Play Book Tag discussion

We are excited to announce that this month's tag is:

female author

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below!

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as female author on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.

To find books to read for this tag, please visit:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

I would also like to note that we had a record number of people participate in the vote this month - 59 total! The next closest month was 53 people voting, and that was two years ago. So thank you for participating!!!

These are what I'm thinking of reading

For short storiesThe Assassination of Margaret Thatcher
About a painting: The Improbability of Love

Almost too many for recommendations, but these I'm hoping to get to in April:

Strangers by Anita Brookner
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
Music & Silence by Rose Tremain
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen

and possibles pencilled in:

Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
Bellefleur by Joyce Carol Oates
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton

Hooray! I have lots and lots of books in my current tbr pike at home to read for this; too many to list, so I'm sticking to recommendations

Some recommendations (and I'm not even going to include Pride and Prejudice even if it is my go-to, comfort read).

Canadian literature:

The Tin Flute by Gabrielle Roy
Where Nests the Water Hen by Gabrielle Roy

Other literary stuff:
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa

Mainstream:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Scifi (forget literary scifi for just a minute, even though you could say that counts; the last one is more hard core scifi space opera stuff):
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold is a well known space opera

y/a scifi:
Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Victorian (Pride and Prejudice is, of course, definitely, pre-Victorian):
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë This may not be the edition you want; be sure to get one that is the same as the novel BEFORE she died and Charlotte edited it.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Nonfiction:
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur-Trade Society, 1670–1870 by Sylvia Van Kirk will give you a whole new look on the fur trade, since the fur trade in Canada was very different than that of the States
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss

Fiction you may have missed:
humour: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster from a similar time to Anne of Green Gables, but with an older protagonist, different story and style, and nothing like the movie based on it.


This is all I can think of off the top of my head and checking my five star reads here; there are more, of course, that either I've never rated or never added.

I am so happy with the choice as it works well with my various goals.

There are 6 books I'd like to work in. I'd like to read: The Wreath by Sigrid Undset, Hild by Nicola Griffith, and Mudbound by Hilary Jordan. Audio choices are: Restoration by Rose Tremain, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, and Olive Kitteridge byElizabeth Strout.

Friction by Sandra Brown
The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
maybe The Funeral Dress by Susan Greg Gillmore

Too many for recommendations! But it's nice that the mystery thriller I'm reading now, an award winner by a Filipina author, and the first Filipino crime novel, will fit the tag for next month in case I don't finish it in time. Come to think of it, I think I will recommend it - the book is Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan. She originally wrote the book in 2007, which I read back then, but in 2015 she published an expanded version of the book, which is the edition in the link and the one I am reading now. Since it is an expanded version, I don't think it can really be considered a re-read.

Denizen wrote: "I am so happy with the choice as it works well with my various goals.

There are 6 books I'd like to work in. I'd like to read: The Wreath by Sigrid Undset, [book:Hild|173..."

Restoration and Olive Kitteridge are two of my favorites! Olive is on my fictitious top-10 list.

Yay, I love this one!

I have a couple of authors to recommend:

Jojo Moyes I've liked or loved everything I've read of hers. On my list is The Ship Of Brides and he most popular recent book is Me Before You, which is going to be a movie this year.

Kate Morton is also great. My favorites are her first two books, The Forgotten Garden and The House at Riverton. Both great. The only one I have left to read is The Secret Keeper.

I've been saving this one for April because it was both a female author and a memoir. I'm excited to read Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini.

I am excited by this month's choice. I plan to read:
Bellefleur by Joyce Carol Oates
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
I probably won't get through all, but it will be fun trying!
Recommendations: Anything by Kate Morton.

I thought I had more women writers on my TBR. I was expecting half, but I think it's only 1/3 ... that's disappointing.

I recommend:

For the right person ....
one of my all time favorites
Into the Forest

The End of Alice absolutely LOVED this, but again, not for everybody ... maybe not even for the minatory, but somebody out there

The Bell Jar no wonder Nicole R. doesn't want recommendations from me.

