Lil. I just finished it and I loved it!

Ooh, Mibs is a good one. And the older woman (can't think of her name).

I am listening to Savvy right now on CD and I'm loving it... I'm looking forward to how her character grows and matures!

What about Elena from The Vampire Diaries? And not the TV series. I thought she was a nice comparison to Bella, since they're both main female characters in vampire novels.

Malcolm wrote: "Sally Lockhart from any of the Pullman novels: Tiger in the Well, Ruby in the Smoke, etc; Zanna and Deeba from UnLunDun by China Mieville. Meggie from the Inkheart trilogy; Maddy Smith from Runemar..."

I love Maddy!!

Oh and did anyone mention Mibs in Savvy or Kiki and Ananka and crew in Kiki Strike Inside the Shadow City?

Don't forget Ash by Malinda Lo. It's a contemporary retelling of Cinderella with queer themes. I don't know if Ash is the strongest character in the beginning but her mom and her female love interest definitely are.

Thank you so much! Please keep them coming! I immediately started reading Looking For Alaska, but will try many of the others, too! I'm filtering the characters through the Cinderella archetype, so some are working, and some are still too Cinderella.:)I was drawing a blank on my own, but all your help has re energized my research!

Bianca from Evernight series.
Quite close comparison to Bella, I feel. She started out in the 1st book unsure of herself. By the 2nd book emerged stronger and sure of what she wants.

Both female characters are contemporary except that
in Twilight Saga, Bella wants to be a vampire.
In Evernight, Bianca is trying not to be one.

And that's just the YA list. Don't get me started on adult FIC...

Hee hee!! Its irresistable isn't it?

Also:
Mary from Witch Child
Dashti from Book of a Thousand Days
Singer from Singer
Eff from Thirteenth Child
Anahita from Anahita's Woven Riddle
Aslaug fromMadapple
Val from Valiant A Modern Tale of Faerie
Tally from the Uglies series, more so later in the series, but in a weird way...
Miri from Princess Academy
Jena from Wildwood Dancing
Aerin from The Hero and the Crown
Alanna from the Song of the Lioness series

Okay, I think that's enough.

Oh yeah, Sally Lockhart! Loved those.

Sally Lockhart from any of the Pullman novels: Tiger in the Well, Ruby in the Smoke, etc; Zanna and Deeba from UnLunDun by China Mieville. Meggie from the Inkheart trilogy; Maddy Smith from Runemarks; Harry (yes, she's a girl) Hamilton from Margaret Mahy's The Tricksters (last one might be difficult to get as Mahy's a New Zealand author - but quite brilliant when she's on form).

Katsa from Graceling might be good, or even Fire from Graceling's companion book Fire.

or Katniss from The Hunger Games.

Fantasy Books with strong female leads
Tiffany Aching of The Wee Free Men and its sequels.
Flora Segunda of Flora Segunda Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers and its sequel.
Beka Cooper of Terrier and its sequels.

Or for strong female leads in fairy tale retellings:

Ella of Ella Enchanted (which is a Cinderella retelling)
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee of The Goose Girl
Nyma Rose of East
Jenna of Wildwood Dancing


I can give you dozens more. Also if you want older* books with strong female leads I can give you those too, because its a particular interest of mine. It may mitigate against your thesis a bit though.

*By older I mean published a longer time ago, not for an older reader.

Gemma from Great and Terrible Beauty.

Hmm... how about Alaska in Looking for Alaska?

Hello! I started reading the book discussions bks in August & love this group! I am currently working on a grad level research paper and need some suggestions. I am looking for a book with strong female character that I can compare to Bella from Twilight. I am hoping for a fairly contemporary bk. I am trying to show that the use of fairy tale archetype female characters in YA lit for young women is changing from the helpless Cinderella/saved by a prince type to a stronger take care of yourself woman. Any suggestions? ( I see Bella as a Cinderella). Thanks!