Happy International Women’s day, y’all! To celebrate Authors ’18, a group of rising stars in the publishing industry, put together a list of books featuring a strong female lead. These titles focus on changing the stereotypical view of what it means to be a woman, and all the while showcasing stories of triumph for the female protagonists. Check them out and don’t forget to celebrate the power to women!
Impossible Saints (Jan 2) is a historical novel by Clarissa Harwood. Set in 1907 England, it depicts a militant suffragette torn between her political ambitions and her love for a young clergyman.
The Night Child (Jan 30) is a contemporary psychological/literary novel by Anna Quinn. The protagonist, Nora, sparks an intense discussion with her high-school English class about the loaded word “feminism.” Shakespeare’s sexism, Queen Elizabeth’s struggle to be accepted for her brilliance, and Clinton’s appointment of Janet Reno are explored in a heated, important conversation.
Wrapped in the Stars (Feb 19) is a historical novel by Elena Mikalsen. During WWI, Dr. Rebecca Miller fights for rights of women to receive access to healthcare and birth control and, together with her friends, establishes a women’s health clinic and legal aid service to help women improve their health services and gain independence from abusive and controlling husbands.
From Unseen Fire (April 17) is a fantasy/alternate-history novel by Cass Morris. Latona, the heroine is fighting to claim her space and power in a suffocating society; move her forward two thousand years, and she’d be all about #MeToo and #TimesUp. Keep an eye out for my author’s interview coming to you in a few weeks!
Dawn Among the Stars (May 21) is a feminist science fiction/fantasy novel by Samantha Heuwagen. The novel depicts a world where diversity flourishes as powerful women battle mental illness and aliens.
Freyja’s Daughter (May 22) is a feminist urban fantasy novel inspired by Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D, in which folkloric women come out of hiding and use their abilities to smash the patriarchal organization that’s been oppressing them for centuries.
In Everything But The Earl, Miss Caroline Crispin overhears two lords calling her a whore and wagering over whose lover she’ll become, and decides to teach them a lesson on behalf of women everywhere.
This I know (Apr 24) by Eldonna Edwards is a coming-of-age literary novel set in the 1960s Midwest. Preacher’s daughter and clairvoyant Grace Carter rises above the fear of her otherness to embrace her gifts and become a force for what is right over what is ordained. 20 copies currently up for grabs on Goodreads!
What does international women’s day mean to you? How will you be celebrating and honoring the women in your life?
