There are so many great books for women in their 20s. It can be hard to decide which ones to read, but here are 35 books we think are worth reading. we are the main character in our story, and these 35 titles are sure to help young women in their twenties.
If you’re a young woman in your twenties looking for books on personal development, self-help books, compelling fiction titles, and more, here are 35 of our favorite books to add to your list!
You are reading: Great books for women in their 20s
This post may contain affiliate links. if you make a purchase, gentwenty may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this resource.
35 books for women in their twenties
you’re rude for jen sincere
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It will boost your self-esteem and change the way you think about yourself, especially when it comes to reaching your goals and finding your dream job!
after reading the first book by jen sincere, read that you are great at making money. it’s a life changer.
don’t wear shoes you can’t walk in: a field guide for your twenties by michelle douglas
Part advice book, part journal, this field guide will help you uncover the essential, yet often overlooked, lessons you need to learn in your own life right now. Michelle Douglas took the lessons from his own experience and amplified them for the rest of us.
shared lessons include:
- the weakness isn’t necessarily where the leak is
- surround yourself with people who are willing to lift as they go up
- you can’t change the shape of a piece to force it into your puzzle
- don’t look for love, look for the things you love to do
- is what you bring to the table, not how long I’ve been sitting on it
“brilliantly articulated, perfectly digestible. don’t wear shoes you can’t walk in should be required reading by the time someone turns twenty.” — gentwenty
how to get the job done: recognize your patterns, heal from your past, and create yourself by dr. nicole lepera
on how to get the job done, dr. lepera gives readers the encouragement and resources they need to free themselves from harmful behaviors and take back and rebuild their lives. this is a revolution in consciousness that will forever alter the way we think about mental wellness and self-care.
james clear atomic habits
Whether you’re looking for a strategy to adopt new habits or build on what you already have, atomic habits has a proven method for success every day. One of the world’s most experienced habit builders, James Clear offers simple tactics that will teach you how to establish good behaviors, break undesirable ones, and master the little things. he imagines power at last. to kick your habit of scrolling through social media or to wake up refreshed thanks to a better sleep routine.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
We can’t choose what kind of pain comes into our lives, but we can decide how we’re going to deal with it. This fiction book is a classic and a must read.
Reading The Alchemist, I learned that it is the journey, not the destination, that matters most, for it is in pain that we come to know joy. It’s not about starting a new life, it’s about loving the one you have.
the four tendencies: the essential personality profiles that reveal how to improve your life (and the lives of other people too)
gretchen rubin, in her research of several books on human nature, found that asking the seemingly dry question “how do I react to expectations?” it gives us tremendous self-knowledge.
found that people fall into one of four trends based on their response: advocates, questioners, pleasers, and rebels. every aspect of our behavior is influenced by our bias, so using this framework allows us to make better judgments, meet deadlines, endure less stress, and engage more effectively.
a year of positive thinking: daily inspiration, wisdom and courage (a year of daily reflections)
Do you want to live each day with more optimism and motivation? Daily doses of digestible quotes, mantras, and prompts will help you change your mindset and promote positive thinking in this book.
your twenties: nobody teaches you how to grow up, you know? by Jessica Smith
jessica’s book is a quirky and fun read that’s full of advice! The book is organized into micro-chapters covering self-love, healthy mind, body acceptance, relationships, and career.
If you’re feeling a little lost in your 20s, get this amazing book!
what a time to be alone: the slums guide to why you’re enough already
See Also: 30 Best Algebra Books for Beginners, High School & College Students – Gaurav Tiwari
the slumflower will be your life guru, confidante and best friend in a time to be alone. she will teach you that being alone is not only acceptable; It’s actually the best thing that ever happened to you. Whether it’s your first time sitting or being alone or something you’ve sat with for a while, it’s about time you understood this.
good vibes, good life: how self-love is the key to unlocking your greatness
In this book, Vex King will demonstrate how you can alter the world by changing your thoughts, feelings, speech, and behavior.
a well-bred woman: a novel by the vanderbilts
“alva smith, her destitute southern family after the civil war, married into one of the great dynasties of america’s golden age: the newly wealthy but socially rejected vanderbilts. Ignored by New York’s wealthy circles and determined to earn respect, she designed and built nine mansions, hosted grand balls, and arranged her daughter’s marriage to a duke. But Ella Alva also defied the conventions for women of her time, asserting power within her marriage and becoming a leader in the women’s suffrage movement.
