100 books like Wahala

By Nikki May,

Here are 100 books that Wahala fans have personally recommended if you like Wahala. Shepherd is a community of 9,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Girl, Woman, Other

By Bernardine Evaristo,

Book cover of Girl, Woman, Other

Katie Gaddini Author Of The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church

From the list on women’s voices.

By Katie Gaddini Author

Who am I?

I grew up reading books that featured strong women, including Little Women and Anne of Green Gables so it only made sense that I would go on to write a book featuring four strong women. As much as I love reading fiction, since I am a professor, my writing is mainly academic and/or non-fiction and I aim to make research translatable and interesting to all – including mainstream audiences. Currently, I am working on a new book about evangelical Christian women and politics, which I started in 2020 right before the presidential election. No matter where I live or work, exploring the various facets of women’s lives will remain my driving pursuit. 

Katie's book list on women’s voices

Book cover of Girl, Woman, Other Book cover of Lit Book cover of This Is Our Message: Women's Leadership in the New Christian Right Book cover of Three Women Book cover of Mitzvah Girls: Bringing Up the Next Generation of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn

Why did Katie love this book?

Winner of the Booker Prize, Girl, Woman, Other was probably the most ubiquitous book seen around London in 2019.

Evaristo will introduce you to a range of compelling female characters in this novel; she inhabits each one’s mind and voice so supremely that the women you meet on the page will stay with you for years. 

Girl, Woman, Other

By Bernardine Evaristo,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Girl, Woman, Other as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE

“A must-read about modern Britain and womanhood . . . An impressive, fierce novel about the lives of black British families, their struggles, pains, laughter, longings and loves . . . Her style is passionate, razor-sharp, brimming with energy and humor. There is never a single moment of dullness in this book and the pace does not allow you to turn away from its momentum.” —Booker Prize Judges

Bernardine Evaristo is the winner of the 2019 Booker Prize and the first black woman to receive this highest literary honor in the English language.…

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Queenie

By Candice Carty-Williams,

Book cover of Queenie

Nichola K. Johnson Author Of Sounds of Diamonds

From the list on real-life stories about struggles in life.

By Nichola K. Johnson Author

Who am I?

As a quiet and very shy child, I found myself sitting alone reading books rather than playing with other kids. My love for reading at the time was restricted to children’s books like The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe or Roald Dhal stories until I upgraded to Enid Blyton Books and Mills & Boon romances as a teen. It wasn’t until I reached my twenties when I actually found the genre I loved. It was through my love of these stories I came to realise I didn’t have to hide anymore, and my love for these stories planted a small seed in my mind that I would have the courage to write my own.

Nichola's book list on real-life stories about struggles in life

Book cover of White Oleander Book cover of Ugly Book cover of A Piece of Cake: A Memoir Book cover of A Child Called It Book cover of Queenie

Why did Nichola love this book?

Carty-Williams tells a very clever and witty story of Queenie’s struggles navigating life as a young black woman in South East London, right where I grew up. I can relate to her work life, friendships, and love life so much it’s unreal. Whilst reading this book I could really feel myself within the plot as I’ve walked on some of the streets she talks about, been to places she talks about and of course, we all have a past and a story about our childhoods that make us who we are today, especially when they have been challenging. 

Queenie

By Candice Carty-Williams,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Queenie as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

ONE OF TIME’S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF 2019

NAMED ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2019 BY WOMAN’S DAY, NEWSDAY, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, BUSTLE, AND BOOK RIOT!

“[B]rilliant, timely, funny, heartbreaking.” —Jojo Moyes, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

For fans ofLusterandI May Destroy You,a disarmingly honest,unapologetically black, and undeniably witty debut novel that will speak to those who have gone looking for love and found something very different in its place.

Queenie Jenkins is a twenty-five-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London, straddling two cultures and slotting…

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Open Water

By Caleb Azumah Nelson,

Book cover of Open Water

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn Author Of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?

From the list on that pay homage to south London.

By Lizzie Damilola Blackburn Author

Who am I?

