35 Best Life Changing Books for Women to Read in Their 20s
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Looking for your next book as a women in her 20s? If you’re a twenty something looking for your next impactful read, here is a list of the best books that will leave you inspired, motivated, and changed for the better.
Composed of personal development, self help, memoirs, biographies, essays, fiction, and more. This comprehensive list has a book for every woman in her 20s.
- Prefer to listen rather than read?
- 1. Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals by Rachel Hollis
- 2. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
- 3. Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown
- 4. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
- 5. Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
- 6. The Miracle Equation: The Two Decisions That Move Your Biggest Goals from Possible, to Probable, to Inevitable by Hal Elrod
- 7. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
- 8. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
- 9. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown
- 10. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
- 11. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
- 12. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance — What Women Should Know by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
- 13. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
- 14. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join The New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
- 15. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- 16. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- 17. Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud & John Townsend
- 18. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
- 19. The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey
- 20. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
- 21. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
- 22. The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H. Pink
- 23. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
- 24. Single On Purpose: Redefine Everything. Find Yourself First. by John Kim
- 25. The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin
- 26. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
- 27. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
- 28. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
- 29. The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
- 30. Untamed by Glennon Doyle
- 31. The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) by Hal Elrod
- 32. #Girlboss by Sofia Amoruso
- 33. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- 34. A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler
Prefer to listen rather than read?
Consuming content audibly is my one of my favorite ways to learn and read! Listening to music, podcasts, or audio versions of books allows me to listen at the gym, while at home doing chores, or while out running errands in my car!
Which is why I love and use Audible! All of the books in this list are available on Audible which means you can listen while getting other things done. Start your Audible free trail through this link and you’ll get 2 audiobooks free!
Even if you decide to cancel after the free trial, you still get to keep your 2 audiobooks! So if you want to read any of these books free, starting an audible trial here is a great way to do it!
1. Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals by Rachel Hollis
She’s seen it too often: Women not living into their full potential. They feel a tugging on their hearts for something more, but they’re afraid of embarrassment, of falling short of perfection, of not being enough.
With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence, and believing in yourself.
2. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 3 million copies sold!
Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
3. Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown
4. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University
Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.
5. Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
Rachel exposes the twenty lies and misconceptions that too often hold us back from living joyfully and productively, lies we’ve told ourselves so often we don’t even hear them anymore.
Rachel is real and talks about real issues. More than that, she reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.
6. The Miracle Equation: The Two Decisions That Move Your Biggest Goals from Possible, to Probable, to Inevitable by Hal Elrod
7. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Over 10 million copies sold
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be “positive” all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.
8. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
Packed with humor, inspiration, and advice, You Are a Badass is the #1 New York Times bestselling self-help book that teaches you how to get better without getting busted.
By the end of You Are a Badass, you’ll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can’t change, how to change what you don’t love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.
9. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown
When our embarrassments and fears lie, we often listen to them anyway. They thwart our gratitude, acceptance, and compassion—our goodness. They insist, “I am not worthy.” But we are worthy—of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love.
With Brené Brown’s game-changing New York Times bestseller The Gifts of Imperfection—which has sold more than 2 million copies in more than 30 different languages, and Forbes recently named one of the “Five Books That Will Actually Change Your Outlook On Life”—we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world.
10. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
Data is fundamental to the modern world. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and often with their lives.
Invisible Women, dives into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.
11. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
An Instant New York Times Bestseller, In this poignant, hilarious, and deeply intimate call to arms, Hollywood’s most powerful woman, the mega-talented creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder reveals how saying YES changed her life—and how it can change yours too.
12. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance — What Women Should Know by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Combining cutting-edge research in genetics, gender, behavior, and cognition – with examples from their own lives and those of other successful women in politics, media, and business – Kay and Shipman go beyond admonishing women to “lean in”. Instead, they offer the inspiration and practical advice women need to close the gap and achieve the careers they want and deserve.
13. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
New York Times best seller – over 40 million copies sold, The number one Most Influential Business Book of the 20th century, One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written.
Less stress, more success. By devoting just minutes each day, you can develop the principles needed to stay proactive and positive:
- Break free of old beliefs
- Move toward meaningful change
- Develop positive behaviors
14. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join The New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan–there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times. Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, or earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, The 4-Hour Workweek is the blueprint.
Live more, and work less.
15. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert’s story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.
This book is a must read for every twenty something!
16. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
You can go after the job you want,and get it! You can take the job you have, and improve it! You can take any situation you’re in, and make it work for you!
Learn, the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment and more. This timeless bestseller is great for anyone looking to make friends and have an influence in their 20s.
17. Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud & John Townsend
In the New York Times best seller, Boundaries, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend help you learn when to say yes and know how to say no in order to take control of your life and set healthy, biblical boundaries with your spouse, children, friends, parents, co-workers, and even yourself.
Boundaries is a great book for the christian 20-something!
18. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be eighty, you have just over four thousand weeks.
Drawing on the insights of both ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers, Oliver Burkeman delivers an entertaining, humorous, practical, and ultimately profound guide to time and time management.
Rejecting the futile modern fixation on “getting everything done,” Four Thousand Weeks introduces readers to tools for constructing a meaningful life by embracing finitude, showing how many of the unhelpful ways we’ve come to think about time aren’t inescapable, unchanging truths, but choices we’ve made as individuals and as a society―and that we could do things differently.
19. The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey
There’s one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that’s with The Total Money Makeover. It’s the simplest, most straight-forward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies.
Where Financial Peace gave you the solid saving and investing principles, this book puts those principles into practice. You’ll be exercising your financial strength every day and quickly freeing yourself of worry, stress, and debt. And that’s a beautiful feeling.
The Total money Makeover is the perfect book to help you get your financial plan in order!
20. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
21. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The book that sparked a revolution and inspired the hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo: the original guide to decluttering your home once and for all.
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.
22. The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H. Pink
Everybody has regrets, Daniel H. Pink explains in The Power of Regret. They’re a universal and healthy part of being human. And understanding how regret works can help us make smarter decisions, perform better at work and school, and bring greater meaning to our lives.
23. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
To make the journey into The Power of Now you need to leave your analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. Access to the Now is everywhere – in the body, the silence, and the space all around you.
These are the keys to enter a state of inner peace. They can be used to bring you into the Now, the present moment, where problems do not exist. It is here you find your joy and are able to embrace your true self. It is here you discover that you are already complete and perfect.
24. Single On Purpose: Redefine Everything. Find Yourself First. by John Kim
There’s more to life than loving someone. But being single can feel like a death sentence. Why does being alone equal being lonely? And why do we stop working on ourselves when we’re in a relationship?
25. The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin
he Happiness Project describes one person’s year-long attempt to discover what leads to true contentment. Drawing at once on cutting-edge science, classical philosophy, and real-world applicability, Rubin has written an engaging, eminently relatable chronicle of transformation.
26. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Number-one New York Times Best Seller Discover the life-changing memoir that has inspired millions of readers through the Academy Award-winning actor’s unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.
In Greenlights McConaughey invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did – and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand. He tells of lessons he’s learned in his life along with a guide to catching more greenlights – and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green, too.
27. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
Dr. Gary Chapman identifies five basic languages of love and then guides couples towards a better understanding of their unique languages of love. Learn to speak and understand your mate’s love language, and in no time you will be able to effectively love and truly feel loved in return. Skillful communication is within your grasp!
28. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay.
Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better.
29. The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings – and especially for women? Because, when you lift up women, you lift up humanity.
For the last 20 years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift society up, you need to stop keeping women down.
30. Untamed by Glennon Doyle
31. The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) by Hal Elrod
What if you could miraculously wake up tomorrow and any – or every area of your life was transformed? What would be different? Would you be happier? Healthier? More successful? In better shape? Would you have more energy? Less Stress? More Money? Better relationships? Which of your problems would be solved? What if I told you that there is a “not-so-obvious” secret that is guaranteed to transform any – or literally every area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible? What if I told you it would only take 6 minutes a day?
33. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution – a number one international best seller – that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human”.
34. A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler
35. Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt
Most think productivity is just about getting more done at a faster speed. But it’s not. Productivity is about getting the right things done.
New York Times best-selling author Michael Hyatt has created a total productivity system that’s much more than endless box checking. Proven by more than 25,000 professionals, this system helps overwhelmed leaders achieve what matters most so they can succeed at both work and life.
In Free to Focus, you’ll learn the three-step system to achieve more while doing less.
As ladies, our twenties are full of exploration and discovery. It’s where we start to find who we are and define who we want to be. These books can help us get there! Thats what makes these the best books for women in their 20s to read!
Which one are you interested in reading?