List of All-Time Best Books for Women to Read in 2024
This blog is just the right website for women who need great book recommendations for what to read.
There is nothing better than finding the perfect place to curl up with a great book. And, here we take the, “I wish I had a great book to read” stress out of your life by providing you with an array of “must-read” choices.
Whether you’re the kind of woman who likes to read romance novels, contemporary literary fiction, or even the classics—we have just the perfect book recommendation for you.
Choose a topic and enjoy interesting articles that briefly describe a great book we know you will simply adore.
We promise not to give the story away—but, we will whet your appetite and have you absorbed in a story in no time.
Female Reading List: Must-Read Books for Women
Some time ago, my friend asked me to recommend some must-read books for women, but I didn't answer immediately.
The reason is that there are different choices due to different genders, ages, hobbies, and orientations in reading. However, trust in bloggers cannot be fruitless.
Therefore, after consulting relevant materials and editing this bibliography for women, this article can be regarded as an answer to my friend and also a recommendation of the best books for women to all-female who love reading.
Women are very sensitive and attentive, so when it comes to reading, women are more likely to understand the truth in books, women who love to read are very temperamental, and knowledge can also become a woman's confidence.
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama
When Michelle Robinson was a little girl, her world was limited to the South Side of Chicago. At that time, the family rented a small apartment on the second floor. Michelle shared a bedroom with her brother Craig, and they often went to the park to play a game of passing.
Under the tutelage of her father, Fraser Robinson, and mother, Marianne Robinson, Michelle developed an outspoken and fearless personality.
However, life soon took her further afield: at Princeton University, where she experienced for the first time what it was like to be the only black woman in her class; The corporate lawyer, which was also there, when a law student named Barack Obama showed up at her office one summer morning and shattered all the careful planning of her life.
In the book, Michelle Obama provides the first public account of her married life, particularly the early years of her marriage to Barack Obama, and how she found a balance between career and family during the meteoric rise of her husband's political career.
She reveals the two of them privately arguing over whether Barack should run for the presidency of the United States, and her popular and reviled role in his campaign.
With grace, wit, and candor, Michelle brings us to life behind the scenes of her family's global attention and eight years in the White House. In the process, she learned more about her country, and the American public gradually learned about her.
From the humble kitchens of Iowa to the ballrooms of Buckingham Palace, from those heartbreaking traumas to amazing resilience, "Becoming" introduces us to a person who achieved a historic breakthrough and takes us inside her.
In the depths of her soul, she witnessed how she worked hard to live a real life, and how she contributed her personal power and voiced her own voice in order to realize a series of higher ideals.
Michelle tells us her life story candidly and boldly, asking us the question: Who are we? Who do we want to be?
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
"Jane Eyre," tells such a story: Jane Eyre's parents died when she was a child, and she took refuge in her cruel aunt, but the aunt abandoned her mercilessly.
She was a pupil for six years and a teacher for two years at a charity school. At the age of eighteen, Jane Eyre was employed as a tutor at Thornfield House and met Master Rochester.
Both of them were attracted by each other's unique temperament and rich emotions, so they fell in love deeply regardless of the huge gap in status and status.
Just as they were having their wedding, it was revealed that Rochester's ex-wife was still alive. Jane Eyre knew that they could not have an equal marriage, so she chose to leave.
Later, Jane Eyre accidentally met her cousins and inherited a fortune from her uncle. But she couldn't resist the deep-seated longing for Rochester, so she returned to Rochester who had lost his wealth and was severely damaged by the fire, and resolutely married him. Bathed in love, Rochester regained his happiness and health.
In this work, the plucky heroine is outwardly of plain appearance but possesses an indomitable spirit, a sharp wit, and great courage. She is forced to battle against the exigencies of a cruel guardian, a harsh employer, and a rigid social order that circumscribes her life and position.
3. Life's Work by Rachel Cusk
The experience of motherhood is an experience in contradiction. It is commonplace and it is impossible to imagine. It is prosaic and it is mysterious. It is at once banal, bizarre, compelling, tedious, comic, and catastrophic.
To become a mother is to become the chief actor in a drama of human existence to which no one turns up.
It is the process by which ordinary life is transformed unseen into a story of strange and powerful passions, of love and servitude, of confinement and compassion.
In a book that is touching, hilarious, provocative, and profoundly insightful, novelist Rachel Cusk attempts to tell something of an old story set in a new era of sexual equality.
