Hello bookish friends! I love supporting women authors, and with Galentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought I’d share some books that are perfect to give to your favorite galentine this year. Admittedly, I am the over-enthusiastic bookish friend who is always shoving new books in their friends’ hands at any and every occasion. I know there’s a good chance that y’all fill that particular role in your friends’ lives. So let’s jump into these great books!
Bookish Goods
Leslie Knope Ann Perkins Compliments Galantines Day Bookmarks by HnH Design Shop
Is there a better Galentine’s gift than these bookmarks? Oh my goodness! I laughed so hard when I found these. $6+
New Releases
Brown Girl Like Me: The Essential Guidebook and Manifesto for South Asian Girls and Women by Jaspreet Kaur
Jaspreet Kaur writes this how-to manual to help South Asian women tackle their intersections of identity. She tackles topics like mental health, beauty standards, and feminism. This book centers the experiences of South Asian girls and young women with discussions that center their lives and their communities.
Drawing Breath: Essays on Writing, the Body, and Loss by Gayle Brandeis
PEN/Bellwether Prize-winning writer Gayle Brandeis’ essays focus on what it means to live, not just be alive. Brandeis has been dealing with long-haul COVID and examines what it’s like to live short of breath. With her talent for gorgeous prose and fascinating turns of phrase, Drawing Breath is sure to capture all of our attention.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History by Sam Maggs
I adore Sam Maggs’ quirky sense of style in her illustrations, which makes this book so delightful. This adorable little book features so many incredible women throughout history. Wonder Women features scientists, adventurers, engineers, athletes, and so many more. I wish I’d had a book like this when I was a girl. It would have sparked my imagination, giving me a chance to see myself in so many different professions, so many possible futures. But even reading this for the first time in my late 20s, I felt so encouraged for how far women have come. Even with so far to go, I am proud of all the things we have accomplished so far.
Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World by Ann Shen
I love Ann Shen’s illustrations. I first found her on Instagram, so when I learned she had a book coming out, I knew I had to get my hot little hands on a copy. It’s a beautifully illustrated book featuring dozens of women who changed the world. Women who have bucked the system and fought for change have long been described as “bad girls.” Shen turns this label on its head, featuring women who used their talents to change the world for the better. If you are looking for the perfect, beautiful book, this one is definitely a fantastic option.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra