MANILA, PHILIPPINES – This Women’s Month, what better way to celebrate this occasion than by diving into powerful narratives written by women? From women leaning into darkness to find their power to meditations about motherhood and societal expectations, and the messy complexity of sisterhood, celebrate Women’s History Month with Fully Booked stacked with stories about women daring to define their own rhythm.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
No classic has captured my heart more than Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. From the moment I read the opening chapter, I fell in love with the strength of Jane’s narration and knew that she would be a character I’d adore for the rest of my life. Brontë does not hold back from making her protagonist struggle and suffer, yet Jane faces the odds with clear judgment and an unwavering spirit. She’s one of the most iconic fictional literary women for a reason, and I can only aspire to face the challenges in my own life with her level of steadfast integrity. Reading Jane’s turbulent quest for independence and love is an unforgettable, consuming experience I wish I could relive for the first time; it’s simultaneously inspiring, heartbreaking, and deeply rewarding.
– Erin Sajonas, @erindumpling, First Look Club
Stray Cats by Irene Sarmiento
In Stray Cats, thirteen-year-old Elisa Santos teams up with a talking cat to search for her missing friend. Along her journey, she faces the monsters who perpetrate harm while reckoning with the unfortunate realities of the women and children taken advantage of in society.
Irene Sarmiento, who penned this story, executed with care the very real context where the book operates. She also wrote a strong-willed main character who was hard not to root for throughout. I feel like Elisa’s journey is not yet done and I cannot wait to read more from the author in the future.
– Alekx, Event Associate, Fully Booked
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum
This book stayed with me because it perfectly captures what it’s like for a woman who wants more. Yara had it so much better than her mother. Her husband does not beat her, he was kind to her, and he allowed her to have a career. But when you dig deeper, she was still trapped and stifled in a patriarchal society. This book is for all the women who have the courage to choose themselves and live life outside society’s expectations. I am rooting for us.
– Gweh Quiambao, @kwehhhhhh, Reading Community
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
I first read Anne of Green Gables when I was around 12 years old and since then, it became a comfort read. I found a kindred spirit with Anne Shirley when I needed one growing up. Her whimsical adventures defined my early teenage years. So whenever I re-read it, it felt like visiting an old bosom friend.
– Shai San Jose, @artofshai, Reading Community
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton is an all-time favorite of mine! I love how it’s essentially a love letter to her twenties and the people who made that decade so special, especially her female friends. Because as I’m discovering myself, life moves quickly. But Dolly’s memoir is a heartfelt reminder that love, in all its beautiful, rough-edged forms, is quite an adventure.
– Andie Ferrer, @thoughtsofandie, Reading Community
Goodbye and Everything After by Mae Coyiuto
I love how Mae Coyiuto beautifully weaves Filipino culture, specifically the superstition of pagpag (to shake off), into a raw and relatable story about grief. Seeing Nika navigate the ‘ghosts’ of her past, both literally and figuratively, was incredibly touching. It’s a bittersweet but heartwarming reminder that while grief can feel isolating, honest communication is the key to moving forward and finding your way back to the people you love. It’s a must-read for anyone who appreciates stories about family, healing, and the quirks of Filipino life.
– Carmela Enriquez, @agathafeelingg.reads. Reading Community.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
To read a Toni Morrison novel is to understand the depth and breadth of our humanity. Beloved is the medium through which she explores the haunting legacy of slavery after the American Civil War, particularly how the horrific abuses drove the book’s main character, Sethe, to choose infanticide over letting her children return to the slave plantations. While Morrison doesn’t shy away from the cruelty that people can inflict on each other, she also shows our natural capacity for love and the lengths we go to protect our loved ones. What I appreciate most about Beloved is the grace, agency, and compassion that Morrison extends to her female characters, who were denied their dignity, freedom, and right to love and nurture their children at the time.
– Nicole Macarandang, @_cultclassics, First Look Club
Accidents Happen and Other Stories by F.H. Batacan
This collection shows women and children in dark moments of their lives, and yet there is fierce strength to be found even in desperation and hopelessness. I know this could be a tough read, but it offers a powerful glimpse into human behavior and the lengths people will go to in order to survive. F.H. Batacan’s voice is strong, imaginative, and unique. I trust her to guide me through the worst of humanity with her quick wit and gentle nudges. She truly empowers through stories that are rich in social and political commentary. I believe her work will always be timely and essential.
– Princess Malonzo, @pryngols, Reading Community
Mind Platter by Najwa Zebian
Mind Platter is one of the most emotionally stirring compilations of reflections on life I have ever read. It navigates many experiences that most of us can relate to: love, friendship, hurt, inspiration, respect, motivation, integrity, honesty, and more. I’d recommend this book to anyone feeling burnt out…read this slowly and mindfully, and let the words simmer.
– Bea Masalunga, @beamasalunga, Reading Community
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
This was a “Bookstagram Made Me Buy It” book. This is a historical feminist book about Elizabeth, a chemist who was blocked from the lab due to an unexpected pregnancy. We follow Elizabeth as she takes control of her life, despite the odds stacked against her in this sweet revenge comedy. I bought this as a birthday present for myself in 2022. I still remember saying that this book is truly worth buying. And, I still believe that.
– Lommie C, @books.and.lommie, Reading Community
Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth
Years after reading it, Plain Bad Heroines continue to haunt my mind. The easiest way for me to describe it is that it felt like I was reading an episode of American Horror Story. An all-girls boarding school, Victorian era, a haunted apple orchard, and a doomed love story. It’s an odd book that really piqued my interest, and the very gothic feels, along with the sapphic story, made it even better and made the book difficult to put down.
– Cerize Sicat, @cerizeseries, Reading Community
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The woman-authored book that captured my heart is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. I’ve always considered myself a casual reader, picking up only a handful of books from time to time, but Pachinko was the book that transformed me into a true bookworm — and even a book dragon. This novel sparked a deep desire to read more, propelling me to finish 80 books in the year after I first read it.
This book is especially meaningful to me because of my love for Japanese and Korean literature, whether through pop music, television dramas, or novels. As a work of historical fiction, Pachinko gave me a vivid picture of life in Korea during the Japanese occupation. Through its storytelling, I was able to better understand the historical roots of the cultural sensitivities between the two countries that continue to exist today.
The characters Min Jin Lee created are ones you carry with you long after finishing the book. Although I read Pachinko 5 years ago in September 2021, I still hold close the lessons taught by my favorite characters, Baek Isak and Kyunghee. One line from Kyunghee, in particular, has stayed with me: “A wise person must rein in his tongue. Not everything you wanted to say must be said.”
– Ayu Alano, @ayualano, Reading Community
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
This book definitely captured my heart! I’ve always wanted a sister, and reading this book made me feel like I did. The book reminded me of the importance of giving oneself and others grace, especially when dealing with grief.
– Firas Abboud, @abboudfiras, Reading Community
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
My Year of Rest and Relaxation ticks every box of a book I should hate: an extremely unlikeable narrator, almost no plot, and a premise that borders on absurd — a woman deciding to hibernate for a year with the help of an alarming amount of drugs. And yet, since reading it in 2023, it’s stayed firmly in my top ten.
I think it’s because I’ve never read anything quite like it. With glittering precision, Ottessa Moshfegh transforms biting observations, ugly thoughts, and raw interiority into something strangely mesmerizing. It’s the rare novel that finds a kind of beauty in the most unflattering corners of life. I’m already looking forward to whatever she writes next.
– Alina, Content Writer, Fully Booked
Happy Women’s Month!
