Owner: Women of Fantasy URL:http://womenfantasybooks.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sat, 03 May 2008 00:16:29 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Reviews and favorite authors of fantasy genre & romantic fantasy genre fiction, written and about women. Site statistics:Click here
P.C. Cast: Latest Goddess Summoning book 2008-04-30 00:44:00 As part of her Goddess
Summoning series, P.C. Cast is releasing Warrior Rising. It's a good time to return to the Summoning series, a light and airy romantic fantasy collection perfect for summer. I'll be doing more reviews of these when I can, but in the meantime check out this excerpt from Warrior Rising. All of the books in this collection are great stand alones - don't worry about the order you read them in (unless you are picky about stuff like that;)
P.C. Cast & the world of Partholan 2008-04-28 14:24:00 P.C. Cast has long been one of my favorite authors. She has many books out, most with a goddess/feminist/fantasy theme to them, and also a few vampire-type books that I haven't read. This post will focus on my favorite world built by Cast, the world of Partholan.I am organizing the books here the same way Cast has them on her website.First is Divine By Mistake, which is the same as Goddess By Mistake only renamed and published by Luna books. This is the story of Shannon Parker, who is magically transported to the world of Partholan and made the Goddess Epona's Chosen. It's a fun, mostly light and entertaining read that is easy to get into and captivates.Second is Elphame's Choice (Luna) which takes place in the world of Partholan but in a completely different time with different characters
Robin McKinley 2008-04-19 11:18:00 For Christmas I received a variety of books, including some new faves by Robin
McKinley.The Outlaws of Sherwood, a new take on Robin Hood, was a terrific read, with great character development. Maid Marian is featured as a strong secondary character with all the female-empowered traits I've come to expect from McKinley.Spindles End is a new variety of Sleeping Beauty with a twist of an ending. A fun read, though I may of wished the ending to be more traditional. But it was realistic, if a fairy tale should ever be called that.Some other favorites by McKinley are Deerskin, which I've noticed she subtly ties into some other books, The Hero & the Crown & The Blue Sword. I find I need a long stretch between each book or the characters & plots become to similar.
Revisiting the classics 2007-12-12 11:31:00 Have been enjoying some delicious old favorites: Beauty, by Robin McKinley, which I read years ago as a child and enjoyed again (noticing for the first time how similar it is to Disney's Beauty and the Beast), some non fantasy genre books - notable Jane Austin - important for any self respecting female reader. Next on my list is A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L'Engle, and old favorite. It's really fun to revisit some of my favorites, and seems appropriate somehow for Christmas to get lost in a long familiar read.
Dark Moon Defender by Sharon Shinn 2007-09-10 12:31:00 Dark Moon Defender
didn't disapoint - it was a riveting, awesome read.However, it wandered a bit more than it needed to. Justin, the Kings Rider, and the novice he falls in love with are a bit underdeveloped. They have that sort of desperate love story thing going for them - where I couldn't help but wonder: after the crisis is over, will they still be together?? There's a famous line from the first Speed movie where Sandra Bullock's character informs Keanu's that people in high stress intense situations often feel like they are falling in love, but the love may not be real.Granted, Shinn took some time to try to establish a friendship first between the characters. They still don't have the usual depth of her other ones.Speaking of other characters, they really had to lend their voices to Read more:Sharon
More from Sharon Shinn... 2007-09-04 21:21:00 I am deeply, completely engrossed in Dark Moon Defender, by Sharon
Shinn. Dark Moon is her third installment in the 12 houses series. Book one, Mystic and Rider, is about the mystic Senneth and the Rider Tayse. Other characters play strong supporting roles: Kara, the fiery shapechanger, Donnel, her shapechanging companion, Cammon, the "sensitive" and Justin, the mystic distrusting other Rider. These books are some of Shinn's finest. Mystic and Rider hops around a lot, exploring the character of Senneth from the viewpoints of the other characters, which really develops her character more thouroughly than if it had just been a single character viewpoint.It is a dramatic, amazing read. After taking a break (few weeks) and getting myself "distanced," I started book two, The Thirteenth House. T
Sharon Shinn 2007-08-19 20:09:00 Sharon Shinn is one of my favorite authors. I started with her Samaria novels, picking up Archangel on a long Greyhound bus ride, definently not expecting much from the Gas station selection. Archangel really surprised me, with a strong female heroine and moving storyline. I thought, however, it to be a standalone novel and did not run into another Shinn read for a few more years - but later discovered the rest of the Samaria books.The strong romantic tension of elite arrogant Angels and the "common people" can be repetitive - but I couldn't really blame Shinn for doing the same 'ol thing a few times more - this type of book just really works for her.I turned from the Samaria series to her standalone novels, highly enjoying Summers at Castle Auburn and Heart of Gold, both featuring (like t Read more:Sharon
Another swell review 2007-03-29 19:25:00 Here is the review
for "Forgotten Truth," by Dawn Cook:This book, the third one in Cooks' Truth series, really takes our characters in a different direction. And I think that is precisely why Forgotten Truth is so successful. Rather than stick to the previous plots religiously, Cook's characters are allowed to evolve. Some are more distanced, opening up new relationships and paving the way for the fourth book.It was a truly engaging read. Alissa travels back three hundred years in time when a spell goes awry. When she realizes she will probably be stuck in the past forever, she begins to fall for someone in the past. (I won't say who :)) Anyways, her feral consiousness really takes hold in this book and starts to open up a whole new pandora of ideas Dawn Cook can use in future novels... A
Hidden Truth, by Dawn Cook 2007-03-19 23:05:00 Hidden Truth
is an excellent sequal to First Truth. We follow our heroine Allisa as she feels the call of the book of First Truth, and the increasingly romantic feelings for Strell. Allisa also starts receiving Keeper lessons from Talo-Taocan (AKA Useless) and battles the mad fallen keeper Bailic. The events in this crucial 2nd book set the stage for the third and fourth.This is a series that continues to evolve. The second will leave you breathless, hungry for more. I am now on the 4th (and last) and all I can say...is I very much hope Dawn Cook will come back to the Truth series, in one way or another.Although Cook has that annoying habit of rehashing the last books events (making me feel I'm re-reading everything) - each book intertwines nicely with the one before.
Read more:Hidden
it's about darn time I wrote another post!! 2007-03-16 16:25:00 Well have finally found a moment to write another post. I am still deeply enchanted in Dawn Cook's "Truth" series, and yes, reviews will be posted soon. Am on the third in this series and so far it just gets better and better ... recently finished the first book of the dragonriders of pern - I know, who waits this long to start such a classic series? Well for some odd reason I just could never get into it before - but now that I've started I am glad. OK - truthfully - its not quite the style of writing I really love to read, but it certainly is a classic. Plus I can't read feminist fantasy without reading Pern!!
Read more:wrote
"First Truth" by Dawn Cook - Review 2007-02-27 01:56:00 quick summary: Alissa goes in search of a place to learn magic, meets cute guy Strell, both deal with loss and conflict. Much better than the Princess books.Today I finally finished FirstTruth
, by Dawn Cook. Now this book is a world apart from her later "Princess" series. It shows a depth and talent that the later series not only lacks, but it is almost as if a different writer wrote it. I would be glad to see Cook return to her former writing style.First Truth is obviously a debut novel. It has all the typical mistakes. So why my rave review? Because the amazing things about this book far outweigh the fall backs. Cook has a real masterpiece here, and the ending really left me wanting the next book - fast. But she didn't get nearly as dramatic as her Princess books. Cook held back - with
Update to Dawn Cook's Princess Books 2007-02-18 22:23:00 It's odd to see books that don't come in three's. There is some unwritten law about this. Well, I of course assumed Decoy Princess
and Princess at Sea would have a third book. Here is the author's comment about Princess at Sea, from her website: (link at left) "This closes out the Tess books, though I may come back at a later date if Tess asks me to return." That really makes Princess at Sea a disapointment. Maybe Cook is doing the smart thing, however, if she recognized the faults of her book and can't write another without repeating them.
