1. Maximum Ride -

Maximum, or what we know her as, Max, has never had an easy life, but it never stopped her. From taking care of the Flock or saving the world, she faced it with her head held high. She knew that it was up to her and didn’t need a man to take the lead. She knew there were people counting on her. While she wished she had been given a more orthodox and uneventful life, she saw the hand she’d been dealt, and faced onward. She cried, bled and fought hard every single step of the way, but at the end of the day she could look at her family and be reminded why she was doing it all for.

2. Tessa Grey- Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Let me lay out her story for you; Her aunt dies suddenly and she travels to a new continent to live with her older brother only to get kidnapped, tortured and forced to learn something about herself that would end up changing her life forever. And that’s only the beginning 30 pages of the novel. She faces so much pain, physically and emotionally, but she doesn’t lay down and die nor does she lose the goodness that is her.

3. Rosemarie Hathaway- Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Rose was born in the world where the key phrase was “They come first.” She was born believing she was inferior, that her life didn’t matter as much as theirs. She believed that was all she’d ever do. Then came along a different path and while scared witless, she pushed through every barrier that stood in between her and her end goal. She ended up not only doing the duty she was born to do but found the happiness she deserved too.

4. Clary Fairchild- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Clary grew up in a normal city life. She hung out with her best friend Simon and dreaded dealing with her overprotective mother. Then everything changed when she started seeing things and people no one else could see. She didn’t automatically think she was a schizophrenic like most would. As rationally as she could, she approached the situation with curiosity. Then her apartment was ransacked and her mother went missing. Normal folk would find themselves down the deepest hole imaginable, but her main focus was not only finding her mother but figuring out who she really was. Aside a little impulsiveness from her, she handled the situation with one breath at a time.

5. Hermione Granger- Harry Potter by J.K Rowling

We watch her grow over seven books and seven movies. We see a little, know it all girl, who is just trying to prove herself, turn into a beautiful self-sufficient woman. She shows us that it’s okay to be smart and to have guy best friends. (Ron doesn’t count because it didn’t happen until the seventh book.) She showed us that is was okay to be awkward and responsible. We grew up with her alongside us and she will always be there to let us know we can do it too.