Books
9 Books By Celebrity Women To Read In 2017
Yes, your 2017 TBR is probably stacked to the roof by now, but if you haven't added a few of these nine upcoming books by celebrity women to your list, you'd better make some room for more of our most anticipated releases.
Celebrity books have always had a market, especially your classic sordid Hollywood memoirs. But in recent years celebs have been pushing the envelope, releasing books that speak not only to their own stories, but give creative, motivational, and inspirational advice for anyone wanting to live a bigger, better, bolder life. Of course, celebrities have a very unique window into what it means to live life under a microscope, and many of them, especially female celebrities and public figures, are using their platforms as a jumping off point to help other create their best selves.
While some skew toward the serious, like Roxane Gay’s memoir of food and weight, and others can delve into the silly, like Keke Palmer’s inclusion of funny memes in her new motivational book, all of them contain snippets of real, practical life tips, most paired with in-depth behind the scenes views into the lives of celebrities we have come to know only through our screens. This list of 9 books has something for everyone, from women of all backgrounds, career fields and age groups. Pick one up, and get ready to get inspired.
1'I Don't Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice' by Keke Palmer (January 31, 2017)
Keke Palmer has gone from child star to outspoken social media maven, and now she is sharing her story in her first book, I Don't Belong to You. A sometimes serious, often hilarious, and inspiring guide aimed toward encouraging young women to live a life full of ownership, confidence, and freedom, this book speaks candidly about Palmer's own struggles with the same issues all young women wrestle with—identity, pressure, self-worth, love, sexuality, heartbreak, and family. Within each chapter there is a personal interview with one of the many people that have inspired and motivated her, including Serena Williams and Nicki Minaj; along with quotes, texts, song lyrics, and even funny memes that have inspired her. Part coffee-table book, part memoir, part self-help, Palmer's book hopes to offer the motivation you need to move past pain and fear to lead a life full of creativity, spirituality, passion, and unlimited success.
2'How To Be A Bawse: A Guide To Conquering Life' by Lilly Singh (March 28, 2017)
Beloved YouTube comedian and actress Lilly Singh's first book is the definitive guide to being a "bawse"—a person who exudes confidence and reaches their goals. For Lilly, motivational guides are not about shortcuts or cute quotes. The message of her book is simple: success, happiness, and everything else in life that you want needs to be fought for, not wished for. Told in her hilarious, bold voice Singh shares what she's learned about achieving success and happiness, how to pick yourself up, and not allow anything to stand in your way. Using stories from her own life to illustrate her message, Lilly proves that the path to success is paved with equal parts hard work and hilarity. This fun, practical guide is perfect not only for fans of Singh's, but for anyone looking for a little kick up the butt to reach their goals.
3'Ballerina Body: Dancing And Eating Your Way To A Leaner, Stronger And More Graceful You' by Misty Copeland (March 21, 2017)
The celebrated ballerina and role model, Misty Copeland, shares the secrets of how to reshape your body and achieve a lean, strong physique and glowing health in her latest book. Well known for being a less than typical ballerina, Copeland nevertheless knows the standards of maintaining a long, toned, powerful body with excellent posture." In her first health and fitness book, Misty shows women how to find the motivation to get healthier and stronger, and how to reshape their bodies to be lean and flexible, with step-by-step advice, meal plans, workout routines, and words of inspiration. Celebrating the importance of healthy fats and a fitness regimen based on ballet exercises, Misty shares her own exercises and an eating plan focusing on healthy fats, both of which keep her in top shape. Copeland also includes tips for motivation and words of encouragement, along with an inspiring section on the importance of finding mentors, and eventually being one. For anyone who wants a fitness book that is about grace and strength — and not counting calories — this one is for you.
