Lola’s Rambings is a feature on Lola’s Review where I talk about me. Usually these posts are everything that doesn’t fall under any standard header, like blog tours, book blitzes, cover reveals or reviews. Lola’s Ramblings posts are are personal discussions of a certain topic. Sometimes about book related topics and sometimes about non-book related topics. This feature was previously known as About Me. The banner for this feature is designed by Michelle from Limabean Design.
Sometimes I mention that an author is one of my favourite authors, but I realized I never really thought about it and wrote down who my favourite authors are. Ofcourse this can change, but most of these authors are authors I called my favourite authors for a long time already. The list is in random order, author pictures link to author websites. Book titles link to goodreads.
My Favourite Authors
Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make her produce “normal” stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She’s the author of the NYT-bestselling “Women of the Otherworld” paranormal suspense series and “Darkest Powers” young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
First book by this author I read: Bitten (Otherworld #1)
Why she’s one of my favourite authors:
I just love Kelley her writing style and have enjoyed all her books I read so far. There is just something about her writing style that works for me and I always feel at ease when I read one of her book. I always have this urge to keep reading and she’s one of the authors who can easily give me a book hangover as her books are that good. I haven’t started her newest YA series yet, but beside that I read most of her novels and am hoping one day to own all her novella’s as well. She’s one of those authors whoms book I pre-order and have to won in paperback or hardcopy if possible.
Rachel Vincent
Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series and the Unbound series, from Mira Books, as well as the young adult Soul Screamers series from Harlequin Teen. Upcoming projects include Menagerie, the first in a new series for adults (Mira Books, Sept 30, 2014) and a brand new young adult series coming from Delacorte Press (Random House) in the spring of 2015.
In addition to being a writer and a reader, Rachel is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, cousin, cat lover, horror fan, former high school English teacher, former band nerd, amateur baker, and current lover of all things The Walking Dead (comics, TV show, action figures, and video games). She wears jeans, drinks flavored coffee, and would be completely nocturnal, if her kids didn’t have to get to school in the morning.
First book by this author I read: Stray (Shifters #1)
Why she’s one of my favourite authors:
Because she writes great and addictive books with fun characters. I can’t remember how I came across Stray, but I do remember how I kept waiting for the thrid book to arrive after I ordered it and eventually the dutch company I ordered the book cancelled my order. I had the whole series but not the thrid book and eventually I convinced me my mom to use her credit card so I could get the third book from amazon because I had to read the rest of this series and no dutch shop sold it. I read the second till sixth book back to back at the beginning of a summer vacation and was so sad when the series ended, but happily started her other series as well. Ever since then she has been one of my favourite authors and I am always looking forward to a new book by her.
Richelle Mead
Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.
A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She’s a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.
First book by this author I read: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
Why she’s one of my favourite authors:
After Twillight and House of Night I was desperately looking for a new vampire series to sink my teeth into and I stumbled upon vampire academy. After reading the blurb I knew I had to read this and bought the book. I love Richelle Mead her books and I might love her Bloodlines series even a tiny bit more then Vampire Academy know. She managed to give a unique spin to the vampire genre and writes books that I can’t put down.
SJ Pajonas
Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, amateur astrologer, Capricorn, and Japanophile. She loves foxes, owls, sushi, yoga pants, Evernote, and black tea. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing or spending time outside, unless it’s winter. She hates winter. Someday she’ll own a house in both hemispheres so she can avoid the season entirely. She’s a mom to two great kids and lives with her husband and family outside NYC. They have no pets. Yet. When it comes to her work, expect the unexpected. She doesn’t write anything typical.
First book by this author I read: Removed (Nogiku series #1)
Why she’s one of my favourite authors:
I came across this author when I was organizing a blog tour for an author and Pajonas signed-up for the tour. Now this isn’t unusual, but her signature caught my attention and next thing I knew I read the blurb of Removed and had bought my copy, even though at that point I still believed I didn’t like sci-fi. I just had to read it. Pajonas writes realistic and original books and I love her writing style. I will read anything she writes and will tell everyone who will listen to read her books, because they are that good.
Susan Kaye Quinn
Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling young adult SF Mindjack Trilogy. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial for ages 17+ called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap.
It’s possible she’s easily distracted.
Susan grew up in California, got a bunch of engineering degrees (B.S. Aerospace Engineering, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering) and worked everywhere from NASA to NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research). She designed aircraft engines, studied global warming, and held elected office (as a school board member). Now that she writes novels, her business card says “Author and Rocket Scientist,” but she mostly sits around in her pajamas in awe that she gets paid to make stuff up.
All her engineering skills come in handy when dreaming up dangerous mindpowers, future dystopic worlds, and slightly plausible steampunk inventions. For her stories, of course. Just ignore that stuff in the basement.
Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much as she can handle.
