IN 2014, WRITER Joanna Walsh started the #readwomen hashtag to encourage people to, well, read more women writers. It’s taken off to a considerable degree, with many people pledging to read only books written by women for an entire year.
You don’t have to do that, but if you were looking to add some more books by women to your reading list, here are just some of the many titles being released this year.
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
In 1969, four siblings visit a psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. Armed with this knowledge, they go out into the world, and the novel tells their stories over five decades. Out January 9.
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
This novel follows the paths of four women from different backgrounds in a dystopian America where abortion is illegal and IVF is banned. Sounds… familiar. Out January 16.
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
When Sophie’s famous, successful husband James is accused of a terrible crime, she is convinced of his innocence. Kate, the lawyer hired to prosecute the case, believes he is guilty. Which one of them is right? Out January 23.
Brave by Rose McGowan
The Charmed actress’ memoir details her trials and tribulations in Hollywood, which fueled her desire to speak out about the sexism in the industry. Out January 30.
Still Me by Jojo Moyes
Me Before You heroine Louisa Clark returns in the third instalment of the series, which sees her move to New York to work for a super rich family. Out January 30.
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
Feel Free is a collection of Smith’s best essays, from her now classic piece ‘Find Your Beach’ to her thoughts on global warming and social media. Out February 6.
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
When a woman loses her best friend, she inherits the Great Dane he left behind. Out of their mutual grief grows a deep and at times unhealthy bond. Out February 6.
Slutever by Karley Sciortino
Vogue’s resident sex columnist writes a memoir about her experiences, from open relationships to BDSM to bisexuality. Out February 6.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are settling in to their new life together when Roy is sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Unmoored, Celestial tries to hold on to their love while he is away. Out February 6.
The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore by Kim Fu
A group of young girls find themselves stranded during a kayaking trip – this novel tracks their lives since that fateful night, examining how the same experience is refracted through different people. Out February 13.
Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao
When her friend Savitha is taken from her by an act of cruelty, Poornima journeys through India’s dark underbelly to find her again. Out March 6.
Almost Love by Louise O’Neill
The Cork author’s third book examines what happens when a young woman begins an affair with a man 20 years her senior. Slowly but surely, she finds herself sacrificing everything else in her life to be with him. Out March 8.
The Red Word by Sarah Henstra
A college student finds herself in the midst of a cold war between a boorish fraternity and a group of radical feminists determined to bring it down. Out March 13.
Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
This novel is based on the fascinating life of Artemisia Gentileschi, a Baroque painter who defied the conventions of her time to become the first woman admitted to a prestigious Florence art academy. Out March 16.
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture, edited by Roxane Gay
Through her previous books Bad Feminist and Hunger, Roxane Gay has become one of the most important and eloquent voices speaking about the issues facing women today.
This rather timely book of essays collects essays about harassment and violence against women from Gay herself, along with contributors like actresses Gabrielle Union and Ally Sheedy. Out May 1.
The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill
Louise O’Neill has not one but two books scheduled for release in 2018 – the second is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic The Little Mermaid, set off the Irish coast. Out in May.
Who Is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht
A woman struggling to make rent in 1960s New York is suddenly enlisted by the CIA and tasked with infiltrating a group of student activists in Argentina. Can she hack her new life as a spy? Out June 12.
