We’re getting to that time of year where we start compiling the “best of” lists, and this week’s Top Ten Tuesday is the perfect example: the top 10 authors you’ve discovered in 2013. It was somewhat hard for me to compile my list, because I tend to go through long periods of catching up with authors I already like rather than discovering new ones. But here are 10 new-to-me-in-2013 authors that I’d like to read more of in the future (I’ve listed them alphabetically in the interest of fairness):

1. Anthony Berkeley — The Poisoned Chocolates Case was so clever, such a wonderful exploration of the philosophy of the mystery novel, that I really want to get my hands on the rest of his books!

2. Gemma Burgess — If you like British chick lit, you should definitely check out Burgess’ well-written, romantic, exuberant novels. I really liked both The Dating Detox and A Girl Like You.

3. Edmund Crispin — I recently read The Case of the Gilded Fly, the first of a vintage mystery series featuring Oxford professor Gervase Fen. I haven’t had time to review the book yet, but I did enjoy it and am curious to try another Gervase Fen book.

4. Michael Innes — Yet another classic mystery author! I didn’t wholeheartedly love Hamlet, Revenge! while I was reading it, but once the solution was revealed, I was very impressed with how the whole thing hung together. I’ve already acquired another Innes book and look forward to reading it next year!

5. Robin LaFevers — I discovered the His Fair Assassin series this year and got completely sucked into it! Medieval Brittany + romance + killer nuns = yes please! If the idea appeals to you, do yourself a favor and pick up Grave Mercy.

6. Ben Macintyre — Over the past few years, I’ve become very interested in World War II, so I finally decided to try the intriguingly titled Operation Mincemeat. It’s a very well-researched yet extremely readable account of a crucial intelligence operation in the midst of WWII, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the period or in espionage.

7. Cheryl Mahoney — Perhaps I’ve gushed a little too much about The Wanderers recently, but I can’t help it — I really liked the book! It’s good old-fashioned epic fantasy fun, and fans of the genre should definitely give it a try!

8. Matt Beynon Rees — I read The Collaborator of Bethlehem this year and was fascinated by its depiction of daily life in the West Bank. While it’s a work of fiction, Rees himself is a journalist and spent time in the region, which lends authenticity to the book. I’m planning to read book #2 of the series, A Grave in Gaza, next year.

9. Mary Doria Russell — Doc was so good (seriously, one of my top 10 books of the year, and I don’t even read Westerns) that I’m eager to get my hands on the rest of her work! Even though I wasn’t as thrilled with Dreamers of the Day, I’m optimistic about her oeuvre as a whole.

10. Patricia Wynn — She wrote a mystery series with Jacobites! And romance! Need I say more?

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is 10 books that are on your winter TBR list. My list of books I hope to read this winter is way too long for a blog post, but here are 10 books I’m planning to read within the next few months:

1. Life of Johnson by James Boswell — Finishing this enormous book is my last big goal for 2013. I’m on page 315 out of 1408, so it’s going to be a fight to the finish…but I will be done by January 1, dammit!

2. Asleep in the Sun by Adolfo Bioy Casares — I have to read a book set in Argentina for the Around the World in 12 Books challenge at Giraffe Days, and this one looks super interesting in a creepy way.

3. Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross — This will be my Christmas present to myself after I finish Boswell. I love the two Julian Kestrel books I’ve read so far, and I’m looking forward to continuing with the series — but slowly, so that I can really savor it!

4. Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay — I’ve had this book on my TBR list for a while. Plus, it’s set in the Northwest Territories in Canada, which seems like a perfect complement to real-life cold weather!

5. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout — I’m finally going to dive into the Nero Wolfe series, probably at the beginning of 2014. It will fit nicely with my Vintage Mystery Challenge!

6. The Impersonator by Mary Miley — It’s very rare that I will pay full price for a book these days, much less a hardcover book. But the cover of this one caught my eye, and the plot summary really intrigued me. It sounds an awful lot like Brat Farrar, which could be a problem…but then again, I really liked Brat Farrar, so I’m hoping to like this one a lot too!

7. A Grave in Gaza by Matt Rees — After being very impressed by The Collaborator of Bethlehem, I’ve decided to try the second book in the Omar Yussef series, which is a mystery series set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

8. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley — I think I mentioned this book last week, since it’s coming out in January 2014. Can’t wait to read it and discover what comes next for Flavia and her family!

9. The Two Mrs. Abbotts by D.E. Stevenson — Again, this book comes out in January 2014 (technically it’s a reissue, but still), and I’m dying to read it!

10. The Giver by Lois Lowry — Astonishingly enough, I never read this book as a kid! Now I’m finally going to take the opportunity to read it, probably in February because it will count as an award-winning book for my Monthly Motifs challenge (Newbery FTW!).

Once again, it’s been a while since I’ve participated in this meme, but I couldn’t resist this week’s topic. I’ve been looking ahead to my 2014 reading for several months now (because I am a planner, a.k.a. an obsessive crazy person), and I’ve already got my eye on a bunch of new books coming out. So here are 10 books to be released next year that I can’t wait to get my hot little hands on:

1. Alan Bradley, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (release date January 14) — The 6th Flavia de Luce mystery. I’ve already put this on hold at the library…after the bombshell at the end of the last book, I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

2. Sarah Addison Allen, Lost Lake (release date January 21) — At long last, SAA is coming out with another book! Her novels are full of magic, romance, and delicious descriptions you can sink your teeth into.

3. Kristan Higgins, Waiting on You (release date March 25) — I really love Higgins’ contemporary romances, and this next installment of the Blue Heron series focuses on Colleen O’Rourke, a minor character from The Best Man and The Perfect Match. I’m looking forward to reading her story!

4. Jennifer Echols, Biggest Flirts (release date May 20) — Echols is probably most famous and beloved for her romantic dramas — and don’t get me wrong; I love them too. But I also think her romantic comedies are delightful! I really liked The One That I Want when it came out, so I’m excited to try her upcoming Superlatives series.

5. Lauren Willig, A Summer Engagement (release date June 3) — I’m a longtime fan of Willig’s Pink Carnation series, but now she is starting to write stand-alone novels as well. This one involves the Pre-Raphaelites and a love story and an unexpected inheritance; I’m sold!

6. Rainbow Rowell, Landline (release date July 8) — I think it’s safe to say that I (and the blogosphere in general) can’t get enough of Rainbow Rowell! I’m particularly excited that this book is written for an adult audience; while there’s nothing wrong with YA — and I really enjoy some of it! — I am starting to feel that I relate better to adult characters.

7. Stephanie Perkins, Isla and the Happily Ever After (release date August 26) — I’ve been waiting for this book FOREVER, and I’m very sure I’m not alone! The release date has been pushed back several times due to the author’s health issues, and I certainly don’t blame her for that, but it has definitely heightened the anticipation! 🙂

8. Robin LaFevers, Mortal Heart (no release date yet) — This will be the third book in the His Fair Assassin series. I really enjoyed the previous two books, which are set in a version of medieval Brittany where a convent of killer nuns is involved in the fight to keep Brittany independent from France. AND there’s romance, so, yeah. Enough said.

9. Cheryl Mahoney, The Storyteller and Her Sisters (no release date yet) — I REALLY liked Mahoney’s debut novel, The Wanderers, which reminded me of those first great fantasy novels I read as a teenager. So I’m happy to see that she is planning to write a companion novel featuring some of the secondary characters from that book. I will definitely be looking out for it next year!

10. D.E. Stevenson, The Two Mrs. Abbotts (release date January 7) — OK, this one is sort of cheating, because this book was actually first published in 1943. But Sourcebooks has been reissuing Stevenson’s books lately, and it’s a good thing because they are absolutely lovely! I adored Miss Buncle’s Book and Miss Buncle Married, and it looks like this is the next adventure for Barbara Buncle and her gang. Can’t wait to read it!

I had a lot of fun writing my list for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme, which is bookish turn-offs. As it turns out, there are lots of ways that books can piss me off! So here, in no particular order, are ten nine things that will make me want to chuck a book across the room (even though I probably wouldn’t do it!):

1. Irresistible protagonist — I know it’s a cheap shot to make fun of Twilight, but Bella Swan is really the perfect example of this. She goes on and on about how clumsy and awkward she is, yet every male character falls in love with her — not only Edward and Jacob, but a bunch of random (mortal) classmates too! Boo-hoo, Bella, everyone is in love with you, your life is so hard…

2. The Best At Everything — This is closely related to #1, and it seems to be most common in fantasy novels. The main character is charming, quick-witted, magically talented, an expert swordsman, and stunningly good-looking…it’s so boring, and not relatable at all (at least not to me!). Same goes for characters with “flaws” that aren’t really flaws, like the girl whose clumsiness is somehow adorable and endearing (oh, look, I’m talking about Bella Swan again!).

3. Present tense — There’s nothing wrong with writing a novel in present tense, and it can certainly be done effectively. But personally, I just don’t like it; it distracts me from what’s actually going on in the book.

4. Accents and dialect — These are the worst! The most common example I’ve come across is a Scottish brogue, and for some reason, authors feel the need to spell out every unique pronunciation. “Aye” and “canna” and “dinna” make me grind my teeth with rage. Why can’t they just say that a character speaks with a Scottish accent? Do they think we’re going to forget or something? (Note: I am definitely not complaining about Scottish brogues in real life! In fact, I would like some more of that, please.)

