This Rec League came from Elle. Thanks, Elle!
I feel like I struggle to find what I think of as feminist romances. I would love urban fantasy, paranormal or fantasy romances where the women are powerful and shine just as much as the guy characters. I love a good devoted guy MC too. Shelley Laurenston is the best fit for what I am thinking but I’m sure there are others with interesting takes and characters that I haven’t read. A slightly “crazy” or dangerous strong female lead is fantastic too. Extra points for diverse representation, leads in their 30s or older and series where each book follows a different couple.
Amanda: We’ve previously ran an Angry Heroines and Recs for When You Want to Burn It All Down, which may have some crossover.
Shana: Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) sounds like it would fit.
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea ( A | BN | K | AB ) is more of a cozy fantasy than a Laurenston-type book. There’s a lesbian couple as the lead, up against a Queen.
Sneezy: Only Hope is a webtoon that’s lighter on the fantasy elements, and season two just ended on the MOTHER OF ALL CLIFFHANGERS. Eunhye isn’t quite the ass kicking lead, but I appreciate her energy of knowing she’s just a normal ass person, but still doing everything she can to go after happiness, not just survival, and holding onto the reigns of her with both hands even if doesn’t seem possible she could hold on.
If you have a taste for complicated characters, timeline things, and thriller elements, you might like this one.
Sarah: I have a few:
Ok. Dragon Actually is GA Aiken ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) who is also Shelly Laurenston, and that book is about Anwyl the Bloody.
Kimberly Lemming’s heroines aren’t all angry but they take NO shit. And the heroine of the new one coming out in February, Kidnapped by Aliens/Trapped in a Rom Com – she’s PISSED. She is HELLA mad.
Amanda, what about A Promise of Fire?
Amanda: That’s an interesting recommendation because I remember people having two VERY different readings of that book. I found it to be a good portrayal of a powerful heroine working within a system while trying to make sense of her abilities. There is a lot of pants feelings though.
Sarah: Ok, this rec is two parts: you kind of have to read Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater ( A | BN | K | AB ) to really understand the world I think, but Ten Thousand Stitches, the sequel, is about a magical seamstress whose anger comes through in her stitches, so folks who wear her garments get mad all the time.
It’s like me and hormonal birth control, except fantasy, and with sewing.
Sneezy: I’ve only just started this one so I don’t know all the content warnings, but On a Leash is a F/F shifter comic (dog x snake) that RIGHT AWAY has some dark romance flags. It’s hot, it’s action heavy, and there’s are PG17 and PG18+ versions available.
Another good one is Villain with a Crush.
I’m not all caught up with this one, but it’s hilarious, both leads are OP, the BEST grandma, and some fun and wholesome gender things. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can turn into a villain by basically tripping over their feet now and then, this answers it. I love this story so much.
A Foxy Affair I mentioned before, and it also fits. The main character is a assassin by trade, and was hired because she is known for being so good at her job, she killed a spider creature that was a step away from deification when she killed them, despite being human herself. Her love interests are fox spirits brothers who share a body and want to kill each other. What could go wrong?
Roxana!!! The artist is recovering from abusedartistitus and as far as I know there’s no word on when it’ll be back, but this webtoon is to die for (terrifying, but to die for) and the artist has explicitly said she plans to return when she can.
Roxana is powerful in the magical sense, and she also uses fashion to remind you, your mother, and your grandma that she can absolutely fuck you up.
SOMEHOW the artist made ALL the butterfly motifs elegant and fearsome and sinister instead of juvenile and clunky. She also has this way of making keeping the energy and horror of gruesome scenes without being explicit or showing any body horror.
Which books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
T. Kingfisher’s Paladin series, except Paladin’s Hope, which is MM. Also Swordheart, and Nettle & Bone. I live in hope of a book with Bishop Beartongue as a central character, I adore her so much.
Martha Wells’ The Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy. I’ve heard good things about her Wheel of the Infinite, recently re-released, but I haven’t read it yet.
Melissa Scott’s Water Horse is amazing and immersive and immediately became my favorite of her books. There are a lot of POV characters, male and female, and the story switches between them.
I second the Nettle and Bone and Ten thousand stitches recs.
You mentioned urban fantasy. I think Seanen McGuire’s October Daye and Incryptid series could count
Linzi Day’s Midlife Recorder series would be a good fit for this. The series is about a middle-aged woman discovering her powers – over a several-book arc she gradually starts to realise she has the skills and authority to do what needs to be done in her role as the guardian of a portal to different worlds. I have enjoyed the books; I will say the most recent one got a bit long and immersed in details. Diversity representation is there, although in secondary characters.
