This Rec League came from Elle. Thanks, Elle!
I feel like I struggle to find what I think of as feminist romances. I would love urban fantasy, paranormal or fantasy romances where the women are powerful and shine just as much as the guy characters. I love a good devoted guy MC too. Shelley Laurenston is the best fit for what I am thinking but I’m sure there are others with interesting takes and characters that I haven’t read. A slightly “crazy” or dangerous strong female lead is fantastic too. Extra points for diverse representation, leads in their 30s or older and series where each book follows a different couple.
Amanda: We’ve previously ran an Angry Heroines and Recs for When You Want to Burn It All Down, which may have some crossover.
Shana: Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) sounds like it would fit.
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea ( A | BN | K | AB ) is more of a cozy fantasy than a Laurenston-type book. There’s a lesbian couple as the lead, up against a Queen.
Sneezy: Only Hope is a webtoon that’s lighter on the fantasy elements, and season two just ended on the MOTHER OF ALL CLIFFHANGERS. Eunhye isn’t quite the ass kicking lead, but I appreciate her energy of knowing she’s just a normal ass person, but still doing everything she can to go after happiness, not just survival, and holding onto the reigns of her with both hands even if doesn’t seem possible she could hold on.
If you have a taste for complicated characters, timeline things, and thriller elements, you might like this one.
Sarah: I have a few:
Ok. Dragon Actually is GA Aiken ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) who is also Shelly Laurenston, and that book is about Anwyl the Bloody.
Kimberly Lemming’s heroines aren’t all angry but they take NO shit. And the heroine of the new one coming out in February, Kidnapped by Aliens/Trapped in a Rom Com – she’s PISSED. She is HELLA mad.
Amanda, what about A Promise of Fire?
Amanda: That’s an interesting recommendation because I remember people having two VERY different readings of that book. I found it to be a good portrayal of a powerful heroine working within a system while trying to make sense of her abilities. There is a lot of pants feelings though.
Sarah: Ok, this rec is two parts: you kind of have to read Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater ( A | BN | K | AB ) to really understand the world I think, but Ten Thousand Stitches, the sequel, is about a magical seamstress whose anger comes through in her stitches, so folks who wear her garments get mad all the time.
It’s like me and hormonal birth control, except fantasy, and with sewing.
Sneezy: I’ve only just started this one so I don’t know all the content warnings, but On a Leash is a F/F shifter comic (dog x snake) that RIGHT AWAY has some dark romance flags. It’s hot, it’s action heavy, and there’s are PG17 and PG18+ versions available.
Another good one is Villain with a Crush.
I’m not all caught up with this one, but it’s hilarious, both leads are OP, the BEST grandma, and some fun and wholesome gender things. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can turn into a villain by basically tripping over their feet now and then, this answers it. I love this story so much.
A Foxy Affair I mentioned before, and it also fits. The main character is a assassin by trade, and was hired because she is known for being so good at her job, she killed a spider creature that was a step away from deification when she killed them, despite being human herself. Her love interests are fox spirits brothers who share a body and want to kill each other. What could go wrong?
Roxana!!! The artist is recovering from abusedartistitus and as far as I know there’s no word on when it’ll be back, but this webtoon is to die for (terrifying, but to die for) and the artist has explicitly said she plans to return when she can.
Roxana is powerful in the magical sense, and she also uses fashion to remind you, your mother, and your grandma that she can absolutely fuck you up.
SOMEHOW the artist made ALL the butterfly motifs elegant and fearsome and sinister instead of juvenile and clunky. She also has this way of making keeping the energy and horror of gruesome scenes without being explicit or showing any body horror.
Which books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
