Sunday, July 28, 2013

Super Six Sunday: Kick-Ass Heroines


Inspired by Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish, Super Six Sunday, a new feature from the fabulous ladies at Bewitched Bookworms, has different book-related topics each week and asks participants to address each topic in the form of a list of six. Obviously.

This week's topic is kick-ass heroines, and there's nothing I love more (aside from romance, of course) than a girl who can take care of herself and fight side by side with the best of them. Most of the women I've picked have a supernatural ability to aid them in their general badassery, but what I love about all of them is the fact that even without their various gifts or abilities, every one of these ladies would place herself smack dab in the middle of a fight regardless, ready to protect those she loves with whatever of herself it's necessary to give in order to do so. If you haven't yet met any of the women below, I can't recommend their stories enough!

GIN BLANCO
The Elemental Assassin Series by Jennifer Estep • Adult Urban Fantasy
Spider's Bite •  Web of Lies • Venom •  Tangled ThreadsSpider's RevengeBy A ThreadWidow's WebDeadly Sting • Heart of Venom


I met Gin long before I started this blog, and while her cool calm as she wielded her knives and inflicted lethal damage as assassin The Spider was initially a bit of a challenge to see past in the first book, once I really settled into the series she quickly became a woman I couldn't help but adore. She's as selfless as they come (almost to a fault at times), always putting the physical safety and emotional happiness of everyone around her ahead of her own, thereby making her both someone you wouldn't want to meet on the street late at night and someone you can't help but want to hug.

DANI O'MALLEY
The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning • Adult Urban Fantasy
Darkfever • Bloodfever • Faefever • Dreamfever • ShadowfeverIced
(Iced is technically book 6 in the Fever series, but it's the first that features Dani as a protagonist rather than a supporting character. I recommend starting with book one, Darkfever, though, as Iced contains major spoilers for books that come before it)


After my fangirl post a couple weeks back, I'm sure it's no surprise to most of you to see Dani's name on this list. Though she's only fourteen, Dani can quite literally run circles around anyone who tries to challenge her, including quite possibly the baddest supernatural alpha men in fiction, Barrons and Ryodan. Not only is she a force to be reckoned with, but she approaches the death she faces each and every day with a beautiful sense of humor, convinced if she's going to meet her end it's going to be with a smile on her face and laughter in the air.

DEUCE
The Razorland Series by Ann Aguirre • Post-Apocalyptic Young Adult
EnclaveOutpost • Horde


Deuce is the epitome of a fighter; as close to fearless as they come and completely capable of defending herself and others against the daily threat of the Freaks. She's also one of those young women who has no agenda and plays no games, her utter innocence and sweet naivete when it comes to her relationship with Fade making her a desirable combination of strength and vulnerability. I don't want to say too much more about her as I'll be gushing all over this series in a few weeks when I host Ann as part of the Authors Are Rockstars tour, but suffice to say Deuce is a personal favorite of mine.

ALICE BELL
The White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter • Paranormal Young Adult
Alice in Zombieland • Through the Zombie Glass


I'm a huge Gena Showalter fan in general, and her books always have a wonderful blend of action, romantic tension and laugh-out-loud humor. Ali is a young woman who has suffered unimaginable loss, but she possesses a fierce determination and a will to survive that simply won't let her wallow in the pit of despair she quite frankly deserves. She's not always the strongest fighter, but she's eager to learn and she holds her own against the the snark, the disdain, and the overwhelmingly strong personalities of her fellow zombie hunters.

ALINA STARKOV
The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo • Young Adult/Fantasy


I think most people who've read this series would agree that Alina personifies everything we might consider to be badass. She has an ability that shocks and scares her with its power, and in the blink of an eye she finds herself trying to navigate a completely different world from everything she's known previously. People fear her, fawn all over her, love her and hate her, but she gracefully bears every burden laid across her young shoulders, becoming more gorgeously regal and awe-inspiring as the series continues.

ELISA
The Fire and Thorns Series by Rae Carson • Young Adult/Fantasy


Elisa and I got off to a rocky start. Book one, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, is split into three parts, and for nearly the entirety of the first part, I couldn't connect to Elisa at all. She's what could be described as pleasantly plump, and for the first third of book one she constantly bemoans her weight yet imbibes in all sorts of pastries and the like, and she hardly has any confidence as a result of her own negative self-image. As soon as part two hits however, Elisa starts to blossom, forced to toss aside all her weight issues and focus on surviving in a brutal world, and throughout the remainder of the series she continues to grow as both a woman and a leader until she's completely unrecognizable from the girl we first met. Like Ali above, she's not always the most skilled fighter in hand to hand combat, but her strength lies in her compassion and her decision-making, which more than compensate for any of her physical shortcomings in battle.

Those are just a handful of my favorite kick-ass heroines, who would top your list?

31 comments:

  1. I agree with some of your choices. I think I'd also add the trio of women from The Friday Society by Tiffany Trent.

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    1. I haven't read that book, I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the rec Lisa!

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  2. So wanna read the Bardugo books!

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    1. They're awesome! As a fantasy lover, I think they'll be right up your alley:)

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  3. Oh gosh yes ALICE!!! I was just finishing the second book yesterday and she most definitely belongs to this list! She was amazing in Through The Zombieglass !

    Totally there with you about Dani - but I picked Mac as I just loved how she changed from Barbie to kick ass amazingness:))


    And of course, Alina!! Totally forgot about her (shame on me)°

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    1. I LOVED HER IN BOOK 2 SO MUCH DANNY! She was epic I thought, especially since Cole was being such an a-hole. I knew you were going to put Mac on your list, so I went with Dani. Just love both of them:)

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  4. I just love Alina and Elisa, so I'm thrilled to see them here. I think both of them exhibit so many kick-ass qualities through their growth as well as their actual physical prowess. Fantastic list, Jenny!

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    1. YES! Both of them are fabulous:) I can't wait to see how much more Alina will grow and mature in the next book. She's already come so far:)

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  5. I totally agree with both Elisa and Alina! I love their characters a lot, and they would both definitely make my own list. I haven't get met Gin Blanco, but you know I keep telling you I want to. I really must get started on that series one day! :)

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    1. Gin is one of my favorite UF heroines, she's just the ultimate badass but she's so easily hurt by those around her as well, though of course she never lets on to them that they've hurt her. Highly recommend that series!

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  6. totally agree with your list of amazing ladies :) alina and elisa & gin :)

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  7. I am familiar with the first two and totally agree with you. They are the best!!!

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    1. Yessss. Love them so much. I'll have to loan you some of these other ones so you can meet them. You already love Gena's adult books, so I think you'll like her YA series:)

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  8. Such great choices! I agree with Dani, Elisa, Elina and Deuce. Fantastic list!

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  9. I love a kick butt heroine too! I dislike Mary Sues for sure. I still need to start the Showalter series!

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  10. This is such a great topic!! Kick ass heroines can boost a 3 star read to a 5 star for me!

    I haven't met a lot of the heroines on your list, but if they made it on the list in the first place they must be good. I have a bunch of new books on my wish list now. :D

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  11. I just started Spider's Bite and am enjoying it so far. I love Dani and cannot wait for Horde. Thanks for this post. You've given me a few more titles to look for. :)

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  12. The only one I know is Alice Bell and loved her, I need to add these other books to my wishlist! Great post!

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  13. Such an awesome list. I know Deuce is the bomb! I loved Horde! Such a good read. Dani is really growing on me. I must get after the Elemental Assassin books soon! I love Jennifer Estep!

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  14. I think my all time favourite heroine is still Hermione. In fact, I'm not sure that it will ever really change haha that said, I haven't heard of all your heroines, which makes me think that I have a LOT more to read. That's insanity! Great list this week, Jenny!

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  15. So I haven't met most of your favorite kick ass heroines. Guess I'm gonna have to do something about that. I'm thinking that Dani is one I'm gonna have to meet sooner rather than later. I love what you say about her and that she's only 14 and as well read as you are and she's one of your faves... I need to read that series!

    I can't name one single favorite heroine. Though I agree with Melissa-Hermione always. Maybe Celaena from Throne of Glass. I loved Ismae in Grave Mercy! Maybe just the ninja nuns in general!!

    Great list!!

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  16. I felt the same as you with Elisa. I grew to really like her. Dani is definitely kick-ass, although she annoyed the hell out of me in the Fever books. I still need to read Iced.

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  17. Oh yeah, Elisa in the first part was really annoying. But, then I grew to really like her. Alina and Alice are pretty kick-ass heroines too.

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  18. AAH Deuce, Alina and Elisa are SO the best!!! I'm ashamed to say I don't know Gin and Dani as well as I should, but I'm remedying that very soon, I promise. :-) Awesome list of kickass ladies! Love this feature too. :-)

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  19. I love Rachel from Defiance by C.J. Redwine. That girl is flipping awesome2!

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  20. I really need to read the Fever series don't I? Hmmm... I'm not sure I agree with your list I didn't think Alice was that kickass . I think Katniss would top my list :P

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  21. I sadly haven't read many adult books so those names are new to me. I must be missing out on a lot of awesomeness! I agree about Alina, love her character! I just bought The Girl of Fire and Thrones so I will soon see just how badass Elisa is :)

    Alise @ Readers in Wonderland

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  22. Alina and Elisa! Totally badass ladies. Even if they don't always kick butt literally, they're both smart ladies who can think their way out of most problems (especially Elisa).

    Great post :)

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  23. Siiri and I were just discussing this list, Jenny, and how we loved that you hadn't chosen the typical top 3 heroines - Katniss, Rose, and Tris. I'm so pleased you chose Dani, and I meant to comment on your other post - the one defending Dani & ICED - but HUZZAH to everything you said. The reviews that talk about how immature Dani is, not as cool as Mac - they make me sad :(. While I'm happy that Burned is going to be the best book it could be - with Ms. Moning pushing back the release date and deciding where to take the series - I'm still wringing my hands, waiting on more from Dani. AND YES TO ALINA STARKOV. All the way!

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  24. I totally loved the deep in your veins series and hellcat series they were both amazingly epic and really cool kickass heroines xx love your list read all of them though and completely agree with you!!!

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