Top Ten Books Featuring Girls Disguised as Boys
So I’m pretty excited about this list, guys, but I’m going to tell you right now: Some of these books feature girls who merely favor dressing like boys as opposed to deliberately trying to pass themselves off as boys. Mostly I put those books on here because they loosely meet my topic and I wanted to have 10 books. And also I really loved them and want to talk about them.
Also, there’s a few books on here that aren’t out yet, but whose synopses talk about girls disguising themselves as boys, so I’m SUPER excited to read them!
PRINCESS OF THORNS | STACEY JAY • Friends, if you love fantasies and haven’t read this book, I can’t recommend it enough. It was well-written, fun, dramatic, and very swoony. The main character, Aurora, spends nearly the entire book passing herself off as her brother, Ror, and it makes her relationship with Niklaas verrrry interesting.
THE BURNING SKY | SHERRY THOMAS • This entire series–well the first two books, anyway–belong on this list. Iolanthe Seaborn attends Eton College with Titus as a way to keep her under the radar of Atlantis. If none of that makes any sense, these books are just WAITING for you to pick them up. I personally love seeing Iolanthe, under the name Archer Fairfax, interacting with the boys at Eton and fitting right in.
LEVIATHAN | SCOTT WESTERFELD • I wasn’t a big fan of steampunk until I read this series about Deryn Sharpe and her escapades during a reimagined World War I that saw the two sides as Darwinists (think radically altered natural species) and Clankers (machines). But there is almost NO character more awesome than Deryn. Legit. She’s confident and tough and so smart, and in order to get herself firmly entrenched in fighting the war like she wants, she’s got to do a little faking.
SCARLET | A.C. GAUGHEN • To be honest, I’ve only read the first book in this series and I don’t remember too much. But I DO recall that Scarlet, in order to perform her duties as a super thief for Robin Hood’s band of men, she has to pose as a boy. Definitely have plans to catch up on this series, guys.
EON: DRAGONEYE REBORN | ALISON GOODMAN • I have such wonderful memories of reading this series. It’s one of the most awesome takes on dragons that I’ve ever read since the dragons aren’t physical creatures. Rather, they are spiritual beings that are controlled by specific masters. One dragon in particular has been inaccessible for ages until a young boy named Eon shows up. BUT! LO! Eon is actually EONA. She’s disguised herself as a boy so that she would be allowed to train as a Dragoneye. This story is pretty amazing.
A GAME OF THRONES | GEORGE R.R. MARTIN • Who has read these books and doesn’t remember Arry, Arya’s male identity that she uses after she leaves King’s Landing and heads north towards the Wall? In order to keep herself safe from people looking for Eddard Stark’s children, Arya chops off her hair and becomes Arry, and so begins her long journey.
ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE | TAMORA PIERCE • I’m beyond excited to reread these books soon, friends, and it’s mostly down to how awesome Alanna is. In order to train as a knight, she has to appear as Alan of Trebond. Of course, she KILLS IT.
REVOLUTION | JENNIFER DONNELLY • So, this is one of the stretches, guys. But this book is wonderful and I still think about it over a year later. It’s told across two timelines: One a modern girl struggling with depression after the death of her younger brother, and the other of a girl during the worst days of the French Revolution, who spends her nights setting off fireworks and becomes known as The Green Man. Not a light book, but still really lovely. Plus, more French Revolution, pls.
GRACELING | KRISTIN CASHORE • Another stretch! But like, this is kind of a big one. Katsa never overtly pretends to be a boy or tries to hide the fact that she’s female. But she does keep her hair short and favors dressing in boys clothing. I told you, a stretch. Anytime I can work in a GRACELING mention, though, is an effort well-made as far as I’m concerned.
NEVER JUDGE A ROGUE BY HIS COVER | SARAH MACLEAN • So I don’t want to talk too much about this one because when the truth is revealed in one of the previous volumes of this series, it’s kind of a huge deal. It belongs, though. I love historical romances, and Sarah MacLean does them exceptionally well.
VENGEANCE ROAD | ERIN BOWMAN • And now we reach the portion of the list that features books I haven’t read yet or are unreleased. I’m incredibly excited to read this one. IT’S THE WILD WEST. WITH DRAMA. The main character, Kate, assumes the identity of a boy to search out her father’s killers. It just sounds SO FANTASTIC!
UNDER A PAINTED SKY | STACEY LEE • I CAN’T WITH THIS. Historical fiction that takes place on the OREGON EFFING TRAIL. STOP. Not only is it set in one of my favorite, most underrepresented time periods, it’s about two girls who disguise themselves as boys while they’re on the trail, running from their pasts together. Dying to read this one.
TANGLED WEBS | LEE BROSS • Another one that I can’t wait for. It takes place in another one of my favorite time periods: 18th century England. It’s got secrets and fancy parties, but also a young girl who has to dress as a boy to keep herself safe on the streets of London. GIMME IT.
BLOODY JACK | L.A. MEYER • Can you guys believe that I haven’t read any of these books? Ever? A girl disguised as a boy so that she can serve on a pirate ship? Not sure what I’ve been thinking, not picking this one up ASAP.
