Because all the best ladies are well-read.
Inferno (A Poet's Novel) by Eileen Myles
“My English professor’s ass was so beautiful," is the first line you'll read in this story of a young female poet attempting to understand her sexuality in the crazed environment that is New York City. And after you read that opening line? Well, you won't put this one down until it's over.
Get a copy here.
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Ash by Malinda Lo
In this retelling of Cinderella, Ash is young girl left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother after her father's death. Just like Cinderella, Ash waits for the day her fair prince – or in this case, a fairy named Sidhean – will come and whisk her away. The only problem? She meets the King’s Huntress, Kaisa, and suddenly her "happily ever after" is a bit more complicated. All fairytales should get a makeover like this.
Get a copy here. Also be sure to take a peek at the prequel Huntress.
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
Winterson's award-winning novel is the story of a girl adopted by working-class evangelists in the North of England in the 1960′s – and leaves at the age of 16 for the woman she loves. The book (and subsequent BBC mini series) are loosely based on Winterson's actual life in Accrington, Lancashire. While the story is written in first person, Winterson claims the story "isn't autobiography in the real sense."
A parallel account of her life at this time is given in her 2011 memoir, Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? which is also a must read.
Get a copy here.