I like books with badass female protagonists. Bonus points if there’s some sort of action or adventure involved, but not required. Down for any genre!
Some examples of books with BAFPs I’ve liked in the past are The Nightingale, Best Served Cold, Gideon the Ninth, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, Beartown, and Mistborn.
by ExtremeToucan
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The adventures of Amina al-Surafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Dammit, you’ve read Best Served Cold!
How about murder? Candice Fox Crimson Lake series as the most interesting badass PI lady! Yes she solves them but she was also convicted of one….spoiler to tell you more…
Lieutenant Eve Dallas in the futuristic suspense JD Robb Death Series. Set in 2050’s NYC, Eve is a complex, tough as nails police lieutenant who fears nothing but her own childhood memories. Fast paced, the highly detailed futuristic world Robb has created with a solid, reoccurring supporting cast, is amazing. Each book in the series is a page turner & extraordinarily compelling. Wonderful audible narration to workout to. The time flies by. Highly recommend.
The Clan of The Cave Bear series. Ayla 4 evah!
Like comic books? *Promethea* by Alan Moore.
Ilona Andrews any of their series,
Patricia Briggs, Mercy Thompson series
The Wandering Inn Pirate Aba
Elizabeth Moon Paksenarrion Series,
JD Robb In Death series
Shards of Honor, and Barrayar, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan is as badass as you like.
Fuck me by Virginie Despentes
Intensity – Dean Koontz
The Jane Whitefield series by Thomas Perry.
Clara from The Dishonest Miss Take – more verbally badass than physical
*Wings, Women, and War: Soviet Airwomen in World War II Combat* by Reina Pennington.
I’m surprised not to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books here already!
I second The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi– one of my fave books of 2024.
You like historical fiction– try Frozen River, about a midwife who fights crime in 18th century Maine (I think.) For WWII, everything from Kate Quinn.
Spinning Silver is super fun fantasy/retelling of rumpelstiltskin, and probably one of my favorite female protagonists recently.
Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison