Best "Strong Female" Fantasy Novels

List of fantasy novels featuring strong women.
This includes: general fantasy, urban fantasy, young adult fantasy, fairy tale retellings, etc.

This DOES NOT include: Science-Fiction (including Dystopian, Apocalyptic, or Post-Apocalyptic).
Which means it DOES NOT include The Host, or any of The Hunger Games books.
If you're looking for Science-Fiction, check out this one:
http://tinyurl.com/scifi-goodreads

If you're confused about the difference between Science-Fiction and Fantasy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_...

Even more important than the Fantasy aspect: Please think about the "strong" female aspect of this list before adding a book! These women kick ass! These women are not victims! They have personality! Their names are not Bella, so please stop adding the Twilight series!

Challenge: Can you, or have you, read the top 25?

Edits: If you see a book that does not fit this criteria, please comment with the number of its current rating so I can remove it (that is, if you are not a librarian).

Edits: There are almost 2000 books on this list, so check to see if your book is already listed before adding it. A good rule of thumb: If your book was published more than two years ago, has more than 500 ratings, is by a popular author and fits the above criteria, it's here. Just find it and vote. :-)
101

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4.63 avg rating — 1,133,789 ratings
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102

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4.33 avg rating — 11,548 ratings
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103

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4.28 avg rating — 72,142 ratings
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104

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4.07 avg rating — 195,922 ratings
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105

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3.93 avg rating — 439,911 ratings
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106

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3.88 avg rating — 136,417 ratings
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107

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3.97 avg rating — 20,126 ratings
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107

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3.82 avg rating — 18,118 ratings
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109

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4.38 avg rating — 618,192 ratings
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110

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4.47 avg rating — 2,543,641 ratings
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111

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4.30 avg rating — 48,403 ratings
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112

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3.91 avg rating — 384,473 ratings
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113

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4.55 avg rating — 472,188 ratings
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114

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3.94 avg rating — 88,971 ratings
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115

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4.24 avg rating — 337,906 ratings
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116

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4.17 avg rating — 334,870 ratings
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117

by
4.12 avg rating — 30,918 ratings
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118

by
4.47 avg rating — 663,088 ratings
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119

by
4.17 avg rating — 49,354 ratings
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120

by
3.78 avg rating — 39,872 ratings
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121

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4.29 avg rating — 41,000 ratings
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122

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4.12 avg rating — 22,160 ratings
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123

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3.96 avg rating — 26,662 ratings
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124

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4.02 avg rating — 91,294 ratings
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125

by
3.98 avg rating — 82,431 ratings
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126

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4.07 avg rating — 13,213 ratings
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126

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4.26 avg rating — 58,396 ratings
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128

by
4.19 avg rating — 26,772 ratings
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128

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4.22 avg rating — 24,850 ratings
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130

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4.28 avg rating — 39,891 ratings
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131

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4.30 avg rating — 265,712 ratings
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132

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4.02 avg rating — 60,730 ratings
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133

by
4.27 avg rating — 83,686 ratings
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134

by
3.98 avg rating — 1,143,142 ratings
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135

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4.12 avg rating — 252,497 ratings
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136

by
4.16 avg rating — 557,213 ratings
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137

by
4.09 avg rating — 15,221 ratings
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138

by
4.10 avg rating — 32,100 ratings
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139

by
4.32 avg rating — 86,985 ratings
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140

by
4.21 avg rating — 561,359 ratings
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141

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4.32 avg rating — 59,403 ratings
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142

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4.42 avg rating — 580,328 ratings
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143

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3.69 avg rating — 105,505 ratings
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144

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4.16 avg rating — 128,654 ratings
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145

by
4.19 avg rating — 580,305 ratings
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146

by
4.11 avg rating — 10,767 ratings
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147

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4.27 avg rating — 939,772 ratings
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148

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3.69 avg rating — 33,722 ratings
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149

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4.42 avg rating — 1,005,673 ratings
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150

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3.99 avg rating — 19,376 ratings
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151

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4.37 avg rating — 58,275 ratings
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152

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4.06 avg rating — 57,618 ratings
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153

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4.36 avg rating — 78,462 ratings
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154

