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For my full review, check out The Marriage Portrait. 02 A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by irresistible heroine, but a fascinating examination of gender in Victorian society--and what happens when women A Study in Scarlet Women, the first in her Lady Sherlock series, presents Charlotte Holmes, a clever, forward-thinking, independent woman trapped in the Victorian age, a time in which women have little Click here for my full review of A Study in Scarlet Women. 03 True Biz by Sara Nović True Biz is a coming-of-age

The young women's wartime experiences take Viv to glamorous Harrod's, settle Grace in a dusty old bookshop We see Grace become won over by the creaky old store and by her gruff boss, the shifting role each woman You might also like the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Great Stories about Brave Women During World

Then Bridget falls for a fellow "sporting woman," and when the Buffalo Queen is threatened, she must Bridget is strong and no-nonsense yet also inexperienced and far from worldly. Julia Fine Julia Fine's Maddalena and the Dark is a gothic story set in 1700s Venice in which two young women's But a young woman in that time has little say over her destiny.

about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze (a reality TV show in which a single woman comments from petty characters or online trolls, and her self-esteem flags briefly at times, but she is strong , resilient, and appealingly her own woman, not reliant on men for her self-worth. fully into the romance, fashion, and reality television ups and downs--while allowing room for the strong young woman's emotional growth, stumbles, and her creation of a new version of a happy ending.

successful podcaster Alix Summer is celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at the local pub when she meets a strange woman, Josie, also celebrating her birthday. Her "birthday twin" begins popping up where Alix is, and she's got a strange, disturbing life story to

Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman. The issues of race and of young-woman Maddie making her way in the world in London in Maame reminded me somewhat of Girl, Woman, Other, Bernardine Evaristo's interconnected stories about Black women in

That's some strong summer reading!) If you've read any of these, I'd love to hear what you think! Yet Kingsolver keeps Demon's voice strong even as he falters and as everything he has counted on seems As always, her main characters are richly layered, struggle with terrible circumstances, retain strong Check out my reviews of So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men and the short story collection Antarctica she pokes fun at her fellow writer in a sketch about talented but average-looking men dating gorgeous women

attention to unspoken bonds, deep and unorthodox friendships, makeshift families, legendary dogs, and strong Kimmery Martin's Doctors and Friends begins with a group of seven women, friends since medical school For my full review, check out Doctors and Friends. 05 Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams Williams's In Beatriz Williams's historical fiction, Our Woman in Moscow it's 1948 and Iris Digby, her American Click here for my full review of Our Woman in Moscow. 06 Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr Doerr's Cloud

Brodie's quiet little town, he's tediously searching for a stolen painting when he stumbles across a string something to hide, and he begins to look independently into the provenance of the painting he calls Woman as well as her fondness for old-fashioned mystery novels--begin to sound similar to that of a young woman

bright points: some rare friendships emerge, sisters build intense loyalty to each other, girls and women find joy in secret reading and in books, women find strength and demand truth rather than secrecy, and thread throughout the book of the food, spices, and meals that create much of the structure of the women --but also many other real-life women in comparable situations--to write a new history, one in which For my full review of this book, please see A Woman Is No Man.

Natalie Haynes's mythological retellings put women at the center of many scenes surrounding the Trojan These are the women left behind--often women who may have been able to change the course of events if anyone had listened to them or they'd been given some semblance of power--women rolling their eyes at men's foolishness, and women terrified by their imminent sacrifice, slavery, rape, or death because Haynes's women try to point out the absurdity of the Trojan Horse, they are vulnerable in order to try

The retelling swirls with family drama, intrigue, bravery--all centered around a young woman determined autonomy, for a voice, for strength, for knowledge--and she is determined to secure these for other women The people of Bharat have often blamed my father for my sins, as if a woman cannot own her actions. Kaikeyi endlessly reinvents herself--as a warrior, a queen, an advisor, and a voice for powerless women

Bossy Favorites of the Month Here are my six favorite reads of September, with a strong literary fiction This story felt smart, strange, and intriguing. I can't wait to read more books by this author. sometimes testy, often incisive, and at other times diminished--a product of the limitations of single women

science-fiction novel Those Beyond the Wall; I'm listening to Kristin Hannah's historical fiction about women who served in the Vietnam War, The Women; and I'm listening to Dolly Alderton's contemporary literary Micaiah Johnson is also the author of The Space Between Worlds, a book I loved. 02 The Women by Kristin Kristin Hannah's The Women shines a light on the women who served pivotal roles in the Vietnam War--but I'm listening to The Women as an audiobook. 03 Good Material by Dolly Alderton Andy and Jen were in love