Read more:Update
, Books
Rant rave 2007-02-18 22:16:00 So why is it that so many emerging authors 2nd series really pale in comparison to the first? This seems to be the case with Dawn Cook. I just finished reading her two books, The Decoy Princess and Princess at Sea (see reviews below), and started First Truth. This is Cook's first book. In some ways it's hard to tell it's the same author!! She writes in 3rd person instead of 1st and tells the story from the perspective of two people instead of one. Really, this seems to work much better with the authors writing style. So far, and yes I do know it is too early to really tell, First Truth is much better than the Princess series. I really hope she does something with her next Princess book to fix those mistakes - maybe read her Truth series again??As a reader, I would rather wait a long time f
Princess at Sea, by Dawn Cook 2007-02-18 21:57:00 OK - I finished this book two nights ago. Sometimes when a book keeps me up all night turning pages that means it is a great book - but sometimes, at least for me, it just means the book is too intense. This was the case with Princess
at Sea. The term Princess, and the crown on the front of the book, are kind of misleading. Basically, Tess is technically a Princess, because she was adopted legally. But she doesn't really consider herself one. Getting past that though, there is the issue of the incredibly high drama in the book. In this story, unlike the first one, the 1st person narrative just doesn't seem to work for the intensity of the storyline. Tess undergoes alot of tortuous miserable experiences and for awhile I felt it would never end.I also wonder what was going through the author
The Decoy Princess, by Dawn Cook 2007-02-18 00:17:00 Summary: Tess, Princess
of Costenopolie, learns she is not the princess at all, but a decoy for the real princess who was raised in a nunnery. The blow is softened by discovering she is destined to be a player in a powerful game, and has magical abilities.Review: This is Dawn Cook’s second fantasy series, her first being the Truth books. This first installment in the new series is a highly adventure packed read, written in first person – not overly common for the fantasy genre. There are places where Cook stumbles, and small parts of the story that do not add up, but nothing major. Tess is a strong, vital character with very un-princess like knife throwing skills and tolerance to deadly poison. She is a very likable character, and reacts realistically to the situation. We learn that be
Introduction 2007-02-17 23:26:00 Welcome to the Women of Fantasy Blog. Fantasy books with strong dynamic female heroines are my absolute favorite type of novel to read. This is by no means meant to be a complete list - there are many books I have yet to read. If you have recommendations, or reviews of your own, just add a comment. You have to join blogger to comment - but it's free and easy. Thanks for visiting my blog!
Read more:Introduction
Light Romantic Fantasy I couldn't put down 2008-05-04 00:00:00 I found this journey-type series by author Elizabeth Vaughan light and riveting. The main character, Xylara, is a healer and also a princess, who is caught into a very intense situation with the conqueror of her people. This series is nice and romantic without being too physical - it's more of an emotional romance, which I prefer.Xylara is a character on the path to self-discovery. Her love for the Warlord is a bit obsessive for me but makes for a great romance. She has some identity issues and is very young - but this makes it a two fold journey series - the physical journey made and the emotional one Xylara goes through as she matures.
Juliet Marillier - Daughter of the Forest 2008-05-05 15:05:00 Looking through my bookshelf I ran into this old favorite - Daughter
of the Forest
(The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Book 1) by Juliet
Marillier. Her website refers to her fantasy style as historical fantasy, and that is certainly true - but history as the dry subject I remember is a far cry from this book. Celtic mythology, and yes, historical events, make their way in, but this is such a magical book it's hard to classify. All I can say is that it is very very good.Although it is the first of a trilogy it is also a good standalone book - the main character plays a quiet background role in the next two. This was my favorite of the three.Sorcha, the main character, undertakes a perilous quest to save her brothers who have been cursed by an evil enchantress. A poetic, powerful story is inside this
Twilight Book, Movie 2008-05-07 23:51:00 If you haven't read the book Twilight
(The Twilight Saga, Book 1) yet then you probably don't know about the movie coming out in December. My little sister, who is always more "with it" than me, told me about the movie weeks ago but today is the first time I noticed how inundated the internet is with versions of the Twilight trailer. Google brought up 544,000 listings when I typed in Twilight Trailer, so I headed over to to see if I could find a link to the actual trailer. Sure enough, it was there: the Twilight Trailer Link. I also found a link to the making of the movie on Meyer's site.Although I feel the books are hardly perfect - and very reminiscent of every teenage romance I have ever read - I am interested to see what the movie makes of the page turning Twilight book and if anythin
My Squidoo Lens 2008-05-09 19:37:00 Check out my new squidoo lens at Romantic Fantasy books new in 2008 I can't wait to read. What are your top booksnew for 2008? Post in comments!