4'We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere: 9 Principles to Live By' by Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel (March 7, 2017)
X-Files actress Gillian Anderson and journalist Jennifer Nadal have teamed up on this provocative feminist manifesto. "Imagine a sisterhood—across all creeds and cultures. An unspoken agreement that we, as women, will support and encourage one another. That we will remember we don’t know what struggles each of us may be facing elsewhere in our lives and so we will assume that each of us is doing our best…" So begins We: A Manifesto for Women — an inspiring, empowering, and provocative manifesto for change. This book hopes to be the antidote to the “have-it-all” superwoman culture and instead focus on what will make each and every one of us happier and more free. It is a rallying cry to create a life that has greater meaning and purpose. Combining tools that are practical, psychological, and spiritual, Anderson and Nadal share a process and a vision for a more fulfilling way of living and a vision of a happier, more emotionally rewarding future we can all create together.
5'This Is Just My Face: Try Not To Stare' by Gabourey Sidibe (May 1, 2017)
The Oscar-nominated Precious star and Empire actress has long been beloved by many not only for her talent, but for her self-confidence. Now, the actress delivers a much-awaited memoir. In This is Just My Face, Sidibe is unflinchingly honest about her experiences, from her Bed-Stuy/Harlem family life with a polygamous father and a gifted mother who supports her two children by singing in the subway to her first job as a phone sex "talker" to her unconventional rise to fame. Sidibe’s memoir hits hard with self-knowing dispatches on friendship, depression, celebrity, haters, fashion, race, and weight (“If I could just get the world to see me the way I see myself,” she writes, “would my body still be a thing you walked away thinking about?”). Get ready to fall in further in love with this bad ass lady.
6'Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me' by Lily Collins (March 9, 2017)
Actress Lily Collins has not always played fictional characters in front of the camera. In fact, the soon-to-be 28 year old studied broadcast journalism in college and was first published in Seventeen Magazine and Teen Vogue when she was only 15, and even hosted entertainment news on Nickelodeon before she made it big. So it's no surprise that Collins would return to writing for her new essay collection Unfiltered. Lily opens up about the things young women struggle with: body image, self-confidence, relationships, family, dating and so much more. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Lily’s honest voice will inspire you to be who you are and say what you feel. This is the perfect celeb memoir for any young woman looking to get inspired, change up their every day, and learn to live their life authentically.
7'Hunger: A Memoir Of (My) Body' by Roxane Gay (June 13, 2017)
Roxane Gay's highly anticipated memoir of food, weight and self-image is finally almost here and we couldn't be more excited. In Hunger, Gay is searingly honest about her relationship with food and delves into her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance, and health. She writes, “I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe.” Here she she explores her own past — including the devastating act of violence that was a turning point in her young life — and brings readers along on her journey to understand and ultimately save herself. With the candor, vulnerability, and power that we have come to expect from her writing, Gay explores what it means to learn to take care of yourself: how to feed your hungers for delicious and satisfying food, a smaller and safer body, and a body that can love and be loved—in a time when the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.
8'There Is No F*cking Secret: Letters From a Badass Bitch' by Kelly Osbourne (April 25, 2017)
Kelly Osbourne may not always have been a typical role model, but after three decades in the spotlight, she's definitely got a unique perspective. Starting out as a reality TV wild child to forging her own path as a style icon and mainstay in the media, Osbourne has never been afraid to tell it like it is. Now, she's opening up even more with her new book, which will tell the story behind her battle scars. Told as a series of letters to various people and places in her life, There Is No F*cking Secret gives readers an intimate look at the stories and influences that have shaped Osbourne’s life, for better or for worse. Some of the stories will make likely make readers’ jaws drop, but ultimately, they will come away empowered to forge their own path to confidence, no matter how deranged and out of control it may be, and to learn the ultimate lesson: that there just is no f*cking secret.
9Hillary Clinton's Untitled Essay Collection
Perhaps the most anticipated book from a public figure due out this year is the recently announced collection of personal essays by 2016 Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton. Though she has written memoirs before, this will be the first time Clinton will publicly open up about the experience of the 2015-2016 campaign and, presumably, her thoughts on her shocking historical loss to Donald Trump. We expect the essays will feature her well-honed tough, graceful, intelligent voice, and we can't wait to see what Clinton has to say next. The collection will be published by Simon & Schuster in the fall of 2017 and, it has been reported, will be inspired inspired by Clinton's favorite quotations.
