milk and honey by Rupi Kaur ↠ I can’t emphasize enough how much I love Kaur’s collection of poetry — it’s beautiful and breathtaking. Her writing makes you feel so many emotions that it’s sometime overwhelming, but so worth it. Sexual assaults, sexual repression, gender discrimination and social constraints are some of the issues she discusses. But her writing is also uplifting, demonstrating the raw power and intelligence and beauty that comes from being a woman. Her pro-feminist poetry illustrates how we are not bound by social stigmas, that we have the power to be who we want to be — not based off of our gender.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow ↠ I know — I’ve probably started to annoy this community with my constant shout outs to this book — but it fits so well! Firstly, an amazing woman wrote this novel — once upon a time, it would’ve been incredibly difficult for a woman to publish her own work. But the content itself is also incredibly powerful! The main heroine goes through a transformation from being a woman who obeys and follows “polite society social norms”, to a solo adventurer who takes life by the reigns and creates her own path. There are a number of other women in the novel who don’t “obey” societies rules towards women — from warriors to explorers, they fight the system to live their lives to the fullest (there’s even a world where women are the warriors, not the men)!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas ↠ Thomas is not only an amazing female writing, but the odds are against her due to the skin of her colour (which irks me to my core). But she doesn’t back down, publishing a book depicting the harsh realities of being a person of colour today. Starr, our main heroine, uses her voice to advocate for the rights of all black persons, emphasizing the importance of the #blacklivesmatter movement. She sees the disadvantage women have in her community, but her dad and partner and other men in her life show her that she’s not bound to these sexist stereotypes — she has more power than she knows. Though they worry for Starr, her mother and father constantly remind Starr that she’s capable of anything, and to never let anyone make her think otherwise. This books not only an inspiration for women, but for minority groups facing injustice.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo ↠ FINALLY! It’s been QUITE sometime since I’ve read a fantasy where there are some EPIC women fighters — stronger and more deadly than the men, if I may be so bold. Seriously though, Bardugo presents some seriously strong and intelligent women in this series. What’s even better? The men (for the most part) fighting by their sides SEE their greatness, judging them by their ability to fight and scheme rather than by their sex/gender. Even the villains think twice about how to approach them, knowing they’re more capable than they realize. Inej and Nina, two of the main heroines, both overcome great ordeals prior to the events in the novel. Even with the odds against them, they manage to overcome these blockades and grow to be exceptional individuals.

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller ↠ Another amazing woman author writing about women empowerment! Firstly, the heroine (Alosa) is the captain of her own crew — that’s mainly epic women with a variety of skills and talents. Secondly, Alosa and her crew are known for their amazing fighting skills and strategic planning — to the point that most of the male cast KNOW to be weary of them. Thirdly, there’s a group of supernatural beings called sirens that are capable of taking downs fleets of ships due to their seductive powers and physical strength. And last (but not least), the men in Alosa’s company don’t judge her nor the women in her crew based off of their gender — they know how capable they are, fighting alongside them as equals. Seriously — such an amazing feminist book!

The Cainsville Series by Kelley Armstrong ↠ Oh my goodness — one of my favourite authors, who also happens to be Canadian! She has quite the knack for capturing a readers attention, making it nearly impossible to book her books down. Following Olivia’s journey in this series was absolutely fantastic. She’s a very independent and reliable young woman, facing danger boldly in the face. Even with her world turned upside down, she figures out how to move forward and to solve the mysteries laid before her. But what I ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN’ LOVE is the sex positivity in this novel. Olivia knows what she wants — she isn’t shy or timid in regards to taking control during sexual intercourse and intimacy. She shows women that there’s nothing to be ashamed of in regards to our sexuality — and it’s brilliant.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco ↠ Set in the late 1800’s, there’s BOUND to be some sexism in this novel. Luckily, our female lead (Audrey Rose) does not take kindly to this. If anything, it makes her push back even more. Forensic sciences were typically frowned upon in general, but Audrey has even less luck due to her sex/gender. However, her uncle believes her intelligence should be made to good use — even though she’s a woman. Even with the odds against her, Audrey doesn’t stop doing what she’s passionate about. Her partner in crime, Thomas, also doesn’t judge her based on her being a woman. He sees greatness in her, discusses “unladylike topics” in her presence, and finds her desire to be her own independent person admirable. Though there’s still sexism displayed in the novel, Audrey fights back with a force to be reckoned with!

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch ↠ As a child, I remember reading so many stories about princes saving princesses — men being the heroes and women being the helpless. But when my teacher read The Paper Bag Princess to us, it’s as though my eyes opened to new possibilities — I don’t need a man to save me. Munsch’s beautifully illustrated and hilarious children’s novel shows those of all ages and genders that men aren’t always the hero — sometimes, it’s the woman who saves the day. It may seem so simple, but this notion truly showed my younger self how powerful I can be — not just as a female, but as a person. My gender doesn’t define what role I play in life — I do. So thank you, Munsch, for showing all young girls that we are the heroes of our own stories.