Tuesday 24 February 2015

Top Ten Tuesday | My Favourite Heroines


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

Today's theme is 'Top Ten Favourite Heroines From Books', a theme which got me really excited. I love my heroines, and I can't wait to share my favourites!

Before I start my list I should probably mention that the heroines that wind up holding a very special place in my heart are funny, angry, get-shit-done kind of women who are brazen because it hides the fact that they're actually very vulnerable. Not all of my favourite heroines are like that, but there certainly seems to be a trend. I just thought that was worth mentioning now...




Georgia Mason from the Newsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant: Oh Georgia, light of my life and heart of my immortal soul. If someone held a gun to my head right now and said I had to choose just one ultimate favourite off this list it'd probably be this lady. Georgia made me want to trust the news again, she made me want to believe that there are still journalists out there dedicated to telling the truth, not just telling the best story. She's witty and intelligent and no nonsense and I love her with every fibre of my being.

Linh Cinder from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: The Lunar Chronicles has so much respect from me right now. It's a YA series that has managed to include so much diversity; we have heroines who are amputees, heroines from broken homes, heroines who are optimistic, heroines who aren't, and Meyer writes them all so well - there's a heroine for everyone! Her male characters aren't much different; our Prince Charming's Chinese, our Big Bad Wolf's the product of human experimentation, and then there's Thorne, who's basically the love child of Jack Sparrow and Captain Kirk. For me it's Cinder who stole my heart, as much as I love all the characters; she's a good person who's been through a lot of shit and she hasn't let it turn her bitter. When I read Glitches I genuinely teared up because I couldn't bear that Ari was being so horrid to such an adorable little girl who, more than anything, is desperate for acceptance and love. Cinder, like Georgia, just gives me all the feels guys.

Vicki Nelson from The Blood Books by Tanya Huff: If you've never read anything by Tanya Huff then that's something you need change right now. She's a fantastic writer of SFF who is constantly turning themes of gender and sexuality on their head, and her female leads are always amazing. My favourite has to be Vicki, the heroine from Huff's take on vampires. Essentially The Blood Books are urban fantasy crime novels set in Toronto and they're brilliant. Vicki is such a funny, sassy leading lady. I love her.

Violet from Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch: Violet is a fairly new addition to my list of favourite heroines who crept into my heart after I read the first volume of Rat Queens in January. This series is a female-led fantasy series full of innuendos, swearing, violence, and girl power. Naturally, it's right up my street. I liked all the ladies, but Violet in particular grew on me. The second volume isn't being released until later in the year so we know very little about the ladies' backstories as of now, but what I saw of Violet made me very happy; in particular an exchange between Violet and her brother when he asks her if she left because of him, and her simple reply is: "No. I left for me." Boom! Girl power.

Saba from Blood Red Road by Moira Young: (I still haven't read Rebel Heart or Raging Star, so no spoilers please!) I adored Blood Red Road when I read it, and while I enjoyed the plot it was Saba who convinced me to give the book 5 stars. She's so raw and angry and real and I love her lots.




Angel Crawford from My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland: Angel is another recent addition to my list and another heroine who convinced me to give her book five stars. In fact I love Angel so much that I ordered the next three books in the White Trash Zombie series before I'd even finished reading the first book, and I can't wait to continue with the series!

Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: "I am no bird; and no net ensares me; I am a free human being with an independent will." Jane's probably one of the most iconic heroines in classic literature, and there's a reason she's still popular today. While I'd take Mr. Rochester over Heathcliff any day he's still not the most pleasant of romantic heroes, but when Jane realises he's an arse she gets the hell out of there! For that, and for many other things, she has my eternal respect.

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins: I'm not on Team Gale or Team Peeta. I'm on Team Katniss.

Tonks from the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling: I love Hermione, Ginny and Luna, too, but I've loved Tonks since we were first introduced to her in The Order of the Phoenix (which is my favourite book in the series). I don't know why I love her as much as I do, I think when I was younger I was just desperate to be her, but she's always remained a favourite of mine.

Mary Lennox from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett: Mary isn't particularly likeable when we first meet her, although there's something about her spoiled, guarded nature that does make you want to give her a cuddle, but she goes through one of the most astonishing character growths ever seen, from a child who is neglected and unloved to a child who uses that yearning for affection to nurture a garden back to life. This is a charming story, but it would be nothing without Mary.

Who made your list?

