Bookworm Cottage Style

How is it September already??!! This reading roundup is centered around feminist books. In other words, books about women pushing back against patriarchy, challenging social norms, pursuing motherhood (or not) on their own terms, embracing sexual pleasure, and building lives and careers that give them purpose. If you also love rooting for a strong female lead, you’re bound to love the picks on this list. As always, I’ve read and enjoyed each of the books below, and can recommend them all from personal experience.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (2023, 352 pages) // More people need to read this fun and quirky book! Geeta has become accustomed to a life of independence and solitude when others in her village assume (incorrectly) that Geeta killed off her good-for-nothing husband. When other women start coming to Geeta for tips on how to murder their own drinking, cheating husbands, a comedy of errors ensues. The main character Geeta is a grumpy widow who slowly comes to realize how much companionship has been missing in her life. This playful crime comedy pushes back against discrimination and toxic patriarchy while reminding readers of the joys of friendship. Such a fun book!!

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023, 448 pages) // This is one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. The main character, Martha Ballard, is a badass middle-aged woman working as a midwife in Maine during the late 1700s. Inspired by real people and real events, the story follows a murder case that Martha gets tangled up in as she searches for answers and justice. Martha is just an incredible character — so much gumption and self assuredness — the type of character that makes me excited to grow older and wiser. Highly recommend!

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (2020, 368 pages) // This is one of those books that reminds me why I love historical fiction. The Henna Artist is an engrossing page turner that addresses women’s rights and family drama set against the backdrop of post-colonial India. A fantastic book about Indian women taking a stand against the patriarchy!

Sandwich by Catherine Newman (2024, 240 pages) // Sandwich is centered around a 54-year-old woman named Rocky who is spending 7 days on Cape Cod with her husband, two young adult children, and elderly parents. Even though this book takes place at the beach, it is heavier thematically and more literary than most books I consider “beach reads.” Over the course of one week, fears, regrets, grievances, secrets, and challenges bubble up to the surface. Despite the messy circumstances Rocky finds herself in, there is so much love and humor in these pages. Newman reassures readers that even if you are falling apart, it is still possible to be bursting at the seams with gratitude and love and hope for the next generation. Feminist readers will appreciate that typically taboo topics like menopause and aging and reproductive freedom are at the heart of the book. I highly recommend anything by Catherine Newman! 

A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum (2019, 352 pages) // Wow! This book is centered around young women who risk everything to push back against cultural oppression in search of freedom for themselves and the next generation of women. Despite multiple instances of domestic abuse, I could not put this book down! Wonderfully paced and wonderfully written. Highly recommend!

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (2021, 336 pages) // This joyous and oftentimes funny book does a masterful job exploring love and second chances against the backdrop of NYC’s literary scene. Seven Days in June reminded me of a refreshing, modern-day, Black joy-focused version of The Notebook, and I loved every minute of it!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017, 400 pages) // TJR writes a lot of page turners, but this is probably my favorite book of hers. In this book, an aging celebrity named Evelyn Hugo shares the story of her love life – and her seven husbands – with a relatively unknown journalist for a juicy tell-all book. This is a great read about romantic freedom and pursuing life and love on your own terms.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (2019, 480 pages) // I loved this book! Part coming-of-age novel, part love letter to NYC, and part reflection of colorful and sexy life, this was ultimately a book about chosen family and marching to the beat of your own drum. I loved the relationships portrayed in this book, even though it is not a romance novel in the typical sense. Such a great book about women having a fulfilling life outside of the expected social norms of the time.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2022, 400 pages) // Lessons in Chemistry is such a fun, page-turning read! The main character, a scientist who hosts a popular cooking show in the early 1960s, is blunt and somewhat socially awkward, but I loved her witty retorts and her feminist determination to not let traditional mid-century gender roles box her in. This is a great book about women pushing back against the status quoo, and foodies and women in STEM will especially love this one. Highly recommend!!