Vasya is an irresistibly and wonderfully strong and defiant main protagonist, and Arden includes lots Vasya is a young woman now, and she must consent to an arranged marriage or enter the convent--but Vasya Vasya is an irresistibly and wonderfully strong and defiant main protagonist, and Arden includes lots

Bridie is a strong female protagonist, and Things In Jars offers solid historical fiction details of Veronica to benefit from the author's own modern sensibilities in A Curious Beginning, but Veronica is a strong Abigail is clever, and her strong role in her partnership with the wonderfully odd Jackaby is satisfying Ji Lin speaks her mind and ruffles feathers even as she exploits assumptions about women, sexual attraction She doesn’t fit the mold of a typical woman from 1930s Malaysia or that of the British colonists living

grave injuries, a US Marshal's determined search for John himself, the distraction of a clever, brave woman As always, her main characters are richly layered, struggle with terrible circumstances, retain strong

in fighting the enemy in World War II offers lots of heart, sassy dialogue, and a showcasing of the women's It's part historical fiction with wonderful World War II details and part sassy modern-day tale about women I love the reveal on an underestimating-women scenario, and kind, unassuming Archie also exceeds expectations If you like books about World War II and women spies, you might also like the books on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Great Stories about Brave Women During World War II and Six Books about Brave Female Spies

Christina Baker Kline tells the story of three women's lives in the nineteenth century: Evangeline, a pregnant and is ultimately sent to prison in Australia, “the land beyond the seas"; Hazel, a savvy young woman The women's discoveries of their inner strength during their desperation are wonderful lights in the As strong as stone."

Sara is detained along with other women who are desperately asserting their innocence. The center's managers keep changing the rules so that he women's stays are prolonged--until a new inmate shakes up everything and becomes the women's biggest hope of escape.

are bright points: rare friendships emerge, sisters build intense loyalty to each other, girls and women throughout the book--the food, spices, and meals that are a framework for much of the structure of the women A Woman Is No Man explores the incredible drive and bravery required by Rum's female characters to write For my full review of this book, please see A Woman Is No Man. 06 In Five Years by Rebecca Serle This She goes to sleep one night feeling satisfied, but she wakes up in another life: in a strange apartment

India generally keeps her strong opinions about the world to herself (or shares them with her two kids This is your wide, strange, remarkable family in the world, she said.

Click here for my full review of The Road to Tender Hearts . 03 This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion I laughed out loud repeatedly while I was reading this charming memoir by this strong, funny woman. Please click here for my full review of This American Woman . 04 Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy When a mysterious woman washes up half-dead on the remote island of Shearwater, home of the world's largest And what on earth is her purpose in stringing along Hayden and Alice for a month--if she even intends

Strange things begin happening to Cassie and Izzy when Cassie takes possession of the book, and soon India generally keeps her strong opinions to herself (or shares them with her two kids or trusted agent

ICYMI: Morton offers a strong historical fiction mystery, with assumed identities, dual timelines, twists

initially annoyed, then inexplicably drawn to Eva--and eventually a torrid love affair begins between the women the form of a detailed hand-written ledger of Isabel's household items) come to a head and cause the women For a resolution to their personal and romantic troubles, both women will need to be more brave and more

surprise. 03 The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman Collum is an instinctually gifted, strong

development of her faith and beliefs, and her split with the Southern Baptist Church amid disagreement about women realizes that someone is plunging the party down through layers of reality, through echoes in which strange

Deanna Raybourn's  feisty Veronica Speedwell series of historical fiction mysteries, Veronica remains a strong

Stephenson was a con man and womanizer who had told enough enormous lies to reinvent himself into one He was no protector of women’s virtue, but a violent predator. But when he met a young woman and promised her career assistance, then abused his position, she threatened

But the women's impassioned brunchtime discussion about the plot of Finlay's suspense novel--along with He is in love with and married to a wonderfully strong woman, Irene, "Attolia"--and she is the real power

The Girl with the Louding Voice, Abi Daré's book about a strong young woman in rural Nigeria who shows emerge from her oppressive situation against all odds, and she's wonderfully spirited, creative, and strong Namesake by Adrienne Young Namesake is the second and final book in Young's duology about the wonderfully strong

spinster sister Hester sees how Cordelia shrinks away from her mother and the intense power that the evil woman Hester and her friends--with Cordelia's help--set out to fend off the woman's murderous intentions. This story felt smart, strange, and intriguing. I can't wait to read more books by this author.

