Storytelling is one of my greatest passions. I believe that through storytelling we can learn and grow as people. With this in mind I have gathered together a list of books designed to inspire and empower women.
It’s time to start filling your bookshelves with novels that will speak to you and create a real impact.
by Alka Joshi
Set in 1950s India, a young girl embarks on a journey to a big city, where she becomes a henna artist. It is a beautifully written story, rich in culture and imagery, about one woman’s search for independence as she struggles for fulfilment in a society pivoting between traditional and modern.
by Alexandra Chang
Days of Distraction focuses on an Asian-American staff writer at a tech publication in Silicon Valley, as she navigates being undervalued in her workplace and being a peacemaker in her family. The book follows her struggles in an interracial relationship, her difficulty of starting over and adjusting into a new place.
by Min Jin Lee
A multigenerational saga about Sunja who decides to abandon South Korea and move to Japan, depicting how her decision impacts three generations. An absolutely beautiful novel that explores many aspects of family, relationships, and humanity. The book is not just eye-opening, but it allows us to learn about the past and leaves us with linger questions about the present.
by Bernardine Evaristo
This novel follows the stories of twelve different women throughout their lives. Tackling gender identity, social status, race, and sexuality. Each story touches upon topics like politics, abuse, feminism and slavery, with a central focus on their relationships with their loved ones and themselves.
by Gail Honeyman
This story focuses on Eleanor, who has been working as a finance clerk at the same company for the past 9 years. Her independent yet strictly structured lifestyle along with her socially awkward personality mean that her journey through self-discovery is often both hilarious and heartbreaking. This is a novel to inspire us all.
by Brené Brown
Daring Greatly is a book about having the courage to be vulnerable in a world where everyone wants to appear strong, confident and like they know what they’re doing. It’s a book that will inspire you to be your authentic self.
by John Green
John Green offers brilliant stories which always seem to leave us wanting more. In this book, he touches on mental health including anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It depicts a story of love, friendship, and mental health through the eye of a girl named Aza Holmes. This book should be made essential reading and is certainly one to have on your shelf.
by Virginia Woolf
A Room of Ones Own and the sequel Three Guineas is a witty, urbane and persuasive argument against the intellectual subjection of women, particularly women writers. First published in 1929, it’s essential reading for all budding feminists.
by Abi Daré
Adunni is a fourteen-year-old Nigerian girl, who is determined to get an education.Her ambitions come to a quick halt when her father sells her to a local man. It is an amazing, powerful and eye-opening novel.
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Elizabeth Gilbert is back with another banger, after the success brought by Eat, Pray, Love. City of Girl, tells the story of Vivian, an upper-class girl who was kicked out of boarding school and sent to New York to live with her aunt. The book has so many colourful characters you will fall in love with it.
And when you're done reading, check out our list local kid and family friendly bookstores.
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