Having grown up and gone to school in south London, it will always have a special place in my heart. Call me biased, but I think it’s the best place in the capital. Hands down. I love that it’s home to many Afro-Caribbean families and how its cultural presence can be felt by just walking down any street. From the bustling markets selling plantain, yams, and hard dough bread to the throng of aunties wearing brightly-coloured, patterned lace as they make their way to church. With south London being so atmospheric, I knew I had to include it as a setting in my novel. It will always be my first home.  

Lizzie's book list on that pay homage to south London

Book cover of Wahala Book cover of Girl, Woman, Other Book cover of Hope and Glory Book cover of Open Water Book cover of Queenie

Why did Lizzie love this book?

What I personally loved about Open Water was just how original it was. From the second-person narration to the poetic prose and the beautiful portrayal of a Black man, not only being on the receiving end of love but also, the giver – a depiction we don’t see enough in publishing. I also enjoyed following how two artists fell in love, organically. And yet, I didn’t feel like a fly on the wall. A key takeaway I got from the story was how freeing vulnerability can be, but also, how difficult it can be to express emotions in words. Although triggering in places, overall, I found Open Water a comforting read; there were lots of cultural references that made me smile and nod my head, such as Peckhamplex cinema and Morley’s chicken shop. 

Open Water

By Caleb Azumah Nelson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Open Water as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD
A NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION 5 UNDER 35
WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION

“Open Water is tender poetry, a love song to Black art and thought, an exploration of intimacy and vulnerability between two young artists learning to be soft with each other in a world that hardens against Black people.”—Yaa Gyasi, author of Homegoing

In a crowded London pub, two young people meet. Both are Black British, both won scholarships to private schools where they struggled to belong, both are now artists—he a photographer, she a dancer—and both are…

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Hope and Glory

By Jendella Benson,

Book cover of Hope and Glory

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn Author Of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?

From the list on that pay homage to south London.

By Lizzie Damilola Blackburn Author

Who am I?

Having grown up and gone to school in south London, it will always have a special place in my heart. Call me biased, but I think it’s the best place in the capital. Hands down. I love that it’s home to many Afro-Caribbean families and how its cultural presence can be felt by just walking down any street. From the bustling markets selling plantain, yams, and hard dough bread to the throng of aunties wearing brightly-coloured, patterned lace as they make their way to church. With south London being so atmospheric, I knew I had to include it as a setting in my novel. It will always be my first home.  

Lizzie's book list on that pay homage to south London

Book cover of Wahala Book cover of Girl, Woman, Other Book cover of Hope and Glory Book cover of Open Water Book cover of Queenie

Why did Lizzie love this book?

Hope and Glory has to be one of the most relatable books I’ve ever read, and not just because it’s set in my old stomping ground, Peckham. It follows Hope, a twenty-something British Nigerian who, after returning to London for her dad’s funeral, discovers a life-shattering family secret. What I loved about this book was that I felt as though the author was writing a love letter to those individuals who didn’t have it easy growing up and whose stories are not often told in mainstream fiction. I feel as though Hope and Glory will provide a sigh of relief for so many readers; I, for one, certainly felt seen. Beautifully observed, heartfelt and authentic, I felt a xylophone of emotions while reading this exquisite novel, but in the end, very hopeful.

Hope and Glory

By Jendella Benson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hope and Glory as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'So deliciously South London.' - Yomi Adegoke, author of SLAY IN YOUR LANE

'A sweeping, rich tale that explores family, secrets, loss, love and redemption within the context of a tessellation of cultures - written with a beautiful texture, Benson pulls you in to a deftly-woven story with tautly-written sentences, and before you know it you find yourself in too deep to get out, too deep to want to get out, wanting to know more.'
- Bolu Babalola, author of LOVE IN COLOUR

'Jendella Benson has drawn such a compelling world that Hope and Glory, the book and the characters…

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Expectation

By Anna Hope,

Book cover of Expectation: A Novel

Saskia Sarginson Author Of The Central Line

From the list on London and love.

By Saskia Sarginson Author

Who am I?

