Read Women discussion

As we did for 2025, for this year’s annual Read Women Challenge, we challenge you to Create Your Own challenge focused on women authors. We want to read more women, but for some of us, that’s too easy. Please use this thread to track your female authors in 2026, and put your own spin to it if you’d like. Do you want to read more Asian women? More translated women? More new to you authors? Whatever you want to focus on, feel free to incorporate that into your yearly Read Women challenge. And if simply reading more women is your goal, this is still the place for you.

Post your goals, recs, and reviews - and don’t forget to keep us updated. You’re welcome to create your own thread under this topic with your name and personal challenge if you’d like.

Are you planning to participate? What's on your tentative "want to read" list? Do you want any recommendations for books on specific themes? As you finish qualifying reads, let us know how you liked them.

I'm creating my own "read around the world" challenge this year. I'm going to try and read as many different countries as possible. I'm a slower reader than most of you so I'm hoping for 10-15 countries (audiobooks are going to really help me here). Based on book setting and/or author nationality. Here's my tentative tbr list:

Mina's Matchbox by Yōko Ogawa - Japan
Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History by Lea Ypi - Albania
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - UK
The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz - Egypt
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil - USA
A History of Burning by Janika Oza - Uganda
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai - India
Troll by Sinisalo, Johanna. (Grove Press,2004) Paperback - Finland
Things They Lost by Okwiri Oduor - Kenya
Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby - Australia
We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib - Canada
Purge by Sofi Oksanen - Estonia
Auē by Becky Manawatu - New Zealand
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo -Malaysia
Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor - Mexico
Concerning My Daughter by Kim Hye-jin - Korea
Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi - Ghana
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Nigeria
Silken Gazelles by Jokha Alharthi - Oman
Barbara Isn't Dying Yet by Alina Bronsky - Germany

Hannah wrote: "I'm creating my own "read around the world" challenge this year. I'm going to try and read as many different countries as possible. I'm a slower reader than most of you so I'm hoping for 10-15 coun..."

That's an excellent start! Take a look at this website that I use as well. (I do "volunteer" work for them) as well as track which countries I have completed. https://readaroundtheworldchallenge.com/

GailW wrote: "Take a look at this website that I use as well. (I do "volunteer" work for them) as well as track which countries I have completed. https://readaroundtheworldchallenge.com"

*Excuse me whilst I disappear into this website for a few weeks...

Carol wrote: "Are you planning to participate? What's on your tentative "want to read" list? Do you want any recommendations for books on specific themes? "

Yes!

I am doing the "Around the World in 52 Books" challenge, and I (for the first time ever) have all the books picked ahead of time. All 52 are by women authors. I am only using audiobooks for that challenge, but interestingly enough, one of my goals for this year is to read more physical books. LOL.

I'm having a bit of a slow start to the year this year, so that's all I have so far. I do want to "read around the world," and no, I am not going to that website yet because I am in my busiest time until May! I'm taking a break today because my uncle died this morning, and I need a break. I'm having trouble focusing on anything work related right now, so I am taking a small Goodreads break, and then I am going to sit outside on this unseasonably warm day and read. I'll get back to work tomorrow.

As for recommendations, MY TBR IS OUT OF CONTROL! LOL. Which probably means, yes, I will still look for recommendations. :)

Oh, duh, I forgot - I am doing a #20BooksByWAsian/IndianWomen challenge for this year. (Which also includes Sri Lanka but the tag was just getting too dang long.)

Misty wrote: "Carol wrote: "Are you planning to participate? What's on your tentative "want to read" list? Do you want any recommendations for books on specific themes? "

Yes!

I am doing the "Around the World ..."

Misty I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you get some solace from your time outside reading. Take care x

Hannah wrote: "I'm creating my own "read around the world" challenge this year. I'm going to try and read as many different countries as possible. I'm a slower reader than most of you so I'm hoping for 10-15 coun..."

I've got Fernanda Melchor on my radar too for this year. I got her short stories collection as a birthday gift last year :) It will be my first by her. Have you read her yet?

Jen wrote: " Fernanda Melchor on my radar too for this year. I got her short stories collection as a birthday gift last year :) It will be my first by her. Have you read her yet?..."

I haven't yet no and I'm looking forward to it. I didn't know she had more published in English. I've had this one sitting on my shelf for years. I think it's that blue Fitzgeraldo cover, they can be quite dense! From the snippets I've seen of her prose, she's a beautiful writer (and translator of course)

Hannah wrote: "Jen wrote: " Fernanda Melchor on my radar too for this year. I got her short stories collection as a birthday gift last year :) It will be my first by her. Have you read her yet?..."

I haven't yet..."

Ahh! You're making me realize I do not have short stories as I have a white Fitzcarraldo which indicates NF, right? I have This Is Not Miami and it's my first Fitzcarraldo book and these designs make me happy so I'm glad to finally have one in my collection hehe

Jen wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Jen wrote: " Fernanda Melchor on my radar too for this year. I got her short stories collection as a birthday gift last year :) It will be my first by her. Have you read her yet?..."..."

You're right, it's tagged as non fiction essays. It looks very interesting although a heavy topic. I'll be interested to hear what you think. A great one for our quad 1 challenge!

