by Jill Grunenwald, librarian and OverDrive Collection Development Analyst.

Weather wise, we always like when March comes in like a lamb but I think we should champion and celebrate when it comes in like a lion, because March is also Women’s History Month in much of the world and what better way to acknowledge that than by entering with a roar?

In honor of this holiday, the blog team at OverDrive put together a list of some of our favorite titles that highlight books written by, written for, and written about fierce and fabulous women.

Rachel Kray (Collection Development Analyst) recommends Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. This powerful collection of essays touches on everything from being a woman of color, to navigating the state of feminism today, a close examination of rape culture, and even the board game Scrabble.

Todd Warhola (Collection Development Analyst) recommends The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel by Amy Hempel and Self-Help by Lorrie Moore. Both of these short story collections come from two of the strongest voices in contemporary literature. Quirky and witty, Hempel and Moore offer unique and honest perspectives about the human experience.

Christina Samek (Account Launch Specialist) recommends The Awakening by Kate Chopin. As Christina says, “It managed to be revolutionary while still reflective of the late 19th century America in which it is set…Chopin was the first of her kind, the first to prove society’s treatment of women was so confining.” The ending is “strange, devastating, and liberating” all at once.

Adam Sockel (Social media Specialist) You’re never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day. It’s a coming of age tale about a female who is now wildly successful in an industry dominated by males (gaming and the tech wolrd) but struggled to find her way initially. He also recommends The Queen of the Tearling series by Erika Johansen. Often books with female leads involve them finding a man or struggling to overcome “being weak” in some aspect or another but Johansen’s main character, Kelsea, is basically a badass right from the word go and it could not be more refreshing.

Kristin Milks (Collection Development Analyst) recommends Alanna by Tamora Pierce. Living in a time when girls had limited options, all Alanna wants to do is be a knight. In order to realize her dream, Alanna switches places with her twin brother only to discover the path of destiny is not an easy one.

Liz Tousey (Collection Development Analyst) recommends A Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Stories of Belles, Bank Robbers, & Other Badass Girls. Edited by Jessica Spotswood, this collection features selections from some of today’s brightest writers of young adult fiction as they take us through the history of history making American girls.

Jill Grunenwald (me!) recommends The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Personally, I feel this should be required reading for all women. Written in Atwood’s speculative fiction style, thirty years after publication her horrifying near futuristic world now feels far too close for comfort.