*Edited to add: My boneheaded self forgot to schedule this so we’re going to keep this giveaway up for an extra day.
Welcome to the final week of our Spring Fling Giveaway. Every week this past month, we’ve been having bookish discussions and giving away books. To see what we’re giving away, check out our GoodReads bookshelf:
All you have to do to win some free books is join in the discussions. The more you comment, the better your chances are of winning so you don’t want to miss out.
Each winner will get a box full of books. It will be random and you won’t know until you open up your box what books you will be getting. You can take a look at the bookshelf we created of the books we’re giving away for a peek at what you might get. But the joy of this months festivities is the surprise that will be waiting for you when you open your boxes.
This week we’re discussing Heriones.
Holly: Rowena is all about the hero. When shes’ reading, if the hero is yummy, she can forgive the book just about anything. I am not like that. For a book to be a full out win for me, I have to love the heroine. She has to be smart and capable. She has to be strong and caring. She doesn’t have to be a MarySue or be perfect. But she has to be someone I can respect, even if she makes mistakes.
There are very few heroines I love. I have high standards for the heroines of the stories. I’m not going to lie, I tend to be much harder on the heroine than the hero. Perhaps I shouldn’t be. Perhaps I should expect more from the men in the stories I read. But, the fact of the matter is, I’m a woman. I have high expectations for my gender (I was going to write sex, which is also true, but that could be considered TMI, so…).
I could make a list as long as the Nile of heroines I dislike. The sad fact is there are very few who stand out to me in a good way. Instead of focusing on the bad, however, I’m going to focus on the good. Here are a few heroines I love.
Lt. Eve Dallas from J.D. Robb’s In Death series. Eve is one of the most kickass women you’ll ever meet. She’s capable of fighting a hopped up drug addict and winning, even if he is 100lbs heavier and meaner than a junkyard dog. I wouldn’t want to meet her in a dark alley, that’s for sure. But she is also..broken. She’s also someone worthy of my respect and respect her, I do.
Who are your favorite heroines? Who are your least favorite heroines? Share with us.
Please Note: You must include a valid email address with your comment to be eligible. Us and Canada only*
Each contest ends on June 1st at 11:59PM. You can enter any and all giveaways we hold throughout the month but you will only be allowed to win one. We will be holding two giveaways a week and each winner will win roughly about 25 books each. Winners will be announced the first week in June.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Eve Dallas from J.D. Robb’s In Death series is my favorite heroine! I’m always anxious for the next book to come out!
mittens0831 at aol dot com
I am the exact same way. I know that I can forgive the heroes a bit more easily (except the semi-psychotic alpha types that for some weird reason everyone is so hot about right now)than the heroines. Maybe cuz I see myself in them. I want a woman who can make her own decisions, live w/ the consequences, cares about others, can kick a bit of booty (but if she’s all super kickass, that’s a bonus), but most importantly *can be w/ a man w/out making that man her entire identity*.
Eve Dallas is top of that list. She’s strong w/out being a bitter pillar of aloneness and yet she has a tight knit core group that she cares about and cares for her. Plus, she loves Roarke but he’s not her entire world. She just chooses to make him a high, high priority.
Ummm… others I like: Mercy Thompson from Patricia Brigg’s series; Sirantha Jax from Ann Aguirre (if you haven’t read that series, drop what you’re doing and *go get it*). Those are the only ones I can think off right off the top of my head that fits my criteria.
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
I love the heroines in Lauren Dane’s Federation and Brown Siblings series. Most of the women have overcome tragedy in their pasts and have created lives for themselves. I like heroines to be fighters.
My least favorite kind of heroine are the spoiled, perfect heroines who need to be rescued all of the time.
geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com
Some of my all-time favorite heroines are: Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Eyre, Beth from Jennifer Ashley’s The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and Andi From Cindy Miles’ Spirited Away. Such strong and courageous women!
