Books & series that need prequels, sequels or companion novels | Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently hosted on That Artsy Reader Girl. 

I’m usually not someone who wants prequel, sequels or companion novels because I feel like a lot of times they ruin the original story and also a lot of times they are done for financial reasons and not because the story truly needed to be continued, so this list was hard to put together. Nonetheless, I found a few books and series that I would actually like to get continuations for.

The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club Series by Theodora Goss

I know the author has said that she is open to writing more books in this series and I need the publish to let her because while the general storyline comes to a close, some of the individual storylines, especially around one of the main characters, is not wrapped up. Also, I just feel like there are so many more stories that can be told with these characters.

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

This is such an interesting concept, a world where cannibalism is the new normal and people are being harvested, and I would love to see another story with different characters exploring a new side of this world.

Rolling in the Deep series by Mira Grant

I’m convinced that this was supposed to have a sequel that never happened because while it closes the story, there’s a final scene that hints at a continuation of the story.While I liked the prequel, I really want a sequel or a companion novel because I want to know what happens next and because the idea of killer mermaids and the way Mira Grant executed are so interested.

Crazy Rich Asians Series by Kevin Kwan

I really enjoyed reading about these ridiculously rich people living in this world of opulence, gossip, appearances, and power, so I would another book set in this world following other characters.

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

I want a sequel because I want to know what happened to all the characters, I feel so invested in their stories and while it’s a slice-of-life novel and the ending fits that type of story, I want to keep reading about their lives and see where they end up.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

I think a prequel about how Catherine House came to be and how the experiments started would be really cool. I just think this book has such an interesting setting that it would be a waste to not have more stories set there.

Sal and Gabi series by Carlos Hernandez

I don’t read that much middle grade but I love this series and I really want more stores with these precocious and very endearing characters. Also, the whole concept of other universes and opening holes in the fabric of the universe is so cool, and want more of it.

Brooklyn Brujas Series by Zoraida Córdova

I want Nova’s story, we see him and heard so much about him throughout the series, he is such a complex and compelling character, and his backstory is so sad and heartbreaking, that I would love to learn more about him and see how his storyline would end.

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djéli Clark

I want another story set in this world. I love the 1884 New Orleans setting, the alternative history concept, the inclusion of African Folklore, and the steampunk elements, so I want a companion novel. Also, if it follows the spy nuns that would give it extra points.

What books or series do you think need prequels, sequels or companion novels?

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Books I’ll (probably) never read

I did the anti-tbr tag a couple of years ago and I thought it was such a fun concept but I didn’t want to do the same tag again, which is why I decided to do something a little different. This time I’m going to talk about some books that should sound appealing to me or that sounded appealing at some point (some even made it to my Goodreads shelves), but that I’m not interested in reading anymore and I truly believe that I’ll never read them. 

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

I have heard so many people talk about this book but none of them seemed to have really liked it. Actually, most of them actively disliked it. So even if contemporary romance is one of my favorite genres, I don’t feel any desire to pick this book up because the things people don’t seem to like about this sound like things I will also have issues with. 

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas

I have to confess that I used to love the Throne of Glass series a few years ago and when this book came out I actually added it to my tbr, but after the letdown that was the ACOTAR original trilogy (there was only one good book) and some of the issues I have with Sarah J Maas, I’m no longer interested. 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon  

This sounds like the exact kind of book I should want to read, SFF with a heavy romance element. But this has never sounded interesting to me and after finding out how long the books are, I decided I could live without reading this popular series. 

Book of Night by Holly Black 

As someone who really enjoyed The Cruel Prince trilogy, I would have probably been interested in reading this if it wasn’t for the terrible reviews it’s getting. Honestly, I haven’t heard a single person say that they liked this book.

The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary 

While the premise of this book didn’t sound that appealing to me because I’m very picky with second chance romance, I still added it to my tbr because I loved two books by Beth O’Leary in the past and I wanted to read more books by her. But this book has gotten really mixed reviews and some of the things people have mentioned about this in their reviews make me think I wouldn’t enjoy it.

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

This sounds perfect for me, a fantasy romance book that it’s a Hades/Persephone retelling. I actually know so many people who like this book, but the bad reviews have left me with no desire to read it because I feel like I would have issues with a lot of things that people mention. Also, it seems like the series only gets even worse after the first book. do it’s going to be a thank you, next.  

