![What kind of holiday decor do you gravitate towards? 🎅🏼
I’m a classic red, green, and gold girly through and through! 😍 I love a very traditional Christmas style and even though my home is full of neutral tones, through the holiday season the halls are decked with as much glitter and holly as possible 😂
[#ad] I chose to keep my absolutely gorgeous 7’ Tribeca Blue Spruce @kingofchristmas tree really simple this year with just a mix of baubles and I really love how it turned out! ✨ Now to find the perfect topper...
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#kingofchristmas #christmastree #kingofchristmastree #christmastimeishere #holidayhome #ltkhome #ltkholidaystyle #holidaysathome #christmashome #christmasdecorating #christmastrees #holidaydecor #holidayhomes #holidayhomedecor #christmasdecor #deckthehalls #christmas2023 #christmasspirit #christmastime #christmasiscoming #christmasvibes #homefortheholidays](https://theespressoedition.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
It’s time for you to read a book with a strong female lead! Whether you’re craving adult fantasy, romantic comedy, or YA contemporary, I’ve got a recommendation that you’ll love!
I love reading. I love reading books with women in them. I especially love reading books with a super strong female lead! I’m not talking about the stereotypical “I’m not your average girl” characters. What I mean is either a protagonist that exudes confidence and courage, a leading lady that has searing emotions that end up becoming her strength, or a surprising spitfire that you grow to love.
As you read through some of my suggestions, you may come across stories that surprise you! Some of these badass babes begin as the villain or antihero, like in Into the Heartless Wood, but I still think they’re incredibly written and have merit. Other titles, such as Wicked Lovely or Three Dark Crowns include a full cast of bombshells and I’m totally here for it! If you’re looking for the best books with a strong female lead, then you’re going to love this list.
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30 Novels With Badass Female Characters
You can find a synopsis of each book below, along with links to buy a copy for yourself! Make sure to follow me on The StoryGraph to read my reviews and bookstagram to see my aesthetic photos of these titles and more.
The Grishaverse Collection – Leigh Bardugo
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Wilderwood Duology – Hannah Whitten
The first daughter is for the Throne. The second daughter is for the Wolf.
For fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale comes a dark, sweeping debut fantasy novel about a young woman who must be sacrificed to the legendary Wolf of the Wood to save her kingdom. But not all legends are true, and the Wolf isn’t the only danger lurking in the Wilderwood.
As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.
Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.
But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood-and her world-whole.
Buy the series: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life.
When she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Shades of Magic Trilogy – V.E. Schwab
Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Falconer Trilogy – Elizabeth May
One girl’s nightmare is this girl’s faery tale
She’s a stunner.
Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty.
She’s a liar.
But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she’s leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.
She’s a murderer.
Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons—from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols—ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.
She’s a Falconer.
The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother’s murder—but she’ll have to save the world first.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Into the Heartless Wood – Joanna Ruth Meyer
The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths. For centuries, a witch has harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow her domain.
When Owen Merrick is lured into the witch’s wood, one of her tree-siren daughters, Seren, saves his life instead of ending it. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and every night her longing to become human deepens. But a shift in the stars foretells a dangerous curse, and Seren’s quest to become human will lead them into an ancient war raging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her.
Epic, heartbreaking, and darkly atmospheric, Into the Heartless Wood is the story of impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Echo North Duology – Joanna Ruth Meyer
Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: If she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.
In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear, and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up, otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Sound of Stars – Alechia Dow
Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity?
Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world’s population.
Seventeen-year-old Janelle “Ellie” Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. Deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, humanity’s emotional transgressions are now grounds for execution. All art, books and creative expression are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library. When a book goes missing, Ellie is terrified that the Ilori will track it back to her and kill her.
Born in a lab, M0Rr1S (Morris) was raised to be emotionless. When he finds Ellie’s illegal library, he’s duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more. They’re both breaking the rules for love of art—and Ellie inspires the same feelings in him that music does.
