6 Books By Badass Female Celebs That You Need To Read
If you love books, finding your next read might feel like quite the task. Your to-read list is probably a mile long! Should you go with some classic literature? Try the blockbuster of the year? Maybe the book your favorite movie was based on? One genre that never fails is books written by female celebrity authors.
Whether you love a juicy memoir or an inspiring lifestyle book, the titles I have on this list will definitely wow you. You’ll get a different perspective on life, plus who doesn’t love supporting women writers? All of these are in my personal reading queue right now, so we can be a little book club, OK?
Read on for my list of 6 awesome books by female celebs that you should add to your reading list right now!
Why Should I Read About Celebrities?
For many of us, the lives of celebs seem about as far from our own as they can get. Glamorous parties, Insta-worthy vacations, and A-list pals are just everyday occurrences for famous people.
You may be wondering:
“Why would I even bother to read their stories?”
While celebrities are living the sweet life now, a large percentage of them didn’t start out that way. Most stars were raised just like you and me! Unless they had a famous parent, there probably weren’t any swanky Hollywood galas or red carpets in their childhoods.
That’s why these books by female celebrity authors are worth a read. Each one offers a point of view unique to the writer. Her race, personality, childhood home, and family all combine to give each lady a distinct perspective on life that is both inspiring and entertaining.
Whether you want to devour these books to learn some secrets about your favorite celeb’s life, get some life advice, or just escape reality, take a gander at my picks. You won’t be disappointed!
1. Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon
In 2018, America’s sweetheart Reese Witherspoon released her first-ever book: Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love & Baking Biscuits. We all fell in love with Reese after seeing her play her iconic role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. But she has gone on to have a hugely successful career. She’s an award-winning actress, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and now published author.
As any Reese fan knows, she is from the South and proud of that heritage. Many stars seem to forget where they came from after they find fame. But Whiskey in a Teacup celebrates the actress’s background and how it shaped the woman she is today.
This book is part memoir, part cookbook, all fun. Reese discusses how everything from how she styles her hair to how she throws parties were influenced by her Lousiana upbringing. From childhood stories to some of her grandmother’s favorite recipes, you’ll find a little bit of everything between the covers of this book.
The title of this book refers to a lesson that Reese’s grandmother Dorthea taught her about how Southern women should behave. They should be like whiskey in a teacup: a combination of strong and beautiful, delicate and pretty on the outside and fiery on the inside. That little snippet alone is enough to draw me in!
Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits
2. Bossypants by Tina Fey
If you’re a self-proclaimed “nerdy girl” like me, Tina Fey is probably your idol. A critically-acclaimed actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright has gifted the world with some of my favorite things. From her hilarious sketches on Saturday Night Live to the super relatable Liz Lemon on 30 Rock to Mean Girls (both the film and hit musical), Tina is a workhorse who never fails to entertain.
In her debut book Bossypants, Tina tells the story of her life through small vignettes filled to the brim with her signature wit. She covers her awkward childhood, the early days of her career trying to make it big at Second City, her rise to fame on SNL, and her adventures being a mom of 2.
Look:
Celebrity autobiographies can be hit or miss depending on the author. But because Tina is already a talented writer and laugh-out-loud funny to boot, any fan will eat this book right up. Even if you’ve never seen a single episode of 30 Rock, give it a chance. Her one-liners and truth bombs are sure to turn you into a super-fan!
3. This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps
If you have an Instagram account, chances are you know who Busy Philipps is. She is known for her honest Instagram stories that detail every part of her day from her morning workouts to getting her hair dyed pink to tequila-fueled reunions with her bestie, fellow actress Michelle Williams.
You might have seen Busy on Freaks and Geeks or Dawson’s Creek when she was younger, but now she is an established actress, director, writer, and producer. Her big personality even landed her a gig hosting her own late-night talk show called Busy Tonight.
Much like in her candid Instagram stories, Busy relates tales from her childhood, rise to fame, and celebrity life in a humorous and relatable way. From her early memories as a young girl living in Arizona to her moody teen years to raising two daughters while working in Hollywood, the snippets you learned from her social media get more in-depth in this book.
If you want to hear some behind-the-scenes celebrity gossip, this is the title for you. Busy is spilling the tea! She clearly loves her life as a celeb and sums up that attitude in one blurb. “I’ve been waiting my whole life to write this book. I’m just so grateful someone asked. Otherwise, what was the point of any of it?”
