Bunny+Kat Present: Top Ten Book Heroines!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
Every once in a while I participate in this one when I either
1) Like the theme, and/or 2) Have the time!

Hey Bookworms!

Today's TTT post ties in really nicely with yesterday's blog tour stop for DEATH MARKED by Leah Cypess, where Kat and I rounded up our Top 5 Female Assassins!
(Check it out and enter to win FOUR signed books!)

The ladies are in the spotlight here this week!

Bunny and Kat's friend Casey made this fab banner
(Because he's AWESOME like that...even if he doesn't have a real-life animal nickname like us!)
and Bunny's friend W. Memes colored it, while Bunny made the fun typography!
(And she's so awesome that she's done guest posts for both FTF and Splash this past year!)
Great teamwork!
We'll be using it when we want to do posts together in the future!

This week's topic:

Top Ten Book Heroines!

Kat's Top 5:

~In No Particular Order~

(I tried to limit myself to series that are complete at this time. But I really, really wanted to add Wilhelmina from THE ORPHAN QUEEN to this list but I thought that unfair, since her story isn't even out yet. ^^;;) 

 

1) Eleanor Fitt

Eleanor Fitt from Susan Dennard's Something Strange and Deadly trilogy. Even though she got moody, even though she wasn't infallible: She did what she needed to do, even if it meant getting a little dirty.

 

2) Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza

Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza from Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy. Elisa went from being a reclusive, shy young girl into a BAMF queen by the end. I didn't always agree with her while reading her story, but I ending up really admiring her strength, courage, and convictions.

3) Katsa

Katsa from Kristin Cashore's GRACELING. She was a character who had me from hello. What made me most happy about her was that her relationship development was particularly awesome in that she just got better as a person. (Yay healthy relationship between a BAMF lady and great guy!)

 

4) Heather Nill

Heather Nill from Lauren Oliver's PANIC. I read it recently and adored this story. Heather found her way through strength in numbers, and went from local what's-her-name zero to small-town hero.

5) Clara Gardner

Clara Gardner from Cynthia Hand's Unearthly trilogy. She is such a good role model for young women, and I find myself constantly recommending these books. She finds out that things aren't always as simple as they seem, and she perseveres and grows into a powerhouse.

 

Bunny's Top 5:

 ~In No Particular Order~

(These are the first to come to my mind...and you've heard me talk about many of these books before. Sorry about that. If they didn't have strong characters, they wouldn't make lasting impressions and be favorites!)

1) Alanna

(New covers)

(Previous new covers)

(The version I own)

 Alanna from the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce. As you can see from the three images above, these books have been out for a number of years and have many covers. In fact, there are more covers than those! I didn't want to just show you the version I know best, since the style is older and less gripping, but I also didn't want to solely show you the newest version, either, since it makes the series look much younger than it is. Alanna--and Tamora Pierce--introduced me to so many great fantasy novels. This girl has the guts to change her destiny. When her dad sends her to a convent and her twin brother on his way toward knighthood, the two change places, neither willing to accept the path they're being thrust on. Alanna disguises her gender and becomes so strong and daring. She also paves the way for future generations of lady knights (Kel!!!). I love seeing her return as a grown-up in cameos throughout other books in the Tortall universe!

 

2) Beatrice Prior

Tris from the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. Tris is one character that will always be with me. She goes through so much and changes her world so completely. She comes full circle in her growth and never changes the core characteristics of what makes her her. She wants to change her fate and is willing to fully embrace the unknown, which begins her journey in the first place. She also risks everything to build a better world for the people she loves, and I admire her fearlessness so much.

 

3) Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza

Elisa from The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy by Rae Carson has become one of my favorite YA fantasy heroines. If you had told me that upon reading the first book, I may not have believed you! Like many, I viewed Elisa as her sister Alodia clearly does in the novella THE SHADOW CATS. She's weak and lazy and doesn't have a care in the world. She's whiny and she complains. But after she's kidnapped in the first novel and exposed to the world, she begins to change. Elisa has more character growth over the course of her series than most characters I've encountered as a reader. She becomes a fierce, amazing Queen and someone worthy of being cheered on. She is an absolutely amazing character. 

 

4) Eona

Eona from the Eon duology by Alison Goodman is another female who wants more than what the world is prepared to offer her. Like Alanna, she masquerades as a male in order to achieve her dream of becoming a Dragoneye. The irony that she's the only one able to do some of the things she does, but her culture would give that destiny away to someone unable to achieve it simply due to her gender. She truly becomes powerful and incredible in the second book. These aren't as well-known as other books, but if you're looking for an incredible female heroine, your wait is at an end!

5) Katsa

 Katsa from GRACELING by Kristin Cashore. This is my favorite YA Fantasy novel, and has been for years. I don't know what grabs me so much about the book, but I think a large part of it has to do with Katsa herself. She has always been told who she is, but her destiny is so much greater. When she follows her heart rather than her duty, she brings so much change to her kingdom! (Sadly, I know a few people who don't like the book at all because they DON'T like Katsa. In that case, read FIRE instead. I don't like her as much as Fire, but everyone who doesn't love Katsa is enamored with Fire. Talk about a flip-flop!)

Who are your favorite female book heroines? ^_^