First book by this author I read: Open Minds (Mindjack #1)
Why she’s one of my favourite authors:
When I think of Susan Kaye Quinn I always remember how Open Minds was the first book I ever bought for my Kobo. I had seen it around a few times and from the blurb I knew I had to read it, but I didn’t own an e-reader. When my mom mentioned I could get an e-reader for christmas this was the first book I bought and put on my Kobo the day I got it. It wasn’t the first book I read, but I still remember it was the first e-book I bought. Once I finally got around to reading it I fell in love with this author her original worlds and creativity and quickly became a fan of her writing.
David Estes
I was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when I was very young. I grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually I moved to Sydney, Australia where I met my wife. A reader all my life, I began writing novels for the children’s and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now I travel the world writing with my wife, Adele. I’m a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefer writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.
First book by this author I read: Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers series #1)
Why he’s one of my favourite authors:
I first heard about Moon Dwellers when I was still blogging over at K-Books as a co-blogger and my co-blogger was beta reading this and told me how good it was, when I got the opportunity to get an ARC I didn’t hesistate for a moment. I really enjoyed the Moon Dwellers and all his books afetr that. I like how David can take a genre as dystopia and manage to write original and fascinating stories in a genre where originality is difficult. One thing I love most beside his original stories are the characters in his books, they are as unique and real as his stories. If you love dystopia’s you have to try one of his stories.
What does the term favourite author mean to me?
While it may seem like a simple concept, I do think that lots of peopel differ in how they define the concept favourite author. I have a sort of vague idea/ concept in my head of what it means for an author to be one of my favourite authors. Most often it means I rated multiple of their books 5 stars. Usually I like their writing style and haven’t DNF’d any of their books or rated them below 3 star. Usually I will buy any books by these authors that I can get my hands on and I am excited to start reading them. I also know I most usually enjoy the books by this authors and that is a nice feeling. So if I want to read a good book I might pick up one of the books by my favourite authors. Unfortunately even books by my favourite authors may wait a long time before I get around to reading them, although I usually want to read them as soon as I can.
I am a huge fan of Richelle Mead too!I love both Vampire Academy and Bloodlines,and I adore the characters and world she has created.Addition to that,she’s also the creator of my OTP-Adrian and Sydney-so that’s bonus points for her!
My favourite authors aside from her are J.K.Rowling-of course,how can I miss the queen:)-,Sarah Dessen,Sarah J.Mass,Kasie West and Jennifer L.Armentrout.
Mishma @ Chasing Faerytales recently posted…What type of a reader are you?
I wasn’t a big fan of Adrian in Vampire Academy, but Bloodlines certainly changed my opinion about him and he and Syndey are just perfect together! I also really enjoyed her Georgina Kincaid series.
I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series, but I wouldn’t call JK Rowling one of my favourite authors as I haven’t had the urge to pick any of her other books up. I haven’t heard of most of the other authors you mentioned, although I have read some books by Jennifer Armentrout, she a good writer.
All these authors are on my to-read list, except David Estes (to this day !)
Red Iza recently posted…Cat thursday #8 : Try a little tenderness
That’s good to hear, I hope you enjoy their books as much as I do when you get around to reading them!
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Who are your Favourite Authors?
<3 I'm super honored to be on this list! Thanks so much for all your support. It means a lot to me.
Also, Susan Kaye Quinn has become a favorite of mine 🙂 Really loved Third Daughter and Second Daughter. My all-time favorite is still Haruki Murakami. But I'm really loving Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman (These Broken Stars). I want to check out more of their books. I love Beth Revis and Diana Peterfreund, too. So many books, so little time.
S. J. Pajonas recently posted…A Jamaican Vacation
You’re welcome :). I can’t wait for your next book!
I just got a review copy of Susan her upcoming release and I am so excited! I still have to read Second and First Daughter, I loved the first book and am looking forward to read the rest of the series soon. I own These Broken Stars and really should find tiem to read it soon! I think I own one of Beth Revis her books as well, but not 100% sure. I haven’t read naythign by those other two authors you mentioned.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Who are your Favourite Authors?
I think you might like Beth Revis’s Across the Universe books. They’re great and the kind of scifi I write. You would also like Diana Peterfreund’s For Darkness Shows The Stars. Really lovely. A kind of Jane Austen dystopia. 🙂
S. J. Pajonas recently posted…A Jamaican Vacation
I checked and it’s another sci-fi book that I had confused with this one, I added Across the Universe to my to-read list, it sounds good! And after the comparison with your work how can I resist ;). I think I have read a few good review of For Darkness Shows the Stars, although I have never read Jane Austen. Added that one to my to-read list as well.
Oooh! Oooh! I second Stephanie’s suggestion of These Broken Stars – LOVE those books!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers – 5 Star Review!
I guess I really have to pick it up soon, I’ve heard so many good things about that series!
I’m a huge fan of Rachel Vincent and Kelly Armstrong. Bitten was my first paranormal romance series! 😀
tonyalee recently posted…Review | Creed by Trisha Leaver & Lindsay Currie
Bitten was one of my first urban fantasy/ paranormal romance series as well and it convicned me to read more in the genre. I just love Kelley her writing style!