The Sharing Knife series by Lois McMaster Bujold. A feminist response to LOTR, with romance.
Kati Wilde’s Dead Lands series, starting with THE MIDWINTER MAIL-ORDER BRIDE. The heroines are strong and so are the heroes, but in different ways. There are quests, magic, monsters, and villains, but also love, joy, and the triumph of good (and, oh yeah, smoking-hot sexy-times). Highly recommended.
The heroine of Rawnie Labor’s GIFTS OF GOLD is a cranky depressed angry human who is hired as a guard by the Court of Thorns, A paranormal mixed court run by a vampire and also a sex club, why not? Humans in general don’t know about magic, and she has to work there for a month (?) before being told. In spite of not having the powers of everyone else, she’s brave and has a strong protective instinct and throws herself into whatever fight there is. Another thing I really like is that she and her fae love interest have a playful dynamic; they play all kinds of games but neither is a dom or sub. I feel like that’s closer to most people’s (ok,at least my) reality and something I always look for.
Ilona Andrews’s Hidden Legacy series would fit I think! I’d also add their Kate Daniels series even though that’s really more urban fantasy than romance and definitely is a very long slow burn on the romantic relationship. Kate’s a badass though.
It’s been out there for a while, but remains one of my desert island picks: Meljean Brooks’ Guardian series. It is full of female characters who are every bit as in charge as their male counterparts. The exhibit their strengths in different ways. Lilith is that Lilith, and while now fighting in the side of the angels, her methods are still a little demonic. Andromeda who leaves her human life behind. My favorite, Rosalia, comes across as a serene maternal type, but her long term end game is epic. They kick ass and save the world.
The Warden series by Daniel Ford (The Warden, Necrobane, Advocate coming this spring) has a wonderful heroine and a quiet F/F romance. My favorite thing about heroine Aelis is that she IS very often the smartest person in the room and very rarely has any qualms as to whether she can defeat the monster or solve the mystery. Her self-confidence is refreshing to read about.
Anything by Seanan McGuire, her heroines are kickass (in the case of Verity Price, very literally!) and their love interests appreciate that about them.
Zoe Archer’s Blades of the Rose series is set in Victorian times and has a secret society dedicated to keeping magical artifacts out of the hands of old white men who want power. In the first book, Warrior, the heroine’s goal is to become a member of the Blades. When the hero is asked if he’s going to make the heroine choose between marrying him and joining the Blades, his answer is “Why the hell would I make her choose? I think her being a magical secret agent is great! I was going to politely ask her if *I* could join!” I love the whole series.
Thirding the T. Kingfisher and Olivia Atwater recommendations. (@LisaM—I would also be DELIGHTED to read a Bishop Beartongue book!)
I’m wondering if the Emily Wilde books or Stephanie Burgess’s SNOWSPELLED might also fit the bill here.
Shift Happens by T.M. Baumgartner might work for the urban fantasy part of the request, but there is no romance.
My suggestions although these do not have different love interests throughout the series. First the stand alone: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Then Charlene Harris’s new series about Gunnie Rose. And lastly, Any of Deana Raybourn’s series. My favorites are the Veronica Speedwell mysteries—Stoker, be still my heart.
I second the recommendation of Ilona Andrews, all of their heroines are great, and strong and capable in very different ways. Kate Daniels in the Kate Daniels series starts out kicking all kinds of ass and only becomes more of an impressive power-house as the series goes along.
The three Baylor sisters in the Hidden Legacy series (first trilogy is about oldest sister Nevada, the bridging novella and the second trilogy is about middle sister Catalina – their youngest sister Arabella is an important supporting character in the whole series. There’s also their ex-army sniper mother and magical mechanic grandmother).
Dina de Mille in the Innkeeper Chronicles may seem soft and harmless at first, but is not to be trifled with. Her sister Maud is more of an obvious warrior, she’s introduced in a later book in the series.
In their Edge series, each book has a new couple it focuses on, and all four heroines are very well-drawn, powerful, and very different from one another.
I can’t think of a single Ilona Andrews book where the heroines aren’t all deeply formidable in their own right, and often turn out to be more powerful than the hero.
Sharon Shinn’s Elemental Blessings series has great power female rep. The first book, TROUBLED WATERS, has a heroine, Zoe who rather righteously uses her power in very key moments. The whole series is good, but Zoe is a standout, imo.
Same deal with Shinn’s MYSTIC and RIDER, the main female character in the first book, Senneth, is very enigmatic and powerful.
