You've read a book you loved. That happens all the time. But every so often, you finish one and immediately open the author's whole shelf. Here's how to tell it's more than a one-book crush.
If you are checking for the signs you found your next favorite author, this list is a quick, honest gut check.
1. You finish and immediately check what else they've written
Not next week. Not "when you get around to it." The second you close the book, you're on their author page.
You Know You Belong
by Erhu Kome
A coming-of-age YA romance about friendship, first love, and the courage it takes to fight for…
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the connections that matter most. Sixteen-year-old Zenobia spent her childhood living with her paternal grandmother. After she passed away, Zenobia is shipped to Lagos to live with her parents who feel more like strangers, especially her mother, whose coldness is so stinging it makes Zenobia wonder if she’s even wanted at all. So she shuts down. No friends, no attachments, no heartache. But when she decides to escape the chaos of her home, this time to her maternal grandmother’s quiet village in a small island country, Zenobia finds something she didn’t expect: Raluki. Warm, open, and impossible to ignore, Raluki pulls Zenobia into his world of laughter, friendship, and the kind of belonging she’s secretly craved—alongside his friends Nicolas and Anara. Until Zenobia learns the truth—Raluki’s family is known in the village as cursed, and being close to him isn’t just forbidden…it’s risky. Now Zenobia has to decide between guarding her heart like always… or taking the risk and letting Raluki in.
Show less2. You'd read them outside your usual genre
You don't normally touch thrillers, or 18+ romance, or family drama, whatever it is, but this author gets a pass. That's not loyalty to a genre. That's loyalty to a voice.
A Love At Forty
by Emem Bassey
For Usoro, turning forty came with tribulations. She was infertile, fat, got divorced, was…
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unemployed, broke, had rough skin, didn't own decent clothes, struggled with low self-esteem, shouldered eight years’ worth of emotional abuse from her ten year marriage, experienced a friend turned enemy and dwelled in thoughts of a bleak future. When it seemed like the world was caving in, Usoro's unlikely saviour was her ex-husband's driver. She was uncomfortable with the younger man's passion for her, so she held her heart aloft until calamity came to her door. Jacob was smitten with his employer's wife on sight. He hated how his boss treated her and was glad when they divorced. Except she disappeared. Coupled with the case at hand, Jacob frantically searched for Usoro, worrying that he might not see her again. Therefore, when he found her, he pulled out all the stops to remain by her side despite her wariness. However, there's only so much a man can do for a woman unable to recognise love. Meanwhile, the case at hand made a sharp turn into the sinister and Jacob struggled to love, serve and protect.
Show less3. You recognize their sentences before you see the name
A turn of phrase, a way of ending a chapter, a type of character they keep returning to. You'd know their writing blind.
4. You're already forgiving the next book in advance
Every author has an uneven book somewhere in the catalog. If you've decided ahead of time you'll still read it, that's not politeness. That's being a fan.
Thirty Fine
by Mosunmola K. Rose
Rhoda is determined to make the best of her 30’s despite the dating jungle that is Lagos. A…
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night of tragedy changes the course of her existence as passion emerges from the ashes, while she scrambles to recover her flailing business and battered heart. In her desperation, she struggles to navigate the chaos of embers fanned by an Americanized Nigerian demon, Valentine Dozie. Val is many things most women dream of handsome, tall, and wealthy but she quickly finds out he is threatening her sanity…With support from her friends, she struggles to divest herself from Val. What gives? Adult: 18+
Show less5. You follow them, not just the book
You want to know what they're working on next, not just what's already out. That's the actual sign. Following an author on Sọna means their new releases land straight in your library.
Find Yours
Browse the full catalog on Sọna and see which author you end up following.
If you are still working out how to know if you have a favorite author, these favorite author signs are the shortlist to check against.
