Women Authors You’ve (probably) never read but need to
Originally posted on 3/20/24
One of the perks of my job is getting to experience ARCs (Advanced Reader Copy) and, sometimes I find books/authors that I never would have picked up on my own but I end up falling in love with them! I may have made a friend or two because of said ARCs. I also get to experience books and authors that aren't talked about enough.
So, I decided to give you the gift of sifting through all of those books and authors, all of those ARCs, the good and the bad (well that I've read in my life thus far) and let you know which female authors you may not have heard of, but I love to recommend, women authors I don't hear talked about nearly enough and women authors I kind of feel like everyone needs to check out.
I'm not listing these in any particular order. I'll also include links to help you adopt your own copies and support us all at the same time.
S.G.D Singh. Ever heard of her? Well, if you know me I'm guessing you have. One of the first ARC books I ever got was Exiled to Freedom and she broke me. I was touched and effected in ways that I never expected when I opened it. I had to reach out to her! When I did, I learned that this book is actually a departure from her typical work, Urban Fantasy. I had to read all of her books and now, a few years later, I have...at least once. And, while I loved Exiled to Freedom, she wrote a series that quickly became one of my series, the Infernal Guard series. I will always recommend her and her work. Plus, I'm in love with her book covers!
Kelsey Ketch is another author I was lucky enough to receive early on. Dark Reflections blew my mind. I was instantly drawn to an idea I'd never heard of before, a girl possessed by a vampire. I fell in love. Since then, I've eagerly read a few more of her books. I have yet to find one she's written that I didn't enjoy. In fact, Bly actually inspired me to seek out The Turn of the Screw by Henry James which inspired Ms. Ketch's Bly. I'm excited to continue chipping away until I have all of the her books.
Big Boned by Jo Watson was one of the first ARC books I got that I didn't ask for. I remember opening it up, reading synopsis and being really excited because everything about it screamed me. Then, when I read it, I literally cried because I had never felt so seen in such vulnerable ways as I did in this book. I even reached out to Ms. Jo Watson. She said that this, too was different then what she usually writes, as she usually does Rom-Coms which I adore! Now, in all honesty, I have yet to have the privilege of reading any of her other books, but they are all on my wishlist! They look amazing and from what I've seen of Ms. Watson, I can't imagine them being anything sort of awesome. I love her style and her honestly so much!
Erika Lewis's Kelcie Murphy and the Academy of the Unbreakable Arts is the first in a series (the second one is already out and the third should be within the year, as I understand it). This MIddle School series gives a very Harry Potterish feel with more girl power and representation. I adore Kelcie and her friends! Erika Lewis doesn't have a long list of book yet, but she's working on it! I, too am working on working my way through her works, having read both Unbreakable Arts book and eagerly anticipating the third and my next audio book is planned to be The Color of Dragons which she also work on with R.A Salvatore which sounds insanely good with magic and Merlin and all!
Update: Just finished The color of Dragons and really enjoyed it! It was meant to be a stand alone, but I kind of wish it doesn't stay that way!
Tsara Shelton was my first "Author friend". I met her before I even had my bookstore online. I had a social media account dedicated to my family's experience with Autism and she followed said account. At some point, she shared with me that she had written a book. As I read her book written with humor and honesty, filled with stories of her life and having loved ones with Autism, I felt like the entire book was a message to me, "You're not alone. See? Someone else out there loves coffee and struggles with being a special needs mom and is quirky and imperfect, too! Just breath! You're not the only one." Spinning in Circles and Learning from Myself is just a taste of what you get from her blogs and social media accounts and, I'm so there for it!
But that's just what I think. Have you read any of these authors? Who are you excited to read first? Let us know in the comments!