I have only read one of your favorites. I enjoyed David Estes’ Moon Dwellers too. I can name a few favorites and mostly I like them because I like the world building and the characters: Diana Gabaldon, Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Laurie R. King, C.S. Harris, and most definitely Jane Austen. 😉
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The Moon Dwellers is really good, although I think my favourite of his books is Fire Country. I don’t think I have ever read a book by one of your favourite authors.
Oh good! I’ve got Fire Country and two others that he wrote. I just need to read them.
LOL! There are so many good authors out there. I like many more, but those are the ones off the top of my head.
Sophia Rose recently posted…The Great Pick Up Line with Broken Honor by Tonya Burrows #TGPUL
Fire Country is really good! I hope you’ll enjoy it.
And indeed there are a lot of good authors out there, there are a lot of authors who didn’t reach this list but whoms books I enjoy.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Who are your Favourite Authors?
I am loving Mead’s Georgina Kincaid series and so glad I finally tried something by her. I still need to read Armstrong’s Otherworld, but have enjoyed some of her other books.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Black Wolf’s Revenge by Tera Shanley
I loved Richelle her Georgina Kincaid series, it feels like so little peopel have read it as her VA series is more popular, but it’s so good. Armstrogn her Otherworld series is really good, but I love her YA books as well and even her Nadia Stafford series is great while that is a genre I don’t often read.
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Ooo Mead. I’ve enjoyed hers. I need to get back to them some day 🙂 I have a handful of favorites. One or two for each sub-genre I read in. My favorites are ones that maybe haven’t gotten a 5 star but they’re solid, have fun reads I fly through and are easy to get lost in when I’m reading. I don’t give many 5 stars out so that would pretty much eliminate all my favorites. lol
anna (herding cats & burning soup) recently posted…Guest Post w/ Catherine Gayle– a confession… (Cat Thursday)
Which of Mead series have you read? Most of the authors on this list have received a few 5 star ratings at least, but I also have some authors whoms books I rated 4 star, but I do always grab their new books and know they will be solid 4 star reads. I am pretty picky with my 5 star ratings as well, so that’s why the list of my favourite authros is pretty short.
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I’ve read in the Vampire Academy and Georgina Kincaid ones. Haven’t finished either yet but plan to one day 🙂
anna (herding cats & burning soup) recently posted…Bear Attraction (Shifters Unbound #6.5) by Jennifer Ashley (@BerkleyRomance)
Both are great series! I finished both series and all books are pretty good.
I really like certain chicklit authors such as Sophie Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern. I’ve read several of their books, and while I don’t automatically like their books (it really depends on the story for me), their work in general does make me feel good. There’s also Brandon Sanderson, who is a fantasy genius. And I’m really liking Gina Damico nowadays.
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I don’t think I'[ve read a book by any of those authors. And indeed a high rating or automatically liking their books isn’t always necessary, but it’s more a certain feeling of comfort when I pick up a book by one of my favourite authors.
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Great list of favourite authors Lola! I totally agree with Richelle Mead and David Estes, they are both on my list of favourite authors as well. I guess what it means for me as a favourite author is that I totally LOVE everything they write and just the enjoyment factor really. I think having the writing resonate with me as well.
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That’s a good way to describe it that their writing resonates with you. Most of these authors have that, their writing just works for me and I like their style.
I love Richelle Mead and, of course, I just recently read and really enjoyed S.J. Pajonas’s first book (as you know). I don’t think I’ve read these other authors. I need to check them out!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers – 5 Star Review!
From the comments on this post I notice lots of readers are a fan of Richelle Mead her writing. I am glad you enjoyed Removed and I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of Pajonas her books as well.
Lola recently posted…Book Blitz: Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage by R.A. Sapp
Richelle Mead is one of my favorites too!! I also adore Cassie Clare, Sarah J Maas, Alexandra Bracken, and more 🙂
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I haven’t read a book by Cassie Clare and Alexandra Bracken yet. I have read one book by Sarah J Maas but I DNF”d that, who knows maybe I’ll give her new series a try.
Lola recently posted…Book Blitz: Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage by R.A. Sapp
We share a lot of favorite authors in common, Lola! I’ve not heard of David Estes, so I’ll have to check him out. But Armstrong, Vincent, and Mead are on my list. Authors generally make my list if I’ve highly rated their books and I always buy their new releases. 🙂 And my list is fluid as well…although I’m not so good at changing the list on my blog. *ha*
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Cool that we share a lot of favourite authors :). David Estes writes awesoem Young Adult dystopia books and he is one of the nicest authors I met online. I didn’t realize you had a list of favourite authors on your blog, will have to check it out. For mos tof the authors on this list I have highly rates their books and always buy their new releases, although there are some authors whoms new releases I always buy, but didn’t make this list.