Top Ten Tuesday: Kick-Ass Heroines

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where a new topic is given each week by the host blog and participants write up a corresponding list of ten things. Simple, fun, and great for those obsessed with lists. This week's topic is: Top Ten Favorite Kick-Ass Heroines.

(1) Katsa of Graceling by Kristin Cashore - Katsa's middle name is Kick-Ass I'm pretty sure. I mean, this girl can kill you in any number of ways without blinking an eye. And she refuses to be bullied. Go Katsa!

(2) Aly of Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce - Forgive me Daine, for I love you just as much, but I had to give Aly a spot on this list over you. [Daine is of The Immortals Quartet also by Tamora Pierce]. What makes Aly so kick-ass? The fact that she is willing to strike out on her own and do whatever it takes to prove her worth. You go girl!

(3) Alanna of The Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce - The woman who made me want to become a knight. Heck, its still a potential back up plan as far as I'm concerned. Alanna braved the social conventions of her world, disguised herself as a boy and went for her dream of becoming a knight. You can't get much more kick-ass than that.

(4) Deryn Sharp of The Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld - Again with the cross-dressing...but I can't help it! I love Deryn and her tomboyish ways. I love her determination, her quick thinking and her loyalty. Without a doubt I would want Deryn on my side for any adventures I might go on.

(5) Tris of Divergent by Veronica Roth - Seriously, do I need to explain this one? SHE'S DAUNTLESS PEOPLE.

(6) Meghan Chase of the Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa - How could I not include my favorite heroine from my favorite fey series? Despite all of her trials and insanity Meghan held strong to what she knew was right and that makes her pretty kick-ass in my book.

(7) Mason Starling of Starling by Lesley Livingston - She can use a sword. A SWORD. Mason Starling has MAD skills as a heroine and can hold her own just fine thank you very much. She makes me want to rush out and get some fencing lessons in because, you know what, you just never know.

(8) Yelena of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder - I have no words for her awesomeness. Just go read her book. You'll love her just as much if not more, probably not more since I love her so very much, and she'll be on your list the next go around.

(9) Gwen Frost of The Mythos Academy Series by Jennifer Estep - Okay. Gwen isn't kick-ass in the I'm going to seriously take you down sense but she's working on it. She plays to her strengths and is constantly working on developing more. And she's well aware one of her biggest strengths is her friends and she's not afraid to go to them for help.

(10) Katniss of The Hunger Games Trilogy - Wits, she can use a bow [my personal favorite weapon!] and she's convinced people everywhere to give YA a chance. Okay, going a little meta on you guys there but still. Katniss was awesome enough that adults picked her up, kids devoured her story and they made a pretty amazing movie out of her story.