Summer Sisters by Judy Blume

If you thought that in an article about books for women that a Judy Blume piece wouldn’t be included, then you need to give yourself a reality check. Judy Blume is one of the wisest authors of our time, and her books serve as a mom, big sister and comfort food in the form of words. This book in particular is one of my favorites. It is a story told about young friendship and innocence and will remind you of your middle school best friend. The two girls spend summers away together and experience everything from a parent’s remarriage to the early stomach churning interactions with boys. The metamorphosis of each of the girls is tangible and totally relatable, which is what Blume does best.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

This is a book that you will read and reread for your entire life. It is a collection of poetry and prose that touches on so many vastly different issues falling under love, loss, failure, violence and femininity. Even if you can’t relate to a particular topic Kaur writes about, you will feel something that will convince you that you do. The works find the sweetness in life through waves of heartache and bitterness, which I personally think represents what it means to live a good life.

Forever by Judy Blume

Okay, so if you thought that in an article about books for women that there would be just one Judy Blume book, you need a reality check. Forever is a book that I have read a million times, and find myself reaching for when I need a little chicken soup for the soul. The story follows Katherine in her senior year of high school when she meets Michael, a mutual friend of her best friend Erica’s. Katherine and Michael fall fast into a puppy love that keeps them inseparable. Their relationship is challenged by distance and the weight of parental guidance and slight disapproval but their love is steadfast. After spending a summer apart, Katherine and Michael begin to drift and Katherine becomes enamored with a boy she meets at tennis camp. She gets conflicted and experiences what it’s like to love two people at once but in different ways, a challenge all of us face in the early years of dating and experiencing love for the first time. The book deals with the internal struggle of adolescent sexuality and a ton of “firsts” that actually land this book on a lot of banned book lists for schools. All in all, Forever is a beautifully written book that absolutely hits the nail on the head for first love.

Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso

Sophia Amoruso’s story about her rise to queen of girl bosses is awesomely inspiring, even if you’re a girl who isn’t dreaming about owning her own business empire someday. She’s kick ass and motivated and it shines through in her autobiography about her career. Amoruso details her young life living place-to-place, scrounging dumpsters for food, and taking a job checking IDs in the lobby of an art school. When she starts to sell vintage clothing on eBay, herentrepreneurial spirit takes hold and she finds herself years later as the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal. If you are struggling right now thinking that your degree and grades and internships and popularity are the determining factors of your future, read this book. It details an unorthodox approach to brilliant success in such a way that you will be re-inspired.

The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

This book is a little different. It is a collection of posthumous essays written by Yale magna cum laude graduate Marina Keegan, who tragically died five days after graduation in a car crash. Her collection is comprehensive and will make you nod your head as you read, as she serves as the voice for so many young people dealing with the management of huge aspirations and desire to be successful while still wanting to go out and losing their IDs on the regular. Marina is all of us trying to navigate our way through life with not nearly as much experience as we think we do. It will reignite your faith in yourself and just how much power you have to leave your mark.