My kids are reading a series now called Maximum Ride. Group of teenagers & younger, on their own, formed their own family.... and oh, they have wings. The wings thing is great because it's presented in a realistic fashion... not only are they genetic mutants, they go into detail in one part about how they are different besides just the wings that helps them to fly. They also don't gloss over the fact that for every successful genetic experiment, there are many others that go horribly wrong.
Three oldest in the group are 2 boys 1 girl, and the girl is their leader. One of the boys is blind, yet he more than holds his own. They're being pursued by evil scientists, so there's violence as they battle things out, but there's also moral messages and reconciliation with enemies. Oh, and women are capable of being mad evil geniuses too. Was a little disappointed in the third book, compared to the others but not so much to keep me from continuing the series.
Not sci-fi or romance, but one of my favorite YA authors was Jean Craighead George. Nature-themed, award-winning, ecological messages. Both male and female heros/heroines. (Julie of the Wolves, The Talking Earth both have female leads.)
Not really YA maybe, but Marrion Zimmer Bradley's books... Mists of Avalon series.
Three oldest in the group are 2 boys 1 girl, and the girl is their leader. One of the boys is blind, yet he more than holds his own. They're being pursued by evil scientists, so there's violence as they battle things out, but there's also moral messages and reconciliation with enemies. Oh, and women are capable of being mad evil geniuses too. Was a little disappointed in the third book, compared to the others but not so much to keep me from continuing the series.
Not sci-fi or romance, but one of my favorite YA authors was Jean Craighead George. Nature-themed, award-winning, ecological messages. Both male and female heros/heroines. (Julie of the Wolves, The Talking Earth both have female leads.)
Not really YA maybe, but Marrion Zimmer Bradley's books... Mists of Avalon series.
But, I do still read from the YA section.
I just love that book. Actually, lots of YA fairy tale retellings have great female protagonists.
by Marta Randall. It's an action adventure mystery story set in your standard medieval flavored fantasy society. I really love this one. Women and men just *are*. There are no gender roles, no big deal made over a female fighter (the main character) or a male cook or whatever. The characters just are what they are. I really loved this book. Unfortunately it’s out of print but I’d try inter-library loan. I think there’s a sex scene though. It’s been a few years since I re-read it so I can’t remember. Also, I hunted around for other books by her and found only one and it wasn’t nearly as good from a feminist POV.