More fantasy than romance, but both characters do get to have a nice romance and HEA as well.
If you like British humor I recommend Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series, in which the heroine has the ability to enter books and correct plots that have gone awry; she faces off against fearsome literary and beaurocratic villains and kicks butt. First in the series is The Eyre Affair.
Another webtoon you might like is Cursed Princess Club, in which an assortment of fairytale princesses suffering under a range of bizarre curses band together to save a sweet but unconventional princess, and the world, from a megalomaniac king and his three toxic princelings. It is positively hilarious while teaching some good lessons about body positivity and the power of female friendship; plus it’s complete so you can binge the whole thing! The first three volumes are also now out in print.
I third the Ilona Andrews recs. Some of Deborah Wilde’s series should work as well – Nava Katz might not fit the bill, but the Jezebel Files definitely do.
Ooh, and the Stariel series by AJ Lancaster.
Melissa McShane’s THE EXTRAORDINARIES series are fantasy regency romance, and all of the female leads are immensely magically powerful (often much moreso than the men around them). Each book follows new leads. I’d describe them as like a cross between Pride & Prejudice and Hornblower (they’re primarily set during the Napoleonic wars), but if all the FMCs were superheroes.
Anything by KF Breene. All of the female MC are badass and take no shit. The Leveling Up series features a woman who just turned 40, newly divorced and her son just left for college. Her first job is caretaking a house that Jesse discovers is magical. There’s gargoyles, and vampires, and shifters, and so much fun! Bonus: this is the best audio book I’ve listened to.
I have to recommend Laurie J Marks’ Elemental Logic series. Queerness is a usual thing in this world which I would describe as philosophers who also have to transform into warriors. The main characters are female and they all undergo, in fact the whole world undergoes, tremendous changes. One of the female villains becomes a protagonist somewhere along the way. Is there romance? Yeah. Is romance the focus? No. The world building is incredible. The prose is impeccable. I would highly highly recommend this series. Squarely feminist and gloriously deep and thought-provoking. The male characters are well drawn out too.
I just didn’t enjoy the last book as much—it felt gimmicky as compared with the first three but even then it is still a glorious series overall. Oh and did I mention the main character even though blessed and “chosen” is strongly not in favor of being the crowned ruler person?
Thirding Ilona Andrews & T. Kingfisher’s Paladin series.
Gail Carriger’s Parisol Protectorate – Alexis Tarraboti absolutely runs rings around Conall Macon, who at one point gets so flustered by her that he loses his manners enough to actually drink tea straight from the teapot. Poor man. It’s gaslamp fantasy, not urban or PNR though.
Cassandra Gannon’s Kinda Fairytale series, but 2 (or maybe 3) of the books in particular. My order of preference: Kingpin of Camelot (book 3), Happily Ever Witch (book 6) and Seducing the Sheriff of Nottingham (book 5). The MMC of Kingpin of Camelot mentally thinks of the FMC as “a damn the torpedoes kind of girl”, and he absolutely isn’t wrong. I think I recommend this series for every rec league; sorry for being a broken record.
This is more YA, but Garth Nix’s Abhorsen series. Sabriel and Lirael (the two FMCs) get stuff done. Surprisingly dark for a YA series, too. The romance is more of a subplot than plot-plot, but is still present.
Throne of Glass (YA)
Fourth Wing series
Emily Wilde’s series
After the Forest, maybe
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Another for Ten Thousand Stitches. I read it before Half a Soul and liked it the most of the series.
I haven’t read it yet, but Liar’s Kingdom may also fit.
I love this request! Going to look at the other recs.
I am currently finishing the third book of the Scholomance series by Naomi Novik (book 1 is a Deadly Education) and I LOVE what a snarky badass El (FMC) is – so powerful she has to actively NOT kill people with her spells (and also fight her own nature to NOT turn evil), lots of diversity, and a really non-conventional romance so far (not sure how this is going to end, tbh). Highly recommend, and the audiobooks are great – really good narrator if you like listening too.
Seconding the Stariel series by AJ Lancaster.
Would also recommend the Guild Codex: Spellbound series by Annette Marie starting with Three Mages and a Margarita. It’s more on the urban fantasy side but there is a romance running through it. The blurb makes it sound like it might be a reverse harem but it definitely isn’t (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), there is a clear love interest although it takes a few books to develop. The FMC has rage issues and takes the only job she can find, as the bartender and only non-magical person in a guild of mages. She has absolutely no quit in her and often ends up getting everyone out of situations that look pretty impossible to escape.
Charles de Lint writes a lot of urban fantasy fiction, often set in Ottawa. I really like the Jack of Kinrowan books. Multiple women protagonists.
I have several recommendations that I don’t think have been mentioned yet.
High fantasy
The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg – f/nb romance, can’t recommend this enough – it’s like an explicitly LGBTQ+ Earthsea, but also it’s own, beautiful thing
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (first in the The Burning Kingdoms trilogy) – this is more epic fantasy than romance – there’s a wonderful, central f/f romance but no hea until book 3 (I expect / hope – just about to read book 3). Read the content warnings – it’s pretty intense.
Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha – Queer, poly m/f/f romance / fantasy with dragons, secrets and seduction and two awesome heroines
The Gardener’s Hand series by Felicia Davin
Real world + magic / urban fantasy:
Almost anything by Zen Cho. Her Sorcerer Royal series is set in Regency England and Malaysia, with magic and dragons. Both books in the series are romances (m/f and f/f). Black Water Sister is a contemporary UH without much romance but I loved it – the MC starts off passive and confused and grows into her power.
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty – historical fantasy about retired pirate captain / smuggler who brings her crew back together for one last job. Set in the world surrounding the Indian Ocean in the 12th C, but with magic. There’s no romance. Amina is a delightful, kickass 40+ heroine. The villain is really violent and villainous so read the warnings.
The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée – moody, sexy Sapphic urban fantasy romance between an ex-demon hunter and the demon who was sent to seduce and destroy her but ends up helping her heal. (content warning: disordered eating)
So many good recs, but I definitely have to look up the Charles deLint series because Ottawa seems like maybe the next to last place I’d set urban fantasy, just ahead of Fort Wayne IN, so of course I must run off and read them. My inlaws live by Dow’s Lake and I’m … struggling … to imagine shifters on the O-Train or immortals on those broad dull streets. I guess the Louise B giant spider sculpture and the Dieffenbunker could work? But seriously, Ottawa and urban fantasy?
Wow, the Charles de Lint books look amazing and thank you, other Anna, for recommending them and how had I not found them before. (And his author picture on Amazon is in a Rat City Rollergirls tshirt, which is my town, so really, how had I not found his books yet?) Thank you.
@AnnaR Ha ha my superpower is that I’m old! He was popular years ago. Patricia Wrede, Tanith Lee, Terry Pratchett, Robin McKinley…all my fantasy faves are dead or past their peak of popularity. Pull up a chair to my rocker (wraps shawl tighter) and I’ll tell you all about when Tor was Tom Doherty Associates, and everything they published was great and the cover art was amazing!
Seconding SHIFT HAPPENS by Baumgartner – a great book, unique heroine.
Feminist books are hard to find as many authors seem to torture their heroines in the fight against the system.
The heroine of the just finished ARTEMIS UNIVERSITY series by Erin Flynn is so strong, but is treated so badly by the world that it takes the full 26 books for redemption/vengeance.
In the area of fantasy, there is the Artifactor Series by Honor Raconteur, about an Inventor which saves the kingdom, and the world, by solving problems.
If you have a sturdy tolerance for violence and aggressive sex (not ncessarily together) you might want to check out Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark Series. The MMC are definitely alpha, but most of the FMCs kick ass and manage to put their male counterparts in their place. The world building is complex, so I’d suggest reading in order.
I’d also suggest Bujold’s world of the Five Gods books. These are fantasies, and Bujold has never written a weak female character. I’d particularly recommend The Paladin of Souls, The Hallowed Hunt, and the Penric and Desdemona series.
I also want to just raise my hand for anything by Ilona Andrews.
I would recommend Michelle Diener’s Rising Wave fantasy series. The prequel novella, THE RISING WAVE is free on Kindle. The hero is no slouch, but the heroine is the one with powerful magic.
I haven’t read all of Honor Raconteur’s books, but the heroines in all of the ones I have read are great. Despite the series being called ‘The Case Files of Henry Davenforth’ we hear almost as much from the heroine, and FBI agent magically transported to a world with both the magic and technology of the late 19th/early 20th century; I like the way she gets together with other women to introduce more recent technology. Oh and strawberries 😉 Very fond of the ‘Familiar and the Mage’ series, and the ‘Deepwoods’ series is a comfort read.
Do you think Mary Robinette Kowal’s “Glamourist Histories” series would fit this? I only read the first book but that was years ago and I remember nothing about it.
I’d also highly recommend Tanya Huff’s Blood series, the first book of which is _Blood Price_. Victoria Nelson battles retinitis pigmentosa–and various supernaturals–on her own terms.