📚 Her Voice, Our Shelf 📖

lady_wyrm's profile picture lady_wyrm Host

15 participants (255 books)

01 Aug 2025—31 Jul 2026

Overview

Building a bookshelf full of women’s perspectives.

When you look at your shelves (or scroll through your e-reader library), how many of those books are authored by men? I you took them away, how many would be left?

Many readers are surprised when they examined their shelves and realize that the majority of the books they own (and have read…) are written by men. I certainly was a couple of years ago. Once I noticed the imbalance, I made a conscious choice to seek out books by women and set aside men’s voices - at least for now. 

This isn’t because books written by men are bad or unworthy, or because their voices lack variety, but because I wanted to intentionally honor and make space for women’s voices in my reading life.

This challenge is your invitation to do the same: rebalance your reading, add diversity to your shelves, and discover just how rich and varied women’s writing can be. Over the course of the challenge, you’ll explore books written (or translated by women) from around the globe, across genres, time periods and perspectives.

Whether it’s a classic penned a century ago, a contemporary bestseller, or a hidden gem in translation, every book you choose will spotlight the creativity, insight, and influence of women writers.

‼️ For this challenge, ‘women authors’ includes cis women, trans women (and non-binary authors who identify with women’s perspectives). The aim is to celebrate and amplify the wide spectrum of voices and experiences within women’s writing.


Goal:
The challenge is set at 100 books. It’s an ambitious number, yes, but think of it as an invitation rather than a demand. This isn’t about pressure or perfection, it’s about curiosity and exploration. You might reach the full 100 or you might discover that even a handful of books by women transforms your reading life. Every step toward balancing your shelf counts. 

Why Join?
Because every story told by a woman adds another thread to the rich tapestry of human experience. The more we read them, the stronger those threads become.

Challenge Books

All books added
The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

The Moving Finger

Miss Marple #3

Agatha Christie

6 hours, 23 minutes • audio • 1943

fiction classics crime mystery mysterious medium-paced
Die Tochter des Bildhauers by Tove Jansson

Die Tochter des Bildhauers

Tove Jansson

3 hours, 38 minutes • audio • 1968 user-added

nonfiction memoir short stories lighthearted reflective medium-paced
In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace

In the Company of Witches

Evenfall Witches B&B #1

Auralee Wallace

330 pages • digital • 2021

fiction fantasy mystery lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

The Starving Saints

Caitlin Starling

344 pages • hardcover • 2025

fiction fantasy historical horror lgbtqia+ dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Small Things Like These

Claire Keegan

114 pages • paperback • 2021

fiction historical literary emotional reflective sad medium-paced
The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros

The Blue Book of Nebo

Manon Steffan Ros

146 pages • paperback • 2018

fiction contemporary dystopian young adult emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Der Gefesselte: Erzählungen 1 (1948 - 1952) by Ilse Aichinger

Der Gefesselte: Erzählungen 1 (1948 - 1952)

Ilse Aichinger, Werke in acht Bänden

Ilse Aichinger

117 pages • paperback • 1953

fiction magical realism short stories dark mysterious fast-paced
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Talents

Earthseed #2

Octavia E. Butler

394 pages • digital • 1998

fiction dystopian speculative fiction challenging dark emotional medium-paced
Die SchildkrĂśten by Veza Canetti

Die SchildkrĂśten

Veza Canetti

287 pages • paperback • 2000

fiction literary reflective slow-paced
Michel bringt die Welt in Ordnung by Rolf Rettich, Astrid Lindgren

Michel bringt die Welt in Ordnung

Emil of LĂśnneberga #3

Rolf Rettich, Astrid Lindgren

178 pages • hardcover • 1970

fiction childrens classics funny lighthearted fast-paced