I Want to Read a Book

I want to read a book about strong single women.

—

by

Kate K.
in

Being single is often treated as a problem to solve instead of a life to live. The books on this list center women who are messy, funny, defensive, ambitious, insecure, self-aware, or quietly resilient—sometimes all at once.

These stories aren’t about waiting to be chosen. They’re about becoming solid in your own life.

1. Good in Bed — Jennifer Weiner

A woman rebuilds her sense of self after her ex publicly writes about her body. Cannie Shapiro is messy, funny, smart, self-aware, and entirely her own person.

  • What this book is really about (emotionally): Self-respect after humiliation
  • The kind of reader who will love this: Readers who want honesty with humor
  • Why this book belongs on this list: It normalizes imperfect self-confidence

2. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine — Gail Honeyman

A deeply lonely woman slowly begins to let others into her rigid world.

  • What this book is really about (emotionally): Learning to receive care
  • The kind of reader who will love this: Readers who like character over plot
  • How it made me feel after finishing: Protective

3. Convenience Store Woman — Sayaka Murata

A woman content with her unconventional life resists social pressure to become “normal.”

  • What this book is really about (emotionally): Autonomy
  • The kind of reader who will love this: Readers who enjoy quiet rebellion
  • How it made me feel after finishing: Calmly defiant

4. Writers & Lovers — Lily King

A broke writer in her 30s navigates grief, money, and identity.

  • What this book is really about (emotionally): Becoming stable from the inside
  • The kind of reader who will love this: Readers who like interior lives
  • How it made me feel after finishing: Seen

5. The Idiot — Elif Batuman

A young woman navigates identity, education, and intellectual awakening—with dry humor and independence.

  • Why this book belongs here: It values interior growth over romance
  • Emotional intensity: Low, reflective
  • Best time to read it: When you want smart and observational

If you only read one:
Start with Good in Bed for humor and confidence, or Writers & Lovers for something quieter.

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