Must-read novels with anti-heroines

This 'romantasy' explicitly features a 'villainous shapeshifter heroine.' Her morally complex nature and powerful abilities directly align with the anti-heroine criteria, promising a captivating lead.

Colleen Hoover's latest novel presents a frustrated writer facing public backlash and blurring reality. Her struggle to save her career and navigate disturbing events makes her a complex and compelling anti-heroine.

From authors known for dark romantasy with complex female characters, this novel is highly likely to feature an anti-heroine. Its genre and creators suggest a morally gray protagonist.

This debut novel features two sisters who take justice into their own hands, deciding their rapist uncle 'needs to die.' Their extreme measures and razor-sharp wit define them as anti-heroines.

This queer Gothic survival story features a Brooklyn woman returning to a dark past, rejecting her inheritance, and undergoing a physical transformation. Her complex journey makes her a surreal and compelling anti-heroine.

In a world where art is outlawed for summoning demons, a monster hunter partners with a storytelling outlaw. Her defiance of authority and morally gray actions for a cause make her a compelling anti-heroine.

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes, a former princess, seeks revenge against the British Crown and Queen Victoria. Her manipulation of court politics and alliance with a crime lord solidify her as a vengeful anti-heroine.

This historical novel features two sisters from the Dutch Resistance who reinvent themselves in Hollywood to exact revenge. Their complicated pasts and pursuit of personal agendas make them compelling anti-heroines.

This suspenseful thriller features a woman whose pregnancy leads to an increasingly strange relationship with the father's ex-girlfriend. The escalating tension suggests the protagonist will take drastic, anti-heroic measures.

Valentina Garzolo, a survivor of abuse, rebuilds her life and fights back with ferocity when pushed to her breaking point. Her resilience and willingness to fight make her a strong anti-heroine.

Melody, the heroine, is as dangerous and ruthless as the hero, matching him 'scheme for scheme, bullet for bullet.' Her unapologetic strength and cunning make her an ideal anti-heroine in dark romance.

This novel features a mermaid passing as human, captured by a warlock for a dangerous quest. Her precarious position and forced alliance suggest she will employ cunning and morally ambiguous choices to survive.

A heroine hiding forbidden magic hires a gunslinger to cross a dangerous desert. Her secret powers and reliance on morally ambiguous alliances mark her as an anti-heroine operating outside societal norms.

Lady Phoebe, 'notorious' and 'prickly,' returns from exile, suggesting a morally complex past and a defiance of societal expectations. Her character traits make her a compelling anti-heroine.

Sam, after being dumped, is offered six wishes for her soul by a demonic entity. Her willingness to cross moral boundaries for personal gain makes her a clear anti-heroine.

This romantasy retelling of the Trojan War features Helen, abducted after a forced marriage, suggesting she will become an anti-heroine seeking freedom or revenge in a magical world.

This dark, queer romantasy is set in a world where necromancy is a major business. The genre and setting strongly imply a protagonist who operates in morally ambiguous territory, fitting the anti-heroine archetype.

A true crime podcaster fears for her life, suspecting one of her dates is a serial killer. Her potential actions for survival or justice could lead her to become an anti-heroine, taking matters into her own hands.

Joey Vasquez is sent back in time to 'get it right' by wooing her crush and avoiding her nemesis. Her determination to manipulate her past for a desired outcome could make her a manipulative anti-heroine.