If you'd like to dig into a long historical fiction I highly recommend The First Man in Rome



My hopes are:
to finish

Enchanted Islands

The Nest if I can get it from the library
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration

but April is a busy travel month for me, so who knows ...

Oh, man, I never read female authors.

Just kidding! I will be reading Nora Robert's new book The Obsession which comes out April 12th!

BOOM! It is like fate.

I will also be reading a book I have at home that has a shirtless cowboy on the front. I cannot remember the title but that detail seems irrelevant. It is definitely by a woman. Or if it is not then I should maybe at least read the synopsis to make sure I know what I am getting in to....

Brilliant! I may be able to get through some of the stack on my coffee table!

Left over from the WWII month, I have Kate Atkinson's A God in Ruins. A couple by Jane Smiley (highly recommended by a recent visitor) : Moo and Horse Heaven. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand looked quirky and fun, and I may possibly get round to Joanna Trollope's A Village Affair though it is last priority.

Karin wrote: "Some recommendations ..."

Karin, you remind me that The Housekeeper and the Professor has been on my list FOREVER!

You have a lot of great recommendations in there :)

Denizen wrote: "My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante,..."

I have My Brilliant Friend downloaded as well! Hmmm...maybe I can work that one in too...

Marti wrote: "Friction by Sandra Brown"

Marti, are you planning to read Friction or recommending it? Are you a Sandra Brown fan?

I really liked Friction and can't wait for her new book to come out later this year!

Nicole wrote: "For the right person ....
one of my all time favorites
Into the Forest..."

Ugh, I was not the right person for that book.

And I LOVED The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration. I saw the author speak late last year and she was a wonderful speaker.

Nicole wrote: "I will also be reading a book I have at home that has a shirtless cowboy on the front. I cannot remember the title but that detail seems irrelevant. It is definitely by a woman. Or if it is not then I should maybe at least read the synopsis to make sure I know what I am getting in to....."

LOL!!! I am newish to romance but I like to mix it in with more serious books. Sometimes you just need a break and a happy ending! I read the goodreads #1 romance for 2015 (Confess) yesterday all in one day. Husband came home early, I closed the door to my room and read! :)

I love that I'm starting out with such an open-ended category!

My ultimate favorite book (and recommendation) is Gillian Flynn, especially Gone Girl (which I'm pretty sure everyone and their mother has read) and Sharp Objects. Other really good books I've enjoyed by a female author include Room, The Secret History, In the Time of the Butterflies, and The Night Circus. Technically, the book I'm reading right now, The Silkworm, is also by a female author too.

For April, I think I'm going to read Younger by Pamela Redmond Satran (if I ever get it from the library) and/or A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab. I'm mostly excited about the latter, but since I watch the TV show Younger, I figured I'd read the source material even if it really doesn't look like it's something I'd normally pick up otherwise.

Kathy wrote: "I am excited by this month's choice. I plan to read:
Bellefleur by Joyce Carol Oates
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Wives and Da..."</i>

I read [book:Bellefleur a long time ago and can't remember much other than I liked it. I think it was the first Oates book I read. The Luminaries has been on my short list since it came out. Hope you give it a great review to provide motivation for me to finally get around to it.

Nicole wrote: "I will also be reading a book I have at home that has a shirtless cowboy on the front. I cannot remember the title but that detail seems irrelevant.."

Be sure and click the cover box instead of the link box every time you mention the book.

Flo wrote: "I love that I'm starting out with such an open-ended category!

My ultimate favorite book (and recommendation) is Gillian Flynn, especially Gone Girl (which I'm pretty sure everyone and their moth..."

I like your recommendations. I've either already read them and rated them 4 or 5 stars or they're books I really want to read.

I take it you enjoyed Schwab's first book? It's also high on my TBR.

It's early in the morning here is Oz and I don't have time to share until this evening but I wanted to say that I'm excited about this month's tag! There are several books on my TBR list that fit, and I have a few that I'd love to share.

It is great that most of you are on the other side of the world to me as every morning when I wake up I have lots of posts to catch up on. It's a nice way to start the day. :-)

Here are a couple of books that are on my reading list and fit the category:

Trail of Broken Wings by Sejal Badani

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Jennifer wrote: "I am newish to romance but I like to mix it in with more serious books. ..."