Cusk's account of a year of modern motherhood becomes many stories:
- a farewell to freedom, sleep, and time;
- a lesson in humility and hard work;
- a journey to the roots of love;
- a meditation on madness and mortality;
and most of all a sentimental education in babies, books, toddler groups, bad advice, crying, breastfeeding, and never being alone.
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
For over 150 years, Pride And Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen herself called this brilliant work her "own darling child."
Pride And Prejudice, the story of Mrs. Bennet's attempts to marry off her five daughters is one of the best-loved and most enduring classics in English literature.
Excitement fizzes through the Bennet household at Longbourn in Hertfordshire when young, eligible Mr. Charles Bingley rents the fine house nearby.
He may have sisters, but he also has male friends, and one of these—the haughty, and even wealthy, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy—irks the vivacious Elizabeth Bennet, the second of the Bennet girls.
She annoys him. Which is how we know they must one day marry. The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and Darcy is a splendid rendition of civilized sparring.
As the characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, Jane Austen's radiantly caustic wit and keen observation sparkle.
5. A Woman Makes a Plan by Maye Musk
Maye Musk at seventy-one is a fashionable, charming, jet-setting supermodel with a fascinating and tight-knit circle of family and friends.
But things were not always so easy or glamorous--she became a single mom at thirty-one years old, struggling through poverty to provide for her three children; dealt with weight issues as a plus-size model and overcame ageism in the modeling industry; and established a lifelong career as a respected dietician, all the while starting over in eight different cities across three countries and two continents.
But she made her way through it all with an indomitable spirit and a no-nonsense attitude to become a global success at what she calls the "prime of her life."
As the twenty-and thirty-somethings who follow her obsessively on social media know, Maye is a fountain of frank and practical advice on how the choices you make in every decade can pay off in surprising, exciting ways throughout your life.
In A Woman Makes a Plan, Maye shares experiences from her life conveying hard-earned wisdom on career (the harder you work, the luckier you get), family (let the people you love go their own way), health (there is no magic pill), and adventure (make room for discovery, but always be ready for anything). You can't control all that happens in life, but you can have the life you want at any age. All you have to do is make a plan.
6. The Regrets by Amy Bonnaffons
Reality and dream collide in Amy Bonnaffons's dazzling, darkly playful debut novel about a love affair between the living and the dead.
For weeks, Rachel has been noticing the same golden-haired young man sitting at her Brooklyn bus stop, staring off with a melancholy air. When, one day, she finally musters the courage to introduce herself, the chemistry between them is undeniable: Thomas is wise, witty, handsome, mysterious, and clearly a kindred spirit. There's just one tiny problem: He's dead.
Stuck in a surreal limbo governed by bureaucracy, Thomas is unable to "cross over" to the afterlife until he completes a 90-day stint on earth, during which time he is forbidden to get involved with a member of the living -- lest he incurs "regrets." When Thomas and Rachel break this rule, they unleash a cascade of bizarre, troubling consequences.
Set in the hallucinatory borderland between life and death, The Regrets is a gloriously strange and breathtakingly sexy exploration of love, the cataclysmic power of fantasies, and the painful, exhilarating work of waking up to reality, told with uncommon grace and humor by a visionary artist at the height of her imaginative power.
7. 1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know by Jr. Harrison, Harry H
What things do every college student need to know? In 1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know, Harry H. Harrison Jr. provides practical advice ranging from classroom enrollment, living on campus, study habits, and more, that every student and parent will benefit from.
This book is a solid gift if you know a college student that needs a little wisdom about:
- Financial advice while attending school
- Handling parental expectations and being away from home
- Taking care of your mental health and maintaining your faith
- Taking and mastering multiple choice tests
- Creating healthy relationships with your professors
- Selecting classes, surviving campus life, and writing a college paper
- Participating in groups and handling various personality types
College students will appreciate the author's witty yet relatable tone. 1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know is a great resource for high school graduates and new college students.
8. The Long View by Brian Fetherstonhaugh
In his book "The Long View," Brian Fetherstonhaugh, Chairman and CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide, provides guidance on navigating the changing landscape of careers and offers strategies for long-term success.
Fetherstonhaugh emphasizes the need for robust, road-tested strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary context to flourish in the new professional reality.
He outlines three stages of a career and emphasizes the importance of building "fuel" at each step to create lasting success.
The book includes practical exercises to assess skills, invest time, expand personal networks, and make tough job decisions.
