Feature & Follow Friday: 3 Favorite Heroines

The prompt this time around is your three favorite heroines, what books they're in, and why you love them. I'm going to avoid picking a few of the more obvious answers (like Hermione from Harry Potter, because in what world would she not make everyone's list for this?) and go with a few of my favorite less-known ladies.

1. Alexa from the Defy series by Sara B. Larson. Alexa is a total badass. When her village is ravaged by the bad guys, she has to pretend she's a guy so she can join the army instead of getting sent to the breeding houses (*shudder*). She ends up being an incredible fighter and soon ends up as one of the prince's main bodyguards. She's super strong and goes through a lot of really terrible stuff throughout the series, but her strength and humor always help her pull through. I've yet to read the final installment in this series, but it's at the top of my TBR pile and you can bet I'll have a review for it the moment I'm done!

2. Fiona from The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly. First of all, if you love historical fiction and have not read The Tea Rose, you should drop whatever you're doing and go pick it up right now. Fiona is the leading lady in this amazing book, and her presence is what ranks it as one of my all-time favorites. She's whip-smart, which is good, because she's faced with a lot of situations where making the wrong decision in a split second could cost her big time. Like Alexa, Fiona's life takes a downward tumble and she has to deal with some pretty terrible things, but she comes out all the stronger for it. Her story is all about the strength of women and how we can pull through the tough times to come out on top in the end.

3. Kamala Kahn from Ms. Marvel by Sana Amanat and G. Willow Wilson. If you're looking at getting into comics but don't know where to start, pick up Ms. Marvel. Kamala Kahn got some unexpected superpowers from a mysterious fog, and now she's one of the heroes she's always idolized. Following her as she adjusts to her powers and the responsibility that comes with them is a lot of fun - she's a hilarious lady (and also both racially and religiously diverse, which is refreshing). Not to mention, she's only 16 years old, so she has a lot of that teenage sass that's super entertaining to read. She faces some struggles (like having parents that just don't understand and also, you know, having to save the world), and her journey is incredibly engaging. I'd highly recommend it!

Who are a few of your favorite fictional ladies? I'd love to hear in the comments!