Hey, im searching for a (character driven) fantasy book written by a female author with a female lead, who despite being strong doesnt loose her feminity over it. So absolutely no “not like the other girls” characters pls. I want a strong mc whos feminity is part of her, which she’s proud of. The book also would preferably not be solely romantasy. I love love love interpersonal relationships in books a whole lot but i would prefer the romance not being the sole focus.
Broken Earth Nk Jemsin
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton is full of interpersonal relationships and intrigue and I feel the whole premise is around femininity.
Try Derelict by LJ Cohen.
Manifold Worlds series.
Many of the books by Mercedes Lackey. The cloudmages series (can’t remember the author off the top of my head). Dragonriders of Pern (anne mccaffrey?). The witches of eileannan (Um… shoot, another author I can’t remember off the top of my head). The silerian trilogy by laura resnick (technically it’s not a female only lead, but the male main character and the female main character have about equal writing time).
There’s a series that I just can’t remember the name of, fire something was the first book, and earth something was the second book. The two main characters are mages/smiths, and I think each book focuses on a particular one of the pair. Romance is definitely not the main focus, it’s about the elemental magic they weave into their smithing. I’m also not 100% sure it was by a female author, but I want to say it was.
Non female authors but still noteworthy series: The wi’tchfire series by james clemens.
I can recommend Ascendance of a Bookworm by Miya Kazuki
A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a cozy novella by Becky Chambers. I enjoyed the setting and the main characters experience. I think they are NB but female presenting. Part coming of age, part Walden’s Pond. Worth a read if you like robots, solarpunk, determination
Sunward by William Alexander is similar in vibes (cozy, robots, far future) but moves to space. Our main character has to save her found family and decide what’s most important to her.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo is Buffy the Vampire Slayer in book form. There’s some longing but not much romance.
Mister Magic by Kiersten White is a modern retelling of IT. Friends experienced some trauma as kids and have all chosen to deal with it in their own ways. They must come back together as adults and Figure It Out ™️
Nah psalm for the wild built is full middle of the road enby. I’m almost there but slightly on the masc end and it suited me perfectly to identify with the protagonist directly.
Thanks for sharing! It’s a thing I don’t quite understand but I enjoy reading about characters with different experiences. Books can be mirrors or windows
The Lioness Quartet and the Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce may fit the bill here. They may be aimed more at a teen audience, but both are about girls needing to prove themselves in the face of a lot of adversity.
These books helped to shape my worldview when I was younger and they hold a very special place in my heart.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. and all of her other books. My wife and I read through them all together, and the Throne of Glass series was definitely my favorite.
This is what I’m came here to say. I could not even tell you how many times my wife has read the entire series.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik fits the bill! Uprooted by the same author should also fit.
I like these too! Uprooted probably fits the feminine theme a little better, but I like Spinning Silver more. Both good books though.
Circe - Madeline Miller. It’s a great take on the mythological figure. Tuches theames of solitiute, selfgrowth, moderhiod and beeing a bad ass witch.
The Steerswoman’s Road by Rosemary Kirstein
I came here to say this. I love those books so much. I wish she would finish the series, or at least give us notes on how she was planning to continue and end it
Roots of Chaos series is great and seems to fit these criteria. (The Priory of the Orange Tree, A Day of Fallen Knight, Among the Burning Flowers).
Juliette Mariller - Daughter of the Forrest
It is the first book in a historical fantasy series that follows a an Irish family through several generations.
It is loosely based on an old fairy tale where a witch turns 6 brothers into swans and their sister is set to an impossible task to free them.
The writing style takes a little time to get into, IMO, but once you do, I think it is un-put-down-able.
The rest of the series is also great, mixed gender protagonists in the other books.
Spinning Silver, Uprooted, and the Scholomance Trilogy by Naomi Novik are all great. The first two are stand alone novels that retell fairy tales (Rumplestiltskin and Rapunzel I think). The Scholomance books definitely wrestle with femininity and what it means for the protagonist to be a strong woman.
