Six Books I Read this Year - Written by Women

Recently, I looked at my Goodreads 2025 challenge and noticed that six out of the eight books were written by women. All of them have been great books, very different, but engaging, so I'm happy to share them with you today.

Station 11 - Emily St. John Mandel

Let's start with one of my favourites. This was an absolute surprise. We're reading it at my work's book club, and when I read the story blurb, I was like, mehhh. A book about a pandemic? Wasn't it enough to live through one? But at the same time, everyone told me that this is a fantastic read, so I gave it a try. Pretty soon, I realized I was in for a treat because it's beautifully written and has a great storyline. Over the course of the book, you get to know more and more of the story of the main people and how they are eventually connected.

Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus

I might be late to this party, but I finally read this book and really loved it. It's a feminist book about a woman in the 1950s in England who wants to be a chemist. The challenges she encounters are infuriating and sometimes hard to grasp as a woman who grew up 40 years later with all the rights she could wish for, yet it's also quite entertaining. The book includes a little love story and a few chemistry lessons for the kitchen, sprinkled with good British humour. Overall, a very easy read and definitely a recommendation. Now I have to watch the show on Apple; many have recommended it.

Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros

You might have heard me say this before, but I really just started this series of books (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm) because I was curious about the hype and, as a lifelong Harry Potter fan, I wanted to give fantasy another try. I do like the story, and was reminded of how fantasy books create whole worlds that spark your imagination. But I also find it a very lengthy read with complex storylines and characters, so with both books, I was kind of happy when I was finished. I picked up the third one, but haven't read it yet, I need a bit of a break. :) But if you're into fantasy, this one created an incredible world, and on top of it, it's very spicy. ;)

Superfan - Jen Sookfong Lee

Together with a group of friends, I recently attended a "Meet the Author" event at Christianne's Lyceum in Vancouver. In preparation for the event, we read the book "Superfan - How Pop Culture Broke My Heart." It's Jen's story as the daughter of Chinese immigrants in East Vancouver, the challenges of being Chinese Canadian, how the early death of her father impacted the family, her relationship with her mother and sisters, marriage, and the whole messiness of life. But she doesn't just tell us her story; she connects it to pop culture and pieces that supported her during certain chapters of her life: Anne of Green Gables when she was a young girl and needed an escape, Kris Jenner about motherhood, Ali Wong about Asian female joy.

I loved reading her story set in Vancouver. It opened my eyes to the Chinese Canadian history in Vancouver and made me smile when I caught some pop culture references.

Yinka, where is your Huzband? - Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

This was such a fun read and a recommendation for women in their 30s because it discusses the pressures of relationships, marriage, children, and building a career. Yinka has to face all these challenges while navigating life between two cultures and her religious beliefs. I'm sure that there are situations in the book where you can see yourself. It's a light read and perfect for an upcoming trip, a cozy weekend at home or a read in the park.

Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert

This book explores spirituality, discusses creative processes, and has elements of a self-help book. Personally, it emphasized creativity and my writing process, but for you, it might resonate in a completely different way.

How does creativity come to us, how do we recognize it and accept it, how can we lead a creative life without pressure, and what can creativity give us? The book is peppered with short stories from the author and other artists and writers. My key takeaway/a reminder was that good writing takes time, and consistency is key.

She discusses the concept of morning notes to begin the day, and although I have read about it before, it resonated with me this time. Over the past two months, I have written numerous morning notes, and it has been a very effective habit.

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These are the books written by female authors over the past months. I can't wait to see what's next. Do you have any suggestions for books written by women?