Wattpad brings you a guest post from Liliana Hart, author of mystery/suspense Dirty Little Secrets:
There are a lot of great heroines in books out there, but I’ve culled it down to my favorite five. These are all heroines that take command of the book from page one. They all make you think and wish you could be them. And they all stay with you long after the book is finished. This was actually a more difficult blog to write than I thought it would be because there still aren’t that many strong female characters that have the power to propel an entire series all on their own. These heroines are my favorites, and if you’ve never had the chance to check these particular books out, I’m proud to be the first to introduce them to you.
5.) Kay Scarpetta (Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta Series)
Patricia Cornwell was revolutionary in introducing a character like Kay Scarpetta more than twenty years ago. Scarpetta propels this series with her intelligence,dry wit, and her cool logic in some very gruesome situations. Not to mention Patricia Cornwell pens books that will keep you turning pages even as you cringe and try to hide your eyes.
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4.) Sabina Kane (Jaye Wells’ Sabina Kane Series)
Being half-mage and half-vampire has complicated Sabina Kane’s life and put her in the middle of a power struggle so intense that I can’t wait to see what happens in the series’ conclusion this summer. Sabina’s a strong female character, both in mind and strength, and she’s not someone I’d want to cross paths with, but she’s also someone you can feel great empathy and respect for. With a fantastic secondary cast to back her up, Sabina Kane is a heroine you don’t want to miss out on.
3.) Merry Gentry (Laurell K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry Series)
Laurell K. Hamilton is unique on this list in that she’s written two of the best heroines in fiction. Ever. I’ll defend that statement until my dying day. Merry Gentry is a princess of the Fae, but she’s had to go into hiding in the human world to keep her relatives from killing her. These novels are part noir, and part fantasy, and I’ve never read fight scenes better in any series (not by a man or a woman) than those in these books. Her use of magic is inventive, and I frequently find my mouth hanging open at the awesomeness of LKH’s action scenes. The series is extremely racy, but I think the scenes add to a very intricate plot, so don’t let the intimate scenes scare you away from reading.
2.) Anita Blake (Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake Series)
Anita Blake is another creation of Laurell K. Hamilton, and she’s the pioneer of what we know today as modern Urban Fantasy—a little bit mystery, a little fantasy and a little romance. Anita raises the dead for a living, and she’s caught in a political power struggle, trying to stay alive and defend those she loves from the Vampire Council. She’s romantically tied to the Master Vampire of her city, as well as the Werewolf Lupa, and their power is linked so that their lifelines are tied together. Anita kicks ass with a vengeance and doesn’t take prisoners. The plots are mysteries and she and her men are always looking for the bad guy, but Anita rules this land with an iron fist and uses her brains and an amazing amount of physical strength, so good triumphs over evil.
1.) Eve Dallas (J.D. Robb’s In Death Series)
Eve Dallas is without a doubt the most badass heroine around. I’d put her up against almost any male lead character. J.D. Robb has created a futuristic world and a heroine with a troubled past and a strict moral code. Eve Dallas is a New York City cop in the year 2060. She’s a master at looking at crimes and evidence, of putting herself in the victim’s place, and then chasing down the bad guys with a strength and skill honed by the physical and mental demands she puts on herself. She’s a character you can root for and believe in. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that her sexy husband, Roarke, is there to throw in a few curves to her straight and narrow philosophy.
The great thing about all of these books is that they’re in a series. You can peel back the layers and get to know each of these women as their story progresses. These are all books on my keeper shelf, and I encourage everyone to check them out. It should keep you busy for a while;-)
Happy Reading!
Liliana Hart (www.lilianahart.com)
Check out Liliana’s Dirty Little Secrets on Wattpad!
J.J. Graves has seen a lot of dead bodies in her line of work… She’s not only in the mortuary business, but she’s also the coroner for King George County, Virginia. When a grisly murder is discovered in the small town of Bloody Mary, it’s up to J.J. and her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, to bring the victim justice. The murders are piling up… When a popular mystery writer shows up on J.J.’s doorstep with plans of writing his new book about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer, J.J. has to decide if he might be going above and beyond the call of duty to create the spine tinglers he’s so well known for. And passions are rising… J.J and Jack discover each victim had a shocking secret, and the very foundation of J.J.’s life is in danger of crumbling when it turns out she’s harboring secrets of her own—secrets that make her a perfect target in a deadly game.