I read my fair share of serious books as well, but I am currently in law school and read a TON of case law so when I sit down to read lately, the last thing I want to do is think more!

I wish I could get over my aversion to reading on the elliptical at the gym, I would get in so much more reading...but then I don't know when I would watch Dawson's Creek....

Denizen wrote: "Be sure and click the cover box instead of the link box every time you mention the book. ..."

Oh, absolutely! I will start when I get home tonight and see the book :)

Hahtoolah wrote: "The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

This book has been mentioned often to me lately and I have to admit, I am intrigued. I look forward to your review.

Coincidentally, I saw today that there is what I am guessing is a sequel, Glory over Everything: Beyond The Kitchen House

Denizen wrote: "I take it you enjoyed Schwab's first book? It's also high on my TBR."

It's pretty good! I gave it 4/4.5 stars I think. Worldbuilding is really important to me and I think the author did an awesome job with that. And Lila is a pretty awesome cross-dressing pirate/thief lol. Also it was just really original and that's in short supply these days. XD

Denizen wrote: "I am so happy with the choice as it works well with my various goals.

Mudbound..."

I highly recommend Mudbound!

Nicole wrote: "Oh, man, I never read female authors.

Just kidding! ..."

LOL! You stopped me dead with that statement!!!!!

Kate wrote: "Brilliant! I may be able to get through some of the stack on my coffee table! Major Pettigrew's Last Stand looked quirky and fun...!

I can recommend it. It was a very entertaining read.

I'm very happy about the tag this month. There are way too many recommendations to make and a couple I would recommend are already listed above. I would add Eleanor & Park, The Lovely Bones, The Time Traveler's Wife (for the few who may not have read it yet).

I plan to read:
The Eight
The Secret Chord
In the Woods
And based on a reminder above, I had previously downloaded but not read Me Before You

I really wanted Essay but female author should be an easy tag. So I will take a look at my other challenges and see what will work here, so I'll be back. My essay book that I had picked out was Gratitude and I am so excited to read this one that I will any way. Oliver Sachs is a great author and this is his thoughts on old age and dying. Well, enough for the tag that isn't to be.

Nicole wrote: "I wish I could get over my aversion to reading on the elliptical at the gym, I would get in so much more reading...but then I don't know when I would watch Dawson's Creek...."

Priorities Nicole, it's all about priorities.

I will recommend a few books I've read recently since the number of books I've read by female authors is huge:

West with the Night - Beryl Markham
Beautiful writing that evokes a place and time that no longer exists. Bonus - It fits the PBT non-fiction challenge.

The Forgotten Room - Karen White; Beatriz Williams; Lauren Willig - A multi-generational tale - historical fiction with star-crossed lovers and a mystery. Enjoyable 'popcorn' book.

My Name Is Lucy Barton - Elizabeth Strout - Elizabeth Strout's books are probably not for everyone. Nothing much seems to happen, yet so much happens. She writes books filled with quiet beauty.

What I will probably read (no promises):

The Swans of Fifth Avenue - Melanie Benjamin - I started this book quite a while ago and then put it down because I had stacks of library books to get through. I will pick it up and finish it for this tag.

Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout - I love the author and the book fits the PBT Shelfagories challenge for 2016.

Orphan Number 8 - Kim van Alkemade - Novel based on facts involving medical experiments carried out on children in orphanages c1920's.

Boys in the Trees: A Memoir - Carly Simon - It's Carly Simon's memoir - Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, James Taylor - enough said.

The Dressmaker's War - Mary Chamberlain - A book I wanted to read for the February tag WWII. Hope to get to it this month.

Linda S wrote: "My Name Is Lucy Barton - Elizabeth Strout - Elizabeth Strout's books are probably not for everyone. Nothing much seems to happen, yet so much happens. She writes books filled with quiet beauty. "

I'm so glad to find someone else who loved this book.