I’m an author and a romantic. Put the two together and it makes sense for me to write love stories. I’ve always been interested in relationships and fascinated by how complex our feelings make us when we fall in love. There’s a love story in all my books, but for the last three novels, a love story has been the story. I’m a Londoner too, and I like it when a city becomes another character in a book, as I hope London has in The Central Line.

Saskia's book list on London and love

Book cover of Free Love Book cover of Expectation: A Novel Book cover of Ordinary People: A Novel Book cover of The End of the Affair Book cover of Bridget Jones's Diary

Why did Saskia love this book?

I fell in love with this beautifully written book about female friendship, set-in modern-day London. The opening shows us three young women lounging in London Fields one summer, all of them filled with an indisputable sense that they are on the brink of life, their horizons lit up with promise. Ten years later, those promises have failed to materialize. The characters are confused, struggling, and envious of what each of the others has. All three are strong, flawed characters, and their lives, choices, and mistakes feel very real and poignant.

Expectation

By Anna Hope,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Expectation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE MUST-READ SUMMER 2020 RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK

'If you wished Normal People had tackled female friendship, try Expectation' GRAZIA
'Profoundly intelligent and humane. Deserves to feature on many a prize shortlist' GUARDIAN
'A brilliant exploration of friendship, feminism and thwarted ambition' PANDORA SYKES
______________________

What happened to the women we were supposed to become?

Hannah, Cate and Lissa are young, vibrant and inseparable. Living on the edge of a common in East London, their shared world is ablaze with art and activism, romance and revelry - and the promise of everything to come. They are electric. They…

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BFF

By Christie Tate,

Book cover of BFF: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found

Victoria Noe Author Of What Our Friends Left Behind: Grief and Laughter in a Pandemic

From the list on friendship and grief (and pandemics).

By Victoria Noe Author

Who am I?

In 2006, I told a friend I wanted to write a book about grieving the death of a friend. Despite the fact that I’d never written a book before, she gave me her enthusiastic approval. Six months later she was dead. She inspired me to turn that book idea into a series of little books: the Friend Grief series. Just as I was finishing the last one, I began work on a full-length book that took me back to my work in the early days of AIDS. When COVID began, I returned to writing about friend grief. And I lost over a dozen friends while I wrote the book.

Victoria's book list on friendship and grief (and pandemics)

Book cover of All the Young Men Book cover of Side Walk: 6' apart in New York City Book cover of Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19 Book cover of The Celebrants Book cover of BFF: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found

Why did Victoria love this book?

Written during COVID, but not about the pandemic, BFF is for those of us who are less-than-perfect friends.

Her lifelong struggles to define and live up to her impossible ideals of friendship are instantly relatable. She’ll annoy you and maybe make you mad, but you’ll cheer her on for her desire to do the right thing. Her challenges are ours, too.

In fact, reading how she coped with the loss of her best friend was a comfort to me. Because I read it at a time when I was devastated by a similar loss.

BFF

By Christie Tate,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked BFF as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of Group, a New York Times bestseller and Reese's Book Club Pick, comes a moving, heartwarming, and powerful memoir about Christie Tate's lifelong struggle to sustain female friendship, and the friend who helps her find the human connection she seeks.

After more than a decade of dead-end dates and dysfunctional relationships, Christie Tate has reclaimed her voice and settled down. Her days of agonizing in group therapy over guys who won't commit are over, the grueling emotional work required to attach to another person tucked neatly into the past.

Or so she thought. Weeks after giddily sharing…

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Really Good, Actually

By Monica Heisey,

Book cover of Really Good, Actually

Genevieve Novak Author Of Crushing

From the list on to break you out of a reading slump.

By Genevieve Novak Author

Who am I?

I'm a contemporary romance writer with two novels: No Hard Feelings and Crushing, stories about complex, messy women making mistakes and learning from them. As I work on my third novel, I'm remembering how hard it is to write when you're in a reading rut. Sometimes every book I pick up is disappointing, and reading feels like a chore, and I risk losing momentum. Sometimes I need something familiar to get back on track and remember why I love my job. These books feel like a long exhale. I can come to them with an overloaded brain, bad moods and doubt and discontent, and turn the last page restored.