5. Evil Templars! — I am Catholic, so I really don’t like reading books that portray the Catholic Church as a big bad villain. I don’t mind the occasional (fictional) devious priest or wayward nun, but it’s just no fun to read books that demonize my entire religion. This is definitely a very personal gripe, so your mileage may vary…but this is why I don’t read Dan Brown. (Well, that, plus I hear he’s a terrible writer.)

6. Angels and demons — This is closely related to #5. Since I actually have religious beliefs involving angels and demons, I get very annoyed by popular fictional depictions of them. Especially sexy depictions of them. That said, I still totally plan to read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett!

7. Withholding crucial information — I think there’s a worrying trend in contemporary literature to make books more like movies. You know how, in certain movies, there’s a great twist in the third act that makes you gasp, “OMG, how cool!”? (Think the ending of “The Sixth Sense.”) That’s fine in a 2-hour movie (although I think it’s an overused gimmick even there). But it’s really problematic when authors use it in a 500-page novel. I don’t want to be plugging away at a book, only to have the rug pulled out from under me in the last 30 pages (*cough cough* Atonement *cough*). Withholding information just for dramatic effect is cheating, and I don’t like it. Unless the twist is damn good…then all is forgiven.

8. It was all a dream — Okay, technically this is one of those plot twists I just mentioned in #7. But it gets its own entry because of how much I really, really hate it.  I’m referring not only to an ending that literally says “it was all a dream,” but also to any event that makes everything that came before it pointless. If an author spends an entire book crafting a high-stakes plot and making me care about the characters, (s)he shouldn’t suddenly invalidate all that development! I like when a character’s actions have consequences that aren’t magically erased by “it was all a dream” hand-waving.

9. When publishers are liars — Ever pick up a book, read the cover blurb, think “Wow, that sounds really interesting”…then read it, only to discover that the book is actually about something totally different? I hate that so, so much. I feel like we should be able to sue publishers for this. Isn’t it a form of fraud, after all?

I found this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic to be an intriguing one. Normally I’m not a big fan of sequels (or worse yet, trilogies!) because they seem like an excuse for an author to get two books out of a one-book idea. On the plus side, though, they’re also an opportunity for readers to spend a little more time with a beloved character or a familiar world. So I think I’ll set aside my frustration with those ubiquitous trilogies and list seven sequels that I really liked!

1. Megan Whalen Turner, The Queen of Attolia — When I first read The Thief, I remember thinking that it was good but not great…until I got to the very end and realized how brilliantly Turner had been stringing me along the whole time! It was great starting book #2 and knowing that Turner would continue to amaze and impress me — which she did.

2. D.E. Stevenson, Miss Buncle Married — You know how sometimes you just want to cuddle up on your couch with a blanket, a hot beverage, and a lovely little book that conjures up a simpler time? Well, both Miss Buncle’s Book and this sequel are perfect choices! If you enjoy cozy, romantic stories set in the English countryside in the early 20th century, you will definitely enjoy these books. And Sourcebooks is finally releasing book #3 of the series (The Two Mrs. Abbotts) in January!

3. Lauren Willig, The Masque of the Black Tulip — The Pink Carnation series has ten installments so far, but this one remains one of my favorites. The central characters, Henrietta and Miles, seem to exist in their own little world of fluffy, zany adorableness. I really enjoyed the espionage aspect of the book as well, especially the introduction of the sinister, enigmatic Lord Vaughn.

4. Jasper Fforde, Lost in a Good Book — Though The Eyre Affair could have stood on its own, this book really opened up Thursday Next’s world in all sorts of creative, delightful ways. I loved Fforde’s take on Miss Havisham (so much more entertaining than Dickens’ original!) and the violent feuds that broke out over the plot of Wuthering Heights.

5. Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown — OK, I might be cheating here, because technically this is a companion novel rather than a sequel. It fleshes out the story of legendary dragon-slayer Aerin, which was alluded to many times in The Blue Sword. I loved both of these books growing up and wish that McKinley had set many more novels in the world of Damar. In fact, I really need to reread them one of these days!

6. Ellis Peters, One Corpse Too Many — I liked book #1 of the Brother Cadfael series (A Morbid Taste for Bones) well enough, but this is the book that completely won me over. It’s a compelling plot based on true events (King Stephen’s capture of Shrewsbury during the civil war with Empress Maud), and it introduces one of my favorite fictional gentlemen of all time!

