Top Ten Tuesday: Top ten authors whose books I own the most of

My first Top Ten Tuesday (which is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish) :)

I always love seeing these posts roll by in my feed and am jumping in today with some pics from my shelves. This was fun to count up how many books I own by certain authors ~ major advantage to long time publishing faves :) All counted up from my shelves ~ not including any ebooks or audiobooks that I own.

First up you should know:

• I don't buy many books -- I am a very happy library addict. 
• I love scrounging around op shops and second hand books stores to find any fave books I need to possess ;)
• I am pretty ruthless with my collection -- I only keep my faves on my shelves and donate/giveaway any other books that accumulate (most recently had a huge clean out when moving house in May ~ I removed over 120 books from my collection then)
• I currently have about 40 books out on loan ~ so I couldn't include them when I went scrounging around my shelves (so my count could be out, haha)

1. John Marsden ~ 14 books

Mostly comprised by the brilliant Tomorrow, When the War Began series. I love Ellie and the gang so much. I finally completed my collection more than ten years after reading them when Coles put them on clearance for $2 (love a bargain!). 

2. Elizabeth Scott ~ 11 books

Elizabeth Scott is one of my all time fave comfort reads. I adore her and am so pleased to own almost her entire catalogue (I'm missing Living Dead Girl ~ which was startling and impressive yet I know I will never reread). My faves of hers are: Stealing Heaven, Miracle and Perfect You

3. Jaclyn Moriarty ~ 10 books

My favourite author! I own all her books to date. These books have all been read at least twice and will be read so many more times. My fave of hers is usually which ever one I happen to be reading ~ too hard to pick. Seriously. (Although I recommend Finding Cassie Carzy if you've yet to try her out)

4. Melina Marchetta ~ 8 books

I love Melina Marchetta. Her books have pride of place on my shelves. I find it hard to pick a fave as it's like  trying to pick your favourite child ~ but I am very happy to have two copies of the gorgeous on The Jellicoe Road ~ stunning, most brilliant book. 

5. Sonya Hartnett ~ 7 books

Sonya Hartnett is a long time fave of mine since I first read Sleeping Dogs when I was 14. Some of these copies have been hard won ~ out of print and gleefully snatched up like hidden treasure from hours spent scrounging around second hand books shops. There are still a few more of hers I would love to own! I read Wilful Blue about 5 times during year 11 and 12. I felt it was some kind of personal manifesto, haha (although it is objectively one of her weaker titles). She is amazing. 

6. Liane Moriarty ~ 6 books

I have all 6 of Liane's gorgeous books (Also I love how she is right next to her sister Nicola Moriarty on my shelves). I personally prefer the cute little trade paperbacks for sizing but am happy to have her latest three in first edition release :) My faves of hers are Three Wishes and the Husband's Secret ! but all of them are brilliant. 

After this I have a massive tie for authors whom I own FOUR books of:

Sherryl Jordan ~ New Zealand author whom I most nostalgically love and adore. My fave of hers is Winter of Fire.
Lisa Schroeder ~ love her verse novels <3
Sara Zarr 
C K Kelly Martin ~ I also have a bonus book on my kindle. Can't wait for her upcoming release!
Cath Crowley ~ Still collecting ~ I have one more Gracie Faltrain book to find and bring home (and hanging out for The Howling Boy)
Kasie West ~ I am fast feeling the same way about Kasie West that I feel about Elizabeth Scott. My fave of hers is The Distance Between Us.
Laurie Halse Anderson
Sarah Ockler ~ I know this number will grow the more Ockler writes.
Sarah Dessen ~ I was sure I had more but must've lost some along the way...

Which author do you own the most books of? 

Do you collect books or pass them on?

(This post would be entirely different if it was authors whom I have read the most books of... So many authors I used to burn through at the library)

Five all-time Favourite Aussie YA Authors

I posted about my favourite Aussie YA reads of 2010...


As for my all-time favourite Aussie books from former years?

I guess I rave on a bit on my Aussie YA page

But five LONG TIME favourite authors that I simply ADORE, who IMPACTED me and I always revisit are:

Jaclyn Moriarty is my favourite (in as much as you can choose favourites). She's whimsical and beautiful and hilarious and unexpected and curling up with one of her books has always always guaranteed me the very best of times. She's my comfort read. She's masterful and completely unique. Her books feature true teen characters ~ you feel like a teen again reading them, and you also see how much she thinks teens are just completely awesome.