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
I find that it’s important that I’m able to like the hero and heroine equally. Otherwise, the book is not going to get an A rating from me. I love heroines who have had to fight against adversity, but it hasn’t hardened them. Eve Dallas is definitely a favorite. I also love Kate Daniels. She starts out gruff, hard, and alone but over the course of the series, she has opened herself up to love in many ways. My other favorite is Mercy Thompson because she’s never the strongest person in the room, but she never gives up. She will defend her loved ones to the death.
jen(at)delux(dot)com
Favourite heroines include Mercy Thompson (Patricia Briggs), Mel Sheridan (Robyn Carr) and Briana Concannon(Nora Roberts).
Least favourite include any and all of the heroines in Sherilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter books up to and include Ascheron. At that point, I stopped reading the books. I couldn’t stand any of them.
goddessani at gmail dot com
I like heroines that can save themselves and not wait around wringing their hands waiting for a man to do it. And I like women with intelligence, but maybe just a hint of naivete (’cause they can’t be too perfect. Phoebe from Amanda Quick’s “Reckless” is one with both. She doesn’t really know the world, but she’s set herself up as a fantastic publisher and manages to save both her sister and herself at different points in the novel.
Also, I’m only partway into the book but I’m liking Anne from Julia Quinn’s latest, “A Night Like This” (although I keep hearing Kylie Minogue’s song every time I read the title.)
eeyoressej yahoo com
I’ve almost always leaned towards books with female heroines. Luckily, I’ve found plenty.
Steven Brust has written some of my favorites: Sethra Lavode, Lady Teldra, and Tazendra.
Then there are the urban fantasy heroines: Kitty Norville (Carrie Vaughan), Mercy Thompson (Patricia Briggs (who someone else already mentioned)), Kate Daniels (Ilona Andrews), Jane Yellowrick (Faith Hunter)–I adore all of them.
And there are the YA heroines, like Garth Nix’s Sabriel, and all the teen girls written by Nina Kiriki Hoffman and Charles de Lint.
And the comics–I love Snow in Bill Willingham’s fable series, and of course Neil Gaiman’s Death.
And, of course, Terry Pratchett’s Granny Weatherwax.
What turns me off about a book is a female lead who needs to be rescued. Just… no thank you.
My theory is that Princess Leia (my first favorite heroine) came along just at the right time (I was 7) for me to believe that girls could save themselves, and so she set the bar for everyone from there on out.
Oh. Do you get my email address from my profile? Maybe not?
michelleklishis
at yahoo
Oh, and thank you!
My favorite heroines are strong, flawed women like Jennifer Estep’s Gin Blanco, Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock and Jeaniene Frost’s Cat Crawfield. My least favorite heroines are those that are too stupid to live, or don’t stick up for themselves and wait around for the hero to save them. I always love it when the heroine saves herself, or even saves the hero. That’s my favorite kind of story.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
Heroines (like heroes) can really make or break a story for me. I have to be able to connect with them in some way. I like heroines who are strong but still vulnerable – that’s what makes them human to me even if they have special powers. Some of my favorite is Mac from the Fever series, Jenny Jones from The Promise of Jenny Jones, Cat from the Night Hunstress series and Haven from Blued-Eyed Devil. They’re not perfect but they have traits that enable them to grow and to love!
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
^^ I have to add that there isn’t really a heroine who comes to mind that I didn’t like. I think it’s because they weren’t memorable as well has having traits that were unappealing. I don’t like boring or predictable and helpless heroines. Some of my favorite heroines are far from perfect and there are times when they make bad decisions but they bounce back. Heroines that don’t learn from their mistakes or don’t take chances for love (while still expecting it) and who complain irk me.
I love the heroines from Kleypas’ Wallflower series.
mojostables@yahoo.com
I kind of take heroine suckiness personal, and sadly, I have lately run into a lot of books where everything works BUT the heroine. This makes me really said.
Anyway, I got a few favorites.
I love Penelope Featherington in the Bridgerton serie by JQ, and Emma Dove in And then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke
Ike ones who are strong smart and dilikie ones who are whiney Ty Fornthe giveaways
Kimh
kimehak@yahoo.com
while there’s always a soft spot for the 1sst (shanna by woodiwiss) 😉 some fab heroines that comes to mind include garwood’s from guardian angel & lion’s lady; eve from kleypas’ devil in winter & joanna bournes heroines 🙂
gamstress66 (at) aol (dot )com
My favorite heroines are funny and can laugh at themselves, like Min from Bet Me and Callie from Nine Rules to Break.
