The 24 absolute best fantasy books with strong female leads

Recently updated on July 14th, 2024 at 11:24 am

Looking for fantasy books with strong female leads? Here are 18 fantasy books with kick-ass female leads.

This post contains affiliate links. That said, I won’t ever recommend a book I haven’t read and loved myself.

Kick-ass, badass women reclaiming thrones, fighting wars or battling misogyny. Who doesn’t love books with strong female leads.

But the definition of a strong female lead can vary massively depending on the individual.  So I’ve decided to compile fantasy books with a range of strong female leads.

Whether you’re looking for female assassins, revenge plots or just someone trying to make the best of a situation –  I’ve got you covered. Let’s have a look at the best fantasy books with strong female leads.

This post is all about fantasy books with strong female leads

What are the best fantasy books with strong female leads?

1. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Bree Matthews is an incredible, strong-willed character. And this book includes excellent commentary on racism and slavery.

Legendborn follows Bree Mathews. After the death of her mother, she wants to avoid family memories. So, she joins a residential program for gifted high school students.

But then she witnesses a magical attack on her first night. A flying demon feeding on human energy. A Mage tries to wipe her memory. But he fails. And instead Bree unlocks new memories of her mother’s death.

2. This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Briseis is one of my favourite characters. Open-minded, intelligent, and strong-willed.

This Poison Heart follows Briseis. She has a magic gift where she can magic tiny seeds grow into rich blooms with a single touch. 

Her aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York. And it’s there she must uncover her family’s heritage and secrets.

3. Malice by Heather Walter

Are you a fan of morally grey characters? Malice contains an excellent morally grey character.

Malice is a Sleeping Beauty retelling. The book is set in a Kingdom called Briar. Once upon a time, a wicked fairy cursed a line of princesses to die. Only true love’s kiss can break the curse.

The book follows Alyce – the dark grace. She was left abandoned in Briar from a dark kingdom. The dark magic that runs in her veins abhors residents in Briar. Except for Princess Aurora.

4. Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

Six Crimson Cranes features a strong main character. But she is strong in a different way to other characters.

Shiori is the only princess in Kiata. Shiori lives in a land where magic is banned. And demons are locked away inside a mountain. But forbidden magic runs through her veins.

Shiori normally conceals it. But on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, she loses control. And she attracts the attention of her stepmother Raikama.

5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Zélie is a badass female lead. She fights to bring back magic with the help of a runaway princess.

There used to be magic in Orïsha. Zélie remembers how powerful her reaper mother was. But one-night magic disappears and Zelie is left without hope.

She now has to bring back the magic with the help of a runaway princess. Orïsha is full of danger everywhere. But Zeéie’s greatest danger is herself.

6. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

The Gilded Ones is a fast-paced fantasy with an army of badass female ccharacters.

Deka lives in a village where all the girls undergo a blood ceremony. If their blood runs gold – they are impure.

Deka has lived in fear of this ceremony. And on the day – her blood runs gold. And Deka must face consequences worse than death.

But then a mysterious woman comes to her rescue. And offers her the chance to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her.

7. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

A Dark and Hollow Star has several awesome female characters. Nausicaä is a hilarious, chaotic and sarcastic lesbian.

A series of gruesome murders threatens to expose the faerie world to humans.  Four queer teens – Nausicaä, Arlo, Vehan, and Aurelian – each hold a piece of the truth. And they must track down the mysterious killer.

If you’re searching for fantasy books with strong female leads then you’ll love this book.

8. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes features an incredible slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance with an amazingly strong heroine.

An Ember in the Ashes opens with Laia. She has found an illegal sketchbook belonging to her brother.  The empire comes and takes away her brother. So she must locate the resistance and go on a perilous mission to save him.

Laia is strong, loving and compassionate. If you love a book with a strong female lead then you should definitely read this one. She’s undeniably strong but in a different way to most ya heroines.

9. A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse So Dark and Lonely features one of my favourite protagonists. Harper is a badass female character with Cerebral Palsy. Despite her disability, she’s not a character in need of sympathy.

A Curse So Dark And Lonely is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Prince Rhen is the Heir of Emberfall.

Emberfall is under a curse and the kingdom is enchanted into an everlasting winter. Prince Rhen needs to make a girl fall in love with him to break the curse.

10. We set the dark on fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Two strong female leads married to the same man, but they fall in love with each other.

We follow  Daniela Vargas. She lives in a dystopian world where each man is entitled to 2 wives. A Primera and a Segunda. The Primera is intelligent, calm and analytical. The Segunda is the mother figure.

Outside the wall, the people go hungry. Dani started life outside of the wall. And she must use her wits to survive illegally in the capital. She is also married to one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.

11. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

This is a unique retelling with an amazing protagonist. The fast-pace makes this unputdownable.

The main character Cinder is an android. She had an accident when she was younger. And she now has a cyborg hand and ankle. But the world she lives in shuns androids.

There is also a deadly plague that is affecting the world (sound familiar…heh).

She meets and falls in love with the Prince. But she can’t tell him that she’s an android.

12. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Celeana is one of the best female leads. Some reviews describe her as arrogant. But I find her confidence refreshing. And reading about a female lead who knows her worth is excellent.

