Top Ten Tuesday {1}: Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

I've been meaning to participate in Top Ten Tuesday for a while now, just because I LOVE reading the lists that other bloggers share! And I finally managed to put together my list for this week, on authors I believe deserve more recognition than they get. 

I tried to add a bit of variety here, but you can tell where my tastes really lie. :) 

And for the record, it was REALLY hard to narrow this down to only ten! I feel like there are a lot of authors that deserve more recognition (frankly, I think that's all authors in general. Movie stars and rock stars are overrated). But I did my best!

Meme image from The Broke and The Bookish, host of Top Ten Tuesday

1. Maureen Fergus ~
   
   I love Maureen Fergus' newest book, the YA fantasy The Gypsy King. It's the start of a new trilogy and I LOVE the sense of humour she has and how well it comes across in her writing. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a Penguin Canada event a couple months back, and I think Canadian authors need more recognition in general. So if you're a fantasy fan, or are curious about reading some fantasy on the lighter side, I'd highly recommend you give Maureen's book a try!
   
2. Alex Lidell ~
   
   Clearly, I really like fantasy since Alex is the second fantasy writer on my list. Alex's debut The Cadet of Tildor came out this year, and it was exactly the kind of YA fantasy I grew up on. I compared it to Tamora Pierce's Tortall books and I stand by that comparison. Her writing has a strong face and she captures Renee's struggles as a new cadet so well. As well, Alex created a fascinating world which is crucial for my interest in a fantasy novel.
   
3. Rachel Hartman ~
   
   Rachel's another Canadian writer whose debut fantasy came out last year, Seraphina. Rachel's writing really stood out to me, as did the story of Seraphina, because there was nothing predictable or common about it. She has a very creative spin on dragon mythology, blends it with a music theme, and adds in one of the most surprising mysteries I've ever read in YA.
   
4. Ari Marmell ~
   
   I stumbled upon Ari's first YA series and decided to give it a shot on a whim - and I'm SO thankful that I did, because Widdershins is one of my favourite book series EVER. The world-building is fascinating, because it's a much more modern fantasy world than I'm used to reading. And I really love reading Ari's books because he writes horror so well - this is one of the few books I've read where the way he describes some scenes and creatures really gets inside my head, and honestly creeps me out. And I have to emphasize that I don't really get scared by monsters that much. Or even scary scenes in books.
   
5. Brigid Kemmerer ~
   
   I read Brigid's debut Storm hoping that it wouldn't be yet another predictable paranormal book and I was pleasantly surprised by how much it stood out from other paranormal YA books I had read. Not only does Brigid's story feature male perspectives (which I think is cool), but she makes sure to include very important and relevant contemporary (REAL) problems as well. That way the reader is constantly grounded in her story, even if some of the paranormal events are less plausible. And she continues to amaze me with each book of hers that I read, as the stories switch narrators and she keeps the voices different from one another.
   
6. M.R. Merrick ~
   
   Matt is another wonderful Canadian author who managed to impress me with his first book, Exiled. What makes him stand out? Matt's one of my favourite self-published authors. In my opinion, he's right up there with the traditionally published authors I read. His books are exciting and action-packed, and he writes from the male perspective in the paranormal YA genre where we don't actually get to hear too much from the guy's point of view.
   
7. Victoria Schwab ~
   
   I read Victoria's debut The Near Witch when I first started blogging... and I told myself right then and there that I'd read anything she wrote after that. Her writing in that debut created this ethereal atmosphere, that completely swept me away in the story. Her style of writing is much more than merely creative - it's persuasive. And I don't think we realize how important that is for a fiction writer, because it makes an unbelievable story believable for me. Then I read The Archived and I was thrilled with the creativity oozing from its pages. I know Victoria's growing in popularity now, but I feel like every YA reader should be introduced to her books.
   
8. A.C. Gaughen ~
   
   A.C.'s Scarlet is a new favourite of mine, not only because she put a fresh spin on one of my favourite stories (Robin Hood), but because her style of writing was perfect for this story. I'm always surprised that more people haven't read Scarlet, when retellings seem to be so popular right now! This is one of my favourite retellings. Scarlet's voice is unique, but perfectly suited to the time and her circumstnaces. The romance is so swoon-worthy, and I thought the plot reveals and twists were very cool!
   
9. Lia Habel ~
   
   Anyone who can make a zombie attractive and win me over clearly has the mark of a good writer, in my book. Dearly, Departed was completely unlike anything I have ever read, with its steampunk, zombie apocalypse type world, all set in the future. It's heartbreaking and romantic in a way I never imagined I would read. (And clever. Did I mention that? I loved the witty writing.)
   
10. Heather Dixon ~
    
    I read Entwined before I actually started blogging, and loved it. I'm really surprised this book isn't talked about more, because it's one of the best fairy tale retellings out there, easily. Entwined is beautifully written, and plenty of depth for its readers to appreciate. It actually felt like a more modern kingdom, and the royal family had an interesting set of problems to work through. PLUS I found the Keeper to be extremely intriguing. Yet very creepy, in his own way. But the relationship between the sisters really moved the story forward and made me love it.