But she developed a strange itch in her foot. Russia and the Ukraine, Mila, along with so many others, enlists to fight alongside countrymen and -women the contrast between active female roles in the Russian military and the more peripheral positions women Click here for my full review of The Diamond Eye. 04 The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Click here for my full review of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. 05 Upgrade by Blake Crouch Main

character secretly meets a stranger for intimacy--despite actively feeling disgust and complicated and strong believe that after all of the trauma and betrayals—and what ultimately felt like thin bonds holding the women

Now Clementine must figure out if her heart is strong enough to cope with losing the unlikely love she's and I loved that the relationship between Clementine and her aunt is said to have been special and strong

In Hartman's Tess of the Road, Tess doesn't fit the mold of an obedient, quiet young woman in her medieval desperate for adventure; she is pushing at the edge of the disappointingly limited possibilities for young women frustrated, then furious, about the double standards, injustices, and power inequality between men and women There's a "woman dresses as a man to escape gender limitations" trope; the story emphasizes loyalty,

With plenty of youthful explorations of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll, plus young women striving to strike structures of the time, Shoulder Season spans forty years, an important love triangle, and the course of a woman's I very much enjoyed her vulnerability as a young woman and especially the glimpses we got into her self-assured training and strict rules surrounding Bunnies' behavior (and even their allowed body movements), and the women's

book The Books I'm Reading Now I'm listening to a wonderfully strange story about the absurdity of human Beautyland is strange, poignant, and funny. later timeline takes place in the time of World War II as Daphne, an intelligent and educated young woman Walsh is also the author of Becoming Bonnie, Side by Side, A Betting Woman, and The Call of the Wrens

She's reporting on the case of Meena, a Hindu woman who was brutally punished by her village and her could enter a casual romantic entanglement--while she desperately fights for justice regarding another woman's While throughout the book Smita is (at least initially) reluctantly working to aid a woman in need, various

For my full review, check out The Love of My Life. 03 A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by A Study in Scarlet Women, the first in her Lady Sherlock series, presents Charlotte Holmes, a clever, forward-thinking, independent woman trapped in the Victorian age, a time in which women have little Click here for my full review of A Study in Scarlet Women. 04 Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier , she uses a fascinating story structure to explore different potential paths for interlinked young women

She felt that once she developed a strong female character with her own rich backstory, Fortune was able

Kate is a tough young woman posing as a male cowboy. Turner's story is inspired by her family's memoirs, and her Sarah Prine is a strong woman living on the Walk on Earth a Stranger tells the story of Lee, a young woman with a powerful secret: an ability to Yet I'm also fascinated by the optimistic explorer spirit--and I do love reading about strong female characters in a time when the world around them didn't always support women's strength and determination

attention to unspoken bonds, deep and unorthodox friendships, makeshift families, legendary dogs, and strong

It's part historical fiction with wonderful World War II details and part sassy modern-day tale about women But as the first woman admitted into Harvard's library, the first female foreign news correspondent for

The women realize they may know too much about where the bodies are buried--literally--to be allowed I loved the women's complicated bonds, their crafty planning, their fights for justice, and their ability Yet Kingsolver keeps Demon's voice strong even as he falters and as everything he has counted on seems morning self-greeting), but I thoroughly enjoyed and felt calmed by listening to this wise, kind, savvy woman

Greene was a fair-skinned Black woman who hid her heritage in order to serve in this powerful role—one that was unusual for a woman to serve in at the time, and which would have been all but impossible for a Black woman to fill because of racism and the race-based constraints of the day. Morgan's potential open-mindedness about race seem wildly optimistic in light of his voiced views about women Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Carnegie's Maid, and Lady Clementine.

are lied to about their bodies; where women are objects of sexual desire but not subjects of sexual pleasure; where sex is used as a weapon against women; and where women believe their bodies are broken And I am done living in a world where women are trained from birth to treat their bodies as the enemy Come As You Are is about the way women's sexuality works and why. how feelings are at the center of women's sexuality; and explain how women's sexuality is as varied

successful podcaster Alix Summer is celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at the local pub when she meets a strange woman, Josie, also celebrating her birthday. Her "birthday twin" begins popping up where Alix is, and she's got a strange, disturbing life story to She's falling for her famous client, the musician Trace Thorne--but when a woman shows up claiming to

The swirl of events draws other innocent young women into Miryem's complicated web and toward potential Ji Lin doesn’t fit the mold of a typical woman from 1930s Malaysia or that of the British colonists living She speaks her mind and ruffles feathers even as she exploits assumptions about women, sexual attraction The Dragon keeps them safe from the Wood, but at a high price: each year he demands one young woman from