7. Stephanie Perkins, Lola and the Boy Next Door — Again, this one’s not really a sequel, but it does follow up with the two main characters from Anna and the French Kiss, so I’m counting it! I absolutely loved both of Perkins’ novels, which are part swoonworthy romance, part coming-of-age story. Can’t WAIT for Isla and the Happily Ever After, which is supposed to be coming out next year!

I’ve been waiting for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic for ages! For some reason, a ton of authors I really like are releasing books this fall, so I had no problem coming up with my list. I may not actually read all the books this fall, but I’ll definitely get to them eventually! So here are the top ten fall releases on my TBR list, in the order of their release:

1. Seanan McGuire, Chimes at Midnight (September 3) — The seventh book in the October Daye series, which I recommend to anyone who likes urban fantasy. I’ve bought this already, and I plan to read it ASAP!

2. Jasper Fforde, Song of the Quarkbeast (September 3) — Confession: I haven’t actually read the first book in this series (The Last Dragonslayer) yet. But I love Fforde’s quirky, literate novels, and I’m sure the Chronicles of Kazam will be no exception!

3. Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl (September 10) — I have been waiting for this book for SO LONG! I’m #1 in the queue at my library, so I should be getting it any day, but the waiting is so hard!!!

4. Elizabeth Wein, Rose Under Fire (September 10) — YOU GUYS. I loved Code Name Verity so much, and now there’s another WWII novel by Elizabeth Wein! I’ve vowed not to read this until next year (long story; it involves challenges I’ll be doing), but it is going to be really hard to wait!

5. Maggie Stiefvater, The Dream Thieves (September 17) — I liked book #1 of this series and am very intrigued to see where things are going next! Also, The Scorpio Races was so effing good that I pretty much need to read everything Stiefvater writes immediately.

6. Robin McKinley, Shadows (September 26) — Finally, a new book from one of my all-time favorite authors!

7. Kristan Higgins, The Perfect Match (October 29) — I love Higgins’ charming contemporary romances, and this one is the second in a series that began with The Best Man, which I enjoyed quite a bit.

8. Rachel Bach, Fortune’s Pawn (November 5) — This author previously published the Eli Monpress series under the name Rachel Aaron, and I absolutely loved it! So I’m excited to check out her upcoming sci fi series, which sounds vaguely “Firefly”-ish, so how can it not be good?

9. Diane Setterfield, Bellman & Black (November 5) — You guys, did you KNOW Setterfield was finally coming out with another book?! It’s been far too long since the beautifully written The Thirteenth Tale came out.

10. Charles Finch, An Old Betrayal (November 12) — The next book in the Charles Lenox series, which I’m really enjoying.

What new/recent releases are you most excited about? Or what books are you planning to read this fall?

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is books you’d like to see made into a movie or TV series…assuming that Hollywood didn’t constantly ruin the books we love! Not sure I can think of ten off the top of my head, but let’s see how it goes:

1. Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus — I actually didn’t love this book, but I did love the lush, vivid descriptions of the setting. Because so much of the novel’s magic comes from imagining all the wonders of the circus, I think it’s an ideal candidate for a movie. And I would like Baz Luhrmann to direct it, because it would be gorgeous.

2. Naomi Novik, Temeraire series — I believe Peter Jackson optioned these books a while ago, but I don’t know if he’s actually planning to do anything with them. But having a visual for those dragon battles would be pretty amazing!

3. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey — Yes, this book has already been adapted more than once, but I’d love a version that actually stays true to the original novel! I somewhat enjoyed the 2007 version with Felicity Jones and J.J. Feild, but the script was subpar, and the random fantasy scenes were terrible. Basically, I would like the same cast with a better screenplay, please!

4. Jasper Fforde, The Eyre Affair — This would probably be a really difficult book to adapt for the screen, but I’d love to see ’em try! I once attended a Fforde book signing where someone asked him who would play Thursday Next in a film adaptation. His response: Vin Diesel. Hey, I’d watch that!

5. Georgette Heyer, The Grand Sophy — Or any of her Regency romances! I’m actually surprised that there aren’t already tons of adaptations of her novels, given the popularity of bonnet movies these days. Someone should have capitalized on the Austen fever of the past few years…

6. Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown — This was one of my favorite books growing up, and I think it would make an excellent movie. There’s a great blend of action/adventure, cool fantasy special effects, and romance.

7. Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor and Park — I mean, this book basically IS a John Hughes movie already! It’s got the young love, the cool soundtrack, and the coming-of-age struggles that would make it a big hit with the teen movie crowd.

8. Julie James, Practice Makes Perfect — This is another book that I really like and that I think would be easily film-able. Also, I love a good chick flick, but I have been really disappointed with the quality of rom-coms in recent years. I’d like to see a chick flick revival!