I was obsessed with this YA series when I was younger, reread it many times as a teenager, and just recently reread it again. I love the main character, as she's strong-willed and pushes boundaries but isn't stalely written or a typecast as so many female protagonists are. I love her situation, of having to hide her gender for years while she attempts to become a female warrior despite it being against the law. I really enjoy the world, immersive but not overly complicated.

I want something like this but just a little closer to my reading level. Although I know there's no shame in YA, sometimes I need novels that don't gloss over the darker nature of life. Does anybody have suggestions?