Genevieve's book list on to break you out of a reading slump

Book cover of The Rachel Incident Book cover of Really Good, Actually Book cover of The Lessons Book cover of A Gentleman in Moscow Book cover of You and Me on Vacation

Why did Genevieve love this book?

Someone call the police, because Heisey has broken into my brain, looked around, and written a story containing every thought I’ve ever had.

There’s nothing quite like feeling seen on the page to make you feel less alone as you flounder, break down, circle the drain, and look down the barrel of total oblivion, and it’s a rare privilege to find a story that does all of this with wit and warmth.

The term “sad girl lit” gets thrown around a lot, and while no one could accuse protagonist Maggie of being happy (or content, or even stable), Heisey resists the sinkhole of self-pity and exhausting melancholy that so often turns books in this niche into a chore.

Self-destructive yet self-aware women who make all the worst decisions and come to their own rescue – unite!

Really Good, Actually

By Monica Heisey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Really Good, Actually as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The No. 2 SUNDAY TIMES Bestseller An Observer Best Debut of the Year 'Intoxicating ... heralds a really good author to watch' The Times 'Hilarious and profound' Dolly Alderton, author of Everything I Know About Love 'Wildly funny and almost alarmingly relatable' Marian Keyes, author of Again, Rachel 'Monica Heisey is a genius' Nina Stibbe, author of Reasons to be Cheerful

One of the most hotly anticipated, hilarious and addictive debut novels of 2023, from Schitt's Creek and Workin' Moms screenwriter and electric new voice in fiction, Monica Heisey.

I feel like when you get a divorce everyone's wondering how…

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My Rock 'n' Roll Friend

By Tracey Thorn,

Book cover of My Rock 'n' Roll Friend

Zoë Howe Author Of Barbed Wire Kisses: The Jesus and Mary Chain Story

From the list on music biographies written by women.

By Zoë Howe Author

Who am I?

I’m a music biographer, and whenever I’ve hinted that the world of rock biography is a bit of a boys’ club, someone will bark names of famous female musicians who’ve written autobiographies at me. All brilliant, but biography is a different animal. It demands sensitivity, trust, intuition, empathy: the writer is presenting the story of another, wooing a publisher, balancing multiple perspectives, being a detective, asking strange questions, penetrating the skin, probing often forgotten places. Female music writers frequently face assumptions ranging from the dismissive to the salacious before being neatly sidelined, but this is changing – slowly.  I wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate some rare queens of the art here.

Zoë's book list on music biographies written by women

Book cover of Dusty: The Classic Biography Book cover of Sweating Tears with Fat White Family Book cover of My Rock 'n' Roll Friend Book cover of The Saga of Hawkwind Book cover of Johnny Thunders: In Cold Blood

Why did Zoë love this book?

Musician and author Thorn places Go-Betweens drummer Lindy Morrison in the spotlight in this warm, often fiery book which, as a sometime drummer, I loved and related to very keenly. It is a love letter, as so many biographies are, albeit as much to a friendship as it is to an artist. But it is also a reflection on how women interact, how women navigate the music industry, how creative, clever women (like female biographers!) are often dismissed, trivialised, undermined, even silenced. Women will get great strength from My Rock ‘n’ Roll Friend, and as for men, well, the world would probably be a better place if more chaps connected with this book.

My Rock 'n' Roll Friend

By Tracey Thorn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked My Rock 'n' Roll Friend as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Entertaining, affectionate and righteous' Guardian
'Says so much about being a woman' Cosey Fanni Tutti

A TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

In 1983, backstage at the Lyceum in London, Tracey Thorn and Lindy Morrison first met. Tracey's music career was just beginning, while Lindy, drummer for The Go-Betweens, was ten years her senior. They became confidantes, comrades and best friends, a relationship cemented by gossip and feminism, books and gigs and rock 'n' roll love affairs.

Morrison - a headstrong heroine blazing her way through a male-dominated industry - came to be a kind of mentor to Thorn. They…

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The Thirteenth Tale

By Diane Setterfield,

Book cover of The Thirteenth Tale

Amy Young Author Of The Water Tower

From the list on mysteries and thrillers set in a dark academic setting.

