There’s a specific kind of energy that shows up at 2am — self-possessed, a little unhinged, completely uninterested in being reasonable. These books have that same electricity: women who are messy, ambitious, chaotic, and impossible to look away from.
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & The Six
One of my all-time favorite books, and in my opinion, TJR’s best work. She captures the LA music scene with so much texture and specificity it feels like you’re actually there, watching the band fall apart in real time.
Rufi Thorpe
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
I went in only knowing it was supposed to be funny, and that ended up being the perfect way to read it. The humor reminded me of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, but underneath the comedy it’s really about family, and I knew exactly who to root for and why. Now getting an Apple TV adaptation with Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nicole Kidman.
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Atmosphere
One of my favorite TJR books, right up there with Daisy Jones. It centers the space program without leaning on sci-fi tropes, showing the real grueling work and risk involved, and the romance at the center of it is the strongest chemistry I’ve seen from her. The ending had me audibly gasping before the tears started.
Marisa Kashino
Best Offer Wins
A satirical thriller about a woman trying to buy a house, which sounds absurd until you’re two days in and can’t stop. There’s no one to root for here — the main character spirals and becomes so unlikable so fast that watching her unravel is exactly what keeps you turning pages.
Ina Garten
Be Ready When the Luck Happens
I love Ina Garten, and this was such a unique look back at her life. I’ll say — a lot of her path was easier than most, with advantages she had that others didn’t. Still, a fascinating read from someone who built an entire empire on good taste.
Isabel Klee
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About
This felt like a modern-day Girls or Sex and the City, but with characters you actually root for. I always wanted to live in NYC in my twenties and never got the chance — Isabel let me experience that life vicariously, even a decade late. Sweet, warm, and a genuinely cozy read. Read the full review here.
Lauren Weisberger
The Devil Wears Prada
The book is so different from the movie, but it keeps the integrity of Miranda’s fierceness. This is one of the rare cases where I actually think the movie is better — but I’m still glad I read the book, and I’d recommend it for a different perspective on the story.
Kristin Hannah
The Great Alone
Wow, wow, wow. This was the second Kristin Hannah I picked up, and I went in knowing nothing except that it was set in Alaska — which honestly put me off at first. But it quickly became such a compelling read that I couldn’t get enough of it.
Alison Espach
The Wedding People
This one found me at exactly the right time — I was on my own journey of self-discovery when I read it, and it met me there. Also just a genuinely good summer read on top of that.
Rachel Lynn Solomon
What Happens in Amsterdam
I picked this up on a whim two days after getting laid off, and it turned out to be exactly the escape I needed. Dani moves to Amsterdam for a tech job that ends up being a nightmare, but finds something better waiting for her there — both in her career and in an old flame. This book met me at the right time in my life.
Maria Semple
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
One of my all-time favorite books, and what first sparked my interest in Seattle. The movie was terrible and did the book no justice. It’s tragic and joyous all at once, and it made me fall in love with life and gave me real drive.