4. Becoming by Michelle Obama
When compiling this list, I wondered if I should include Michelle Obama with “female celebrity authors.” When we think of celebrities, it’s usually singers and movie stars, not former First Ladies. But the beloved ex-FLOTUS has found a place in so many of our hearts that I couldn’t resist adding her book to the bunch.
One hundred years ago, nobody would have thought that the First Lady’s memoir would be interesting. However, Michelle Obama’s most definitely is. Not only was she the first African-American FLOTUS and wife of the first African-American POTUS, but she’s also a successful, smart, and inspiring woman in her own right.
In Becoming, Michelle reflects on the moments of her life that shaped her the most. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, attending not one but two Ivy League universities, and changing the White House forever are just some of this book’s highlights. With a mix of deep honesty and witty storytelling, Michelle relates stories that show all sides of her life and personality.
The fact that this book has been hanging out on the list of New York Times bestsellers for weeks should tell you something about its quality. Plus it’s an official Oprah’s Book Club selection! See what all the hype is about for yourself!
5. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
There’s just something about Mindy Kaling that millennial women love. We feel seen in every project she does, from The Office to The Mindy Project. A skilled writer, director, actress, and comedian, Mindy has a way of pointing out things in life that you never thought about but definitely feel on a deep level.
Her debut book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) combines memories from key stages in Mindy’s life with her hilarious observations and opinions about every topic you can think of. Dating, show business, friendship, and growing up the child of immigrant parents are just a few of the things the funny gal addresses in this title.
This memoir is everything fans love about Mindy Kaling. It’s frank, funny, and so relatable you feel like you could have written it yourself.
The best part?
It’s not her only book! If you read Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and love it, add her second memoir, Why Not Me? to your reading list, too.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
6. Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
You can’t talk about female celebrity authors without mentioning Shonda Rhimes. This woman is a force to be reckoned with! She broke through gender and race barriers to become one of the most successful and influential people in Hollywood. As the showrunner of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and the executive producer of How To Get Away With Murder and The Catch, Shonda changed the way we watch TV.
With so many amazing projects under her belt plus three kids at home, it’s hard not to wonder how she does it all. The answers, luckily for the rest of us, lie in her book Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person.
In this title, Shonda shares how learning to say “yes” to everything. From social gatherings to press interviews changed her life. She lived in fear of the unknown and used being busy as an excuse to avoid the things that scared her. After her sister told her “You never say yes to anything” over Thanksgiving dinner in 2013. Shonda challenged herself to say “yes” to everything.
Year Of Yes takes the reader along on Shonda’s life-changing journey. With humor and honesty, this poignant memoir-slash-advice book explains how embracing the scary things in life led Shonda to feel more empowered and in love with herself than ever before. If you need some inspo, this book couldn’t be a more perfect fit!
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
Want Even More Book Suggestions?
What happens when you’ve read all the books on my list? There are tons more titles written by female celebrity authors out there! They’re not all winners, I must admit, but there are some good ones.
In this video, you’ll learn about a few more books penned by famous people that are worth your precious reading time. They’re not all by women (gasp!) but definitely all great reads. Watch the video below and get ready to expand your to-read list even more!
Maybe celebrity books aren’t your thing? That’s ok, too! We have lots of other book suggestions for you at Miss Millennia Magazine. Here are a few book lists to get you started. Enjoy!
9 Self-Improvement Books You Can Listen To On The Go
Want To Communicate Better? Check Out These 8 Books
The 15 Best Feminist Books To Empower You Now
11 Books For The Motivated Millennial Woman On Her Way To The Top
8 Less Famous Books By Famous Authors You Need To Read
It’s Time To Get Reading!
I love reading books by women. As a female writer myself, it feels great to support another person in my craft. Female celebrity authors are especially appealing to me because I love to learn the differences between their public personas and their real personalities through their memoirs.
Some books written by stars are pretty low-quality, but these six choices are all pure gold! You’ll laugh, cry, gasp, feel inspired, and, most importantly entertained. Learning the ways that celebs are just like you (and the ways that they aren’t) makes for books you won’t be able to put down.
What’s your favorite book written by a famous person? Which of these titles by female celebrity authors are you most excited to read? Have you read any of these books? How did you like it? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below!
Resources
Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
