Top 5 Tuesday: Authors I Need to Read!

On today’s episode of “Things Christina Learns About Herself”, Christina learns that she starts all of her blog posts with some iteration of “Happy [insert something related to the day of the week as if the readers of this blog don’t know what day of the week it is]”. So to break with tradition I’m wishing you all a very somber, sad Tuesday. Just kidding! But I do need to come up with some other shtick to start my posts, good lord but I’m redundant.

me, looking at all my blog openers. SRY GUYZ.

So in keeping with this “not gonna be a liar this time” theme I’ve got going on I’ve got another review coming at you guys tomorrow and I’m really excited to announce that I’m going to be adding in some additional content on Friday’s in the form of a Food Friday post! As I’ve mentioned numerous times the recipe + read posts are my favorite but they’re a little more complicated and as I get myself back into my groove I wanted to keep bringing y’all reviews and recipes – just not necessarily paired [although I do have one I’m prepping for next week that I’m really excited about]. What’s great about those posts is that it allows me to try out a lot of new things I may not have attempted to cook without this blog. However! I have a lot of original recipes that I love that I don’t get to share with you guys often because they don’t necessarily coincide with my read. So, starting this Friday I’ll be delivering y’all with some of my original recipes and household favorites!

But for today I’m participating in Top 5 Tuesday a weekly meme hosted by Bionic Book Worm where different topics are explored each week. This week is “authors I need to read”, so off we go! 

Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller is the author of The Song of Achilles and Circe both of which have been on my TBR way too long. I’m currently working on hacking away at my TBR which was about to reach 300 books (WHY) and these two have sky rocketed themselves back to the top of my list. Both of these books took the GR world by storm and many of my favorite reviewers were singing their praise. Both for the quality of the story along with the quality of the prose. I’ve never been too hyped on mythology/retellings but [as y’all know] I’m always working to open up my reading and take in new stories that differ from my typical go-to genres.

Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman has been on my TBR for god knows how long (so does my GR account but I digress). She’s written a ton of fantasy/witchy books over the years and they all sound right up my alley despite the fact that I’ve not picked them up. However, the one that sticks out for me is Practical Magic. Considering that the movie is straight up *iconic* and if you haven’t seen it you should make your way to the nearest couch and GET WITH THE TIMES, I really want to read the book. I mean, in reality, how often does one find themselves saying “you know, I really think the movie was better”? Never (probably). I get caught up in the new, shiny books that are being released and gobbled up by my favorite bloggers that sometimes I look over some classics I should’ve gotten to a long time ago.

Kristin Hannah

 Small caveat to this one: I’ve technically read a Kristin Hannah book but it’s one of two or three one-star reviews I’ve ever given. It truly was awful. However! That doesn’t change the fact that The Great Alone and The Nightingale are two of the highest rated books on Goodreads and I’ve seen nothing but glowing reviews about them. As ya’ll well know, I’m working on getting more into historical fiction and Hannah is the creme-de-la-creme of historical fiction. Yet again, this topic kind of irritates me because it’s showing what a glaring hype-train passenger I am because I keep glossing over some seriously amazing reads for new releases – some of which have been a supreme disappointment.

Dean Koontz

 I don’t know if y’all are the same, but there are some authors that just kind of…scare me off. Koontz is one of them (King too) and I can’t really explain why. For someone who reads a ton of mystery/thriller books, something about Koontz has always made me weary to read it. Like it’ll be too much or something. So color me surprised when at my previous libraries annual sale they’ve got a boat load of Koontz novels and they’re all for ONE DOLLAR. I mean, how am I going to pass that up? Obviously, I didn’t. I should’ve read one of these babies for Halloween but alas, despite my friends making fun of me for my meticulous planning of anything and everything, I didn’t plan right for that. However, I’ve got The Good Guy and Intensity waiting patiently on my shelf for me to get to.

Michelle Obama

 Michelle Obama is a swan goddess song in human form. I’ll never stop stanning this family and in particular this amazingly powerful, strong, vibrant and beautiful person. Her recent release Becoming has been on my TBR far too long but I’ve been avoiding it because it’s hard to remember the good times we had together in her 8 years as First Lady. Not to get, you know, too political but Michelle Obama is the First Lady to end all First Ladies and the Obama’s are THE First Family for me. I’ve got this beauty sitting patiently (as Michelle would do) waiting for me to tear open the wound that is the loss of a family who was so full of grace and humanity for America. Especially in today’s political climate and in the anticipation of what I’m sure will be another divisive, anger, hate filled election it’s hard to look at her lovely face and not feel a painful nostalgia.

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Another T5T in the bag! Have you read any of these authors? If so, what are your thoughts? Drop me a note in the comments and let me know! Also keep an eye out for a review of Lock Every Door by Riley Sager tomorrow and an original recipe on Friday!