Read more:Squidoo
Nora Roberts & The Three Sisters Island Trilogy 2008-05-11 23:05:00 Years ago I remember reading a historical type romance by Nora Roberts
. I remembered reading it today when I saw someone reading a Nora Roberts book at a family gathering. OK, so historical romances aren't really my thing, but I do remember enjoying it... whatever it was.It turns out Ms. Roberts has been writing stuff with witches, vampires, and other paranormal elements - usually in the present d Read more:Three
, Sisters
, Island
, Trilogy
Catherine Asaro and the Misted Cliffs Trilogy 2008-05-23 00:10:00 Catherine Asaro, well know for her science fiction novels, really shines when it comes to fantasy. Unlike the dark and intense sexually charged sado-masochist themes in her sci-fi works, her fantasy novels are lighter and just as page-turning - without being "fluff." Asaro, a physicist, writes about magical abilities in a way that makes sense. Called "shape-mages," her powerful characters focus on Read more:Catherine
, Cliffs
, Trilogy
Follow me on Twitter 2008-05-21 18:00:00 Who? - you silly!What? - Twitter
is a new social networking site to let all your peeps know what you are up to.When? Anytime anydayWhere? Follow me at ? When I can't post, I twitter!!
How to choose the perfect fantasy book 2008-05-21 17:07:00 Ever walked into the bookstore, grabbed a terrific looking fantasy
book only to find halfway through you hate it (but must finish)? Here are my tips for finding the perfect fantasy to read - including when you are crunched for time (wailing toddler, airport, store about to close, etc. etc.)Patience - sometimes the perfect book will find you - no really! A relative will offer it up, a friend will n Read more:choose
Update: Nora Roberts and Dance Upon the Air 2008-05-21 16:54:00 I'm almost halfway through Dance
upon the Air (Three Sisters Island Trilogy) by Nora Roberts
and am really enjoying this book. The main character, Nell Channing, is running from her past and falling for the local sheriff of Three Sisters Island. The paranormal element? Witchcraft - but not the weird creepy kind - this is the love/light/goddessy kind. So far this has all the elements of a very tast Read more:Update
why I like payperpost - an unabashedly off-topic post ;-) 2008-05-23 23:56:00 Recently I purchased the educational book "Blogging for Dummies," to figure out some ways to spiffy up my blogging. Although blogging is addictive and fun in and of itself, everything is made better when you can make a few bucks off of it (although purists may disagree). In any case, it listed some ways to "monetize" your blog and one of the better ones out there is payperpost - which I had known Read more:topic
Lunacat.net 2008-05-24 23:28:00 Not a book review this time - a website review. Surfing for new stuff written by women in the fantasy genre - not necessarily new as in recently published but new to me - I ran into the typical lists of popular books such as listmania and so on. Then I found this very worthwhile site, lunacat.net, which describes itself as "Science Fiction & Fantasy by women." Reminiscent of a library site, it
Cops in Fantasy 2008-05-26 11:00:00 What is it about a cop in a good book that makes us tingle? Usually it's a man - but not in the case of Urban Shaman, by C.E. Murphey. The main character, Joanne Walker is a 6 foot + sexy female cop who just happens to have shaman abilities and has to save the world. Joanne, half Native American and half Irish, must battle or enlist the aid of so-called "mythological" beings on both sides to save
Charmed Destinies, a review 2008-05-27 18:35:00 In my previous post about the Misted Cliffs trilogy I introduced Catherine Asaro, a science fiction writer who is turning to fantasy. I find her to be a better fantasy fiction writer than sci-fi writer, with a softer, enchanting sort of style. The above pictured book, Charmed
Destinies, features 3 shorts by Mercedes Lackey, Catherine Asaro, and Rachel Lee. I found Asaro's story "Moonglow" to be th Read more:review
Finished! Nora Roberts 3 Sisters Island Trilogy book 1 2008-06-02 23:11:00 I finished Dance upon the Air (Three SistersIslandTrilogy
) by Nora Roberts
two days ago and am almost ready to pick up the next book in the trilogy, Heaven and Earth (Three Sisters Island Trilogy). Dance upon the Air doesn't really come across as paranormal fantasy really, it is more of a normal "real life" novel - where magical powers just happen to exist somehow. That said, the low-keynes
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