Books About Women Reclaiming Their Power

In the introduction to her shameless memoir, college dropout turned LA waitress turned blogger yogi writes, “When I finally got out the tools to build what I thought I needed to get the life I wanted, I realized that what I needed was within me.” In the chapters that follow, Pastiloff traces the topography of her past with sincerity, compassion, and humor. A relatable account of one woman’s path to living her best life, On Being Human is a transformative read whether you consider yourself to be woo-woo or not.

Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen follows an aspiring photographer named Alice Weiss as she navigates the cutthroat world of journalism in the 1960s. When Alice is offered a life changing opportunity, she leaves the Midwest for New York City. Soon after, she learns the ins and outs of the industry from Helen Gurley Brown, the first woman to be named editor in chief of Cosmopolitan. An engrossing portrait of ambition, friendship, and determination, Rosen’s inspirational page turner will remind you that sometimes, wishes do come true.

In bestseller Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest novel, Vivian Morris finds solace in New York City after a trying semester at Vassar. Sent there by her parents, the 19-year-old heroine builds a new life for herself while living with her Aunt Peg who runs a theatre company in Manhattan. While there, Vivian finds what she couldn’t at Vassar: glamour, glitz, and drama. Spellbinding from beginning to end, Gilbert’s City of Girls is a phenomenal story about self-discovery, desire, and navigating womanhood on your own terms.

In the introduction to More Than Enough, Eliane Welteroth writes, “You are enough. You were born enough. The world is waiting on you.” Throughout the pages of her memoir, Welteroth (well known for her groundbreaking work as the former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue) reveals how growing up as a biracial girl caught between two worlds helped her carve out a path of her own. Each chapter is a testament to the power of believing in yourself and your dreams, even when others don’t. An uplifting account of persistence and manifestation, More Than Enough is a must-read for dreamers.

When Jessilyn Narney’s alcoholic father passes away, the ingenious 17-year-old is forced to disguise herself as a militiaman in order to find her outlaw brother Noah and save their family homestead in the post-antebellum West. A skilled trick shooter with a heart of gold, Jessilyn’s disguise allows her to see through the facade that so many of the men in her life hide behind. A compelling meditation on gender, family, and power, Whiskey When We’re Dry is an undeniably memorable and fearless debut.

In the seventh installment of Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby mystery series, Kiera Gage’s life is turned upside down when a scandal involving her deceased husband Sir Anthony Darby pulls Kiera and her current husband Sebastian into the sinister world of burking (murdering a person with the intention of selling their corpse to medical schools). With the arrival of a blackmail letter, Kiera and Sebastian are forced to reckon with the past in order to save their future. An Artless Demise is a captivating historical thriller about a woman reclaiming her power.

After Annabelle Archer is accepted into Oxford’s inaugural class of women and awarded a scholarship from the National Society for Women’s Suffrage, she becomes an integral part of a suffragette plot to convince influential men to overthrow The Married Women’s Property Act. As Annabelle adjusts to her life at Oxford, her mission becomes even more complicated when she crosses paths with the Duke of Montgomery and their lives gradually become entangled. An applause-worthy debut about Victorian independence and desire, Evie Dunmore’s Bringing Down the Duke is seamlessly captivating.