Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature/meme brought to you by the folks over at The Broke and the Bookish (the button also belongs to them). This week’s theme is the Top Ten Popular Authors I’ve Never Read.
I relied on Amazon and Goodreads to tell me who the most popular authors are, since, well, they keep track of these things so I don’t have to. I have also featured the author’s most popular book according to Goodreads because this list looked sad otherwise.
1. Jodi Picoult- Nope, never read My Sister’s Keeper or any of her other books. I am always afraid they’ll be too cheesy/melodramatic.
2. Neil Gaiman- I’m a little suspicious of fantasy. It is just not my go-to genre. And I worry about anyone who seems a little too popular in the blogosphere, as I tend to be super disappointed when I follow the hype.
3. James Patterson- He’s written like 80 million books for a variety of age ranges and genres, but no, never picked one up. Probably never will. There is such a thing as being TOO prolific. It generally suggests to me that you are relying on a formula, a ghostwriter, or both to churn out unoriginal crap.
4. John Grisham- He kind of seems like someone old men read (like my dad or my grandfather-in-law), so I guess I never cared to investigate. Legal thrillers are sometimes up my alley, but I don’t know that I would ever pick up a Grisham because of the aforementioned too prolific thing.
5. Richelle Mead- Apparently the Vampire Academy books sell like hotcakes. Hmm. It never sounded like a series I would really enjoy, but I can see myself buying them at an airport bookstore when stuck in an airport with nothing to read. (Which is why Nicholas Sparks is not on this list, by the way.)
6. Emily Giffin- I am really not sure how I have never read any of her books, considering I have read both Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner, as well as a number of other “chick lit” authors. I remain iffy on whether or not to try her. I’ve seen mixed reviews and some bad author behavior on her part, which make me think I may pass.
7. Marcus Zusak- Shut up. I will totally read that copy of The Book Thief that has been sitting on my shelves for years collecting dust. I will. (I have an aversion to Holocaust fiction. It was very overdone in my schooling. Very.)
8. E.L. James- Although I am immensely curious in the can’t-look-away-from-a-trainwreck sort of way about the Fifty Shades series, I will never ever read them. I would never live it down. I’d also probably never finish them if the writing is as bad as they say it is.
9. Abbi Glines- I have no idea who this is, but she is on both Amazon and Goodreads as a “popular author.” It appears she writes romance for the Young Adult and New Adult crowd, so it seems weird I’ve never heard of any of her books. Her scary author picture makes me think I should avoid them, though.
10. Diana Gabaldon- I have heard things about Outlander that make me think I should read it and things that make me think I shouldn’t. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll try the TV series if it catches on.
What popular authors have you never read? Should I try a book by any of these?
Don't Take My Books Away 
I read (and loved) The Book Thief. As for Gaiman, I think a good starting point is The Graveyard Book, but if you don’t love fantasy, it might not be for you! Same for Mead, though I did really enjoy Vampire Academy, which is way better than the title suggests.
Gabaldon is definitely enjoyable, but also definitely adult in tone, so be sure to be prepared for that part of it. 😉
I’ll be honest– the romance in Outlander is the reason I want to read it. The reason I don’t is its length, my skepticism that I’d like anything that has to do with Scottish Highland clans.
I’ve been meaning to read Outlander for forever! Readalong if you ever get the urge?
Hmmm…. that is a good idea. But I am sort of afraid I’d hate it.
I wouldn’t think of “the book thief” as holocaust literature. The holocaust is kindof…a subplot.
I don’t know if that helps you dust if off 😉
Hmmm… maybe. I will probably keep dragging my heels, but you know, one of these days…
Your list and mine had a lot in common. In fact, I haven’t read any of those authors except Martin Zusak (The Book Thief). I would recommend it. 🙂
*Marcus
I enjoyed the reasoning you gave for some of these authors. We share similar lists. I think if you want to get a dip into Gaiman, Coraline’s a pretty short read (at like roughly 150 or something?)
Cheers,
Joey via. thoughts and afterthoughts
My TTT This Week.
Short is good… but my recent experience with fantasy was not a good one. I will need some contemps for a bit I think.
You’re not really missing out with Jodi Picoult. I read quite of few of her books one summer. They’re okay but pretty formulaic.
I’ve read a few Gaiman books but have yet to be impressed by anything.
The Book Thief is wonderful but I’m sure you’re sick of people telling you that. 🙂
Yeah, I think the time when I would have enjoyed Jodi Picoult is passed for me… that’s the sort of thing I would have liked when I was in my early 20s. And thank you for not telling me I have to read Gaiman like right this minute! haha
OUTLANDER!! I did a readalong last year and LOVED it. I haven’t gotten back to the rest of the series yet (trying to finish GoT first) but soooooo good! I didn’t even think about Grisham!
I remember seeing an Outlander readathon around, but I didn’t do any last year because of the baby. Ugh, wish I had, I’m really not sure I will enjoy it.
The Book Thief was an amazing story. Definitely worth the read.