Female Empowerment Soars in These Books Featuring Strong Women Worthy of Miss Sloane Status

We’re always excited about a new movie featuring a strong female lead, which is why we absolutely can’t wait to see Miss Sloane, a political thriller that comes out this Friday, November 25. The film stars Jessica Chastain as Elizabeth Sloane, a lobbyist in Washington who’s considered one of the best. She’s also one of the most cutthroat and will do anything to win. But when she takes on the formidable gun industry, she’s picking one of the biggest battles of her life. One that might even put her life on the line.

*CHILLS EVERYWHERE*

We can already tell that Sloane is going to be a Claire Underwood-type character (from House of Cards): ruthless, tough and the kind of woman you do not want to battle it out with. So after you leave the theater all hyped up on female empowerment, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here are four books that all feature a strong female lead worthy of Miss Sloane status:

The Candidate, Lis Wiehl (Thomas Nelson, October 4, 2016)

Wiehl returns to her Newsmakers series with another Erika Sparks centered novel — the top cable news host who gives readers an inside look at the political world. This time, Erika is investigating Mike Ortiz, a presidential candidate and war hero who miraculously escaped an Al-Qaeda prison. But while the rest of the country adores the frontrunner, Erika is suspicious of Mike and his “perfect” wife, Celeste. Just how did Mike escape that prison? What is the couple hiding? Like Sloane, Erika is determined to win — though in this case, it’s all about finding the truth — even if it puts her and her family in danger.

 

 

My Own Words, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams (Simon & Schuster, October 4, 2016)

Ginsburg first became a Supreme Court Justice in 1993, and she’s spent most of her life dedicated to women’s rights and upholding law and order for our country. This book is a collection of her papers, speeches and personal writing that reflects the powerful work she’s done as well as her life away from the bench. Along with contributors Harnett and Williams, Ginsburg’s voice shines through on the page and provides an intimate look into a truly political life. There still aren’t many influential women in Washington these days, so we know that Miss Sloane would definitely approve of this latest offering from Ginsburg.

 

 

The Spy, Paulo Coelho (Random House, November 22, 2016)

One hundred years before Miss Sloane, there was Mata Hari, a powerful woman who eventually paid dearly for her crimes, whether or not they happened to be true. In his new novel, Coelho fictionalizes the life of one of the world’s most famous female spies, following her from her inauspicious start in life to her career as a successful exotic dancer and courtesan, and eventually to WWI and the accusation that led to her execution. Was Mata Hari really a spy, or was she simply an independent woman who refused to play by society’s rules? Coelho attempts to answer these questions and more as he paints a thorough portrait of a woman who never truly played it safe.

 

 

City on Edge, Stefanie Pintoff (Bantam, November 15, 2016)

Tensions are high in Pintoff’s latest thriller when a tragedy occurs during the New York City Thanksgiving Day Parade. Unexpectedly, the police commissioner is shot and his daughter is kidnapped. Now it’s up to Special Agent Eve Rossi and her team to figure out what happened. But things aren’t always what they seem, especially once the kidnappers contact them listing their strange demands. Rossi soon discovers that there’s more to this crime than meets the eye, including secret lives, and victims who may not be as innocent as she thought. Rossi’s take charge attitude will definitely appeal to Sloane fans, as will the intensity of, well, a city on edge.