This is the first of many series I will be starting on this blog, and this is one that I hope goes over really well with all of you! Characters are a HUGE part of any novel, television show, movie, etc. They are what brings a story to life and truly allows, the reader or the viewer, to be sucked into that world. We all love characters for different reasons- Maybe because we can relate to them or we’re drawn to their tortured souls, whatever the reason is, we all have characters that we love. I admit that I’m mostly drawn to characters I can relate to, but I do also love an interesting villain or bad ass character from time to time! And if I can learn a lesson or two from those characters, then I really feel like I gained something more than just a good read from the book.

So in no particular order, here are my five favorite female characters from Young Adult series and novels I’ve read and love.

1- Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series: Hermione has always been my favorite character from the Harry Potter series because she reminds me a lot of myself. Insufferable know-it-all: Check. Bookworm: Check. Bushy, uncontrollable hair: Check (but thankfully I have a hair straightener for that). Has a cat: Check (I really have six, but who’s counting)? Always wants to have the answer and be top of the class: Check. Hermione is also sensitive, loyal to her friends, ambitious, and wants to get the most out of her education and everything she reads (although I’m never disappointed when final exams are optional or cancelled like she is). Hermione led me through my teen years and made me realize that it’s OK to be the brainy girl and that the negative opinions of others don’t matter as long as you’re confident in who you are and you are able to find people who value you for who you are. I think Hermione is one of those characters who is going to stick with me for the rest of my life and be a constant source of inspiration to me.

2- Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior from the Divergent series: The character of Tris Prior is an interesting one. At the age of sixteen- where let’s face it, no one knows who they truly are- Tris is forced to decide who she must be for the rest of her life and along the way she realizes she is so much more than she ever thought possible. By going against her society’s belief system, a whole new world is opened up to Tris. Tris has honestly made me believe that I can be more than just one thing and that the only thing limiting me is myself, something I cannot do to myself anymore. I also like the fact that even after she starts a relationship with Tobias ‘Four” Eaton, she isn’t completely obsessed with him (Bella Swan, you need a life)! She’s still more focused on what is going on around her and finding the answers to the questions she has and she does all of it while trying to be as brave and selfless as possible. The bravery Tris shows in every action she does makes me want to be braver in every action I take. “One choice can transform you”, that is what this novel says and reading Divergent definitely transformed me.

3- Elena Gilbert from The Vampire Diaries series: What I love most about Elena Gilbert is how she has been through so much trauma and still finds ways to push through it with hope and a smile on her face. Elena is also fiercely loyal to her friends and she always tries to choose the option that will minimize damaging someone emotionally or physically. There are two sides to Elena- as I think there are to every person- which makes it hard for her to always know what to do. I can relate to this on many levels, especially when it comes to matters of the heart because I never know what to do! I am a fan of both book Elena and television show Elena because both are exhibit these traits, but there is also so much more to them. Elena has depth and I appreciate that about her character.

4- Raven Madison from the Vampire Kisses series: What makes Raven one of my favorite Young Adult females is that she has always remained true to herself no matter what. In her small pastel and cookie cutter town, Raven is the black spot they can’t blot out, the outcast no one really likes. Instead of conforming to what her town wishes she would be, Raven continues to be who she is, unashamed of her choice to be different. Raven’s unwavering consistency of who she is and what she wants leads her to achieving her lifelong dream, showing the reader that knowing who you are is an important step toward any goal you have in life. What I got most from Raven is the belief that different isn’t a bad thing and it isn’t something we should ever want to change about ourselves. Be who you are and never let anyone take that away from you.

5- Hazel Grace Lancaster from The Fault In Our Stars: The Fault In Our Stars is one of those novels that broke me in the most devastatingly beautiful way and it’s a novel I’ve never fully recovered from. Hazel has terminal cancer and she is very real about her outcome, almost too realistic which almost makes her miss out on some parts of life that can forever change a person’s life. But in a way, I think it’s her realistic nature that allows her to open herself up to those experiences as well, feeling them deeper than someone who is healthy might. Her love of the novel An Imperial Affliction and her desire to know the answers to her questions about the novel take her on an interesting journey. Her intelligence, wit, and use of sarcasm also greatly shape the journey she takes in this novel. Her relationship with Augustus ‘Gus’ Waters is just one of those fictional relationships you can’t ever forget and some of the lines they say to each other in this novel just hit so deep and are unforgettable. Though I don’t have cancer, Hazel’s personality is what really makes her stand out to me and makes her one of my favorite female Young Adult characters.

So these are my five favorite female Young Adult characters. I could go on and on about these characters, but this post is already way longer than I expected it to be! So I hope all of you really enjoy this post and the series as it continues on. My plan for next Saturday is to post my list of my five favorite male Young Adult characters (which will hopefully be shorter than this post)! From there, I will branch out this series into other genres.

If you’re a fan of Young Adult novels, who would you choose as your five favorite female Young Adult characters? Do you agree or disagree with my list? I look forward to seeing what each of you have to say!