Ellie’s—and humanity’s—fate rests in the hands of an alien she should fear. M0Rr1S has a lot of secrets, but also a potential solution—thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous road trip with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while making a story and a song of their own that just might save them both.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin Duology – Roseanne A. Brown
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.
But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.
When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?
Buy the duology: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo
A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.
Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.
But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.
So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.
Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
With the Fire on High – Elizabeth Acevedo
With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
When You Get the Chance – Emma Lord
A bighearted novel about falling in love, making a mess, and learning to let go, When You Get the Chance is the next effervescent novel from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club pick You Have a Match.
Nothing will get in the way of Millie Price’s dream of becoming a Broadway star. Not her lovable but super introverted dad, who raised Millie alone since she was a baby. Not her drama club rival, Oliver, who is the very definition of Simmering Romantic Tension. And not her “Millie Moods,” the feelings of intense emotion that threaten to overwhelm. Millie needs an ally. And when an accidentally left-open browser brings Millie to her dad’s embarrassingly moody LiveJournal from 2003, Millie knows just what to do—find her mom.
But how can you find a new part of your life and expect it to fit into your old one without leaving any marks? And why is it that when you go looking for the past, it somehow keeps bringing you back to what you’ve had all along?
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Renegades Trilogy – Marissa Meyer
Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone… except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Lunar Chronicles – Marissa Meyer
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
Buy the series: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
You Should See Me in a Crown – Leah Johnson
Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Belladonna (series in progress) – Adalyn Grace
A girl confronts Death—and her own deathly powers—in this Gothic-infused, romantic young adult fantasy.
Nineteen-year-old Signa Farrow, orphaned as a baby, has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her last remaining relatives are the Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at the glittering and gloomy estate of Thorn Grove. Thorn Grove’s patriarch, Elijah, mourns his late wife, Lillian, through wild parties and drink, while eldest son Percy grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and daughter Blythe suffers from the same mysterious illness that killed her mother. And when Lillian’s spirit confronts Signa and claims she was poisoned, Signa realizes that Blythe could be next to die.
Signa’s best chance of uncovering the culprit and solving Lillian’s murder is an alliance with Death himself—the very man she hates most. And Death, that fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side, shows her that their connection may be more powerful than she ever dared imagine.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Bone Grace Duology – Kathryn Purdie
Bone Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.
Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.
Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.
Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.
Buy the duology: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Wicked Lovely Series – Melissa Marr
Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty – especially if they learn of her Sight – and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention.
But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr’s stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.
Buy the series: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
All the Stars and Teeth Duology – Adalyn Grace
Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.
She will reign.
As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer — the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.
When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.
But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder — and more peril — than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.
I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.
Buy the duology: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – Abbi Waxman
The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They’re all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She’ll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It’s a disaster! And as if that wasn’t enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn’t he realize what a terrible idea that is?
Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)
It’s time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn’t convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It’s going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Flatshare – Beth O’Leary
Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…
Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.
But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Green Bone Saga – Fonda Lee
In this World Fantasy Award-winning novel of magic and kung fu, four siblings battle rival clans for honor and power in an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis.
Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for — and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion.
Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon’s bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation.
When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone — even foreigners — wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones — and of Kekon itself.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Prison Healer Trilogy – Lynette Noni
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.
When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.
Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.
But no one has ever survived.
With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and Sabaa Tahir.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Caraval Trilogy – Stephanie Garber
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic.
Buy the trilogy: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Hunger Games Series – Suzanne Collins
Could you survive on your own in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don’t live to see the morning?
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.
Buy the series: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Last Finestra (series in progress) – Emily Thiede
Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.
Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?
Emily Thiede’s exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!
Buy the series: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
The Friend Zone (+ companion novels) – Abby Jimenez
Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.
Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.
The Friend Zone will have you laughing one moment and grabbing for tissues the next as it tackles the realities of infertility and loss with wit, heart, and a lot of sass.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Three Dark Crowns Series – Kendare Blake
When kingdom come, there will be one.
