Today is International Women’s Day 2020 so what better way to celebrate than talking about some of my favourite authors?
I’ll admit that the majority of books I read these days are by female authors. This isn’t deliberate; it just so happens that it’s women who are writing my favourite fantasy books! Women have been really killing it in the YA and adult fantasy world, and my TBR pile is full of amazing female authors and female protagonists that I hope to read sometime soon.
This is a shout-out to those amazing authors who have written stories to light up my life, or have inspired me in various ways. Here are five of my favourites:
Tamora Pierce
If anyone asks who my favourite author of all time is, Tamora Pierce would be top of the list, no questions asked. I’ve often said that Tamora Pierce could be credited for many author’s careers as she’s inspired generations. I was stealing her books from the library when I was a teen, and it makes me happy that she continues to write and expand on the world of Tortall. The Song of the Lioness is my comfort food, the one series that I come back to and read over and over. And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that they were a big inspiration behind my own book, Sand Dancer! There are thousands of us fans out desperate to see Pierce’s world to come to life on the big screen…
Read my review of Tamora Pierce’s latest novel, Tempests and Slaughter!
Sarah J. Maas
I’m a big fan of both the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Both feature a heroine who suffers through their own personal demons whilst fighting to save their friends and the world; I admire Celaena for her fighting skills and ruthlessness, and Feyre for her heart and determination. What I most love about Mass’s stories are her side characters, and the relationships she builds between them, and also how she writes such heart-wrenching cliff-hangers. I’ll always be a Chaol shipper! Her latest book, Crescent City, is Maas’s official step into the adult fantasy world and is out now. It’s top of my TBR pile!
Read my review of Kingdom of Ash!
Alwyn Hamilton
As you may have guessed by my book Sand Dancer, I love YA fantasy adventures with plucky heroines and desert worlds. I read Rebel of the Sands after I’d written my first draft of Sand Dancer, and damn was I impressed with the world building, djinni, and sand-controlling magical powers. They definitely inspired me to improve the fantasy in my own fantasy! I blasted through the first Rebel book and completely fell in love with the sequel, Traitor to the Throne because wow, what an ending. What I loved most about this trilogy were the tales and mythology which brought the characters together, and the incredibly well written epilogue of Hero at the Fall which tied the entire series together and left no doubt to where these characters would end up. I really get annoyed when book series end abruptly and leave me with no closure, thus I found this epilogue to be the standard that I judge all others against. Alwyn’s next series launches soon with The Notorious Virtues.
Read my review of the Rebel in the Sands trilogy!
Hafsah Faizal
There are many ways Hafsah Faizal inspires me. For one, I absolutely loved her debut We Hunt the Flame and can’t wait for it’s sequel, We Free the Stars this July. They tick all the boxes for what I enjoy most in fantasy; desert worlds, badass heroines, the dark broody boy leading to a potential romance, a deadly threat which requires travelling across the world on an adventure. As well as writing a fantastic world, Faizal also built her own design business from the ground up, Icey Designs, which began as a humble YA blog and grew into something much bigger! I’m in awe of her talent, and especially the design and skills that go into her professional website design. She is a woman of many talents!
Read my review of We Hunt the Flame!
Melissa Caruso
It was a dear friend of mine who recommended Melissa Caruso’s The Tethered Mage because of it’s similarities to Sand Dancer. Namely, a world where magic users are oppressed. My friend obviously has great taste in books because I fell in love with the Swords and Fire trilogy and devoured them pretty quick! Not only did I love these books, the characters, and the amazing world building, but Caruso herself is an inspiration. She’s a gamer, a Final Fantasy fan, a complete fantasy nerd, and she’s trained in sword fighting. Real sword fighting. Honestly, all of this is life goals! She regularly gives great writing advice over on her website and Twitter. I can’t wait to read her next adult fantasy series which kicks off with The Obsidian Tower this June.
Read my review of the Swords and Fire trilogy!
Of course, special mentions must go to authors like Alison Goodman, J. K. Rowling, Leigh Bardugo, S. A. Chakraborty, Sabaa Tahir, Samantha Shannon, and Ursula K. Le Guin for also creating amazing worlds and stories that have remained with me over the years. There’s many more I could mention but I’d be here all day!
Who are your favourite female authors?
