Guest post written by Songbird of the Sorrows author Braidee Otto
A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, Braidee Otto combines her academic background in literary studies with a deep passion for storytelling to create heartfelt, immersive narratives. Songbird of the Sorrows is the first installment in her debut adult romantic fantasy series, Myths of the Empyrieos. She lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her partner, two beloved dogs, and a cat that appeared in her backyard on the winter solstice.
About Songbird of the Sorrows: An outcast princess turned spy embarks on a mission to infiltrate a rival kingdom, but the secrets she uncovers force her to decide whether to follow orders or defy them. Out February 3rd in the US and February 10th in Australia.
From glittering Fae courts to kingdoms ruled by iron-fisted tyrants, there can be no doubt that fantasy worlds are captivating. But beyond magic systems and epic love stories, a powerful theme is taking center stage: feminine rage.
More often we are reading stories where heroines wield their anger as a weapon and a force to reclaim their power in worlds designed to keep them small, and it’s striking a chord with millions of women.
While these stories are so often entertainment and escapism from the real world, they also provide a space where the complex, often silenced emotion of female anger is not only validated but celebrated. It becomes the driving force behind rebellions, the fuel for mastering long-dormant magic, and the courage to stand up to oppressive systems, whether they are patriarchal rulers or ancient curses.
For many readers, including myself, seeing this on the page is a deeply cathartic experience, which is precisely why I wanted to explore it in Songbird of the Sorrows. Aella’s anger is a slow burn that refuses to be extinguished. As a banished princess reduced to a spy for the very kingdom that cast her aside, she enters a deadly set of bridal trials to infiltrate another kingdom. But as she uncovers the harsh truths of both her realm and her mission, Aella’s quiet rage becomes her greatest asset, and she must decide whether to remain a weapon in someone else’s hand or to let her fury guide her.
To celebrate Songbird of the Sorrows’ release on Tuesday, February 3, I’ve compiled a list of ten fantasy and romantasy books with heroines who are gloriously, righteously angry.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
In this young adult sci-fi/fantasy blend inspired by Chinese history, humanity fights alien threats using giant mechas that require a boy-girl pair of pilots. But while the boys are celebrated, the girls are essentially disposable batteries who often die from mental strain. Enter Zetian, an 18-year-old girl who offers herself up as a concubine-pilot to assassinate the male pilot who killed her sister.
A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride
Born to rule and blessed by fire, Aemyra is a blacksmith hiding in the shadows, waiting to reclaim her birthright and overthrow the corrupt kings who have poisoned her land. But when her plan is upended, she’s forced into a dangerous alliance with her dragon-riding adversary, Prince Fiorean. As courtly chaos erupts and forbidden sparks fly, Aemyra must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to claim the throne and protect her people.
Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
Tisaanah is a former slave who clawed her way to freedom. Having had her autonomy stripped away violently in her past, she is driven by the pursuit of collective liberation. To do so, she must apprentice under a reclusive, grumpy war hero to master her magic. But the Orders she seeks to join have a dark underbelly that threatens to consume her.
Null and Void by R. Moody
After a life of servitude and bloodshed, retired assassin Mika clings to the hope of solitude, but when she is sold into slavery, the betrayal reignites the fury she’s fought to bury. Forced into a perilous rescue mission in a foreign land, Mika must confront the simmering rage within her and decide whether to trust her unlikely companions, including one who dares to claim her heart.
Kissed by the Gods by Caty Rogan
When Leina slaughters the soldiers sent to take her brother, she expects death, not to be claimed by a goddess and thrust into a world of winged warhorses, warring gods, and cursed monsters. Bound to Ryot, a disciplined god-sworn warrior, Leina’s untamed power burns brighter than anyone expected. She never asked to be chosen, but the gods will soon learn to fear the fury they have unleashed.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
In Blood Over Bright Haven, Sciona embodies the rage of every woman who has ever hit a glass ceiling. As the first woman to attend an exclusive magic institution, she works twice as hard to get half the recognition, only to uncover a horrifying truth about the source of the city’s magic, which forces her to choose between her ambition and her morality.
A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager
Kat is a noblewoman in a precarious position. Penniless and desperate, she is coerced into spying on Bastian Marwood, the ruthless and enigmatic fae lord known as the Night Queen’s Shadow. Drawn into a web of courtly intrigue, desire, and deceit, she must uncover his secrets while guarding her own. But as Bastian’s shadows tighten their grip, Kat realizes that in a game where nothing is as it seems, her survival may come at the cost of her heart.
The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole
Bound by a centuries-old deal with a monster, Dianna has spent lifetimes doing terrible things to protect her sister and survive. When she is forced to track down an ancient relic held by her enemies, she’s forced into a hostile alliance with Samkiel, a celestial warrior who abandoned his crown and his people long ago. As their realm is threatened, Dianna and Samkiel must confront their dark pasts—and each other—before the world falls to ruin.
The Curse of Ophelia by Nicole Platania
Two years after the war has ended and the man she loves vanished during a forbidden ritual, Ophelia’s search for answers has led only to heartbreak. When a fatal curse resurfaces, marking her for death, and a messenger reveals she may be the key to saving her clan and finding Malakai, Ophelia embarks on a desperate journey with her found family. Racing against time and betrayal, she must confront the lies of her leaders, the Angels, and her own belief in love before the curse claims her life.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
After her mother’s death, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews escapes to a residential program for high schoolers, only to witness a magical attack on her first night. When a failed memory wipe unlocks her own hidden powers and a buried memory about her mother, Bree infiltrates the secretive Legendborn society to uncover the truth. But as she learns of their ties to King Arthur’s knights and a looming magical war, Bree must decide whether to use her magic to dismantle the society or join their fight.
