B is for Baker (Part of my A to Z: Female Fantasy Authors Reading Challenge)

So I have discovered I lust after covers. Yes I picked Kage Baker's The Anvil of the World because of it's awesome cover. Check it out:

LOVE the cover!

Once the cover hooks me, I check out the blurb...if that intrigues, me I flip to the first page and read the first few sentences, maybe a paragraph. And that's what usually  helps me decide to read or not read a book.

Kage Baker (who died much too early) has an established reputation in the science-fiction/ fantasy community and this is her first fantasy novel. She's often cited as a contemporary genius in the sci-fi/fantasy world. Unfortunately I had't read her...but I'm remedying this now.

My Review (Finished reading Jan. 31, 2014)

I read this as part of my A to Z Female Fantasy Authors reading challenge. And I loved it!

This is a 4.5 stars read for me only because the story has three separate sections instead of flowing seamlessly as one story. The changes, esp. between parts 2 & 3, did take me out of the story for a bit.

But overall, I'm so glad I read it. Kage Baker is better known for her science fiction, however her first fantasy novel didn't disappoint. It was Terry Pratchett meets Sinbad the Sailor meets Faulty Towers. It was LOL funny and thought provoking. This was a fun read with great characters and an interesting world. I wish I had written it...but so glad someone, Ms. Baker, did.

I will definitely check out her other books now.

Other books I have read in my A to Z: Female Fantasy Authors Reading Challenge:

A is for Abbey, Lynn with her Rifkind's Challenge
C is for Choo, Yangsze with The Ghost Bride

What are you reading?

A to Z: Female Fantasy Authors Challenge

So I finally picked my "A" book for my personal challenge to read more female fantasy authors in 2014...

Rifkind's Challenge was literally the first book I found in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section of my local library, it was the first book on the shelf. Love the cover art. You know you're getting a strong no-nonsense heroine, a woman with an attitude. Yes!

Lynn Abbey is an established fantasy author and has written for several publishers (ACE, WARNER Books, Avon Books and TOR), but somehow I'd never read her. She's known for her work in the THIEVES' WORLD shared-world anthology series.

I'm on chapter 8 and enjoying the story (a complete review will come when I'm done).

My Favorite 2013 Reads and a Reading Challenge for 2014

What a difference a year makes. Last year I struggled to reach my goal of 50 books and barely scraped past the finish line at midnight. This year, I met my goal of 50 way early and then upped it to 100. Right now I'm at 81 books and don't think I'll quite make my goal...but no regrets. I have read more than the year before, and I have read some pretty awesome books.

How do I define an awesome read? It's one that yanks me into the story and holds me hostage (okay, in all honesty, it simply makes me ignore everything else like making dinner, eating lunch, laundry etc.).  I keep reading and turning the pages until it's done. Then it resonates -- haunting me even after I have walked away from the book. It's a story with staying power.

So, without further ado, here are some stories I really, really enjoyed this year: 

I love a good fantasy story with a complex world order, an interesting female lead and magic. This one also had a fun/unreliable god stirring up all kinds of trouble, two very nice males, and loads of tension. But the reason this gets top billing is because it led me to hunt down and read Crista McHugh's other books. Always happy to discover a new favorite author! :)

The Goddess of Fried Okra is Texas women's fiction at its best - a bit quirky and a lot of heart. It's definitely going on my keeper shelf and I do plan to re-read it. It also led to a very nice email exchange with author Jean Brashear. 

This has to be one of my favorite epic fantasies. Complex world with intriguing politics, great characters and message, a little bit of romance and lots of adventure. Another plus point: a non-Western setting, which is kind of hard to find. And, yes, the writing is beautiful. Another one for keeper/ re-read shelf.

I didn't think I was into alien fiction, but I loved this. Then when I went to research author Jennifer Armentrout, I discovered this is her first adult offering. I'm looking forward to more. Meanwhile, because I enjoyed the story so much, I will go read her YA offerings set in the same world and focused on other aliens. Yup, she's definitely made me a fan of aliens...which goes to show a well-executed story is what matters.

Writing wisdom that I need to read and re-read. author Dani Shapiro has the uncanny ability of bringing up things I have worried about, but never mentioned to another soul (because I may be seen as more neurotic than I already am)...and for addressing those issues in a way that makes sense to me. Yes, this will also be going on my Keeper shelf. So glad I found this book.

My Personal Reading Challenge for 2014: 

I have decided to focus on female fantasy writers next year. While there are quite a few talented female authors in the field, I have woefully read too few and epic fantasy still comes across as a largely male dominated genre. So I have decided to remedy the lack in my reading and help create more awareness about female fantasy offerings.

To make it easier, I'm calling it A to Z: Female Fantasy Authors and yes, I plan to go down the alphabet between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2014. I'll be using the blog, my Goodreads and Pinterest accounts and my FB author page. Anyone want to join me? It's always more fun to have buddies along :)