At She Reads, we gotta admit, we love our women writers. And in 2019 there was no shortage of great reads by fabulous female authors. From self-help to memoir and fiction, we’re sure you’ll find your next great read in this roundup of the best books written by women of 2019.

Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur

I ordered this one just the other day and am excited to read this memoir about a mother, a daughter and the man that comes between them. When Adrienne is 14, her mother confides to her that she is having an affair. How this information shapes Adrienne in the years later is profound. This is a story about resilience reminding us that we don’t have to be like our parents.


Vox by Christina Dalcher

Vox by Christina Dalcher

In Vox, women and girls are only allowed to speak 100 words in a day, and Dr. Jean McClellan cannot believe this is happening in America. Next, women are prohibited from working, girls are not allowed to learn to read or write; females are silenced. Jean will do everything in her power to unleash her words and reclaim her voice. This paperback release made a huge splash in both 2018 and 2019.


An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

When Jessica signs up for a psychological study about ethics, she’s just looking for a way to make some quick cash. Dr. Shields may have other plans though as she seems to know everything Jess is thinking about. Through manipulation and monitoring, Jess soon gets caught up in a dangerous and deadly situation that she never saw coming.  


I Miss You When I Blink: Essays by Mary Laura Philpott

After Mary Laura Philpott completes her life to-do list (who does this!? This is incredible!), she doesn’t feel complete and successful; she turns anxious. Although she’s done everything the right way (job, house, family, etc.) she feels stuck. Should she stick it out or run away, and are those the only choices she has? In memoir-like essays, Philpott shares how to be satisfied in life and how to figure where you belong and what you really want.


Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller

This one is all over Bookstagram and for great reasons. Known as Emily Doe, the girl who was raped by Brock Turner, Chanel Miller decides to take control of the things that have happened to her and writes her extraordinary story in order to reclaim her life. Powerful and inspirational, and an illuminating message on what it means to be a victim, this is a definite must-read.


The Arrangement by Robyn Harding

I read this one and loved it and can’t wait for Robyn Harding’s next one, The Swap (June 2020). Natalie needs a sugar daddy and she gets one, but she doesn’t expect to fall in love with Gabe. He’s handsome and rich, and although he falls in love with Natalie, he’s also a father and a husband. When Gabe feels as if he’s gotten in over his head, he ends the relationship, and someone ends up dead.


Normal People by Sally Rooney

Interestingly enough, my uncle read this book and suggested it to me. A story of friendship and love, Marianne and Connell meet and “something life-changing happens.” When she gets close to self-destructing and he starts to search for greater meaning, the two have to decide if they are willing to save each other. And although they try to stay apart, it’s impossible to do so.


The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda

One year ago, Jane’s oldest daughter Mary died in an accident and ever since, she has been in a haze of antidepressants and grief. Now though, Jane needs to get back to her family and her life as the others in her family have already accepted things and moved on. Her husband has been working long hours, and her youngest daughter, Betsy, about to graduate high school, has been secretive and distant. Jane starts to wonder if either of them knows more about Mary’s tragic death and what kind of secrets are being kept.


Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen

Alice Burton is a junior in high school when she grows four inches and loses 20 pounds, suddenly transformed. Men begin to notice her, and she’s thrilled when her crush starts talking to her, but when her dad’s creepy friend starts showing interest in her, things get dangerous. Wasted Pretty is about a girl doing what she can to protect everything: her body, her future and her heart.


Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb

Personally, I’m a huge believer in therapy so this one really resonates. Therapist Lori Gottlieb experiences a life crisis and admits to herself that she needs therapeutic help too. The author shares stories of her clients, and realizes that the questions they are asking are also the ones she needs to bring to her therapist. Humorous and wise, we see both sides of the therapy couch in this illuminating account.


How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

If you haven’t read Kathleen Glasgow, you need to put this “Best Books by Women” author on your #TBR list! Her sophomore novel, How to Make Friends with the Dark, is a story of love, loss and grief. Not for the faint of heart, this story will tug at you from the inside out. When Tiger’s mother dies, everything goes dark. It’s up to Tiger, with the help of a gorgeous cast of characters, to make friends with the dark.


Things We Didn’t Talk About When I Was a Girl: A Memoir by Jeannie Vanasco

Jeannie comes to terms with the fact that she was raped by one of her closest high school friends in this powerful part-memoir, part-true crime story. In detail, Jeannie shares about her friendship with Mark before the rape and afterward, when she decides to confront him about his actions. An inspiring read for those who are captivated by the #MeToo movement.


I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie

Twenty years ago, Amanda Holmes was murdered at Camp Macaw, owned by the MacAllister family. When their parents die, the five MacAllister siblings come together to decide the fate of the camp. Everyone has a different idea on what to do, but the will stipulates that nothing can be done until Amanda’s murder case is solved. Is everyone willing to help solve the murder, or is someone hiding something from everyone?

(Feature image courtesy of @happiestwhenreading)

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