Sometimes, I find too many male leads in the novels I pick up. There's no real problem with that, but sometimes, I just want a character I can relate to better. I'm still waiting on the dystopian novel where the female lead saves the world on her period.
While I continue to wait for my dream novel to be published, here are four female lead novels, written by female authors, for you to dive into this summer.
1. “The View From Who I Was”, by Heather Sappenfield
The novel follows Oona Antunes after her suicide attempt. In her recovery, Oona learns more about her and her family's past. She realizes that damage runs deep, but healing can arise from tragedy. Sappenfield does a beautiful job of portraying mental illness and hidden family secrets that make humans complicated.
2. “Speak”, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Originally published in 1999, this novel may be as old as I am, but it is timeless. Anderson depicts a vivid and realistic image of entering a new school. all the while trying to conceal your deepest, darkest secret. "Speak" encourages everyone to get out of their heads, stop burying their secrets and traumas, and speak up and speak out.
3. “Welcome to the Dark House”, by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Seven characters enter an abandoned amusement park, and not all of them leave. After winning an essay contest where they describe their worst nightmares, the characters in "Welcome to the Dark House" think they're in for a treat with a horror movie star. Thrilling and suspenseful, you won't be able to put this book down.
4. “Dreamers Often Lie”, by Jacqueline West
After a skiing accident, Jaye's life as she knows it has been turned upside down. Now the lead in her school's play, she's begun to hallucinate Shakespearean characters. It's getting harder to tell what's reality and what's not. You'll fall in love with the characters, even some of the hallucinations.
