Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favorite Books Released In the Last Ten Years
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish, a weekly meme that now resides at That Artsy Reader Girl. The meme first came about because of a love of lists. Who doesn’t love lists? The original creators also wanted their lists to be shared with fellow book lovers and to ask that we in turn share ours with them and connect with other book bloggers. To learn more about participating, stop by their page dedicated to it and dive in!
This week’s topic: Ten Favorite Books Released In the Last Ten Years
What a fun topic for this week! If there’s one thing I love just as much as making lists, it’s reminiscing and taking a retrospective look back at my favorite books. So without further ado, let’s start counting down…
2018
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
(May 1st 2018 by Harper Voyager)
It hasn’t really been that long since 2018 ended, so a lot of great books I read last year are still fresh on my mind. It made choosing my favorite somewhat harder, but in the end this was the book my mind kept coming back to, the one that stood out above the rest.
2017
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
(November 14th 2017 by Tor Books)
No contest. And if you’ve read the two previous volumes in the Stormlight Archive, you’d probably understand; this series is simply epic, and this third installment once again transported us back to the stunning world of Roshar and its amazing characters.
2016
City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett
(January 26th 2016 by Broadway Books)
2016 was tougher to judge. This was an excellent year for speculative fiction releases (also the year I read the most books) and I ended it with a lot of 5 star reads. In the end, I decided to go with the one that made the most impact, which was this second novel of Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Divine Cities.
2015
Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey
(June 2nd 2015 by Orbit)
Nemesis Games had 2015 in the bag. This book was where I felt the series really took off, and three Expanse volumes later, it’s still my favorite.
2014
Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier
(November 4th 2014 by Roc)
2014 was the year I finally discovered Juliet Marillier, and honestly, I had no idea why it took me so long. Dreamer’s Pool held a very special place in my heart that year, and I know it will continue to resonate with me for a long, long time.
2013
Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh
(June 11th 2013 by Orbit)
This book messed me up for days after reading it, but in a good way. There were probably bigger, more prominent releases I also gave 5 stars to this year, but in terms of having the most profound impact on me, no other book even came close.
2012
The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson
(October 11th 2012 by Tachyon Publications)
Come on, you can’t really be that surprised to see Sanderson again on this list. There’s a reason why he’s my favorite author. Whether his books are 1000 pages or 100, they’re always a joy to read, not to mention creative as hell. As you know, I’m really not a short fiction kind of person, but I think The Emperor’s Soul is the only novella I’ve ever given 5 stars to, that’s how much it blew my mind.
2011
Tie:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (August 16th 2011 by Crown)
11/22/63 by Stephen King (November 8th 2011 by Scribner)
Okay, I know I’m cheating a little by listing two books for this year, but they both released in 2011 and I really couldn’t bring myself to go with one over the other. I love both books, and for very different reasons.
2010
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
(August 31st 2010 by Tor Books)
Seriously, Sanderson a third time? Ah, but what did you expect? 2010 was the year I started getting into reading again (before this I had several dry years where I just didn’t have time) and it was also the year I starting dipping my toes into the fantasy genre, and you might say The Way of Kings was sort of an awakening for me. Of course, it also made me think all epic fantasy was going to be this amazing, but needless to say I’ve certainly gained a lot more experience and insight into the genre since then. Now nearly a decade later with hundreds of fantasy novels under my belt though, this book has still held up remarkably well in my esteem.
As I said, I read very little for a stretch of many years prior to 2010 so I won’t be going back any further, but since I listed two books for 2011 anyway, I have my ten books. Have you read any of these, and if so, what did you think? And if not, do you plan on reading any of them? What were some of your favorite books each year?
The BiblioSanctum 
The Way of Kings is on my list too! I haven’t continued the series yet, but can’t wait to dive back into Roshar. Thanks for the reminder to pick up The Poppy War too! That’s been staring at me from my to-read list for way too long.
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I hope you enjoy! Still some time to catch up before The Dragon Republic comes out 😀
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Wow I didn’t realize Ready Player One came out that long ago. Man, time flies. As for Nemesis Games… I sorta missed the boat on that series, until I watched The Expanse recently and loved it. Now I kinda want to go back and read the books. also, the Poppy War looks great.
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Yeah, feels like just yesterday I was reading RPO – time does fly! And The Expanse is so worth it. The first few books are shaky, but around Nemesis Games it really takes off!
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Too difficult! I have no idea, like at all. I do have those best of posts…
Like when I looked at 2009 so the one that stood out the most to be now was The cellist of Sarajevo and 2013 tells me Promise of Blood.
THank you Goodreads!
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Yup, Goodreads helped me a lot with this post!
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You’ve just reminded me that I *still* need to finish The Poppy War. Who even am I. Great list for this week Mogsy, you seem to have enjoyed a lot of high fantasy and sci-fi books books over the last decade, are these your favourite genres? Fab post!
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Yes! Definitely check out The Poppy War – the hype is warranted 😀
And yeah, I’m mostly a fantasy reader, though in recent years I’ve branched out.