By Amy Young Author

Who am I?

I’m not sure where my love of thrillers in dark settings originated. I’ve always loved mysteries – starting out with Nancy Drew as a kid and then graduating to more mature material as I got older – and a setting that feels like a character in itself is fascinating to me. My love of the dark, moody element has developed as I’ve gotten older – I spent my twenties reading a lot of chick lit and upbeat fiction, but something has shifted in the last decade or so that caused me to embrace the darkness a bit more. 

Amy's book list on mysteries and thrillers set in a dark academic setting

Book cover of The Thirteenth Tale Book cover of If We Were Villains Book cover of The Girls Are All So Nice Here Book cover of Ninth House Book cover of The Turn of the Key

Why did Amy love this book?

In what I would call a modern gothic setting, the story revolves around a reclusive author and the missing thirteenth tale from her collection of stories.

The author commissions a biographer to write the story of her life, which she has fictionalized throughout her entire career. There’s a governess, ghosts, an amazing garden, and an insane fire – all of which stack up for one heck of a great novel.

The Thirteenth Tale

By Diane Setterfield,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Thirteenth Tale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Simply brilliant' Kate Mosse, international bestselling author of Labyrinth

***

Everybody has a story...

Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten.

It was once home to the March family: fascinating, manipulative Isabelle; brutal, dangerous Charlie; and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But the house hides a chilling secret which strikes at the very heart of each of them, tearing their lives apart...

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past, and its mysterious connection to the enigmatic writer Vida Winter. Vida's history is mesmering - a tale of ghosts, governesses, and gothic strangeness. But as Margaret succumbs to the power…

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These Impossible Things

By Salma El-Wardany,

Book cover of These Impossible Things

Zara Raheem Author Of The Retreat

From the list on the powers of sisterhood.

By Zara Raheem Author

Who am I?

I’ve always had a soft spot for books on sisterhood. Perhaps it’s because I have a sister, but it’s partly because I’ve also lucked out on wonderful girlfriends who’ve taken the role of sisters at various stages of my life. There is an immense power in female relationships, and it’s a theme I often explore through my writing. Both my novels, The Marriage Clock and The Retreat center around strong women who consistently and generously show up for each other. I’ve compiled a list of books to celebrate the many sisters in our lives—through blood and friendship. I hope you find them as enjoyable to read as I have!

Zara's book list on the powers of sisterhood

Book cover of The Fortunes of Jaded Women Book cover of These Impossible Things Book cover of The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters Book cover of The Key to Happily Ever After Book cover of The Candid Life of Meena Dave

Why did Zara love this book?

This novel shows us how the sisters in our lives aren’t always connected by blood. That sometimes, our chosen sisters are the ones who carry us through life’s difficult moments.

Malek, Kees, and Jenna have been lifelong friends, but when a single argument threatens to pull them apart, can they find their way back to one another? Alternating between each woman’s story, the novel explores deeper themes of love, family, and faith while also shedding light on both the strengths and fragility of female relationships.

These Impossible Things

By Salma El-Wardany,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked These Impossible Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A *Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club pick* and razor‑sharp debut novel of three best friends navigating love, sex, faith, and the one night that changes it all.

It’s always been Malak, Kees, and Jenna against the world. Since childhood, under the watchful eyes of their parents, aunties and uncles, they’ve learned to live their own lives alongside the expectations of being good Muslim women. Staying over at a boyfriend's place is disguised as a best friend’s sleepover, and tiredness can be blamed on studying instead of partying. They know they’re existing in a perfect moment. With growing older…

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5 book lists we think you will like!

The best books that pay homage to south London
The best humorous books about adult female friendships
The best books with realistic female friendships in challenging times
The best books on maritime London
The best books that feature steamy billionaires in London

Interested in female friendship, London, and impostor syndrome?

9,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about female friendship, London, and impostor syndrome.

Female Friendship Explore 110 books about female friendship
London Explore 722 books about London
Impostor Syndrome Explore 7 books about impostor syndrome