Top 10 Heroines

 Hi everyone, it's me again! Sorry for the delay, however I needed a breather. Now I'm back and stronger than ever, so don't worry.

 Today I will be doing my Top 10 series, starting with Heroines! Now for characters to be eligible for this list, they must be a character in a book (anyone looking for their favourite characters from a TV series, sorry. Believe me, it's harder not including my favourite heroines from my favourite TV shows, such as Tina from Bob's Burgers or Luz from The Owl House), they must be female (all types of female don't worry), and they must be aligned with the good side. They don't have to be the main character, but they have to be featured often in the book, so side characters won't count, sorry. 

Spoilers may be included and this is purely my opinion. Feel free to make your own top 10s in the comments.

Anyway let's get started!

10) Laurel from the Wings series. 

I personally put her at number 10 because while I do like her as a character, she is not as well known. Plus even though she is enjoyable to read, she is kind of a Mary Sue (though not as bad as Bella Swan that's for sure). She is not human but anatomically she is a plant, because in this universe (Avalon) fairies are plants. The author's definition of a fairy is a highly evolved plant which functions like a normal human except all they eat are sugary drinks, fruits and vegetables. It is certainly a creative spin on the fairy genre. As for personality, she is normally intuitive and this certainly grabs the attention of not one but TWO boys, one human (David), one fairy (Tamani). This is why I see her as a Mary Sue: these types of characters are loved by almost everyone and almost always end up in a love triangle. In this case, however, unlike most Mary Sues, she is actually enjoyable to read about and that is why she is on the list.

9) Sapphire from the Ingo series

The real reason why she is at number 9 is because she is relatively unknown and because she is much younger than the average YA protagonist. However, she has something that the character in the previous number does not. She is not a Mary Sue. Far from it. In fact, she makes mistakes and learns from them (sometimes). She has a particular envy for Elvira, is distant from people and not many manage to get close to her. Why is she on the list then, you may ask? Well, it is because that deep under her imperfect exterior, she has a good heart and all she wants is for everyone to be happy. That doesn't mean that she cannot be selfish at times; in fact when she goes into Ingo for the first time, she wants it all for herself, not even wanting to share it with her brother. However, Sapphire highlights what my motto as an author is: Perfection is Overrated. 

8) America from the Selection series

At number 8, we have America. Since The Selection is an esteemed series, many of you may be wondering why on earth I put her so low on the list. It was more a matter of personal opinion rather than anything else, but I will go over why she is on the list per se. She is a total badass in her own normal way: she comes from a poor family and does everything she could to sustain it, even leaving her lover back home in order to become one of the Selected women to have the chance at marrying the prince. I love haters to lovers dynamics (as I have mentioned in my review for The School for Good and Evil) and this certainly gives us a satisfying one in which you can see the chemistry within them. But she is not just a damsel in distress. In fact she cares about global issues and even convinces the prince to implement some of them. The only reason why she is so low is because her actions rely on the prince loving her to actually have her thoughts be done, and while I am aware that this is not her fault, those were the consequences of the story and as a book aficionado, I cannot ignore them.

7) Alex Bailey from The Land of Stories series

So honestly this heroine is one of my personal favourites but there is a reason she is so low: like Laurel from the number 10 spot, she is kind of a Mary Sue. Despite this, when I read the Land of Stories I get a sense of nostalgia because at the time of reading the book, I was Alex Bailey. So what made me relate to her so much? Well, she was an excellent student, with no friends but she was an avid reader, just like me. Also, just like her, all I wanted was to go on an adventure. And go on an adventure she does, because when she inherits her grandmother's storybook, she ends up in The Land of Stories, along with her twin brother. This is a place where all the fairytales live in. 

Now what are the problems with Miss Alex Bailey? Well, the reason why she is so low on the list is because she is the ultimate cliche of the wide eyed, dreamy protagonist who is curious about everything and generally bites off more than she can chew. However, she is executed quite well by the author, as further on in the series she turns from a cliche to something more...interesting, in order not to give away any spoilers.

6) Ginny Weasley from the Harry Potter series

Ok, I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, however, most of the fans of Harry Potter are basing their judgement of Ginny from the movies, rather than from the books. At first she is rather unremarkable as a character; just Ron's sister with a crush on her brother's best friend. However, once she arrives to Hogwarts, and with the help of Hermione Granger (I'll get to her in a moment don't worry), realises her true potential as a Quidditch star. And in the end, by embracing her confidence, she attracts many boys' attention, including her brother's best friend, who she still harboured feelings for. 

