Good List

The following list is of books that have good female representation (3/5 or more in terms of female representation). There is other information provided that should enable a more informed decision. Please reach out if you would like a book added to either the Good List or the Bad List.

The list is in alphabetical order by title of the book (not counting "the" if it is the first word of the title).

The Duke and I

AUTHOR: Julia Quinn

PUBLICATION DATE: January 5th, 2000

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 1/5

  • Does not have lots of graphic fight/death scenes (0)

  • Description of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (1)

  • Does not have descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Does not have lots of weapons (0)

  • Does not have suicide and/or self harm (0)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 5/5

  • Slight descriptions of a single sex scene (1)

  • Multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (2 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 3/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly use strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (0)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (0)

Elizabeth Street

AUTHOR: Laurie Fabiano

PUBLICATION DATE: 2006

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 2/5

  • Graphic fight/death scenes (1)

  • Does not have descriptions of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (0)

  • Descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Does not have significant weapon use (1)

  • Does not have suicide and/or self harm (0)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 1/5

  • Does not have slight descriptions of a single sex scene (0)

  • Does not have multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (0 - 2 possible)

  • Does not have descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 3/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly use strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (1)

The Hate U Give

AUTHOR: Angie Thomas

PUBLICATION DATE: February 28th, 2017

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 3/5

  • Graphic fight/death scenes (1)

  • Does not have descriptions of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (0)

  • Descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Significant weapon use (1)

  • Does not have suicide and/or self harm (0)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 4/5

  • Slight descriptions of a single sex scene (1)

  • Multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (1 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 5/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Uses derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (1)

Just Listen

AUTHOR: Sarah Dessen

PUBLICATION DATE: April 26th, 2006

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 2/5

  • Does not have lots of graphic fight/death scenes (0)

  • Description of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (1)

  • Does not have descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Does not have lots of weapons (0)

  • Suicide and/or self harm (1)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 3/5

  • Slight descriptions of a single sex scene (1)

  • Does not have multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (0 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 3/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly uses strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (0)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (0)

Shadow and Bone

AUTHOR: Leigh Bardugo

PUBLICATION DATE: June 5th, 2012

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 4/5

  • Lots of graphic fight/death scenes (1)

  • Description of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (1)

  • Descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Lots of weapons (0)

  • Does not have suicide and/or self harm (0)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 3/5

  • Slight descriptions of a single sex scene (1)

  • Does not have multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (0 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 1/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (0)

  • Does not use brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (0)

  • Does not regularly uses strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (0)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (0)

Turtles All the Way Down

AUTHOR: John Green

PUBLICATION DATE: October 10th, 2017

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 4/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Does not have a female author (0)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 2/5

  • Does not have lots of graphic fight/death scenes (0)

  • Does not have descriptions of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (0)

  • Descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Does not have lots of weapons (0)

  • Suicide and/or self harm (1)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 3/5

  • Slight descriptions of a single sex scene (1)

  • Does not have multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (0 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 4/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (0)

Warcross

AUTHOR: Marie Lu

PUBLICATION DATE: September 12th, 2017

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 3/5

  • Lots of graphic fight/death scenes (1)

  • Does not have description of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (0)

  • Descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Lots of weapons (1)

  • Does not have suicide and/or self harm (0)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 2/5

  • Does not have slight descriptions of a single sex scene (0)

  • Does not have multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (0 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 3/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Regularly uses slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly uses strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (0)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (0)

With The Fire on High

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Acevedo

PUBLICATION DATE: May 7th, 2019

FEMALE REPRESENTATION - 5/5:

  • Female main character (1)

  • Female characters with depth (1)

  • Passes the Bechdel test (1)

  • Female author (1)

  • Main female character is not defined by the men in her life (1)

VIOLENCE - 0/5

  • Does not have lots of graphic fight/death scenes (0)

  • Does not have description of sexual abuse/assault, physical harassment, rape, etc. (0)

  • Does not have descriptions of death (ex. smell, sight, sound, etc.) (1)

  • Does not have lots of weapons (0)

  • Does not have suicide and/or self harm (0)

EXPLICIT ROMANCE - 4/5

  • Slight descriptions of a single sex scene (1)

  • Multi-page descriptions and/or multiple sex scenes (1 - 2 possible)

  • Descriptions of making out (1)

  • Talking about sexual activity (1)

LANGUAGE - 2/5

  • Uses brief instances of slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly use slight language (damn, hell, ass, etc.) (0)

  • Uses brief instances of strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (1)

  • Does not regularly uses strong language (sh*t, f*ck, etc.) (0)

  • Does not use derogatory terms (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) (0)