If you’re anything at all like me, you’re always looking for books with strong female heroines. What do I mean by strong female heroines? Ladies that aren’t afraid to kick some ass. They’re the women that make hard decisions and try to do the best thing—even if it might end up getting them in trouble later. Sure, they can be afraid, but they’re courageous. Not to mention smart. And if they have a hot honey, they don’t relay on him to take care of them. Nope. These girls are going to save their own asses when shit goes down. The following is a list of a few of my favorite kick ass heroines:
1. Kahlan Amnell from The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind (Wizard’s First Rule is the first in the series.) — Kahlan is amazing! Not only is she the Mother Confessor with some awesome powers, but she’s the last of her kind. She carries the weight of that with such grace. She’s kind and caring, but not afraid to pick up a sword and lead an army into battle when the need is there. This girl uses her wits, her heart, and some kick ass moves to take down the bad guys. For sure, Kahlan Amnell qualifies as a strong female heroine.
2. Yelena from the Study series by Maria V. Snyder (Poison Study is the first book in the series.) — Yelena has been dealt a pretty crap life. When the book starts, she’s in the dungeons, set to be executed, but gets offered the job of food taster for Commander Ambrose, the leader of her country. When asked if she’ll accept the position, she responds, “I’m not a fool.” She’s not lying. Not only is Yelena smart, she’s crafty and handy in a fight. She quickly gains friends throughout the castle, and manages to turn her life around. This girl has guts. She recognizes opportunities as they present themselves, and isn’t afraid to take advantage of them. Yelena is amazing. If you haven’t read this series yet, do so at once!
3. Riley Blackthorne from the Demon Trappers series by Jana Oliver (The Demon Trapper’s Daughter is the first in the series.) — Riley has had a rough go of it. Being the daughter of the most famous demon trapper in history isn’t easy. Being a girl that’s an aspiring demon trapper is harder. But she’s not about to let a bunch of boys dictate her future. Riley is always active, making choices to the best of her ability. And yeah, sometimes it doesn’t work out so well for her, but she always puts on her big girl panties and fights to her last breath. Even when everyone is against her, Riley never gives up, and she never stops doing the best thing for the people she loves. She’s a young adult carrying a heavy weight, and she does it with style and attitude. I can always get behind strong girl with a ‘tude.
4. Mercy Thompson from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs (Moon Called is the first book in the series.) — Mercy Thompson is one kick ass girl. She’s a “walker”—a Native American shifter who turns into a coyote. But she loves to hang out with the wolves. Or more accurately: they never leave her alone. No matter how many times Mercy gets in over her head, with monsters bigger, stronger, faster than her—she never backs down. Sure, she gets her ass kicked a lot, but she also manages to take some names, too. It’s not that goes out trying to find these monsters, but they always seem to find her. It’s a good thing that she doesn’t scare easily. You’ll never find Mercy cowering behind anything, unless she’s been drugged by magic… 😉
5. Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass is the first in the series.) — Celaena is the newest of my favorites. There are four novellas and one novel out. (The second book, Crown of Midnight, comes out in two weeks and is up for pre-order now! I bet you can guess what I’m going to be doing come August 27th…) The thing about her is that she can seriously kick some ass. She’s the best assassin in the world. Or she was before she got caught. The first book starts as she’s being conditionally released from prison. If she can live through the competition, she can win her freedom and become the King’s champion. It’s just minorly awkward that she was in prison for trying to kill the King. Even with the odds against her, Celaena never gives up. She really stole my heart and my respect in Throne of Glass. I’m hoping to see more of her kick assery in Crown of Midnight.