Fetherstonhaugh draws insights from interviews with various professionals to provide success stories and cautionary tales.
The Long View offers a new perspective on finding jobs, building careers that last, and redefining work to encompass life satisfaction and happiness.
Fetherstonhaugh, a seasoned business leader, has a range of interests including eCommerce, social CRM, long-range career planning, and the evolution of corporate cultures in the digital world.
9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The reader's mixed feelings and disappointment after reading "Little Women."
The reader reflects on their initial fascination with the characters and their struggles to solve the problems presented in the book.
They mention how the story's era and human nature can still be relevant today.
The reader expresses envy for other characters and their desire to be their true selves without compromise.
They discuss the author's writing style and the religious and moral teachings present in the early chapters.
The reader praises the character development and the depiction of the four sisters' lives.
However, they criticize the book for conforming to traditional societal norms and limiting the independent spirit of the protagonist, Jo.
The reader finds the ending unsatisfying, particularly with Amy's marriage for wealth and the compromises made by Jo.
They express disappointment and frustration with the overall message of the book, longing for a more rebellious and independent portrayal of women.
10. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Delia Owens and her husband Mark spent many years in Africa working on wildlife conservation.
The couple worked on wildlife conservation in Zambia but faced allegations of involvement in a murder that prevented their return to the country.
The novel itself is set in the mid-20th century in the South and follows the story of Kya Clark, a girl abandoned in a swamp who becomes the prime suspect in a murder case.
Overall, it draws parallels between the experiences of the author and the protagonist, highlighting themes of loneliness, prejudice, and the struggle to escape from the darker aspects of humanity.
11. Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan, Joanna David, et al
For twenty-five years, Rose Lloyd has juggled marriage, motherhood, and career with remarkable success. It has been a life of family picnics, books and wine, a cherished house, and her own exquisitely designed garden—sunny and comfortable.
But then the carefully managed life to which Rose has become accustomed comes crashing down around her when—over the course of a few days—her marriage and her career both fall apart.
Can Rose, whose anguish is barely softened by the ministrations of friends and grown children with their own problems, ever start over? Not easily.
But it's amazing what prolonged reflection, the slimming effect of a lost appetite, and a new slant on independence (and a little Parisian lingerie) will do. Especially when an old flame suddenly reappears.
Full of humor, clever insight, and a whimsical sense of the absurd, Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman is an irresistible and finely written fantasy for anyone who ever wondered what a certain age would look like from beyond the looking glass and who will find it ripe with the promise that the best days are yet to come.
12. The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene
There is a point of view I agree with, "Seduction is giving the other party what they want but can't get." Talking about morality can never seduce people, what should be done is to create dreams.
This point is also very well said in "Gone with the Wind", "When you want something from a man, don't say it outright as I did to me. Pretend to be clever and seductive Some, that would produce better results.
You know it yourself and are proficient at it, but just now, when you offered me the collateral for your loan, you Looked blunt as a nail.
I've seen eyes like yours over a dueling pistol twenty paces from me, and it's not a pleasant sight. It doesn't stir the passion in a man's chest."
This is me People with this kind of straight-line brain circuit often make the mistake of asking what they want to ask directly. The correct way should be to let the other party say it by themselves.
Always talking about morality will only make you look like a dean.
13. Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King
A beautifully designed book full of inspiring quotes and tried-and-tested wisdom on using positivity to create a life you love.
How can you learn to truly love yourself? How can you transform negative emotions into positive ones? Is it possible to find lasting happiness?
In this book, Instagram guru Vex King answers all of these questions and more. Vex overcame adversity to become a source of hope for thousands of young people, and now draws from his personal experience and his intuitive wisdom to inspire you to:
- practice self-care, overcome toxic energy, and prioritize your wellbeing
- cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation
- change your beliefs to invite great opportunities into your life
- manifest your goals using tried-and-tested techniques
- overcome fear and flow with the Universe
- Find your higher purpose and become a shining light for others
With this book, Vex will show you that when you change the way you think, feel, speak, and act, you begin to change the world.
14.
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About Muhiuddin Alam
Muhiuddin Alam is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ReadingAndThinking.com. He serves as a consistent contributor to various websites and publications, including Medium, Quora, Reddit, Linkedin, Substack, Vocal, Flipboard, and Amazon KDP. Alam personally read numerous books and, for the past 10 years, has been providing book recommendations and reviews. Find Me: About Me & Google Knowledge Panel.