In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.
The last queen standing gets the crown.
Buy the series: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Six Crimson Cranes Duology – Elizabeth Lim
A princess in exile, the boy she left at the altar, six enchanted cranes, and a dragon from the deepest sea… From the author of Spin the Dawn comes a breathtakingly original fantasy inspired by East Asian folklore and perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo or Tomi Adeyemi.
Shiori’anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne–a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain–no matter what it costs her.
Buy the duology: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
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Do you have any favorite books with especially badass female characters?
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Oh my goodness, I’m ashamed that the only ones of these I’ve read is the Flatshare and Hunger Games, although a Song of Wraith and Ruin is nearing the top of my TBR pile right now. The covers and the fact that they have strong female characters means I definitely want to check out all of these now – thanks for the recommendations!
Don’t be ashamed! Those are excellent picks to begin with. I’m so glad that you’re planning to read A Song of Wraiths and Ruin. I hope you love it as much as I do. It’s fantastic!!
I just downloaded ACOTAR because there was a Kindle Deal yesterday! I’ve seen The Sound of Stars more than once, now, so I’m tempted!
Haha! I hope you enjoy it. That first book is an absolute doozy and I hate it with a fiery passion, but it gets better after that 🙂
I have read so many of these!! I feel super proud haha. Recently, I’ve read Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner with a strong female lead. It’s a highly feminist novel that I strongly recommend if you’re looking for some girl power and a bit of fantasy.
Great article as always! Keep writing! xx
Oooh I haven’t heard of that one prior to your suggestion, so I’ll need to check it out! Thanks for the recommendation, friend!
I need to try the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo- and I’ve heard so much about it! Thank you for sharing these recommendations, I love a strong female lead x
You definitely need to check it out! It’s definitely one of my favorites and I wrote a whole review on it 🙂
I’m so happy to see Evelyn Hugo appear on this list – she’s definitely such a strong lead and really vivid character that’s still with me even though I read the book over. year ago now! So happy to see Rise of Kyoshi and Sound of Stars on this list too as I really want to pick them up soon!
YESS! I loved it (which is why it got a solo review a couple of weeks ago!) And I’m so glad you’ve even heard of Rise of Kyoshi and The Sound of Stars. Those are great books – The Sound of Stars was one of my favorites last summer!
I’ve read so many of the books on this list and I love them. The flat share was one of my favourite isolation reads during lockdown last year. Loved this post x
That makes me happy! I’m glad you enjoyed The Flatshare. It’s one of my favorite contemporary romance novels 🙂
SOO Many of these are on my TBR right now, and I’m hoping to get to them in 2021! One of my favorite female leads is Helen in Happiness for Beginners!
Ooh I haven’t read that one but I’ll definitely need to add it to my list. Thanks for the recommendation!
I’ll have to add some of these to my TBR! I just finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo yesterday and it was incredible. Such a thrilling read.
It seems like right now is a super popular time to read it because I’ve had several friends finish it within the last couple of weeks! It’s such a good book!
What an amazing round up of books! The Hunger Games was always one of my faves! All of these sound incredible!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
I mean, Katniss is such a classic “leading lady” that I just HAD to include that trilogy!
I love Elizabeth Acevedo. She is so fantastic.
Agreed!!! I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her, but these two certainly stood out to me the most. I specifically adored The Poet X because I listened to the audiobook and it was narrated by Elizabeth. She did a phenomenal job performing!
Wow! So many greats on this list. And the best part is I haven’t read all of them. Adding a bunch to my list. Thanks!
I’m glad that I can provide some new recommendations!
I love this. Definitely saving this to keep coming back to x
That makes me so happy to hear. I hope you can find some new favorites from the list 🙂
The Flat Share was my favourite read of last year and I like the sound of these other books too! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
The Flatshare is such a great book! I know a lot of people love it too – and for good reason. It’s a phenomenal contemporary romance and Tiffy is such a strong woman!
Love this list, I’m expanding my reading list, so will definitely add some of these!
That’s great to hear! I hope you can find some inspiration from this list 🙂
YES! Thank you so much for posting this list. I realized about five years ago how important it is for me to fill my mind, head and ears with the voices of strong women! Avatar is incredible! I’m not sure if there is a graphic novel for this one but have you watched the show Stephen Universe? It is uber progressive and made up of ALL FEMALE superheroes. Oh my gosh. I could cry just thinking about it! My favorite show ever!
Again, thanks for the post!
I’m so glad that you liked this post! It’s great that you’ve been incorporating that kind of entertainment into your life! I have watched Stephen Universe, but it’s not something I regularly watch – in fact, as a whole, I don’t watch a ton of tv (as I’m so busy reading books haha)
I haven’t read any of these yet but I definitely added some to my list! Thanks! 🙂
Oh wow! None of them?! I hope you do get a chance to read some of them!
I have read a few you have on here and adding others to my list. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was one of my favorite reads the year before.
❥ tanvii.com
That will forever be one of my favorite books. It’s like Abbi wrote it about me haha.
I have a few of these on my bookshelf waiting to be read! I’m excited to read them now.
That’s so exciting to hear. I can’t wait to find out what you think once you’ve read them 🙂
Thank you soooo much for this list. My wishlist has grown enormously 😅
I also love book with strong women, the last one I read was Heresy by Melissa Lenhardt : a group of women who decided to live by themself in the far west time 🙌🏻
That’s so awesome to hear! I hope you thoroughly enjoy lots of these titles in the future 🙂 I haven’t heard of that book before. I’ll have to check it out. Sounds fascinating!
Yess I am so happy that you have created this post, I need more famle heavy books to read!
Rosie
That’s awesome to hear! I hope this inspires you to pick up some new titles!
This is a great idea for a blog post. I am wanting to read more this year and always looking for book recommendations. Thank you for sharing this list.
Lauren http://www.bournemouthgirl.com
Well, my blog is always gonna have new book ideas for you if you need suggestions 😉
wow what a great compilation of books. i love them because, for a change they have great female leads. will definitely read a few of these over the weekends
There are definitely plenty of books with female leads, but I think some of them are stronger than others. These are just my favorites!
Oh you know I am all for anything with a strong female lead! yaaasssss! I’m pinning this so I can keep coming back to it when I need new book ideas! I have three on my list right now (just started the first) but am adding some of these after that!
Heck yes!!! I can’t wait to hear what you think if you do read any of these. Which are the three on your list right now?
I always love a novel with a strong female lead. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome list!
Me too, clearly! I know these are all over the place, genre-wise, but they’re just some of my favorites!
Feel so guilty because I only have 5 of these books on my list! I’ve heard about The Rise Of Kyoshi before but I haven’t read the books yet. Thanks for the recommendations x
Oh gosh, there’s no need to feel guilty!! It’s an extensive list and several of them are series! There’s plenty of time for all the books you want to read 🙂 Rise of Kyoshi is a great place to start – especially if you like AtLA!
What a great list!! I feel like lately I have been picking up books with amazing female leads. I don’t know if I naturally gravitate towards them or not but it is rare for me to find a book with a male lead haha.
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
That’s so awesome! I don’t think I read many books with male leads in general, but sometimes the female leads aren’t as strong, if that makes sense. Like, sometimes they’re just described as “different from other girls” but the only difference is that they like to wear sneakers and no makeup. It’s important to me that they actually have good character arcs!
What a great list! I’m still on the waitlist for Evelyn Hugo and I so want to read that! I also just got on the waitlist for Addie LaRue per your recommendation! Can’t wait to read them!
Ooh that’s so awesome to hear! Definitely two of my favorites and I’m hopeful that you enjoy them as much as I did!
I’ve read most of these and I totally agree, these are all great examples of books with strong female leads. I should really get around to reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo one of these days. Thanks for sharing!
