I’ve really missed doing Friday Favorites, and since no one was currently hosting it, Cait @ Functionally Fictional decided to jump into the gap. Each week, she provides a prompt, and I get to talk about my favorite books that fit the topic. Feel free to join in – the more the merrier!

Since I’ve been tracking my books each year, I noticed that I tend to read more female authors. And of those, there’s definitely a few that I truly admire. They write beautifully, create amazing characters and storylines that pull me in, and build worlds that I hate saying goodbye to. Some female authors that I truly admire include:

1. R.F. Kuang—she writes incredible stories, merging history with fantasy, and offering sharp social justice commentary, especially focusing on the experience of minorities.
2. Tasha Suri—I can’t help but be in absolute awe of her ability to create vivid fantasy worlds while weaving in Indian influences, and incorporating a beautiful sapphic romance into at least one of her series, while also making a classic that I never wanted to read feel accessible and actually enjoyable.
3. Elodie Harper—she took one of the most intriguing periods of history and brought it to life in a startling and vivid way in a series that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
4. Ayana Gray—while I’ve only read one book, I fell in love with her African-inspired fantasy with well-developed characters and a plot that hooked me from start to finish.
5. Rena Rossner—she takes historical fiction to a new level, combining Jewish beliefs and mysticism with fantasy in the most beautiful and absorbing ways.
6. Patricia Cornwell—one of the first mystery/suspense writers focusing on crime thrillers, she has become one of my favorite writers with the Kay Scarpetta series.
7. Leigh Bardugo—not only do I love her stories, but I also love seeing a main character with a disability involving the need for a mobility device.

Who are some female authors that you admire?