strong female leads – Damsel in Delight

It is international womens day this month and so I have put together a booklist of my favourite FMCS that just scream female rage and power and radiate from every page. From assassins to knights to fallen queens this is a list of FMCs that don’t wait for people to save them and survive and thrive because of their tenacity and skill!

Paedyn Gray- Powerless – Lauren Roberts
How could I not include her? In a world of elites trained to kill any ordinary she not only survives trials designed to test the best of them but does it without any of their superpowers! Her incredible ability with weapons as well as her insane ability to fake being a Psychic – and fool a whole royal court! – makes this a must read!

Celaena Sardothian – Throne of Glass – Sarah J Maas

Celaena is just everything I love in a fantasy heroine and even though a lot of characters have borrowed from her she cannot be replicated! Tough and yet soft, she can torture a man and then go home to cuddle a dog and read! Assassin, reader and all round badass how could anyone not love her?

Evangeline Samos – Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Honestly she stole the scene in every chapter she was in! From start to finish Evangeline had the magnetic pull of the main character and the villain while maintaining opposition to the mc! Ambitious and powerful she will remain one of my top fmcs no matter how many I read!

Keladry of Mindelan – Protecter of the Small – Tamora Pierce
More of a classical heroine than most of my assassin mcs Keladry is one of the first to ensnare my heart and never let go! Fighting against prejudice in a world on the brink of a war as she becomes the first female knight in a hundred years her courage, stubbornness and justice make her probably the most moral of those on this list!

Mare Barrow – Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
Teen revolutionary leaders aren’t a new thing in dystopian but Mare does it like no other! From the slums to the Silver court to chains and revolutions she radiates through the pages of her series and remains my Roman Empire (along with the rest of her world) despite reading many more similar fmcs no one can do it with the power of Mare!

Katsa – Graceling – Kristin Cashore
Katsa is one of the toughest characters I have ever met! I am wrestling with spoilers because her power just grows and grows! Her sheer tenacity and stubbornness is a superpower in itself and I love her from start to finish.

Manon Blackbeak – Throne of Glass – Sarah J Maas

I haven’t finished this series yet (I read the first few a while ago on borrowbox but the series is insanely expensive so I am keeping an eye out for second hand copies in bookstores!) but Manon was an instant fmc forever. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks, is dangerous and incredibly intelligent. She feels like Celeana and yet not, she is harder, less colourful and I just love her!

These FMCs are my favourites from the hundreds of books I have read and I 100% recommend them joining your TBR this March!

Safe Reading

Lottie x

11+

As someone who has read the entire series multiple times I have to say that this might be my favourite book. After (spoiler – Hroombra’s passing) Jahrra and Jaxx travel into Liden, the city where she is supposed to go to university. Jahrra had fought back against this decision vehemently in the previous book, taking it as an attempt of Jaxx’s to take her out of her comfortable life. However, Liden is honestly one of my favourite cities in fantasy. It feels so real and rounded out, with the university, and the backstreets with their little hidden shops. Despite Jahrra’s inexperience with cities, higher society and slightly rocky path it was a joy to finally get away from Ellysian and Eydeth.

One of the huge things that stood out to me was Jahrra’s maturity. In this book, despite a few scenes where we can see the old Jahrra, she is mostly balanced and emotionally perceptive. This is a much needed change from the hot headed girl she used to be which constantly butted heads with Jaxx and ran huge risks just because she could.

We see Deneah the Mystic again, and another Mystic whom adds depth to the development of just who is she really is and her motives but her role in the story is quite minor as Jahrra is now surrounded by a whole city full of people who know her human heritage.

I LOVE the spirit stone shop, it is such a delightfully fantastical place with a twist on the usual magic. I love it when magic in books is used for everday yet special things. In this case, spirit stones are a way of keeping a bit of a loved one with you, (not creepy I promise, just a bit of hair or a nail clipping!) which is put into a potion that becomes a shining jewel of a stone with a heart fleck which represents that persons love for you. I want to go sooooo much, it is definitely on my top ten fantasy locations to visit.

Plot – 4/5 – Honestly it is still her preparation for the true Chosen One journey, but we are certainly reaching the end of that so expect much more plot points being hit in the next book!

World – 5/5 – Love the city, the spirit stone shop especially and I JUST HAVE to love Jaxx’s mansion with its sweet little touches.

Characters – 4/5

Romance – NA – Its not really present, there is a mention of someone having a crush on someone but it evaporates.

Things to be aware of: Manipulation, but very minor and only to characters around her.

Tag: strong female leads

March Booklist: Strong FMCs!

The Awakening, Jenna Elizabeth Johnson