It’s so fun to know that you’ve read most of them! Great choices 😉 I think you’ll love Evelyn Hugo. It’s a phenomenal story!
Oh wow, I haven’t read even half of them but added to my never-ending TBR! Just finished The Flatshare and totally loved Tiffy, Gerty and Rachel! Have A song of wraiths and ruin on my shelves and can’t wait to start that. Thank you for sharing x
Oh my gosh, The Flatshare is one of my forever favorite contemporary romances. It was just so well done!! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂 A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is FANTASTIC. Such a good story with so many emotional, thought-provoking moments.
Definitely need to add a lot of these to my TBR! Strong female leads are my favorite!
Me too! There are a lot of books with female leads that aren’t particularly fierce or admirable, but these books and series caught my attention!
That’s awesome that you compiled a book list with strong leading ladies!
This review list is epic! I loved into the heartless wood!
These look fantastic! I love finding books with strong female leads!
Some really awesome suggestion here. I’ve been meaning to read The Poet X for a while now and now I definitely read it next
As a huge Avatar fan, the Kyoshi novels look amazing! I didn’t know they had published books related to the show! One I read recently with a great female lead was “Mexican Gothic”. Thanks for the great recommendations!
I really enjoyed the lost apothecary now I want to discover theses others books.
I would love to read Shadow and bone since I enjoyed the tv show.
xx
Margot
https://troughthepasturesofthesky.com
Hy Stephanie, thanks for the wonderful collection list. I just ordered “into the heartless wood” for my girlfriend. Hope she would like it.
Though she is not an active reader, can you suggest me a easy to read book from the list? I want to give her 2 books.
I’m so glad to hear that. It’s my favorite book and I hope she really enjoys it! I would consider all of these to be pretty easy reads, but if you want something that’s lighthearted and quick, I’d suggest The Flatshare or You Should See Me in a Crown 🙂
I have only read few of these books. I will check out the rest.
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
All for strong female leads and glad to already have read many of them and found plenty more to add to my list! I have The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo on my TBR this month and really need to read Into the heartless woods and Crimson Cranes! x
I am always looking for more books to read. I have only read one of these books, that being hunger games. I will be adding these books to my reading list. Thank you for sharing.
Currently, I have 2 of these books in my possession and reading. Six Crimson Cranes holding my attention at the moment.
Away from these, The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo keeps calling out to me.
Some popular titles here, and I thought many likely had strong female leads!
I am so jealous you have that signed copy of Into the Heartless Wood!
Thanks for all the recommendations! We’ve read a few of these.
I see so many books that i’ve enjoyed in this list! one from this in my tbr already is For the Wolf. ive been getting curious about fantasy romance which i generally don’t read but sounds great now. glad to hear it has a good lead!
I find that as it gets closer to spring those are exactly the type of books I crave: romance with a strong woman character in it.
Thank you for those suggestions! 🙂
Such a great idea for a post! I’m all about strong female leads and when I saw the title, I immediately thought of the The Hunger Games lol! One of my all-time faves! All of these sound worthwhile though and I love that many of them are quite new to me!
I’m so glad to see some of my favourite books on here – Shadow And Bone, The Invisible Life Of Addie and The Hunger Games are all firm favourites of mine! Quite a few of these are on my tbr too, I really want to Three Dark Crowns soon in particular. I read To Kill A Kingdom recently and I think that has a really strong female lead too! Thank you so much for sharing x
Oh my goodness, I absolutely ADORED Lila Bard in the Darker Shade of Magic trilogy. And I can see quite a few books on here that are in my shopping basket already. Have you read the Alice/Red Queen/Looking Glass trilogy by Christina Henry? I think you’d love them, Alice is FAB!
Oh yes so many great female leads in these books! Some of my favorites too!
Loving this list of amazing books all starring dynamic and interesting female leads! To see Kyoshi from Avatar: The Last Airbender make an appearance here too makes me so happy. 🙂