I just love how badass she is, especially for a character written in the 90s, when badass female characters were not really a thing back then. True, at first she needs to be rescued from herself when she unleashes the monster from the Chamber of Secrets, but like most of us, she grows up and becomes more independent. And that is what is beautiful about this character.

5) Agatha from The School for Good and Evil series

In a series where everything flips around so fast (I'm currently on the third book and had to take a break from it due to the frustration), Agatha is the constant that makes me go back to these books every single time.

Unlike most protagonists, she is considered "ugly" and is nothing like a princess: she burps, farts, has greasy hair and considers makeup and fashion to be nonsense. However, she has something that her "dear" best friend Sophie does not, no matter how much she will try to have it: a kind heart. And boy is it a relief that in an age of no nonsense, badass, cool characters that we have one character who is kind and down to earth. So simple, yet so effective. What is fascinating about this character is that unlike a Mary Sue, she is not loved by everyone, but has the power to change people for the better, including (unfortunately for her) Sophie. And it is a powerful message to behold when you can love anyone, including your enemy. It is certainly a lesson most of us have to learn.

4) Ellie Wolf from the Rosewood Chronicles series

Now we start with the good ones. So the next three entries are from a little underrated series called The Rosewood Chronicles, of which there are three books, with two more books to go up till now. One of the reasons why I love this series so much is because of its compelling female characters, of which there are many. But only three were able to make the cut. And the first one I will mention is none other than the princess herself, Ellie Wolf or Princess Eleanor of Maradova.

She longs to go to Rosewood to have a normal life away from royalty, until she bumps into her dorm mate, who is none other than Lottie Pumpkin, a girl who is obsessed with princesses and royalty. So an idea pops in her head: why not swap with her so they both get what they want? As they spend more time together, Ellie becomes more fond of her, much more fond of her, believe me. 

Funnily enough, when I think of her, I think her as a nicer Amity Blight (The Owl House). Those who have watched The Owl House and read The Rosewood Chronicles will understand without me having to explain. However, it is because both of them are confirmed lesbians by their respective creators, they both have that independent streak with controlling parents, and they are both the first to be attracted to the other major female character in their respective series. However, Ellie is definitely more tomboyish than Amity. 

3) Lottie Pumpkin from the Rosewood Chronicles series

She is the naive, starry eyed protagonist of the series who loves princesses and royalty. However she has something that the cliche surrounding this type of character does not have: she is a good representation of those suffering from anxiety. I know it is not what most fans of the Rosewood Chronicles expected me to say, but trust me, it is true. Her constant need to please others, her breaking down when she does not succeed, and her quiet nature, with her motto "Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Unstoppable" accompanying her through every obstacle, are prime examples of someone suffering from anxiety disorder and finding routines to combat it, which could also be her suffering from OCD, although this is not as apparent.

Another prominent feature she possesses is her bisexuality. Unlike most representations, she seems like a natural bisexual, with not many cliches in her representation. This could be because the author herself is an aromantic bisexual, but whatever the reason, she did her research right and made a character seem natural in discovering sexuality. She is attracted to both a boy and Ellie herself (even though she doesn't realise it yet) and the journey getting there is so natural that honestly the only representation on the same level is Luz from The Owl House. Lottie is way girlier however.

2) Anastacia Alcroft from the Rosewood Chronicles series

Ahh, how tempted I was to put you at the top! In all seriousness, she is my favourite character from The Rosewood Chronicles. She stole my heart from the moment she was first introduced through the eyes of Lottie (hilariously may I add), as a brown haired Barbie. 

Her development from a bully character, to a tsundere who tries not to show that she cares for her friends to a lesbian who has nothing to hide from with her relationship with Saskia in the span of three books is honestly incredible. You would think that she would be the main antagonist, however she is not and that's why I love this character. You can have confident characters without having them stepping all over people's toes. And yes, they can have cracks as well, just like Anastacia.

1) Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series

And here behold, the top spot goes to the inspiration for most characters on this list: the one and only Hermione Granger.

She is literally iconic like you can't believe. She was created in a time where not many characters like her were in existence. She was clever, independent, a problem solver. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have flaws: she was extremely bossy, she had this trait where she did not like to be beaten or to lose and she forced people into things sometimes (*cough* SPEW *cough*). However, in the centre of all that, she had good intentions at heart and that is why it is impossible to hate this character. She is human, just like the rest of us.

Did your favourite heroine make the list? Let me know in the comments! And as usual, happy writing everyone! Also, happy new year!