Top Five Tuesday: Women Authors on My Young Adult SFF TBR

Last week for #WomeninSFF, I wrote about adult sci-fi/fantasy books on my TBR written by women authors.  I wanted to spotlight women I haven’t read yet who nonetheless have caught my attention with their books!  This week, I’m turning the spotlight over to YA, which is overflowing with too many female authors to count!  Here are five authors at the top of my list, with obviously way, way, way more to read in the future!  Once again, thank you to The Fantasy Hive for hosting the month-long #WomeninSFF on Twitter and Instagram.

If any of these strike your fancy, all titles link to Goodreads!

   

Tara Sim – SCAVENGE THE STARS
Gender-swapped COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO retelling?  Yes please! A young woman working on a debtor’s ship rescues a mysterious man at sea, who in turn frees her from captivity and offers her riches and a new identity. Flush with cash, she embarks on a revenge quest against the man who destroyed her life.

Swati Teerdhla – THE TIGER AT MIDNIGHT
I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope, so the premise here sounds completely up my alley.  An assassin out to murder an evil general crosses paths with the general’s nephew, and the two are thrown into a situation way over their head as larger forces come into play.  The first of a trilogy that’s inspired by Indian history and Hindu mythology, I’m desperate to give this series a try!

Emily Skrutskie – BONDS OF BRASS
Sci-fi is a fairly small niche in the YA world, so whenever I see a new one enter the scene, my curiosity is instantly piqued. This space opera begins at a galactic military academy, where a young pilot finds himself falling for his roommate.  Unfortunately, his roommate turns out to be the heir to the empire that destroyed his life.  Throw in a rebel plot to assassinate the heir, and our young pilot has a hell of a decision to make. Did I mention the main love story is also queer? Definitely need to check this one out!

 

Brittany Morris – SLAY
This is SFF adjacent, but so utterly relevant to the times and my interests, I had to put it on this list.  SLAY is a contemporary YA tale of a young black teen named Kiera who is the secret developer behind a wildly popular online game that caters to black gamers.  When a teen is murdered in real life over an in-game dispute, the game becomes the focus of national media attention, and Kiera must contend with trolls and other individuals who want to destroy the haven Kiera’s created.

Susan Dennard – TRUTHWITCH
And here’s my entry for “popular series I still haven’t read yet.”  I’ve picked up the first two books over years (how can I resist a good second-hand shop deal?) but I have yet to dive in.  A young witch with the rare ability to discern truth from lies goes on the run from those who would exploit her powers, evading empires and mercenaries while the continent teeters on the brink of war.

And those are my picks!  What women YA authors do you want to read?