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but unfortunately, I tried to read Daisy Jones and The Six and found it so boring, and since this book doesn’t sound interesting to me and I know that it’s loosely connected to Daisy Jones, I don’t think I’ll ever pick it up. 

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I have been tempted to read this because all of the hype, the truth is that I have a feeling that I wouldn’t enjoy this since a lot of people I trust and that have similar tastes as me, have either thought this was meh or have really disliked it. Also, all of the books in the series are so long that I have no interest in making that time investment in this. 

Do I think I should give one of these books a chance? Which one?

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Books on my 2022 TBR posts that I STILL haven’t read | Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently hosted on That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week’s topic is books from Past TBR Posts I STILL Haven’t Read.

I’m not someone who usually makes tbrs but in 2022 due to a reading slump I have been making them and they have helped me actually read some books. This year, I posted a themed tbr in January with books other people included on their lists of favorites of 2021, then I posted normal tbrs in February, May and June. These are the posts I took into account to make this list:

• Reading Other People’s Favorite Books of 2021 | TBR
• February TBR: books I want to read for Black History Month
• May 2022 TBR: so many books by Asian authors
• June 2022 TBR: queer books + 2022 releases

I did not included the July tbr for this post because the month is not over yet.

Without further ado, here are the books that I included on my 2022 tbrs but still haven’t read:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: I read about 13% of this earlier this year and I wasn’t loving it, I didn’t have a problem with the fact that it was confusing because it drops you in the middle of a world and story that doesn’t make that much sense, my problem was that I was a bit bored reading it. I felt like maybe I wasn’t in the mood for it so I put it down thinking I’d read it another time and I still haven’t done it.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake: There are so many mixed opinions about this book and that has made me a little nervous and not as excited to read it. Nonetheless, I’m still interested and I’m just waiting for my turn to listen to the audiobook on my library.

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher: I read 26% of this book a few months ago and I was loving it but it was creepy, and tense, it kept me at the edge of my seat and unfortunately it was making my anxiety worse so I had to stop reading, but I’m hopefully finishing it next month

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson: I started this book and read about 30% of it, but it was one of those cases where I thought “I’m liking this, but if I wait and read it when I’m in the mood for it, I think I’m going to LOVE it” so I decided to wait. I’m planning to pick it up soon.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata: I have heard this is really weird and really good, and since I enjoyed another book by this author, I’m still looking forward to reading this when I’m more in the mood for it.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo: this book is short, I have heard amazing things and I have the audiobook, I have no excuse I NEED to read this.

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang: I mentioned recently in a blog post that this is one of the books I need to read before the end of the year, it needs to happen. I really want to read this, I’m just scared because I know it’s gonna be sad.

Our Violent Delights by Chloe Gong: Another book that’s on my list of books I want to read before the end of the year. I haven’t read this because I have lost interest in reading YA, I read like 4 YA books in 2021 and I haven’t read any in 2022, but I really enjoyed book one and I want to know how the series end.

Ace by Angela Chen: I started to listen to this and I feel like I didn’t like the audiobook but I’m not sure I was simply not in the mood for this book and that’s why I felt that way. So I’ll try to read it again at some point, maybe the ebook to see if that works better.

What books have you included on your tbrs this year but still haven’t read?

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Book series I want to finish/catch up on before the end of 2022

I have been feeling less slumpy lately, I’m raeding and blogging more, so I’m making reading plants for what’s left of the year trying to keep my momentum going and finally getting out of this reading slump, and also just hoping for the best. So, to set myself up for success, I chose 5 book series that I want to finish or catch up on before the end of the year, but for all of these series I only have 1 or 2 books left to read, that way I won’t be overwhelmed and I will hopefully be able to read all of the books.

Without further ado, this are the series I’m hoping to finish/catch up on:

The Witcher Series by Andrzej Sapkowski

I have read 5 books in this series. I have two books left to read and one of them it’s on my tbr for this month, so I’m hoping to be able to finish the series before the end of the year. Also, I’m not counting the prequel, Season of Storms, because I don’t think I have any interest in reading that.