Oh, I didn't realize the Fitzcarraldo blue vs. white actually meant something :D so thanks!
I read Paradais - but wasn't entirely a fan, didn't think it was particularly heavy though (but who knows, maybe that's why I wasn't a fan?)

Anetq wrote: "Oh, I didn't realize the Fitzcarraldo blue vs. white actually meant something :D so thanks!
I read Paradais - but wasn't entirely a fan, didn't think it was particularly heavy though (but who know..."

I think that's right! I'm going to start with Hurricane Season and see how it goes. I'm not sure Paradais will be for me either

Has anyone else started any unique challenges/goals for this year?

Hannah wrote: "Has anyone else started any unique challenges/goals for this year?"

I am doing a #20BooksByWAsian/IndianWomen challenge this year. I've been doing different challenges since I discovered the #20BooksByBlackWomen challenges several years ago. I have not, however, read any books for the challenge - yet. It just sort of worked out that way for January. I do the Around the World in 52 Books Challenge (on GR), and I have several books that will fit this challenge there - I just haven't gotten to them yet.

And - not that I typed this out - I realized I mentioned it earlier, but I took the time to type it out, so I am leaving it. LOL.

Hannah wrote: "Has anyone else started any unique challenges/goals for this year?"

My goals are pretty general this year. I should name them in my own thread... Wanna prioritize books I own, books that were gifts, reading diversely, books I've voted for or nominated if they won the vote, at least a bit for all the challenges here (minus Author Focus where only a few appeal to me), and I like reading something for the common honorary months and such, like this-or-that History Month, Trans Readathon, etc...

Hannah wrote: "Has anyone else started any unique challenges/goals for this year?"

Mine are not necessarily unique and in most cases a continuation of those I started prior to this year:
* Women to Read Before I "Go"
* Shelf Awareness (special dates driven)
* Diversity (not date driven) (I think I need to combine these last two somehow, I just haven't put the brain-power behind it yet...)
* Read books I already physically own (and already failing miserably).
* Finish off a couple of the series that I have been dragging along forever.

GailW wrote: "* Read books I already physically own (and already failing miserably).
* Finish off a couple of the series that I have been dragging along forever."

I'm doing pretty good with reading books I own, but your comment made me giggle! :)

I'm in this book club that KEEPS PICKING BOOKS THAT ARE THE START OF A SERIES! Gah. I'm so tired of it. I have too many series going. To be fair, I think there were three last year that we read which I will not read book 2, so I consider those series closed! :) I accidentally started another series last month. I didn't realize the book was the first in a series dang it. Oh well, I enjoyed the book at least!

Misty wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Has anyone else started any unique challenges/goals for this year?"

I am doing a #20BooksByWAsian/IndianWomen challenge this year. I've been doing different challenges since I disco..."

Yes, I meant to come back to your first comment, sorry. I'm interested to see how this challenge goes for you once you get to it :)

GailW wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Has anyone else started any unique challenges/goals for this year?"

Mine are not necessarily unique and in most cases a continuation of those I started prior to this year:
* Women t..."

Shelf awareness?

Do share your Women to Read Before I "Go" list Gail. Though I hope you are not in any rush!

Hannah wrote: "Shelf awareness?
Do share your Women to Read Before I "Go" list Gail..."

Shelf awareness is a term used often by booksellers, etc. It's in answer to the question "Are you reading books by authors about characters who are different from you?" The challenges are often presented in context with specific days/months celebrating or honoring various people/peoples/events, e.g. Martin Luther King Jr Day.
Link to the challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
This year's is significantly lower quantity than last year but I think I hit a fairly well-rounded one.

The list I'm using for Women Authors... is a compilation of a couple of different lists that I have found plus a few that I think should be on there.
Link to my challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

GailW wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Shelf awareness?
Do share your Women to Read Before I "Go" list Gail..."

Shelf awareness is a term used often by booksellers, etc. It's in answer to the question "Are you reading bo..."

Wow, those lists! I'm in awe! 🤩

Hannah wrote: "Wow, those lists! I'm in awe! ..."
Oh please don't be. It just means I don't have a life!

Ha! "Shelf Awareness" I love that term!

GailW wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Wow, those lists! I'm in awe! ..."
Oh please don't be. It just means I don't have a life!"

pshaw. don’t be so hard on yourself ❤️

I'm currently reading Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend
Jane Austen is my favorite auhor, so I am so excited to read the works of the authors (well authoresses) that shaped her work. I have already purchased some of the books, and have challenged myself to complete some of them within the year. Hopefully i will complete the following books:
Evelina by Frances Burney
Cecilia by Frances Burney
Belinda by Maria Edgeworth
The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

I have only read 100 pages of the book, so there's still authors that i haven't been introduced to yet, so the list will doubtless grow gradually as i read the rest of the book. Im especially excited to read Frances Burney, are any of you familiar with her work?

Sara wrote: "I'm currently reading Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend
Jane Austen is my favorite auhor, so I am so excited to ..."

I'm not familiar with any of these, I'm afraid classics aren't my strong point. Something I sometimes feel guilty about. Good luck with your challenge Sara!

My read women around the world for 2026 is off to a great start!

Japan - Mina's Matchbox - 5*
Albania - Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History - 4*
UK - Mr Loverman - 4*
Kenya - Things They Lost - 5*
Australia - Ten Steps to Nanette - 5*

My current reads cover USA, South Korea, Pakistan, Botswana and Greece!