It’s day 3 of the Summer Lovin’ Readathon! Woohoo! Today’s topic is about favorite fictional females/heroines, and what makes them so awesome. I have a whole bunch of favorite fictional heroines, but four of them really stand out to me: Katsa, Kate Daniels, Penryn, and Elisa.

• Katsa (Graceling by Kristin Cashore): Katsa is probably my all-time favorite heroine. She’s tough, she’s kickass, and I just love her so much. She has a Grace that allows her to defeat any opponent, so she’s an incredible fighter. She fights for what she believes is right, and protects those she loves. She has gorgeous eyes, one blue and one green, that indicate her Grace. I love that Katsa knows what she wants. She’s firm and disciplined, and when she makes up her mind about something, she follows through. Her relationship with Po is just the best. They are so cute together, and it was so lovely to see them slowly fall in love with each other after journeying together for so long.

Favorite quote:

“I’m not going to wear a red dress,” she said.
“It would look stunning, My Lady,” she called.
She spoke to the bubbles gathered on the surface of the water. “If there’s anyone I wish to stun at dinner, I’ll hit him in the face.”

• Kate Daniels (Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews): I love Kate. I like, love her so freaking much. If I were to have a girl crush anybody, it would be on Kate. Seriously, this woman rocks. She’s an insanely incredible sword fighter, and she’s also a powerful magic user. And the best thing about her? She’s insanely funny. I don’t know how many times I’ve laughed because of her, but it was a lot. She’s smart and witty and a badass, and can totally handle the Beast Lord on her own.

Favorite quote:

I gave him a smile. I was aiming for sweet, but he turned a shade paler and scooted a bit farther from me. Note to self: work more on sweet and less on psycho-killer.

• Penryn (Angelfall by Susan Ee): Penryn’s a survivor. She lives in a post-apocalyptic world that was decimated by angels, and all she can do is try to survive one day at a time. And she has an incredible heart, because once her sister is kidnapped, Penryn stops at nothing to get her back, even aligning herself with an angel. She learns to fight and goes deep within enemy territory to save her sister.

Favorite quote:

“I’m not moping,” I whisper back.
“Of course you’re not. A girl like you, spending time with a warrior demigod like me. What’s to mope about? Leaving a wheelchair behind couldn’t possibly show up on the radar compared to that.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I never kid about my warrior demigod status.”
“Oh. My. God.” I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. “You are nothing but a bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I’ll grant you that. But you know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That’s what you are.”

• Elisa (Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson): After leading her people to war against their enemies, and winning, Elisa becomes queen of her kingdom. She learns to be strong, tough, and unwavering. She’s loyal and full of heart, and she’s only 17. She has to learn to find a way to lead and rule her kingdom so it won’t fall apart, and she does so with confidence and the power of her Godstone. I love that she grows and matures so much from the first book, where she was scared and insecure. Now, she’s tougher, a fighter, and the ruler of her kingdom

Favorite quote:

“Given a choice between my life and yours, I will choose mine. Every time. Without hesitation.”

So there you have it! My favorite female characters. And Day 3 of the Readathon is finished!