Veronica Speedwell Series by Deanna Raybourn

I just finished reading book 6 in the series and I have only one book left – which is An Impossible Impostor -before I catch up with all the already release installments. While I haven’t loved the last 2 books as much as the first 4, I still want to read about the two main characters, Veronica and Stoker, and their relationship, so I’m continuing with this series.

The Poppy War Series by R.F Kuang

I need to read The Burning God but I’m so scared because I know it’s going to be a painful experience. I have been avoiding this book for a year since I read the second book in this series and I don’t want to let this year end without finishing it.

Monk and Robot Series by Becky Chambers

I didn’t love the first novella in this series but since I usually love Becky Chambers’ books, I want to give this series another chance by reading the second novella, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, especially because I think this series has potential to be a comfort read for me.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

While I’m not reading YA anymore, I read the first book in this series at the beginning of 2021 and I really enjoyed it, so I want at least to finish this series and I want to do it sooner rather than later before I forget everything that happened in the first book.

What book series do you want to finish or catch up on in the next few months? Is there any series you want to start reading soon?

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11 Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2022

After writing my Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag post I really wanted to talk about the books I’m highly anticipating that are coming out in the next few months. There’s mostly romance, cozy mysteries, and a little bit of SFF on this list. I hope you discover some new books to add to your tbr!

*Click on the titles to go to the Goodreads page

JULY

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia: Silvia Moreno Garcia always has the most interesting genre mixes in her book and the most intriguing premises, which is why she is one of my favorite authors. This time it’s a blend of historical fiction and sci-fi and it’s a story about a woman living in a secluded ranch among her father’s experiments – which are animal-human hybrids- and how her world begins to crack when an outsider arrives to her home. (JULY 19th)

The Godparent Trap by Rachel Van Dyken: I remember loving the movie Life’s Too Short when it came out, and I’m SO excited that someone wrote a book inspired by that movie. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but two people falling in love, while dealing with grief and taking care of the child of someone they loved sounds like a set-up for a good book. (JULY 19th)

For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa: This book sounds fun, a hate-to-love romance between a chef and a restaurateur who host a cooking competition show together. This reminds me of a Lucy Parker book I loved, it has a similar set-up, and I hope it’s as good as that one. Also, I have heard that the anxiety rep is great and I’m always looking for that. (JULY 26th)

AUGUST

Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews: This is the final book in the trilogy that introduced me to Ilona Andrews, whom are now on my list of favorite authors. This series has a unique world and concept, easy to root for characters, and captivating storytelling and I’m looking forward to finding out how everything wraps up. (AUGUST 23th)

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood: I have read and loved everything I have read by this author, Ali Hazelwood’s compelling writing, humor, characters, and tropes work for me, so I have no doubt that I’ll love this. A story about a scientist who is forced to work on a project with her nemesis and things don’t go how she expected. (AUGUST 23th)

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney: I love And Then There Were None by Agatha Christi so I’m always looking for books inspired by or similar to it, and I’m glad that we seem to be getting more of them recently. This book sounds perfect for me, an estranged family together for the first time in years in a secluded island, everyone has secrets and people start dying. I’M ALL IN! (AUGUSTS 30th)

SEPTEMBER

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman: I just read the first two books in this series back to back and I loved them so much. This series is about a group of hilarious seventy-year-olds living in a retirement village solving murders and I’m in for it, I can’t wait for their next adventure. (September 15th)

OCTOBER

Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala: This series is entertaining, the books are quick reads and I love seeing a more diverse cast of characters in a cozy mystery. This series has captivating characters, fun murder mysteries, small-town drama and gossip , and it’s full of Filipino culture and food and I’m here for all of that. (October 4th)

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo: Nigh Vo’s writing is so beautiful and I’m really enjoying this series of short novellas. They pack so much in a few pages and I can’t wait to read about cleric Chih’s next adventures as they try to collect stories from different people in this magical world. (October 25th)

NOVEMBER

Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese: I’m a big fan of Chloe Liese’s Bergman Brothers series and I can’t wait to read more of their work outside that universe. I think this sounds like a book I would love, two people fake dating to keep their friends out of their love lives and then “fake” breaking up to teach them a lesson. Also, I have read a couple of positive early reviews and they are making me even more excited. (November 22nd)

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake: I read Delilah Green Doesn’t Care recently and loved it, so I can’t wait to read Astrid’s story, I liked her character and I think she is going to be a great main character. I’m always looking for Sapphic romances, so that’s another plus of this book. A dislike to love romance, renovating an inn, a reality show, and pranks, it all sounds right up my alley. (November 22nd)

What are your most anticipated releases for the second half of 2022? Can you recommend books being released in December?

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Ranking all the books I’ve read in 2022 (January – April)

Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing a fun post inspired by Riley @ Riley Marie‘s latest video. I decided to rank all the books I read this year. The books are ranked in categories but also within the categories, which means this ranking includes every book I read in the first 4 months of the year organized from my favorite to least favorite. 

I was so confused at first when I started to rank the books and I realized that there were books that I gave 4-stars in the “really good” category but also in the “fine” category and in every category in between. But after a while, I realized that I rank books based on personal enjoyment while I rate books by taking into account other factors such as literary merit, representation of marginalized communities, and the topics addressed in a book. 

So, to make this clearer, I won’t associate a category with a numeric rating. Instead here is what each category means: 

• God Tier: new all-time favorite books
• Amazing: favorites of the year
• Really good: enjoyed reading them, they had something that made them stand out.
• Good: solid reads, I would recommend them
• Fine: I had some issues with them but overall not a bad reading experience
• Meh: I didn’t enjoy reading them, I was bored or I disliked something about them
• Nope: I really didn’t like this at all.

Without further ado, here is the ranking:

(P.S. if you click on the cover of a book it will take you to my review or a post where I share my thoughts on the book)

• Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
• Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper
• Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
• Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

• The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
• All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
• Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
• Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews
• A Cruelty Special to Our Species by Emily Jungmin Yoon

• The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
• Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
• Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
• Broken by Jenny Lawson
• Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

• Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
• One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews
• Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

• The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
• Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood
• Homicide and Halo-Halo by Mia P. Manansala
• We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirley Jackson
• Romancing Mister Birdgerton by Julia Quinn

• I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
• Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood
• Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
• The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
• The Low Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado

• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
• Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
• Sweep in Peace by Illona Andrews

• Harrow The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
• An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
• It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
• The Introvert Guide’s to Online Dating by Emma Hart
• Bending the Rules by Christina C. Jones

• The Bitch by Pilar Quintana
• Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
• A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djéli Clark

• The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djéli Clark
• Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
• The Angel of Khan El-Khalili by P. Djéli Clark

• Vulnerable AF by Tarriona Ball

What are your favorite and least favorite books you have read in 2022 so far?

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5 amazing authors I’ve discovered in 2022

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to talk about some amazing authors that I discovered in 2022. I read books by these authors for the first time this year, I loved their work and I will keep track them on my radar. I decided to write this post after realizing that most of my favorite books of 2022 so far are written by authors that I hadn’t read before this year, and that reminded me why giving new-to-me authors a chance is always a good idea.

Without further ado, these are some authors that you should check out:

Elle Cosimano

I read Finlay Donovan is Killing it, in January of 2022 and I loved it, so as soon as the sequel came out, I read it and really enjoyed it too. Cosimano’s mysteries are over-the-top and they force you to suspend your disbelief, but they also have charming characters, they are full of humor and they are so entertaining. While the books she had published before this series don’t particularly appeal to me, I can’t wait to read the next book in the Finlay Donovan series and any other mystery books that Cosimano writes.

Mia P. Manansala

I read Mia’s debut novel, Arsenic and Adobo, at the beginning of the year and I really enjoyed it, so I read the sequel as soon as it came out. Manasala has a talent for writing fun and entertaining cozy mysteries, with over-the-top plots, captivating characters, complex relationships, small-town drama and gossip, and Filipino culture and food. The third book in this series is coming out later this year and I can’t wait to read it.

Elisabeth Thomas

As I have mentioned before, Catherine House is my favorite book that I have read in 2022 so far and I can’t believe it’s Elisabeth Thomas’s debut novel. I’m in awe of her ability to write such a captivating, unique and intriguing book. The weird plot, the complex characters and the ending of the book, all left me wanting to pick up Thomas’ next book.