29 comments:

  1. Wow, Tonks is a *great* pick. I really like her story (except for the ending, of course) :( I don't think I've ever seen anyone claim OotP is their favourite Harry book - it's my least favourite, actually! :)
    Mary Lennox is a nice one, too. She's such a grumpy child! Poor kid. The Secret Garden is one of my top-ten children's classics.
    Here's my list for this week: http://ofdragonsandhearts.com/?p=1430

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    1. Really? It's odd that it is my favourite considering my favourite character in the series dies, but I've always loved that one. I think it's because Umbridge is such fun to hate. I had a teacher who hated me at school, so I think I've always loved the pupils vs. the teacher feel to it.

      The Secret Garden is such a lovely story, isn't it? =) Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. I'm crazy about Mary Lennox, too. But then again, I'm always a sucker for a transformative story.

    Here's mine!

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    1. Ha, you just can't go wrong with a transformative story!

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  3. The Order of the Phoenix is my favorite book in the series too. I included Hermione this week, but if I had reread Order, I would be hard-pressed not to include Luna and Tonks...also Ginny. Gosh, I need to reread the 5th one again soon.

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    1. There are just so many great ladies, aren't there? :) In the end I had to go with Tonks - especially as I figured she probably wouldn't be on many other lists when compared with the other ladies!

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  4. Gosh, so many great books!! *-*
    Okay, I loved Cinder as well as all the other characters in the Lunar Chronicles! But yeah, Cinder was the "heroine", though I loved how Cress was brave considering how she spent her all life trapped like a mouse.
    I haven't read Rat queens but I'm seeing it a lot around lately, so now I want to read it :P Same goes for Feed!
    And The segret garden? I looove that book, I would read it over and over and the movie was also pretty great as well! :D

    Ps. New follower! :3

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    1. Oh yeah, I love all the Lunar ladies. =D The Secret Garden's just lovely, isn't it? I've lost count of the amount of times I watched the movie (and A Little Princess, too!) when I was little.

      Yes, definitely read Rat Queens and Feed! They're probably my two top favourite books right now. =)

      And thank you! =D I love meeting new bloggers!

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  5. Yay Cinder. You really got to the heart of what I love about that series in your description. And Mary Lennox! I love that she is allowed to be an angry girl, when girls are "supposed" to be sweet and docile and pretty. Great list all around.

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    1. Thanks! =) Yeah, I think Mary represents what a lot of little girls are actually like rather than what everyone thinks they should be. =P

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  6. Fantastic list! :-) I loved Cinder and Tonks too. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier.

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  7. Cinder & Katniss are awesome choices! I can't believe that I forgot about Saba. I read Blood Red Road a few years ago and I really loved it though I have yet to go on and read the rest of the books. She was a fantastic character! Have a great week, I'm a new follower! :)
    Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian

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    1. I still need to read Rebel Heart and Raging Star, too. I think I've just been nervous about reading them because I enjoyed Blood Red Road so much!

      Thank you! ^_^

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  8. Cinder and Katniss are great! I love that you picked Tonks. And I've got an Anne of Green Gables character on my list too!

    TTT
    Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know

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  9. Rat Queens sounds great! I will have to check that series out soon! And of course, I love Jane Eyre- she's brilliant.
    Thanks for stopping by The Local Muse

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  10. Yay for Rat Queens! I read the first volume last year and LOVED it, I can't wait for the second one to come out. I miss the foul mouth group. I totally forgot about Jane Eyre when making my list but she is one of my favorites too

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    1. It's amazing, isn't it? I've already pre-ordered the second volume - I just wish we didn't have to wait until May for it!

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  11. Oooh very nice list! I need to read more of The Lunar Chronicles, but I did enjoy Cinder from what I have read! And gosh I need to make time to read Feed! Oh, and Rebel Heart was my favorite of the series! SOOOO good, read it sooN! And Katniss. Always Katniss!

    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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    1. If you enjoyed Cinder then I think you'll definitely enjoy the rest of the series. =D And yes, you definitely need to make time for Feed. ;) I think I've been nervous about reading the rest of the Dust Lands trilogy because I loved Blood Red Road so much, but if you liked it that much I'll have to try and finish the series soon!

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  12. Oh, I didn't even think of Jane Eyre. Why are this lists only allowed to be ten books long? I keep finding more and more heroines that I would like to put on it. Mary from The Secret Garden is an interesting choice. She certainly isn't likeable in the beginning of the book, is she? I think Mary experiences one of the biggest character growths I've ever seen in a book.

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    1. Haha, yeah when it comes to a topic like this it's hard to pick just ten, isn't it? Yeah I love the transformative elements to The Secret Garden - it's a lovely book. =)

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  13. Can't believe I didn't think about Cinder... and I'm right in the middle of reading Fairest! :) Jane Eyre is always a great choice. Nice list!

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