as well!
I think Levithan is either hit or miss, I liked Boy Meets Boy a lot, and Every Day was a decent read as well because it’s so different. It takes some getting used to but I think I’ll read more.
Benjamin Alire Saenz was a bit harder for me, and as much as I enjoyed the story (Ari and Dante), the style was a bit odd at times. I think I’ll see what else he has to offer though.
I read one Rowell book and as much as it’s easy to read, it was a tad anticlimactic. I might read on someday.
I haven’t read Forman yet because of the hype – I fear it will be a flunk for me, as it’s often with popular books. I just worry I’ll overhype myself, it happened before. I still haven’t read Orwell but need to, Zusak as well, and McGinnis because those books sounds really good.
Yeah, I think you’re right about Levithan. On GoodReads it also seems like people either get him or not at all.
Saenz has an odd style but I quite like it. Thanks for stopping by!
Eh, I didn’t think Attachments by Rainbow Rowell was all that good. I mean, it was decent, but nothing amazing. To be honest, I still need to discover the hype around this woman. I thought Fangirl was better, but still nothing amazing. Still, you might like it better than I did!
But, BUT: did you read Eleanor & Park??? I thought it was wonderful. I think that’s where the hype started with her!
Oh you are perfectly logical about Rose Under Fire. I’VE TAKEN THE PLUNGE THOUGH. I still haven’t recovered from the smashing of my heart after Code Name Verity though. *sobs a little*
I totally agree with you on Ari & Dante. A few times I even said to myself, “this is legitimately boring” but I could NOT stop reading and I loved it so much it was 5-stars all round! 😉 The Book Thief is on my list too! Here’s my TTT!
Annnnd??? How is Rose Under Fire so far? Tell me tell me!
I Am the Messenger is as good, if not better, than The Book Thief, I recommend it.
Cool, thank you!
Rainbow Rowell made my list too. 🙂 I completely forgot about Markus Zusak! 😮 I’d love to read some more of his work, too.
At the risk of the historian in me showing, Animal Farm and 1984 are quite different reads (Animal Farm more akin to the Russian Revolution while 1984 is reminiscent of the Stalinist Era and a lot of the classic dystopian lit you see out there–that didn’t help at all, did it? xD)
Have I recommended Attachments to you at any point? If you’re looking for something light to read (and sprinkled with late 90s references), definitely check it out 🙂
Been meaning to pick up I am the Messenger, been hearing good things about it…
My TTT
Oh, thanks for pointing that out – it does help quite a bit, actually!
If I try anything else by Rowell I’ll make it Attachments then – thank you!
I loved Last Night I Sang to the Monster. It was definitely moving & made me tear up a bit. I didn’t love it QUITE as much as I loved Aristotle & Dante, but Aristotle & Dante is probably a TOP 5 book of all-time for me so that’s to be expected. I thought it was really beautifully written.
I also really loved I Am the Messenger! It’s different from The Book Thief for sure, but it’s still written in this way that just made me love humanity, a little bit, much like The Book Thief did through all my tears.
Thanks – it sounds like I Am The Messenger is the next book I should read!
I’ve been meaning to read Not a Drop to Drink. I just haven’t gotten around to it! I haven’t heard of most of your other choices. Thanks for sharing!
Here are my Top Ten!
It’s a great book and quick to read – give it a try!
I do the same thing with waiting to read a favorite author, although I think I do it to space it out. If I don’t know when an author is going to publish a new book, I want to know that I have something to read if I am craving something in particular.
I haven’t read I Am The Messenger yet either. Thanks for the reminder!
Yeah, the spacing-out thing works too. So that you don’t get tired of them! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I haven’t read any of those authors, but now you’ve got me curious about them. When I find an author I like, I tend to read more books by them right away. I end up burning out after two or three books though, then I move on. But I come back to them in the future. For some, the day they have a new release out is like Christmas for me.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Much appreciated!
Thanks for stopping by! I am so scared of that burning-out phenomenon, and I think that’s why I’m careful of reading too much from one author!
Benjamin, Markus and Mindy are amazing, I so need to read more of their work!
New follower 🙂
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Thanks! Happy reading!
I won’t push you, but instead I will pressure you to read Gayle Forman’s If I Stay so you could read her Where She Went after which I love more! HAHA!
Okay, this is the third time I saw Not A Drop To Drink in a TTT list. You might have just pushed me back to try this one. 🙂
Hah, well, that works too! I really want to watch the movie so I will read it!
Hope you enjoy Not A Drop To Drink 🙂
This is my pick for a book you must read “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai this girl and her family personify courage.
Thanks Nisha. I read a bit of it last year but it didn’t really grow on me. I agree that her story is truly amazing but the book just didn’t flow for me. I might try it again in the future.
it is a bit graphic but the story is good you should give it another shot.
Read The Lover’s Dictionary by Levithan!
Oh I forgot about that! I actually follow the twitter account and I think it’s awesome. I’ll read it!
Honestly, while I loved Eleanor & Park, I wasn’t crazy about her other books. So I don’t know if I can push you to read more of her work haha.
That’s alright then – I’ll take that as a push in the other direction then! 🙂
Last Night I Sang to the Monster is not Ari and Dante but the writing is there and I definitely recommend it – so, consider yourself “pushed” 😀
Thank you! I can see it will be different, but I’m keen!
So I have to be honest and said that I haven’t read most of the alternative books you’re considering, so I can’t reaaaallllyy be of any help, lol. The only one I have read is Rainbow Rowell’s Landline, and I think it’s a good thing you’re not interested because I found it to be just okay. If I had to choose which ones I would read from your list though, it’d be I Am The Messenger and Rose Under Fire. I have read The Book Thief and have always considered picking up Markus Zusak’s other books. If you read it and love it and push it on me then maybe I’ll finally have the motivation to do so. (Is that weird, for me to push you to read a book so you can push it on me? lol.) And I haven’t read Code Name Verity but I’ve seen so much discussion about it in the blogosphere that I’m quite curious about it and Rose Under Fire.
I do have to say though, I find it quite interesting that you tend to avoid reading authors whose books you’ve liked! I mean, I get your logic. The fact that it might possibly lower your love of the author if it doesn’t meet your expectations and your desire to explore other voices in the world. But still, I’ve always been the opposite. Once I know I love an author I sometimes only want to read his/her work!
I definitely used to binge on favourite authors back in the day! I think the problem is that I get bored easily. My boyfriend is the opposite. After listening to HP in audio, he is now on a magic-and-dragons trip and is speeding through the whole Inheritance Cycle. Do you think he’s tired of it? No! He wants MORE magic and dragons!! This is also the guy who ate the same meal for dinner all through university…
Me? No matter how awesome something is, I get bored of it eventually. And with books it makes that I’m not always certain if it’s really a bad book or if I’m just bored with the author, so… I stall. Heh.
As for I Am The Messenger, I will definitely read my brother’s copy when I get home after graduation. And then I will push it on you, if it’s good! Haha, I like that idea 😛