For me, the book has to have a good balance of a good hero and heroine and I am totally turned off by constantly weak heroines or constantly macho heroes.
Re. flawed heroines, I think that’s important. I’ve stopped reading many series where the heroine can suddenly do everything perfectly, and all the boys love her, and she walks away from (Bad Thing) with nary a broken fingernail.
I want things to work out well for the heroine, but I don’t want things to be easy, which usually strikes me as unbelievable.
Of course, that can go in either direction. I gave up on a long running mystery series I quite liked, because every book had the heroine at odds with her love interest, which they’d work through, but then seemingly forget by the start of the next book. I eventually decided that if they couldn’t remember their resolutions from every other book, they probably weren’t good for each other, and were just wasting my time. I could probably have ignored it, if the relationship didn’t take up such large portions of the book. 🙂
The heroine is the most important character in romance stories – I want her to be smart & strong, and if she has some strong skills, so much the better. Earlier this year I read the entire Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series – Stephanie was a lot of fun (tho a bit dysfunctional).
Jumping directly to the comments…
I like broken people who rise above whatever drags them down–and that’s why I like Eve Dallas.
But her way–abrasive, antisocial, unbending in many ways–is not the only way to rise.
There are a number of old skool romances with heroines who stand tall despite being truly broken–from Linda Howard alone we have Grace from Son of the Morning, Roanna from Shades of Twilight, Faith from After the Night, and Marlie from Dream Man.
Since I suppose there are some here who haven’t read classic Howard, I give you the three heroines of Shiloh Walker’s Ash Trilogy–Lena, Hope and Nia are all broken in their own way, and they all cope and rebuild themselves. Lena has pretty much done so by the time the first novel starts, but I love how Hope pulls herself up from the bottom of the pit.
Erm… and I’ll just shut up now.
I love the tough, kick-ass heroines who don’t really need a man to come save them.
I like Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Eve Dallas is by far one of my all time favorites. She is strong and focused. But knows how to give and care for others in her life as well. She is dedicated and loyal and has a great attitude.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
If I don’t like the heroine then I usually don’t like the book. I want a heroine who can stand up for herself but who isn’t always looking for attention. I want her to be smart and have a sense of humor. One of my favorite heroines is Daisy from Open Season by Linda Howard.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
A couple of my favorite heroines:
1.Judith Hampton from The Secret by Julie Garwood
2. Minerva Dobbs from Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
3. Johanna from Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
4. Elizabeth Bennet
5. Sugar Beth from Ain’t She Sweet by Susan E. Phillips
Hello spring bingers,
been gone for awhile, now happily back again. heroines, you say? I’ll give you my forever queen: Amelia Peabody.
Who else?
Helena Justina from the Falco Imperial Roman sleuth series,
Blue from Natural Born Charmer because really, how many heroines can pull of a first appearance in a beaver suit?
Kate Daniels from dystopian Atlanta because she is made of awesome,
Marguerite Fleurignac from The Forbidden Rose because she can outsmart French Revolutionaries
and Daphne from Mr. Impossible because she made me and also her hero Rupert, my favourite, laugh so much
urgh. did not follow instructions. I’m at:
mayamissani AT gmail DOT com
My preferred genre is m/m, so I usually don’t have to consider this question! 🙂 I find heroines to be too perfect a lot of the time, or flawed in a self-consciously cutesy or quirky way. Either way, I can’t relate, or I resent the implication that I should be like them. My favorite heroine right now is Kanna in Naoki Urasawa’s manga series 20TH CENTURY BOYS–strong and fearless, loyal to those she loves and to her cause, but with believable anger, trust issues, and vulnerability.
vitajex(at)aol(dot)com
Eve Dallas is definitely one of my favorite heroines. I’ve enjoyed reading about how far she’s come since Naked in Death. Another kickass heroine I love is Elena Deveraux from the Guild Hunter series.