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3.98 avg rating — 98,326 ratings
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155

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4.13 avg rating — 10,942 ratings
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156

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4.30 avg rating — 71,517 ratings
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157

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4.27 avg rating — 58,997 ratings
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158

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,075,707 ratings
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159

by
4.15 avg rating — 61,921 ratings
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160

by
4.11 avg rating — 378,135 ratings
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161

by
4.59 avg rating — 217 ratings
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162

by
3.99 avg rating — 7,159 ratings
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163

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4.09 avg rating — 17,616 ratings
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164

by
4.33 avg rating — 80,428 ratings
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165

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4.07 avg rating — 11,368 ratings
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166

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4.44 avg rating — 62,092 ratings
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167

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4.20 avg rating — 51,322 ratings
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168

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3.89 avg rating — 18,167 ratings
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169

by
4.64 avg rating — 271 ratings
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170

by
4.26 avg rating — 64,546 ratings
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171

by
4.03 avg rating — 44,820 ratings
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172

by
4.34 avg rating — 51,578 ratings
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173

by
4.10 avg rating — 113,076 ratings
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174

by
4.47 avg rating — 11,148,160 ratings
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175

by
4.10 avg rating — 40,385 ratings
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176

by
3.89 avg rating — 80,747 ratings
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177

by
4.18 avg rating — 44,181 ratings
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178

by
4.04 avg rating — 185,142 ratings
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179

by
3.77 avg rating — 618,047 ratings
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180

by
4.32 avg rating — 79,129 ratings
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181

by
3.89 avg rating — 68,697 ratings
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182

by
4.37 avg rating — 51,468 ratings
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183

by
4.05 avg rating — 396,997 ratings
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184

by
4.71 avg rating — 992,931 ratings
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185

by
3.98 avg rating — 61,238 ratings
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186

by
4.15 avg rating — 80,364 ratings
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187

by
4.11 avg rating — 49,515 ratings
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188

by
4.35 avg rating — 9,674,207 ratings
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189

by
4.27 avg rating — 45,818 ratings
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190

by
4.02 avg rating — 21,552 ratings
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191

by
4.36 avg rating — 59,856 ratings
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192

by
4.07 avg rating — 634,276 ratings
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193

by
4.55 avg rating — 834,614 ratings
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194

by
4.12 avg rating — 13,567 ratings
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194

by
4.53 avg rating — 280 ratings
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196

by
3.80 avg rating — 672,905 ratings
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197

by
3.95 avg rating — 111,808 ratings
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198

by
3.80 avg rating — 12,919 ratings
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199

by
3.92 avg rating — 160,196 ratings
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200

by
4.12 avg rating — 11,791 ratings
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2989 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Amy 2327 books
177 friends
Jennifer 3878 books
52 friends
Adam 1926 books
84 friends
I am Bastet 2220 books
136 friends
Jon 3038 books
131 friends
Flora 4545 books
48 friends
King Haddock 1278 books
35 friends
Agata 1169 books
21 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 413 (413 new)


message 1: by arianna (new)

arianna wow, i need to find more of these books... and read more.


message 2: by Mary (new)

Mary Can't wait to read some of these that I haven't yet gotten around to, and it was really nice to see some old favorites too.


Christa (is on top of the world!) Why is only one of Tamora Pierces books on this list?


message 4: by Amy (new)

Amy Christa (call me Chris) wrote: "Why is only one of Tamora Pierces books on this list? "

Two are - Wild Magic and Alanna: The First Adventure. You can add more if you'd like, it's user driven.


message 5: by Mari (new)

Mari I've only read a few of these books, I am dying to read the others. Interesting list.


message 6: by Lucille (new)

Lucille I think that Tamora Pierce is perhaps the best author i've read for 'strong heroine' novels.
Graceling was also a really good book with an incredibly strong female lead.
i want to read all of these :)


message 7: by Laura (new)

Laura Christa (is a sleepy kitty...) wrote: "Why is only one of Tamora Pierces books on this list? "

There's actually more than one, I saw a few different ones in the series about Keladry- can't remember the series name currently... lol
Oh, nevermind! The Protector of the Small Quartet. :) And the Alanna books.


message 8: by Laura (new)

Laura Amy wrote: "Christa (call me Chris) wrote: "Why is only one of Tamora Pierces books on this list? "

Two are - Wild Magic and Alanna: The First Adventure. You can add more if you'd like, it's user driven."


