On feminist fantasy

Feminism and fantasy are two things that could stand to be combined more often. It's been on my mind a lot lately that there aren't always strong women in fantasy and I think we could stand to have a few (or a lot) more of those.

If you're interested in reading some feminist fantasy, here are a few books I recommend you start with:

• The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin - While the first book of this series is also completely worth the time, this sequel shows a matriarchal society of priestesses and one young woman's struggle with finding her place in it - or deciding if there's a place for her at all. It's an early inclusion of women in fantasy and Le Guin has influenced so many future feminist fantasy writers that she cannot be overlooked on this list.

• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - This is another classic fantasy book that's excellent for young (and old) readers. Sophie is a young girl put under a terrible curse that causes her to entirely change her life - and learn to utilize the gifts that she has.

• City of Lies by Sam Hawke - This brand new book (released July 3rd) takes place in a matriarchal society. While most of the rest of the book doesn't delve too much into feminism, I'm excited to see where this series will go and how the matriarchal society will be brought up in future books.

• Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb - In a book full of seafaring adventures, traders' guilds, and fierce pirates, there isn't room for women, right? Wrong. Robin Hobb shows us a world (and a family) where women are fighting for their voice and the ability to join in high sea adventures. It's a swashbuckling book with plenty of strong women to look up to.

• Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey - This is the most sex-positive fantasy story I've ever read. Phèdre is part dominatrix, part spy, part politician, part diplomat, and part survivor of terrible trauma. Her story is complex and fascinating and it's wonderful to see all the ways in which she can succeed.

• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin - This book follows Essun, a middle aged woman searching for her daughter as the world ends around her. Women are the main focus of this story - their lives, their experiences, their mistakes, and their misfortunes, along with their successes and joy. Essun is complicated and fascinating and a wonderful character to get to know - and to learn from her experiences.

What books would you add to this list? Have you read any of the books on this list?

On optimistic books

I love happy, joyful books and spring is the perfect time for beginning to delve into some lighter, more bright reads. So today, here are a few books that are cheery, optimistic, and that give you a good feeling about being alive.

• The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe - This is one of the more ridiculous books I've ever read and also one of the most upbeat. The daring Pirate Captain and his crew join up with Charles Darwin to encourage scientific progress in London - and also to attend a very important pirate convention. It's a delightful book that will keep you giggling the whole time you're reading. Plus, it's a pretty quick read, so you'll be through it in no time.

• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - I was shocked at how much I loved this book and how happy it made me. This whimsical story about cursed Sophie and her adventures with the wizard Howl is so much fun and so sweet and wonderful - and so much lighter than the film. 

• Remembering Isaac: The Wise and Joyful Potter of Niederbipp by Ben Behunin - This sweet, quiet, and slow-paced book about a young potter taking the place of the quiet (and somewhat therapeutic) town potter who just passed away is a happy and overwhelmingly upbeat (though quietly so) read. If you want to smile a little through your happy tears, this is the book for you. (Heads up - this also my grandmother's favorite book, so it's a great gift idea for grandparents!)

• Giant Days: Volume 1 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar - I've really enjoyed this graphic novel about three best friends starting off at college. While there are some sad parts, it's an overwhelmingly positive story about people learning to be adults. Plus, it's just a lot of fun. This book would make a great gift for your high school senior relative.

What books do you think of as "optimistic"? What makes a book optimistic in your mind? Have you read any of the books on this list?

January: Best and Strangest

Ah! This year is already flying by and leaving me to wonder if there will ever be enough time to do all the reading I want to do (obviously, the answer is no - I won't ever be able to read as much as I want to). This month, I managed to read 14 books and published 9 blog posts. All in all, not a bad start to the year. Below are this month's best and strangest:

BEST OF JANUARY

• Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest by Zeynep Tufekci - This was a surprising favorite for me. I really enjoyed this book and was excited to read it, but I didn't realize how much I'd use the knowledge I gained from this book - it's benefited so many conversations, a lot of my classwork, and just helped give me a better understanding of the dangers and benefits of social media. I highly highly recommend this book for everyone.

STRANGEST OF JANUARY

• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - This is the first month that I've read a Dark Tower book and haven't nominated that as strangest. It was close, but Howl's Moving Castle ended up sitting in my head a lot more than The Waste Lands did, so it won out this month! Full of moving castles, scarecrow stalkers, green slime, and fashion magic, this book was delightful and hilarious and certainly kept me on my toes. It's bizarre and adorable and totally worth the time.

OTHER JANUARY BOOKS

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My most popular blog post this month was On books to read if you want to learn more about music, which kind of surprised me! My music posts aren't typically viewed as often as other posts, so I was glad this one got a lot of attention.

What books did you read this month? What were the best and strangest books you've read recently? What blog posts really caught your eye?