Ladies Celebrating Ladies: A Galentine’s Day Reading List

Trouble can take many forms, and in this case, trouble, or “wahala,” takes the form of a new, hideously wealthy friend Isobel who inserts herself into the lives of an inseparable London trio Ronke, Simi and Boo. The fallout from the subsequent changes in each friend’s life is both endlessly entertaining and thoroughly thought-provoking. A character-driven thriller perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Wahala is taut with feeling and heartbreak.

If you loved Normal People — or just watched the Hulu series based on the book (no judgment!) — consider this your next obsessive read. Conversations with Friends is a sharp and thought-provoking novel that explores the messy edges of female friendship. The Hulu adaptation is out this May with an AMAZING cast. With all this, AND Sally Rooney’s new book, Beautiful World, Where Are You, it is definitely the year to jump on the Sally Rooney bandwagon.

More than a coming-of-age novel, Firefly Lane is a story of love and loss, a story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It’s about those friendships that define our lives, a tribute to the person(s) who really, truly knows you — for better or for worse. This is one of those big-hearted novels that utterly breaks your heart and then fills you back up. It’s one you’ll never forget and the kind of read you’ll want to immediately pass on to your BFF. This love letter to the power of friendship is also on Netflix now

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has become something of a phenomenon outside of Ann Brashares’s captivating series about the enduring bonds of female friendship. It’s a novel that will make you feel more connected to your friends and reminisce about what friendship really looked and felt like during those late teen years. The early aughts film adaptation was so perfectly cast that not only are the actors still good friends, but they’ve also each carried those ideals of women supporting women and female empowerment throughout their careers. After all, “some friends just fit together.”

If you’re familiar with Phoebe Robinson’s books You Can’t Touch My Hair and Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay, or her podcasts Two Dope Queens and Sooo Many White Guys, then you already know how hilarious she is, and her third book Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes delivers nothing short of what we would expect. (Honestly, we were hooked from the title alone ? and laughed our way through every page.) Known for delivering relatable, real content through pop culture references and comedic wit, Robinson delivers yet another collection of unforgettable stories.

More than just a memoir, this book takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery. It seeks to liberate women from the societal expectations that bind them, to honor beauty and rage equally — it speaks to the soul. While Doyle’s previous books Love Warrior and Carry On, Warrior started the conversation, Untamed started a movement. Her legions of fans (old and new) have found within themselves those three little words, “there she is,” and have held onto this book tight as a rallying cry for what it means to be a woman today.

It’s hard to find the words to describe the immense impact former First Lady Michelle Obama has had on countless women around the world. From her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world’s most famous address, this intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir is a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling. Michelle empowers us all to use our voice, because as she has said, “your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.”

When you think Galentine’s Day, you think Amy Poehler — and not just because Parks and Rec’s Leslie Knope made up the holiday to celebrate her gal pals. Amy is the living embodiment of women supporting women, and a fierce champion of female friendships. Throughout her career, and in her philanthropic life, she has time and again demonstrated the power of using your voice and showing up to help people in need. Yes Please is the perfect mix of memoir, personal essays, and advice. She gives her readers license to say whatever they want, and be whoever they are, and to that, we enthusiastically say, “Yes, please!”

Lana Del Rey follows in the same poetic footsteps as Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Jewel, and Lou Reed with this gorgeously packaged and achingly raw collection of words that will break your heart and put it back together again. Lana’s music and lyrics evoke images of a saturated Kodachrome photograph, so it would stand to reason that she’d now add “poet” to her artist’s kit. Even without music, her words work their way around you, pulling you into a world that’s not unlike a David Lynch movie. Lana calls this latest project “eclectic and honest.”

Ah, youth! It is glorious, fun, and seemingly there forever. The flipside, though, are thoughts and feelings we sometimes don’t want anyone to know. Halsey manages to balance the tactile, sensuous, visceral, and cerebral in her book of poetry, telling us the whole way that she understands. With poems that dive into the messiness of love, sexuality, and mental illness, I Would Leave Me If I Could explores what it really means to be a feminist in search of power.

Lili Reinhart sees the world with a sensitive eye. She speaks to the delicate balance of our lives with a soft voice and a strong heart. A tender approach that lets us both comfort Reinhart and be comforted by her. Accompanied by striking and evocative illustrations, this debut collection of poetry reveals the depths of female experiences. Lili Reinhart has long been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and body positivity, here, we also see the work of a storyteller coming into her own.

We love this funny, helpful guide to feeling better even when it seems like nothing ever changes — and her graphs are brilliant! This is relatable, and yes, wise advice to making the best out of your less-than-perfect life. Check out her exclusive guest post on B&N Reads!

“I Know This Too Shall Pass. (But It Would Be Helpful to Know When).” Spot-on in tone with a message we can all relate to right now, I Used to Have a Plan is a balm for the soul. Take a journey with Alessandra Olanow as she works through her life’s ups and downs with witty illustrations and sound (as well as humorous) advice. Divided into five parts this book beautifully encapsulates the process of healing. With great empathy and wit, Alessandra Olanow’s keen observations will make you laugh and bring you hope.

If the last two years taught us anything, it’s to appreciate the little things — but how do you stop overthinking and overanalyzing all those precious little things?! Tara Schuster has a few words of wisdom on the matter. Whether you became a master bread maker or a connoisseur of sweatsuits, if you’ve survived 2020 & 2021 you have reason to celebrate. After reading this, “you’re going to want Tara Schuster to become your new best friend.”—Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed

Big friendship keeps us going when everything else feels weird or lousy or just plain wrong. Big friendship gets us through our major milestones with laughter and tears (and sometimes even some swearing). Big friendship demands couch time but survives physical distance. If you’ve listened to Aminatou and Ann’s podcast, Call Your Girlfriend, you know how much these women celebrate their long-term friendship — and the work that goes into keeping it growing and going and alive. Their book Big Friendship is both a celebration and an honest look at what is hands-down the best thing that could happen to any of us.

If Galentine’s Day has you feeling a little witchy, why not test your magic. Tarot is hot right now, and this deck is one of the coolest of the year! From acclaimed illustrator Lisa Sterle, this modern tarot deck beautifully marries the symbolism of the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck with contemporary imagery. With its diversity and all-female celebration of womanhood, this vibrant deck brings fun and fresh air to the tarot! And if you’re looking for more tarot deck recs, check out our roundup on B&N Reads!