Throne of Glass follows Celaena Sardothien who is imprisoned in a horrific prison called Endovier. She is an assassin. And one day she is summoned by the Prince to fight in a competition. The winner will become the king’s personal assassin.

An excellent book with fantasy books with strong female leads.

13. Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Greek Mythology meets The Hunger games.  Lore features Greek mythology, an urban setting and a strong female lead.

Every seven years Greek Gods are hunted by descendants of ancient bloodlines. If the hunters succeed they seize their immortality. It follows Lore Perseus who has turned her back on this world.  But as the next hunt dawns, two participants seek out her help.

The plot of Lore is quite complex but it’s executed perfectly.  Bracken did a great job of building the concept. I was intrigued and hooked from the first chapter.

14. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

A Cinderella retelling with a sapphic romance.  This feature strong women overthrowing the patriarchy. And this is paired with adorable woodland imagery.

The premise is that teen girls are now required to appear at an annual ball where men select wives. But Sophia wants to marry her childhood best friend Erin. And isn’t a fan of the whole parade in front of suitors thing.

She decides to take down the king once and for all.

15. Bright and Pale by Jessica Rubinowski

Bright and Pale is an underrated fantasy with a strong thief as a main character. This is paired with a mission and enchanting winter setting.

We follow 17-year-old Valeria. As a child, she lived near this magical mountain. One day, it unleashed a big freeze that trapped her family. Valeria is one of few survivors.

So she flees and joins the thieves guild. And she does odd jobs to get by with her best friend Alik. Until he is brutally murdered.

16. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Jude is one of the best protagonists. Morally grey, intelligent and cunning. She is an absolute badass.

We follow Jude. As a child, she gets kidnapped with her two sisters and is taken to live with the fae in the woods.  She grows up wanting to be like the wicked fae she lives with.

This is fast-paced and full of unexpected plot twists. The short series is quick and easy to read. Highly recommend.

17. The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

In The Prison Healer, we follow an awesome main character surviving in a ruthless prison.

The Prison Healer is set in a ruthless death prison called Zalindov. We follow Kiva, a prisoner there. As Prison healer, she is charged with keeping the seriously ill Rebel Queen alive long enough to go through the Trial by Ordeal.

 But then a coded message arrives containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.”    But the trials will kill the sickly queen.

Find on Good Reads Buy on Amazon | Waterstones

18. Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Katniss fan? Then you’ll love Powerless. We follow a sassy street thief as she competes in trials.

We follow Paedyn. She lives in the Kingdom of Ilya. Only the exceptional, powered Elites belong in the Kingdom. These powers were gifted to them by the Plague. Those born Ordinary are banished to preserve an Elite society.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks.

Find on: Good Reads Buy on:    Amazon | Waterstones

19. A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

A morally grey assassin with a complex and convincing backstory.

We follow Keera, a killer. As the King’s Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the King’s favoured assassin. When a mysterious figure called the Shadow starts moving against the Crown, Keera is forced to hunt the masked menace down.

She crosses into the magical lands of the Fae, trying to discern if her enemy is Mortal, Elf, or a Halfling like her. But the Faeland is not what it seems, and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she discovers and can’t help but wonder who her enemy truly is…

Find on: Good Reads Buy on:    Amazon | Waterstones

20. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Are you a fan of an underdog? In Fourth Wing, we follow a small underdog competing to become a dragon rider.

We follow Violet Sorrengail. She was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant and live a quiet life among books. But the commanding general – her mother – orders Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become elite dragon riders.

But Violet is smaller than everyone else, with a brittle body. And with fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. 

Find on: Good Reads Buy on:    Amazon | Waterstones |

21. The Serpent and The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

A romantasy with a compelling underdog. Oraya is a human surviving in a city of vampires

We follow Oraya, the adopted daughter of the Nightborn vampire king. She carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

This is a fast-paced, addictive read full of plot twists. The shorter trials paired with the longer mystery, kept me hooked until the very end.

Find on: Good Reads Buy on:  Amazon | Waterstones |

22. The Guild Hunter Series – Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh

A spicy adult fantasy with a badass vampire hunter and an enemies to lovers romance.

We follow Elena. She’s a vampire hunter and she knows she’s the best. But the Archangel Raphael hires her for a job. And it’s clear failure is not an option – even if the task is impossible. 

This dark fantasy features a romance between a morally grey, powerful angel and someone who is not quite human.

Find on: Good Reads Buy on:    Amazon | Waterstones |

23. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Are you fed up of young female leads? The Advenutes of Amina Al-Sirafi features a badass pirate over the age of 40.

Amina al-Sirafi has led a scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates. She’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of motherhood.

But then she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman. And she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse.

Buy on Amazon | Waterstones

 24. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalo

A strong female lead avenging her sister’s murder at any cost.

We follow Emilia. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are witches living secretly among humans. One night, Emilia finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief.

Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Buy on: Amazon | Waterstones

Those were my picks for fantasy books with strong female leads

There are so many incredible fantasy books with strong female leads And this guide is just the tip of the iceberg.

Whether you were looking for a standalone, ya fantasy or a badass assassin – I hope you found a new book to pick up.

What are your favourite fantasy books?

This post was all about fantasy books with strong female leads

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