I love her so. She also has the most beautiful website ~ so much fun to hang out at

Also, her sister, Liane Moriarty, is so stunning as well. I love her novels ~ adult fiction :) She's well worth reading if you are a fan of Jaclyn.

Sonya Hartnett when I was 14 - me, wide-eyed and blown away in a way that I didn't realise books could do to me. She spoke to me all through my teen years and I have a special kind of reverence for her. Her latest book, Butterfly, is particularly stunning.

Sonya is lyrical and literary and sometimes her stories waft right out of contemporary grounding into an other-wordly feel (The Ghost Child). Her subject matter can be dark but it's done so poignantly. She's a story-teller and a player of words ~ stretching them into positions and uses that others haven't put them in before. She's metaphorical and ache-y and sometimes her worlds are harsh. Always they are astonishing and memorable.

Steven Herrick. He writes in verse (except for his latest, 'Slice') ~ he is, I think, a staple and truly one of our greatest writers for teens. Always outstanding and powerful and just BRILLIANT to read. He captures characters and places with such an authenticity and so succinctly. His prose has this rhythm and poignancy ~ absolutely addictive. His stories linger and are well worth re-reading and re-reading.

John Marsden. Ah, well, he's John Marsden. His books really did something for Australian teens and Aussie YA in general. Lots of my non-reader friends devoured his books and still talk about them. He completely gets teens and writes for them. he is a huge advocate of teenagers ~ they are smart and strong and layered and can put adults to shame. 

His books are the unputdownable sort with characters that linger. Despite how long ago some of them came out they are still just as brilliant today.

Melina Marchetta When 'Looking for Alibrandi' came out it just captured me and my friends. It felt so Australian and full of energy and life. Her characters are unforgettable, fun and flawed and feisty and her prose just shines. Her books are funny and sad and completely brilliant. Each book she produces goes from strength to strength. Her books have always meant a lot to me :)

Along with the books of the five authors above, two personal fave books that get me nostalgic just seeing their spines on my shelf:

• Kirsten Murphy's Raincheck on Timbucktu
• Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry. I spent a whole week whimsically decorating my year 12 folder with the quirky graphics from this book. My mates and I all took turns reading it. I re-read it again this year and it's like me being a teenager again when I open it and read it. I feel 16 and back in my teenage bedroom.

There are so many more Aussie books I could highlight - and I do try to update my Aussie YA page - which is just a list of books I ADORE really, some from my teen years that just changed me and others that are more recent that make me feel good, that strike a chord in me. Some challenge me and others are pure good time comfort-reads.

I read all of these five as a teen (okay, so maybe not Jaclyn - I was 20 when Celia was published..:)

Who are your long-time favourite authors?

* I only pictured some of their books. Because I'm tired and lazy :)

In case you're interested...

Regarding Steven Herrick I really recommend him, hey.

He should be in any decent Aussie public library :) If you're interested you can purchase books directly from him, cheaper than the bookshops, signed and with free postage! A HUGE thanks to my sister who stalked my blog, read my Aussie YA wishlist and sent me a signed (To Nomes) edition of his newest book, Slice. Completely unexpected ~ and my boys were excited because it came from Katoomba, which is about their favourite place on earth :)

As for international readers. He is available through The Book Depository. One book 'Kissing Annabel' - is actually a compilation of two books: 'Love, Ghosts, and Nose Hair' and 'A Place like Home' which is such an ideal bargain - two for the price of one! Here's his website

Also, his books have won a stack or impressive awards.

The Best of Aussie YA (3) The Tales Compendium

The Best of Aussie YA - Mini Series

some of the featured books...

About the mini series & best of Aussie YA current give-away

in case you missed it: 1 - Tye from The Book Gryffin

2 - Steph from My Girl Friday

I am so excited to have Jess from The Tales Compendium on inkcrush - wahoo! 

I was so stoked when I found her blog - not only do I love her style, but we share some of the same absolute favourite books (like Tomorrow When the War Began and Guitar Highway Rose - which I completely ADORE - and our love for the whimsically brilliant Jaclyn Moriarty)

1. The Aussie YA scene is so strong at the moment - with so many BRILLIANT titles that came out this year. What tops your list of favourite Aussie YA reads this year?

