If you saw the last post in this series, you would have seen that, as it was Valentine’s day, the theme was of course, romance. For this post, as it’s International Women’s Day today, the theme is female authors. Once again, I’ve asked some of my favourite bookstagrammers to share their favourite female authors, and hopefully you will find some new books to enjoy by reading their recommendations! Make sue you let me know in the comments who your favourite female authors are too!
Ellen (@stackedshelves) – J.K. Rowling
My favourite female author would have to be a very popular choice – J.K. Rowling! I think she’s done so much to revive and inspire reading as a whole and her imagination and talent is beyond impressive. My favourite book of hers is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but I also love her Cormoran Strike crime series – I don’t think there is anything she can’t write well!
Hels (@thehelsproject) – Michelle Obama
There are a lot of female authors I really admire, from Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf, to J.K. Rowling, Beth O’Leary and Cara Hunter. One of the most empowering books I’ve ever read by a female author though, has to be Becoming by Michelle Obama. Her story is so unique, so powerful and fascinating, I can’t imagine anyone reading Becoming and not feeling awed and inspired. I was so impressed by her writing and the way she so eloquently talks about her childhood, her marriage and her time as FLOTUS – I genuinely think she is one of the most inspirational women of our time.
Hannah (@hannahlouise.franklin) – Margaret Atwood
One of my favourite female authors definitely has to be Margaret Atwood. The huge breadth of her writing always amazes me, from well known stories like The Handmaid’s Tale, which has taken the world by storm and encompass wide spanning dystopian themes , to the novels that narrow down onto the intimately personal histories and lives of their protagonists like The Blind Assassin and Cat’s Eye. I always find Atwood’s writing immediately absorbing, whether in the dystopia of The Handmaid’s Tale, the science fiction of Oryx and Crake, historical fiction as in Alias Grace, or more personal storylines. Whenever I read Atwood’s work I get lost in the lives of her characters, burrowing deep into their own memories and experiences. Exploring so many different themes from romance, motherhood, childhood, memories of our past, feminism, and many more, Atwood’s novels irresistibly draw me in to their pages. It’s the range of style that Atwood offers that makes her one of my favourite writers; I can always find something new and different in her writing which makes me want to keep reading more of her books. If you’ve never read any Margaret Atwood then you should definitely add her to your list!
Beth (@booksnest) – Victoria Schwab
My favourite female author would hands down have to be Victoria Schwab, who is a mighty Queen of fantasy. She writes such intricate and awe inspiring worlds, it’s hard not to fall into the pages of her books. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Victoria too and she is so lovely and so clearly passionate about her writing. My favourite book by her is Vicious, the first book in the villains story about ExtraOrdinary people who have special abilities, for the X-Men fan in me this book is perfect! There is always magic in what Victoria Schwab writes, her books are superb and I will forever love her as an author.
Amy (@readwithamy) – Taylor Jenkins Reid
My favourite female author is a no brainer for me – it is Taylor Jenkins Reid. My first book by her was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I was mesmerised by her writing. I devoured the book so quickly and turned my attention to the rest of her books and they didn’t disappoint. I adored her most recent book, Daisy Jones & The Six and would recommend it to everyone. The interview format writing style was unique and her storytelling wonderful. She is a master of her craft and I cannot wait to read more from her in the future.
Jaz (@travelsinfiction) – Elizabeth Acevedo
Lately, I’ve been really branching out in terms of both the books and the authors that I read. I have my go-to female authors that I love sure, Sara Barnard and Alice Oseman to name a few. But for this question, I wanted to talk about a new-to-me author as I will definitely be picking up more of her work, after only reading one of her books. And that’s Elizabeth Acevedo. I recently read With the Fire on High and it was so wonderful. Her prose is beautiful, her characters are diverse and complex, and I was fully engaged in the plot. What more do you want?? I was so immersed in the story, and especially loved how much she brought Emoni’s passion for cooking to life. Just seriously *chefs kiss*. She also narrates her own books on audio – so I’m definitely picking up The Poet X in audio form. If you haven’t already, definitely go and read an Elizabeth Acevedo book!
Taylor (@talesfortay) – Katherine Arden
My favorite female author is Katherine Arden because she gifted me with my favorite book series to date–The Winternight Trilogy. Arden was able to paint such a vivid picture with her words and she created a strong female character, Vasya at the same time. Vasya kneels for no man, despite custom of her medieval Russian culture. When she is given the choice to marry some dull boyar at a young age or be sent to the convent for the rest of her days, Vasya stands her ground and creates her own destiny. I have read and reread this trilogy and will continue to do so for the unforeseeable future. It pulls you into an atmospheric world of russian folklore and the domovoi. Arden is a master storyteller and I cannot sing the praises of this trilogy enough!
Me (@amysbookshelf) – Lisa Genova
I have quite a few favourite female authors: JoJo Moyes, Hanya Yanagihara, and Kristin Hannah to name a few, but without a doubt, the author I will always read is Lisa Genova. Her most famous book is probably Still Alice and as Genova used to be a neuroscientist, all her books concern neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, which is the focus of Still Alice. What I love about her really boils down to two things; firstly, that every one of her books is an education. Not only are you following the characters’ fictional stories, but their conditions are very much real, and endured by ordinary people. Genova writes in a way that anyone can understand, but she doesn’t shy away from the opportunity to educate the reader too. Secondly, is her ability to find the humanity in all her stories. All her books are about ordinary people whose lives have become affected by something, be that Huntington’s Disease, Left Neglect, Autism, or ALS, their stories become extraordinary because of it. She shows the reader that anyone can overcome impossible things, and show a strength they didn’t even know they possess – to say they’re inspiring, would only scratch the surface of the impact they could have on someone reading who could empathise. Every time I read her books, I feel touched by the stories and commend her for shining a light on situations which are all too real for some.