7 must-read books about strong females

I love finding stories about every day women who are strong, fearless and fierce. From woman who live through a brutal regime, to those who make it through the American frontier, they all share one things: their strength.

Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng

 In August 1966 a group of Red Guards ransacked the home of Nien Cheng. Her background made her an obvious target for the fanatics of the Cultural Revolution: educated in London, the widow of an official of Chiang Kai-Shek's regime, and an employee of Shell Oil, Nien Cheng enjoyed comforts that few of her compatriots could afford. When she refused to confess that any of this made her an enemy of the state, she was placed in solitary confinement, where she would remain for more than six years. 

Opening line:
"The past is forever with me and I remember it all."



 Deborah: Prophetess of God by H.B. Moore

Deborah, a young Israelite woman, lives a quiet and isolated life with her father and brothers. As a shepherdess in the hills near her home, she knows well the perils of her work. But when faced with incredible danger, she witnesses a series of remarkable events that preserve her life. The hand of the Lord is apparent, and it is clear that hers will be no ordinary life.    
  
Opening line:
"Laughter echoed against the hillside where Deborah crouched as she watched the two dozen Canaanite soldiers set up camp."


 And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton

 Few of us can claim to be the authors of our fate. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy knows no other choice. With the eyes of the world watching, Jackie uses her effortless charm and keen intelligence to carve a place for herself among the men of history and weave a fairy tale for the American people, embodying a senator’s wife, a devoted mother, a First Lady—a queen in her own right.

 Opening line:

"The pink pillbox hat and Chanel-inspired bouclè suit awaited her on the bed." 




Longing For Home by Sarah M. Eden

 Twenty-six-year-old Katie Macauley has placed all her hope in Hope Springs, a small town in the 1870 Wyoming Territory. But if she wants to return home to Ireland to make amends with her estranged family, she'll need to convince the influential Joseph Archer to hold true to his word and keep her on his payroll as his housekeeper despite her Irish roots.

Opening line:
"Eighteen years had passed since Katie Macauley had killed her sister." 



 These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner

  A moving, exciting, and heartfelt American saga inspired by the author's own family memoirs, these words belong to Sarah Prine, a woman of spirit and fire who forges a full and remarkable existence in a harsh, unfamiliar frontier. Scrupulously recording her steps down the path Providence has set her upon--from child to determined young adult to loving mother--she shares the turbulent events, both joyous and tragic, that molded her and recalls the enduring love with cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot that gave her strength and purpose.

Opening line:
"A storm is rolling in and that always makes me sad and a little wistful so I get it in my head to set to paper all these things that have got us this far on our way through this heathen land."


Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montegomery

 As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she's not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. IAnne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.




 Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen

 Twenty-five years after her passing, Audrey Hepburn remains the most beloved of all Hollywood stars, known as much for her role as UNICEF ambassador as for films like Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Several biographies have chronicled her stardom, but none has covered her intense experiences through five years of Nazi occupation in the Netherlands. According to her son, Luca Dotti, “The war made my mother who she was.” 

 Opening line:
"Baroness Ella van Heemstra stood in the office of Adolph Hitler and offered her hand to the most famous man in the world, the man whose name was on simply everyone's lips."

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ESTHER the QUEEN by H. B. Moore

She is a beautiful young Jewess, content in her life of anonymity... He is the most powerful king in the world... When chance brings the two together, the course of history is forever altered.

The glittering court of the Persian Empire serves as the backdrop for one of the most poignant tales of courage in the Bible, brought vividly to life in the pages of bestselling author H.B. Moore’s sweeping saga. And it begins on a dusty road in the Jewish Quarter . . .

An unexpected meeting between Esther and King Xerxes results in an immediate and unmistakable connection. When Esther is summoned to enter the king’s harem—the first step toward becoming his wife—Esther is torn between her desire to be with Xerxes and the knowledge that they will forever be divided by the secret of her Jewish heritage. Encouraged by her family to do what she must to help her people, she deftly navigates her new position in the palace, quickly becoming beloved by all—including Xerxes.

But when a treacherous plan threatens to engulf the kingdom in violence, Esther must choose between love and duty.


First line:
“You will be the bride today,” Abigail said, tugging on Esther’s hand.

I read Esther the Queen in one weekend. Another good story from H.B. Moore, full of intrigue and romantic tension and, as always, historically accrurate. I enjoy learning history without knowing I am.
Esther is a good, strong character. Kind, gentle and strong in her faith. She inspired me to be better. That's good writing. I had no idea how long a woman had to be 'cleansed' before meeting the king. That's a long time to think and wonder if the king is still thinking about you. Even during this part of the story, Esther was kind to those around her and made many friends and allies.
King Xerxes is cute (at least in my head) and also kind. I liked watching him change into a better/moral person. And the drive to make his kingdom and people better also.
Haman is a fantastically written villain. Vile is a good word to use for him. I hated him throughout the whole book.
There were several intense places too: the plot to kill the king, Haman making the edict and Esther going to the king.
Then came the scene with Esther going before the king and then telling him the truth a few days later--very moving. I even got teary-eyed and that's hard to do with this reader.


Rating: PG
S:Kissing
V: No
L: No

Liked:
Ms. Moore's writing
Esther
King Xerxes

Disliked:
Nothing


4 1/2 STARS