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Ah, what would you say your second most read genre is in that case? 😀
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Probably sci-fi 🙂
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Nice picks! All totally new to me ones! Though the cover for Love Minus Eighty looks a lot like the cover for Doomed by Tracy Deebs! At least the finger part! Lol. I always find it funny/weird/cool when different books use the same cover aspects.
Here’s my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
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The cover to LME is really cool, it even has a see-through sleeve to give it the “frost” illusion. Orbit always has the best designs!
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I wondered if Sanderson was going to take several places aaaaaand voila, he did!
I don’t know if I could do this as I never note the publication year of the book I’m reading. Not even sure if Librarything has something for that…
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Yep, Sanderson is as ever reliable 😀
And not sure LibraryThing does it, but with Goodreads it was so easy to sort by publication year within the year I read the book – and it helped a lot with this post. But I know you don’t use GR.
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I checked LT and it isn’t something I could find to work.
As much as I denigrate GR on a regular basis, they sure do have some fine, fine tools 😦
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They do – I’m kind of an organization/list freak, so I admit I do put up with a lot of their crap just so I can use their sort and organizing system
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I really enjoyed looking back like this although it was really difficult picking one book from each year. I tried to go for things that maybe were a little different because I always seem to bang on about the same books – probably because I love them but still. I also had Dreamer’s Pool and City of Stairs instead of Blades. I also nearly used Emperor of Souls – I so love that book.
Lynn 😀
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Yeah, some years there was no contest, while other years it was much tougher. In those cases I went with gut feeling 🙂
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Lots of Brandon Sanderson huh? That doesn’t surprise me because he’s so well loved. I’ve never heard of Love Minus Eighty before. When I did my list, I kind of focused on memorable reads and not my absolute favorite because it’s hard to narrow a year of 100 books down to one!
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I am a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, and in my early years of writing fantasy his stuff dominated my top lists so it was not surprising 😀
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Ooh, nice approach, one from each year! I might have to do this…! And sticking my tongue out at you for the extra volumes you’ve just added to my want-to-read list!! 😉
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Haha, sorry (not sorry) 😀
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Both Ready Player One and 11/22/63 made my list as well! Although I read 11/22/63 the following year. I’m actually surprised to see the same books on various lists because there are just so many to choose from😁
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I think I read 11/22/63 the following year as well, but since I was sorting by publication year, I had to stay within the same format – so I just said what the hell, I’ll do two books that year, can’t choose!
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Whoo, Ready Player One! I think I read that one back to back to back because I enjoyed it so much. That was a first for me. I think I’ve read it four times now, and it’s quickly about to catch up to ‘The Gates of Fire’ as my favorite book of all time (based on how often I read them.)
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I am thinking I should do a reread of RPO soon 🙂 It’s been so long since I last read it, and I do love that book a lot – feeling like it’s time to experience it all again 🙂
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Great list. I haven’t read any of these, but I do have The Poppy War. I’m glad to see that you loved it so much.
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Poppy War is a great book, I hope you get to check it out!
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Thank you!
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Oh, damn, i didn’t realize Ready Player One came out in 2011! Loved that book, but only read it recently 🙂
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Yeah, it’s almost ten years old! Hard to believe, right? 😀
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There were so many good options it was hard to choose! The Divine Cities trilogy kept being juuuust edged out from making the list. If I had had more time this weekend I might have opened up the years to my top favorites, but then the list would probably have never ended.
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Yeah, I had a hard time some years to pick just one. Had to go with my gut with many of these!
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AH yes Sanderson is one of the best!
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Hear hear!
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I am amazed that you could choose only one per year Mogsy!!
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Believe me, for certain years it was tough! 😀
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Haha I’m sensing the Sanderson love! I am slowly branching out into more of his works, and Juliet Marillier is another author I’m hyped to check out (her books sound wonderful). Nice to see Robert Jackson Bennett on the list as well! I really enjoyed Foundryside (my first book by him), and it was one of the most entertaining books last year for me. 😊
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I had a great time with Foundryside too! I still like the world of his Divine Cities a bit more, but who knows with the Foundryside sequel coming out soon, it might grow on me a bit more – I can’t wait 😀
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Glad poppy war stood out- I definitely want to read it. And I’m sensing that you’re a Sanderson fan 😉 But it makes sense- Sanderson is awesome!
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Haha, yup – huge Sanderson fan here!
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Poppy war is on my TBR. I just need to make myself pick this book up!
Great list, btw. 🙂
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Glad to see it on so many people’s TBR! It’s really a great book, hope you get to check it out soon 😀
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Thanks. I hope so too! 🙂
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I just didn’t have time to do this topic so I went my own way. If time allows in the future I might give it a try. Ready Player One was a great book!
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Yes, RPO was one of the most unique books I’d read in ages! Still is!
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I’ve been meaning to read a few of these! Great list!
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Thank you, hope you get to check them out!
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Love how you went per year. Dreamer’s Pool! I love those Blackthorn and Grim books–a criminally underrated series.
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Can’t really take credit for the idea, I just went with what the host suggested and picked one per, haha! For some years it was really hard to pick just one though 😛
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It looks like I really need to check out Brandon Sanderson’s books sometime.
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