9 Books Every Confident Woman Should Read

Behind every confident woman is the story of how she got to where she is, what it took, and how she's succeeding in life because of it. Some of the best books in the world are able to capture exactly that, and for a confident woman like yourself, it's much more rewarding to read about a strong, independent protagonist than anyone else. With more kick-ass and amazing women introduced in literature every year, it can be hard to keep up with all of the life-changing books out there.

Whether you're most confident in your rocking body, your prosperous career, your healthy relationships, your family ties, or everything and more, it's safe to say you're one confident gal. Reading about people similar to you, ones that have gotten through hardships and problems the size of oceans, is not only reassuring, but instills even more confidence in you for what you went through and overcame.

So if your confidence levels are at an all time high, or maybe an all-time low right now, it's always worthwhile to read a good book that'll shape your life in more positive ways. So don't wait around too long, and make sure to pick up these nine books that'll captivate your desire to read about strong women and fascinating subjects. Don't be surprised when you fall in love with these outstanding female characters on the page.

1. The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W Durrow

Gaining confidence in who you are doesn't just rain down on you one day. Instead, it is gifted by overcoming struggles of identity, self-worth, and your past, which is why every confident woman should read The Girl Who Fell From the Sky. This is Rachel's story, beginning right after a tragic accident takes her family and forces her to move in with her strict grandmother in Oregon. Unable to fit in in a world that wants her to be either black or white, while she is both, Rachel faces the struggle of society's expectations and finding confidence within herself.

2. The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

This thrilling novel will introduce you to Grace Winter, a 22-year-old newlywed and widow who is on trial for her life. Soon after her marriage, she and her husband set out on an elegant ocean liner that mysteriously explodes in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Doing whatever it takes to survive and live the life she's just guaranteed for herself, Grace is now having to recall everything that happened on that tragic night to set herself free. You won't be able to stop reading this incredible novel, and the strong female protagonist will definitely hook you.

3. Middlemarch by George Eliot

Full of insights into human nature, society, and relationships, George Eliot's Middlemarch is a massive novel that will bring you back to England in 1830. It's all about trying to find the good in people by placing nearly every character under a microscope, revealing flaws and many other traits that make us all human. Without a doubt, you'll fall in love with the main character, Dorothea Brooke, who takes the high road and fiercely sticks to what she believes in throughout failed marriages, deaths, and the everyday fall from grace.

4. Yes Please by Amy Poehler

For every confident woman out there who has been told nice girls don't win, you need to read Yes Please. This isn't a memoir on comedy or a self-help book, it's a collection of essays that happen to be incredibly funny and helpful all at the same time. Poehler cracks jokes and flashes a light on what it's like to be a confident, successful woman, as well as those all-too-real moments when confidence lags far behind you.

5. Almost Famous Women by Megan Mayhew Bergman

What could be better than reading about gutsy, confident, and amazing women throughout history? Bergman wrote an incredible collection of stories that combines the women just steps away from the spotlight and whose risk-taking choices and independence transformed their lives into incredible stories you'll love reading about.

6. Fat Girl Walking by Brittany Gibbons

Brittany Gibbons wants to start a conversation about being comfortable in your own skin and embracing everything that you are. Already being a confident woman yourself, you'll love Gibbons' personal essays that cover life, love, motherhood, and many other topics regarding weight. She's hilarious, outspoken, and everything you'll aspire to be if you aren't already.

7. Girl Before a Mirror by Liza Palmer

Independent Anna Wyatt hits a crossroads at age 40 when she finds herself divorced and completely focused on her account executive job. After finding a new self-help book that just gets her, she'll do whatever it takes to land an important new client for her job. Taking new chances, making new friends, and starting a new romance will take Anna on a rollercoaster of change. If you're up for a story that honors a strong, independent middle-aged woman and doesn't talk down to romance lit, then you've just hit the jackpot.

8. Rising Strong by Brené Brown

Failure is easily one of my biggest fears, but I've come to understand that without failure you'll never learn how to succeed. Rising Strong is the sort of book that'll make you more brave than you already are — it'll remind you that struggles and hardships won't destroy your confidence, but instead, boost it. Diving into anything from romantic relationships to business relations, Brown will show you just how confident you should be in your imperfect self.

9. A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

Alice Pearse has it all — the perfect job, the husband, the family, and has nailed down an impressive balancing act of all three, which she's incredibly proud of. Knowing how lucky she is, it's heartbreaking to watch as everything around her starts to fall apart once her dad gets sick, her marriage comes undone, and her kids grow up quicker than she'd like. This book reveals that even the most confident of women go through difficult times and still wonder what in the world it is that they really want out of life.

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