With a nod to Jane Austen and Edith Wharton, Therese Anne Fowler paints a well-educated woman into a resplendent world of enormous wealth contrasted with desperate poverty, of social ambition and social contempt, of friendship and betrayal, and an unforgettable story. of a remarkable woman. She meets Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, living proof that history is made by those who know the rules and know how to break them.”
The Self-Love Experiment: Fifteen Principles for Becoming Kind, Compassionate, and Accepting of Yourself
There are many people who believe that they are not allowed to prioritize or pursue their own aspirations because they are afraid of being selfish or putting the needs of others before their own.
The Self-Love Experiment is an ingenious tool for people looking to bring self-love and acceptance into their lives. it’s about loving yourself and accepting yourself first, whether you want to lose weight, get your dream job, find your soul mate, or get out of debt. This inspiring book will help you in your 20s, mid 20s, late 20s and beyond!
the decisive decade by dr. meg jay
Recently updated, this book challenges the way we think about our 20s. dr Jay, a clinical psychologist, says that 20s is not the new 30s and that we could all do a little better by investing in ourselves during our 20s. we interviewed dr. jay on the gentwenty podcast about this important book.
101 secrets for your 20 by paul angone
every 20-something needs a little black book of secrets. The twenties are a time of confusion, repetitive work, burnout, cubicles, breakups, transition periods, quarter-life crises, loneliness, and moderate success sandwiched between extensive failures. we need a tattered old guide to stick around to shed some light on this decade.
the kidult handbook by nicole booz
being an adult is hard! but “joking around” (participating in nostalgic stress-relieving childhood activities such as playing with your favorite old toys, participating in games and activities from your youth, and even snacking on foods you enjoyed as a child) is not. let this book be your guide to pleasing your inner child. now is the perfect time to get back in touch with your childhood self.
gentwenty’s guide to college success
Having graduated from college, we have collectively experienced the tumultuous dynamic job landscape in recent years as millennials in the workforce. Here we share the tips and tricks we learned to make the most of your college years. we place a lot of emphasis on how your choices during your college years affect you after graduation and in the early stages of your career. we want students who are in college today to know what we didn’t know and to be more prepared than we are to lay the foundation for a fulfilling and fulfilling career.
wild by cheryl strayed
a memory of cheryl strayed’s 1100 mile journey along the pacific ridge trail. Her spontaneous journey challenged her, strengthened her, and healed her.
big magic: creative living beyond fear by elizabeth gilbert
great magic is about embracing creativity, learning to trust yourself and doing it all fearlessly by your side. A must read for anyone who considers himself creative. you can’t be afraid to try new things, especially when it comes to your creativity.
the daily stoic
why have the world’s greatest minds, from george washington to frederick the great and ralph waldo emerson, as well as leading contemporary figures, from super bowl-winning football coaches to CEOs and celebrities, have agreed with the teachings of the Stoics? because they recognize that “valuable wisdom is timeless and that philosophy is for living a better life, not a class exercise.”
getting up strong by brené brown
In Rise Strong, Brené Brown takes us on a journey to understand and master the most powerful emotion we experience: shame. is based on his own research, as well as the stories of his readers and clients, all of whom have navigated their way back from disappointment, heartbreak, betrayal, failure, and even personal tragedy.
it’s not supposed to be like this
real life often turns out to be very different from what we had imagined or anticipated. some events can surprise us for a moment, while others completely destroy us. We become disappointed and disillusioned, and we begin to question God’s goodness in our hearts in silence.
good morning monster
“Good Morning Monster” offers an almost fictional behind-the-scenes look at the therapist’s office, illustrating how the process can heal even the most unimaginable wounds.”
the codebreakers
at bletchley park, some of the best mathematicians, linguists and intellectuals in the uk came together to crack the nazi codes. We now recognize the essential role these codebreakers played in the Allied victory in World War II, and they were kept secret for nearly thirty years.