My absolute favourite book of the year was Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. I just couldn't put it down and it reminded me alot of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn (another favourite) but for art-minded people and of course, it was set in Australia! I will definitely be re-reading it again soon. Honourable mentions go to Swerve by Phillip Gwynne and Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood.

2. What books from previous years are on your all-time favourite Aussie YA list?

The Tomorrow series by John Marsden (1993) will always be a favourite, as well as Feeling Sorry For Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty (2000) and Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry (1997). I read both Feeling Sorry for Celia and Guitar Highway Rose the year they were each released and am still re-reading them more than ten years later.

3. Any lesser known Aussie YA books/authors you adore?

Kate McCaffrey is a Western Australian author who writes amazing stories addressing very real problems for teens: Destroying Avalon (bullying), In Ecstasy (drugs) and Beautiful Monster (eating disorders).

Quick 5: Choose the book you'd recommend to someone in the mood for:

A tear jerker - Letters to Leonardo by Dee White

Awesome male POV - Swerve by Phillip Gwynne

Quirky and hilarious - Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

A story that lingers - Grace by Morris Gleitzman

A book that you can't put down - Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Thank you thank you Jess :)

Isn't she the best? Check out her blog, all the way from Perth Australia 

The Best of Aussie YA (1) The Book Gryffin

The Best of Aussie YA - Mini Series

some of the featured books...

About the mini series & best of Aussie YA current give-away

To launch the mini series we have Tye:  The Book Gryffin - who runs a fabulous and informative blog, always  inspiring with a lovely lovely focus on some of the Aussie stuff. Any books she endorses, you'll love.  - one of my very favourite corners on the internet to hang out in :) 

1. The Aussie YA scene is so strong at the moment - with so many BRILLIANT titles that came out this year. What tops your list of favourite Aussie YA reads this year?

Tye: Oooooooooohhhhhhh! Could you have asked a harder question???? This is very difficult to answer, because I am SO proud of ALL our Aussie YA Authors! So. Trying to do the impossible and narrow it down to a few. Hmmmm. 

My TOP 3 this year would have to be: Five Parts Dead- Tim Pegler, The Pipers Son- Melina Marchetta and This Is Shyness- Leanne Hall.

2. . What books from previous years are on your all-time favourite Aussie YA list?

Tye: I LOVE this question!!! My top favorites EVER in Aussie YA are without doubt... On The Jellicoe Road- Melina Marchetta, The Beginners Guide To Living- Lia Hills, So Much To Tell You- John Marsden, Once- Morris Gleitzman, Game As Ned- Tim Pegler, Loathing Lola- William Kostakis and Saving Francesca- Melina Marchetta. These are titles I have re read many times and every single time, they never fail to ‘get’ me. They still pack the same punch on a re read as they did the very first time I read them. That to me is the mark of a truly great read.

3. Any lesser known Aussie YA books/authors you adore?

Tye: I would have to say Tim Pegler. It doesn’t seem to me that he has the following he deserves. He is such a beautiful author, his novels are so poignant. Not to mention, he is a truly lovely person. When he came to visit our school, he had the kids eating out of the palm of his hand. They adored him and still talk about that visit today. He is very humble and deserves to be given a bit of the rockstar treatment, though having said that I am sure he would HATE it! 

Another amazing Aussie author to watch, who is nowhere near as familiar as she deserves to be, is Lia Hills. Lia is an OUTSTANDING author and her book The Beginners Guide To Living is my absolute favourite YA Aussie Read this year, even though it was published in 2009.

4. What upcoming titles are you hanging out for?

Tye: Cannot wait for Angel Creek Sally Rippin, coming in March 2011. And I am always enthralled to see what the winning novel from the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing will be. This year gave us Leanne Hall- This Is Shyness. I am hopeful to see something new from our other amazing Aussies next year :)

Quick 5: Choose the book you'd recommend to someone in the mood for:

• Tear Jerker - The Beginner's Guide To Living - Lia Hills
• Awesome Male POV- Game As Ned- Tim Pegler.
• Quirky and hilarious- Six Impossible Things- Fiona Wood
• A story that lingers- On The Jellicoe Road- Melina Marchetta
• A book you cant put down- Grace- Morris Gleitzman.

Thank you ever so much Tye! 
Don't forget to check out Ty's blog 'The Book Gryffin'