Lana Harper

I enjoyed Payback’s a Witch so much that I’m tempted to read the books that Lana Harper has written under another pen name (Lana Popovic) even if there are YA, which I don’t really read anymore. I actually had one of her YA books, Blood Countess, on my most anticipated books list a few years ago, and while I never read it, it goes to show that her premises appeal to me. Payback’s a Witch has such an entertaining premise and it completely delivers on it, so I can’t wait to read the sequel.

Catherynne M. Valente

I have heard a lot about Catherynne M. Valente’s books throughout the years but I have never read one of her books, despite having Space Opera on my tbr for years. But after reading Comfort Me with Apples, I know I need to read more of her work because while I knew she had cool concepts, reading that novella proved to me that she can also execute them really well.

Have you read books by any of these authors? Do you have books by any of them on your tbr?

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My favorite books of the first quarter of 2022

Hi everyone! I have seen so many people talking on different platforms about their favorite books so far this year and they made me 1) add a bunch of books to my tbr and 2) want to write a post and talk about my favorite books as well.

So here are the books I have given 5 stars to in the last 3 months, they are books that I read in 2022 but they didn’t necessarily come out this year. I started with my favorite and worked my way down:

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas: I know this is a very polarizing book but I loved it and it’s the best book I have read this year. I love how atmospheric, unique and intriguing this book is. I was completely captivated while reading it. The fact that the plot is so mysterious and we don’t get all the answers worked perfectly for me and the complex and chaotic characters, as well as the found family element, were some of my favorite things about this. Also, the ending had me at the edge of my seat. (Review)

Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper: This book has so many elements that I enjoy in stories and I also read it at the perfect time; it was exactly what I needed. I loved the witchy small town, the magic tournament, the humor, the captivating characters, the lovely sapphic romance, the banter between the two main characters, and the personal journey the main character went through. Overall, a fantastic fantasy romance book. (Review)

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente: This is the kind of story you should go into knowing as little as possible so I won’t say too much, but this book was mindblowing. In such a small amount of pages, it packed so much. This was smart and quietly disturbing and it touches on some powerful themes and commentary revolving around religious ideas and feminist ideas, which is why it can be polarizing, but I found it really thought-proving. (Review)

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano: Right after finishing this book, I gave this book 4.5 stars but I bumped it up to 5 because I kept thinking about how much I enjoyed it. This is cozy mystery that’s fun, fast-paced, full of twists and turns, and absolutely absurd. It has a main character who is easy to root for and compelling side characters, as well as a plot that’s ridiculous but also really entertaining. (Review)

Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood: This was such a fun and quick read, also it helped me get out of my months-long reading slump which makes this special to me. This is a romance novella that has forced proximity and “enemies” who are attracted to each other, slowly become friends, and then become so much more. This book makes the evolution of their relationship so believable and it manages to actually show them becoming more and more important to each other, which was my favorite thing about it. Also, as a bonus, this is really steamy.

What are the best books you have read so far in 2022? Have you read any of my favorite books?

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Books I wish I could read again for the first time

While I don’t watch booktok content, I still spend a lot of time on tiktok and the other day I saw a video from a bookstore (I didn’t save the video so I don’t know who they are), where booksellers talked about books they wish they could read for the first time, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what books would I choose. So today I want to share the books I came up with:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: this book made me feel so many things so strongly when I read it and I don’t think it would be quite the same on re-read. Also, I think the creepy moments and the horror of the reveals hit harder on the first read.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel: this book has so many different elements (a pandemic, a cult, a theater group, some graphic novels) and different timelines, and the first time I read it it was hard to imagine how they all fit together. I would love to experience again the moment when everything made sense and I saw how every thread was tied together.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern: when I read this, I felt like I was lost in a strange and beautiful world and I was so intrigued by the mystery of this library, and I would love to have that feeling again and I think it may no be as strong on a re-read

Jade City by Fonda Lee: Something happens in this book that broke my heart and I think that feeling can really only be experienced fully the first time around.Also, the not knowing what’s going to happen next and feeling like no one is safe is not the same once you know what happened.

Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews: this series brought me so much joy, I read all 10 books in about 2 weeks and I fell in love with the characters and the world. I would love to experience again that moment when I realized that I had found something special.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: This book is full of suspense, secrets and lies, and I would love to read it again without knowing who is behind everything, if the accusations about the characters are true, and if anyone is going to survive. I remember trying to figure out the mystery being a really fun part of the reading experience because it felt like all the clues were there, I would love to have that again.

Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese: beyond the fact that this book is excellent, I wish I could read it for the first time because it made me confront the things I assume about people when I meet them and it wouldn’t happen on a re-read because I’d go in knowing that the assumption is wrong.

Headliners by Lucy Parker: this book was a great romance and part of the reason why it’s the humor, I laughed out loud so many times because there were so many funny moments that came unexpectedly and I think they won’t be as funny a second time around, so I would love to be able to experience it for the first time again.

What books do you wish you could read for the first time?

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Discussing the idea of auto-buy authors (ft my auto-buy authors)

I am a huge mood reader and I’m very picky about things I like and I don’t like in books, so the idea of auto-buy authors is complicated to me. In my mind, “auto-buy” implies that I’ll buy and read their books regardless of the concept or premise, and if I go by that definition, then I don’t have auto-buy authors. What I have are authors that most of the time have concepts or premises that I’m interested in and appeal to my taste, so that’s the reason I read and will continue to read most of their books. But the moment they publish a book that doesn’t align with my taste, I’ll have no trouble skipping it.

I also think that “auto-buy” implies certain consistent interest throughout time. Nonetheless, when I started thinking about who I used to consider my “auto-buy” authors when I started my blog (about 6 years ago), I no longer read books by any of them, mainly because they are all YA authors and I don’t read that much YA anymore. Even thinking about my “auto-buy” authors from a couple years ago, I don’t think any of them are still authors I read from. Reading tastes change all the time (at least mine does), so it’s hard for me to think about authors who publish books that I’ll continue to be interested in in the long run. Still, I do have authors that, as long as my reading taste remains the same, I will continue to read from.

In that sense, I don’t think I have what it’s usually considered auto-buy authors, but I have authors that, at least for right now, are consistently writing books that align with my taste and that I enjoy reading, which is why I have read or want to read most of their books. And those are the authors that I’m going to talk about in this post.

Criteria

Now, in terms of how did I pick the authors for this list, here is the criteria:

• I must have read and liked more than one book by them
• The books can’t be from the same series
• I must have read one of their books in the last year
• I have to find most of the concepts or premises of their books interesting
• I need to want to read their backlist titles (at least some of them), if they havea any.
• I need to have at least one of their upcoming projects on my tbr

Auto-buy authors

Without further ado, here are my “auto-buy” authors + some of the books I’ve read by them:

Ilona Andrews

I read my first IA book in August 2020 and, in just a year and a half, I have read 21 of their books. Also, I’m interested in every single book that they have released and I’m hoping to finish catching up with their backlist this year. Their unique worlds and concepts, easy to root for characters, and captivating storytelling keep me wanting to read their works. They are my favorite urban fantasy writers.

Ali Hazelwood

I have read her debut romance novel, which came out last year, as well as the two novellas she has realized and I have loved all of them. Ali Hazelwood’s compelling writing, humor, characters and tropes work for me. I’m looking forward to read a lot more from her in the future.

Silvia Moreno-García

I have read 4 of her books, I have plans to read her entire backlist and I can’t wait for her next release. Her books are unique, her writing is beautiful, her concepts are interesting, she explores important themes and I love that all her books are set in Mexico and full of Mexican characters.

Adriana Herrera

Adriana writes romances about Latinx characters and I’m here for all her stories. They are steamy, diverse and well written. I have read 11 of her books, the only things I haven’t read by her are the short stories that she has published in anthologies and one book, which came out in December and it’s on my priority tbr.

Grady Hendrix

I have read two books by Grady Hendrix. His books have disgusting scenes, which is not the usual type of horror I like, but I liked the way he includes these gruesome scenes and, at the same time, incorporates important social themes in his books. I started reading their last release but I had to return the audiobook to my library so I couldn’t finish it, but I can’t wait to continue.

Talia Hibbert

I have read 10 of her books and I’m looking forward to reading her next release. She writes romance books that deal with important themes, full of neurodivergent and Black representation, really steamy and incredibly compelling.

What do you think about the idea of auto-buy authors? Do you have any auto-buy authors?

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