They have Lady Knight by Tamora Peirce as well, though



message 9: by Amy (new)

Amy @Laura - yea, this list changes pretty consistently.


message 10: by Ari (new)

Ari I dont understand why you people keep taking Fawcetta out when the voting is legit...Seems to me someone is getting paid to do it..or..there are some real jealous people on this site..eiter way it is wrong and cruel...


message 11: by Amy (new)

Amy @Ari I can't take any of these off the list, or there's a few I'd remove myself. If it's coming off, it's because the people don't agree. (the creator of the list)


message 12: by Pete (new)

Pete Blain Christa (is a sleepy kitty...) wrote: "Why is only one of Tamora Pierces books on this list? "....I don't know...but my friends and other people have voted on Fawcetta as well as I have...and when Fawcetta is up on the top 5...they completly take it out of the list...this has happened three times...this is not fair...maybe they are getting paid...




message 13: by Pete (new)

Pete Blain Lucille wrote: "I think that Tamora Pierce is perhaps the best author i've read for 'strong heroine' novels.
Graceling was also a really good book with an incredibly strong female lead.
i want to read all of t..."
......You should read Fawcetta as well...you want strong female leads...read Fawcetta....promise..you'll enjoy it...




message 14: by Pete (new)

Pete Blain Amy wrote: "@Ari I can't take any of these off the list, or there's a few I'd remove myself. If it's coming off, it's because the people don't agree. (the creator of the list)"....or maybe they are just getting paid to keep the top sellers at front...




message 15: by Amy (new)

Amy @Davlyon I seriously doubt that anyone cares enough about this list to keep the top sellers at the front. If anyone has any problems with the list they can *vote*. Sheesh. It's a fun list designed to help people find other strong-female-fantasy reads out there. Folks need to stop taking it so seriously.


message 16: by Eris (new)

Eris Ari wrote: "I dont understand why you people keep taking Fawcetta out when the voting is legit...Seems to me someone is getting paid to do it..or..there are some real jealous people on this site..eiter way it ..."

I don't think the voting is legit if you are spamming the lists with a book with tons of fake accounts. From what I understand Listopia is for the Readers at Goodreads to get recommendations from their fellow Readers; not for Authors to try to promote their new book.


message 17: by Meredith (new)

Meredith I'm surprised "Elske" isn't on the list. If you haven't read it, it's a great read (one of my faves). While I don't feel that "Book of a Thousand Days" is in the genre of fantasy, it definitely has a strong female protagonist. =)


message 18: by Kathy (new)

Kathy If you want an incredible cast of characters led by the most incredibly strong woman character ever, read Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel books. You can't find a stronger character (male or female) than Phedre.


message 19: by Winnie (new)

Winnie Howard Huh? I've only read two of the books in the top 100.


message 20: by pop (new)

pop My book, Trouble Starts, Pane Follows, isn't on this list, so it's not a fair listing. My Ash Pane is stronger, tougher, meaner than all these characters put together, if you're on her bad side.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Then why don't you add it? The form to add books to the list is at the right-hand side of the page.


message 22: by [deleted user] (new)

Pride and Prejudice (sans Zombies)?


message 24: by [deleted user] (new)

#105


message 26: by [deleted user] (new)

I guess they were confusing it with the Zombie version, but I think it should go...


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Removed for not being fantasy:

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen


message 28: by Patrick (new)

Patrick Good, but no Blood Lily Chronicles? No Buffy?


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Why don't you add them?


message 30: by Kate (new)

Kate I love the fact that there are a ton of Tamora Pierce books on this list. I just finished the fourth book in The Immortals series, and I must say that Alanna, Daine, and Keladry are three of my favorite characters ever written about.


message 31: by Sarah (new)

Sarah I love most of the books on here Tamora Pierce is the best! I have probably read the Song of the Lioness so many times I can quote it.


Mrs.Vishous-Kattalakis-Belikov :::Para Itch Reviews::: I can't believe the Night Huntress series isnt on here...Cat totally kicks ass!!


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads You could add it.


message 34: by Brittany (new)

Brittany Hey everyone I would love it if you voted for the Maximum Ride books. Max is a very strong female character. She's not like all these other girls who whine and mope around. She takes action and stays on top of her game. She tries to stay strong for her flock. She cares for her flock like a big sister/mother. She's always there for everyone and is a great role model.


message 35: by Carolyn (new)

Carolyn Brittany wrote: "Hey everyone I would love it if you voted for the Maximum Ride books. Max is a very strong female character. She's not like all these other girls who whine and mope around. She takes action and sta..."

But the Maximum Ride series is Science Fiction, not Fantasy, and this list is for Fantasy only. The flying children are genetically engineered and in the original book they are bred and raised in a top secret government compound to be experimented on. When the Wind Blows


message 36: by cacinta (new)

cacinta I added 'Ship of Magic' by Robin Hobb. What's more bad-ass than a leading lady captain who goes a sailing on a magical ship over troubled waters? One of my favourite characters ever


message 37: by Suz (new)

Suz I was a bit confused at some of the entries for "strong female" and found myself wondering how many of these were just popular votes. "Oh! I read and loved that!" without much thought to whether the heroine was strong or not. I saw among some of the most popular (at the time of my voting) selections a lot of insipid heroines that needed to be saved, or silly heroines that use denial/ avoidance as their rule of thumb to blunder into the next harrowing experience. But I also saw a lot of great selections and some I am really looking forward to reading. Good list.


message 38: by Suz (new)

Suz Oh yeah, I added three or four selections from the Dragonriders of Pern series. Specifically the ones where Lessa, Moreta, and Nerilka were the leading females (because they all rock).


message 39: by J (new)

J Hmm... I've only read a few. I adore the Vampire Academy and Graceling series books but I think I'm the only person who finds something annoying about the Mortal Instruments books. Otherwise, I have a lot of catching up to do!


message 40: by Donna (new)

Donna I've read a few books in this list and I am dying to read The Graceling series there said to be really good :)


message 41: by Piyochama (new)

Piyochama Awesome list - I've read quite a few books and am overjoyed to discover the rest :)


message 42: by Farrah (new)

Farrah what a fantastic list! im loving that the authors are male and female. ive really been struggling to get suggestions for anything past the vampire meets girl stories. BRILLIANT!! so many books for me to try out!


message 43: by Lucille (new)

Lucille Jamie wrote: "Hmm... I've only read a few. I adore the Vampire Academy and Graceling series books but I think I'm the only person who finds something annoying about the Mortal Instruments books. Otherwise, I hav..."

I'm not a fan of the 'heroine' of the Mortal Instruments series. She just can't compete with the strong characters written by authors like Tamora Pierce or Kristin Cashore


message 44: by Dolly (new)

Dolly I'm so glad this list exists! Can't wait to read some of these...


message 45: by Dahlia (new)

Dahlia The girl from Evermore is a strong female character? Someone please explain this to me.


message 46: by Lucille (new)

Lucille Dahlia wrote: "The girl from Evermore is a strong female character? Someone please explain this to me."

bleh. as far as inner strength goes she would probably get a beatdown by Bella Swan. Where does Evermore appear on the list? Hopefully there are just a few people who voted for it.....


message 47: by Lis (new)

Lis All of Tamora Pierce's main characters, obviously. Tamir from the Tamir Triad (Lynn Flewelling) is a definite automatic upvote; I'm surprised it's gotten so little recognition. Graceling, Sabriel, The Hunger Games, His Dark Materials, and Liveship traders were where the rest of my votes went.


message 48: by Deena (new)

Deena Hypothesis Carolyn wrote: "Brittany wrote: "Hey everyone I would love it if you voted for the Maximum Ride books. Max is a very strong female character. She's not like all these other girls who whine and mope around. She tak..."

That sounds like an awesome book, though.


message 49: by Deena (new)

Deena Hypothesis How about we add some WoC to the list? I vote for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. VERY much worth reading.


message 50: by molly ✨ (new)

molly ✨ Great list! I would also suggest adding Rhapsody by Elizabeth Hayden to this list.


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