The Woman Who Broke Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies
Elizebeth Smith, a world-renowned Shakespeare pundit, took a job on an estate outside Chicago in 1916, during the height of World War I.
elizebeth was intrigued. The tycoon had extensive connections to the US government, and he urged her to use her language skills in a bold new project: code breaking.
elizebeth met william friedman, who would become her husband when she was 15 years old. Although she and Friedman are often compared to “Adam and Eve” at the NSA, Elizabeth’s story has never been revealed before.
the coffee bean: a simple lesson for creating positive change by jon gordon
See Also: Rachel Gibson – Book Series In Order
Life is often difficult. it can be demanding, stressful, and feel like a cauldron of boiling water.
The situations in which we find ourselves can alter us, weaken us or strengthen us, and they can do so in unforeseen ways. we can be the carrot that goes weak in the pot or the egg that hardens.
101 questions to ask yourself in your twenties: (and let’s be honest, in your thirties too) by paul angone
If you’re drowning your anxieties on netflix and ice cream, afraid you’re failing, going crazy, or both, or just longing for a little guidance to get past “just getting by,” grab this book and start thriving on the “most defining decade” of his life.
malcolm gladwell blink
blink is the must read book for better decision making. It is not about having the greatest amount of information; it’s about knowing what to pay attention to.
the power of habit by charles duhigg
Did you know that you have the power to change your habits? It is true! we are obsessed with habits here at gentwenty. And if you’re hoping to make a change in your life, this book should be on your to-read list. you have to understand how habits work before moving forward. It may seem like tough love, but the good news is that you can take even small steps to make a bigger change in your life.
smash it by gary vaynerchuk
gary vee shares how to turn your passion into your income. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is also a good companion to this book.
unleash the power of respect
all human beings want the same thing: to feel valued by another human being. sometimes we don’t feel very worthwhile at all, and this can make us feel angry, anxious, or sad. those of us who seek mental health services may especially perceive ourselves as less valuable, as people with a disorder. We often worry that those around us—our family, friends, and colleagues—view us the same way, depriving us of a supportive community when we need it most.
stupidity in action by clark huff
Those who knew Clark Huff as a child believed he would be in jail or dead before he graduated from high school. they had good reason to think so. he paid little attention to authority and never considered the risk of his actions. Surprisingly, Clark not only lives to graduate from high school, but he also earns a degree in metallurgical engineering. During his professional career, he becomes a world traveler and immerses himself in other cultures with much hilarity and humility.
These stories are not only entertaining, they will also give you examples of how not to handle a situation. an illustration of what we are all capable of regardless of our mistakes along the way. it’s always better to learn from someone else’s stupidity.
the body keeps score
one of the world’s leading trauma experts, dr. bessel van der kolk, has spent more than three decades working with survivors.
In The Body Keeps Score, Bessel van der Kolk draws on recent scientific discoveries to illustrate how trauma changes both the body and the brain, affecting victims’ abilities for pleasure, participation, self-control, and confidence. this is a great book for understanding thought patterns and how one can heal from past trauma.
training critical thinkers
If you plan to have children, I suggest you read this book.
understand how and why we believe that what we do is at the heart of education.
At a time when the internet has inundated children with an ocean of information and opinion, parents and educators are concerned about how they will evaluate what they read and watch.
It has become more essential to examine various viewpoints with a sense of inquiry and discernment. but how can parents instill these skills in their children?
We hope this reading list of inspirational books will help you love yourself, strive to be the best version of yourself, and feel less alone and more supported on your journey into your 20s.
in summary: books for women in their twenties
These books for women in their twenties will challenge your thinking and possibly even change your life!
Whether you’re reading fiction or nonfiction, there’s something to learn from these authors. which book do you choose first?
See Also: Top 27 Best Kindle Unlimited Books Of All Time [Update 2022]