I have cast my mind back over the last few years, and the most notable recommendations I have are -

A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing - a outstanding read for me, but I don't think it is for everyone. It seems very polarising. It is written as a stream of consciousness and requires some concentration to get in to the 'zone'. I adored it and hope others will too.

A Little Life - I doubt that it has been missed by most, but just in case! It is still so present in my mind, money months after finishing.

The Fictional Woman - It is rare that I enjoy a non-fiction title. This was an exception. For the feminists out there, and perhaps you may become one after reading it if you are not!

My plans for the month are one or all of the following -

The First Bad Man - Anita recommended this a while ago, and another friend messaged me yesterday to insist that I read this. Voila - it fits the tag!

Ruby

Mudbound

My Name Is Lucy Barton - another vote from me! I loved Olive Kitteridge so I'm hoping I'll love this too.

I could keep going for days so I'll stop there!

Linda S wrote: "I will recommend a few books I've read recently since the number of books I've read by female authors is huge:

West with the Night - Beryl Markham
Beautiful writing that ..."

I am really enjoying The Forgotten Room!

Nicole wrote: "I am really enjoying The Forgotten Room!
"

I knew you would. So when you are done tell me which character storyline you think Beatriz wrote; I'm sure they collaborated on the outline, but I think each author 'owned' a character.

Susie wrote:The First Bad Man - Anita recommended this a while ago, and another friend messaged me yesterday to insist that I read this. Voila - it fits the tag!

Ugh, I've been wanting to read this forever too.

Nicole wrote: "Karin wrote: "Some recommendations ..."

Karin, you remind me that The Housekeeper and the Professor has been on my list FOREVER!

You have a lot of great recommendations in there :)"

Thanks!

Kate wrote: "Brilliant! I may be able to get through some of the stack on my coffee table!

Left over from the WWII month, I have Kate Atkinson's A God in Ruins. A couple by Jane Smiley (highly r..."


Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is quite good. I gave it 4.5 stars.

Nicole wrote: "Susie wrote:The First Bad Man - Anita recommended this a while ago, and another friend messaged me yesterday to insist that I read this. Voila - it fits the tag!

Ugh, I've been wanting to read th..."

April's our month!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Linda S wrote: "My Name Is Lucy Barton - Elizabeth Strout - Elizabeth Strout's books are probably not for everyone. Nothing much seems to happen, yet so much happens. She writes books filled with q..."

I'm hoping to love it too. I really enjoyed Olive Kitteridge - in fact it was my first ever F2F book club read! The start of a love affair!

Nicole wrote: "I wish I could get over my aversion to reading on the elliptical at the gym, I would get in so much more reading...but then I don't know when I would watch Dawson's Creek....

..."
It's always good to have one TV show at least, otherwise many people look at you very oddly. I have had bouts of no TV (when I was single I wouldn't have one if I was living alone because it's too easy for to start watching it too often).

Kate wrote: "Brilliant! I may be able to get through some of the stack on my coffee table!

Left over from the WWII month, I have Kate Atkinson's A God in Ruins. A couple by Jane Smiley (highly r..."

Major Pettigrew is great fun.

This won't be hard at all since I read WAY more female authors than I do male ones.

Nicole wrote: "Marti wrote: "Friction by Sandra Brown"

Marti, are you planning to read Friction or recommending it? Are you a Sandra Brown fan?

I really liked Friction and can't..."

I am reading Friction right now, so I can't recommend it yet. I usually like Sandra Brown. The fact that you liked it is a plus! What is the name of her new one?

Like others have said, there are just too many for recommendations!

I thought female author would be easy, but I actually have very few already planned for April written by women authors. Some possibilities, though:

Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism / Temple Grandin
The Snow Child / Eowyn Ivey (did I spell that right!?)
The Raft / S.A. Bodeen

Ok, I went through my books and here are a few I'll recommend:


Oh My Stars or Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik Fun, fun!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith is a real gem.

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas. This is a good period piece about the Japanese interment camps during WWII.

Red River by Lalita Tademy. She is a wonderful writer of African American historical fiction.

Anything by Fannie Flagg or Billie Letts. They are real, down home, fun books. Easy reads and not too serious, if you are looking for a break.