Top Ten Tuesday: New or New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2022

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s topic is New-to-Me Authors I discovered in 2022. As I started making this list, I realized I read a lot of new (debut & to me) authors in 2022. So, for this list, I’m going to focus on new-to-me fantasy authors. Let’s check them out!

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1. Laura Sebastian

I can’t believe that until 2022 I had never read anything by Laura Sebastian. I read Castles in Their Bones in January, and I was obsessed! lol Since then, I’ve read four more of Sebastian’s Books, and I bought two more that are on my TBR for 2023.

FAVORITE QUOTE: “I’m here because I want to be. Because you are lightning -terrifying and beautiful and dangerous and bright all at once. And I wouldn’t wish you were anything else.”

Check out my review of Castles in Their Bones!

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2. Heather Frost

Heather Frost is another author I couldn’t get enough of in 2022! After reading Esperance, and LOVING it, I binged all three books in the Fate of Eyrinthia series. Those were all amazing too, and I became an instant fan of Frost. AND I managed to get on Frost’s street team. How cool is that?

FAVORITE QUOTE: ““To live is to face the unknown. It is the joy and the challenge we all must meet. But I know you’re equal to the task.” Esperance

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3. Intisar Khanani

This is another ya fantasy series that completely blew me away last year. Between the world-building, the political intrigue, the characters, the suspense, the gorgeous writing and storytelling, THE ROMANCE!!!! I couldn’t get enough. This is another street team I’d love to be a part of! I’ll basically read anything Intisar Khanani writes. lol

FAVORITE QUOTE: “It’s hard to trust you when I’ve already been betrayed by someone else, and you – whom I thought of as a friend – do the same to me with a smile.” A Darkness at the Door

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4. Megan Bannen

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was one of my favorite and most unique reads of 2022. THIS ROMANCE IS EVERYTHING!! Between the love story, the humor, the amazingly immersive setting, and the wonderful family themes and elements, I couldn’t get enough of Hart and Mercy!

FAVORITE QUOTE: “An arrogant man apologized to obtain absolution. A good man admitted his errors and expected nothing in return.”

• Check out my review!
•  Add to Goodreads  

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5. Rachel Gillig

One Dark Window was a suprise favorite of 2022. I did a buddy read with Leslie, and we both loved this one! The magic, the enemies-to-lovers romance, and that ending!!!! I actually gasped out loud at the end of this book. I can’t wait to read the next book, Two Twisted Crowns. I recently saw the cover for book two, and it is as gorgeous and foreboding as this one.

FAVORITE QUOTE: “We were the same, he and I. Gifted with ancient, terrible magic. Woven in secret, hidden in half-truths. We were the darkness in Blunder, the reminder that magic – wild and unfettered – prevailed, no matter how desperately the Rowans wanted to stamp it out. We were the thing to be feared.”

• Check out my review!
• Add to Goodreads

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6. Judy I. Lin

I knew I wanted to read this duology as soon as I saw the gorgeous covers. They’re definitely in the top favorite covers of 2022, and the story is fantastic too. I loved the characters and the magic, and there’s a bit of a romance that I adored. The found family elements were great too!

FAVORITE QUOTE: “I used to look at my hands with pride. Now, all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.” A Magic Steeped in Poison

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7. Deborah Falaye

This is a brutal and immersive ya military fantasy. It’s dark and suspenseful with complex and compelling characters, a layered and unpredictable plot, and rich world-building steeped in Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, history, and folklore.

FAVORITE QUOTE:  “I know what it feels like to be robbed of something so precious to you. To feel helpless, broken, like you are not in control of your own body. These people- they thrive on taking power. Over our minds, our bodies, our emotions. They think because we are girls, that we are something to be preyed upon. They are wrong. We are not helpless; we are not broken. Despite what scars they leave behind, our bodies are our own. Everything we feel, everything we are, belongs to us and us alone. Yes, we are girls, but we are not prey. Tonight, we are alive.”

• Check out my review!
• Add to Goodreads

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8. Emily Thiede

Oh my gosh, this book! It was super suspenseful, and the fantasy elements are fascinating. I thought this was a really immersive read, and it’s another one with a stand-out cast of characters. Alessa is such a great protagonist, and the Italian setting and lore was amazing. I haven’t read a lot of ya fantasies steeped in Italian lore, and I thought it was really refreshing and intriguing.

FAVORITE QUOTE: “Alone,” she said, “a person is a thread easily snipped. Intertwined, we are strong enough to survive.”

• Check out my review!

• Add to Goodreads

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9. Gina Chen

Violet Made of Thorns was a great ya fantasy, especially if you like morally grey characters. The world-building is vivid and immersive, and the characters are fantastic. Plus, no surprise here, I loved the romance! lol

FAVORITE QUOTE: “To be remembered as good, you have to do good. To be remembered as someone great, you have to get elbow-deep in bullshit and come out looking spotless.”

• Check out my review!

• Add to Goodreads

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10. Sangu Mandanna

This was such a unique and heartwarming story! The found family aspect was one of my favorites of 2022, and I adored the characters! It has an interesting setting and a great love story.

I would definitely recommend this one to readers looking for a cozy read!

FAVORITE QUOTE: “It’s a leap of faith to love people and let yourself be loved. It’s closing your eyes, stepping off a ledge into nothing, and trusting that you’ll fly rather than fall. I can’t step off the ledge for you. It’s something only you can do.”

• Check out my review!

• Add to Goodreads

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Have you read books by any of these authors? Who are some new-to-you in 2022 that you’d recommend? Comment below!