Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

Question: Who are some of your favourite kickass literary heroines?

This is one of those questions that I could literally give you probably 100 or more answers. I'm not kidding. There are THAT many empowering female protagonists out there that make me want to sing their praises. And no, Bella Swan is not one of them. Sorry. When I look for an outstanding literary heroine, I look for someone that embodies humanity, humility, courage under fire and a sense of integrity that, let's be real, a lot of female characters seem to lack these days in YA. Rather than go off on a tangent thought, without further ado, here are some of my favourite kickass female characters.

Ok, before I go any further, I have to state that absolutely no list would really be complete without Hermione Granger on it. This is the girl that I grew up reading about. She is fierce, driven, fiery, hot-headed at times, intelligent, compassionate and loyal to all her friends and those she loves. Hermione is tested by the drama of her teen years, as is every single teenage girl out there, but she rises above it and remains strong and solid in her convictions and her dedication to her friends and cause throughout. Above all else though, reading about Hermione made me look within myself at times and wonder just how I might react in her circumstances. And, throughout the Harry Potter series, we watch as she grows into a remarkable witch with incredible courage.

I put off reading the Vampire Academy series for a very long time because I was a bit jaded by the bitter taste that Twilight and Bella Swan left in my mouth. Frankly, I just didn't want to read another vampire book in which a girl falls prey to swoon-worthy men and loses herself in the process. I couldn't have been more wrong about Rose Hathaway though. Seriously...this girl is on fire (cue song). She has one hell of a temper, she's sassy as all get out, and when she falls for Dimitri, she doesn't become a blundering, withering bimbo. Rather, she gets feistier than ever. Amen, sister. This girl is a no-holds-barred, badass fighter that stands up for what she wants and believes in, and she doesn't back down. Ever. Now that's a heroine after my own heart.

I could give you an endless list of kickass female characters, but I'll give you a few more of my most honourable mentions just to plant a bug in your ear (ie...read these books!) Yalith from Many Waters is a subtly fierce heroine with strong convictions and even stronger beliefs. Mara Dyer of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one messed up girl, but she's a total badass (albeit slightly nuts). Annabeth from Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the perfect heroine for younger teens everywhere to look up to...and she's sassy! And, because I think heroines can be in contemporary fiction, too, I have to include Maggie from Leaving Paradise because she overcomes so much and learns to forgive and move on. 

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Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

Question: What do you want to see more of from the genres you read?

Well, I read everything when I'm on my own time, but when on i swim for oceans time, I read primarily only YA (with a smattering of MG at times). Because of this, I think I've come to find that there are trends I love, trends I loathe and then there are those little hints of greatness which I desperately want more of. When I sat down to write my list of what I wanted more of though, I had nearly 30, so I decided to narrow it down to my top five.

Strong Female Leads – With the emergence of characters like Katniss from The Hunger Games, Juliett from Shatter Me and a handful of others, we’re finally seeing what I consider to be the weak damsels in distress (Bella Swan) outnumbered. I so desperately hope the trend increases, and we get to see more empowering girls for young YA readers.

TRUE True Love – We’ve seen the love triangles …ad nauseum. We’ve seen the insta-love…also ad nauseum. Neither of these two really do it for me. I’d love to see a paranormal, sci-fi or fantasy book tackle true love between two people as it develops slowly over time. I think that, in a nutshell, will be absolutely brilliant and fun to read.

Issue-Based Contemporaries – I like dark books. Extremely dark books. So, sue me. I want more of them all the time. I think there’s something to be said for contemporary books that delve into the true nature of humanity, touching on the brink of what makes us tick, and what tears us apart. Too deep for some, perhaps, this is the type contemp that I thrive on.

Superpowers – Is this a throwaway? Don’t we all want more superpowers? I must confess that this little nerdlett is a huge fan of them, and I’ve always loved flicks like X-Men and Superman. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing a few more kickass superhero females with powers though!

Male Leads – Yes, I love strong female leads, but when a book launches onto the scene with a great male lead, a great voice and the ability to capture more than just the male audience, I’m sold. Think, The Lightning Thief, Harry Potter or even The Maze Runner. Those, my friends, are male leads I love.

Are there other things I want to see more of? HECK YES! I would love to see more whimsy. I would love to see more books that have leads that are different, or quirky, or just plain off (think Pure by Julianna Baggott.) I'd also really love to see a few more books out there that just push the boundaries of what we know and expect from the genre. It's those books that are going to stand out in the end.