We have a TV confession: we’re obsessed with The Bold Type. Smart, funny, and engaging, it’s like a modern Sex and the City…if Carrie and her friends were way more concerned with social justice. The unapologetically liberal Freeform show focuses on three young female friends in their early 20s – Jane (Katie Stevens), Kat (Aisha Dee) and Sutton (Meghann Fahy) – who all work together at Scarlet magazine. Not only are they all best friends, but they also support each other in real and authentic ways, from cheering one another on at work to calling each other out when they make poor decisions. It’s charming and realistic and we just can’t stop watching:

There have been lots of shows about female friendships over the years, but something about The Bold Type feels different. Maybe it’s in the women’s vast interests and complicated lives: Jane is a writer who struggles to find her voice, wanting to stay true to her political identity even at a women’s magazine like Scarlet. Kat is the social media director at the magazine, who’s exploring her sexual identity after meeting Adena, a lesbian Muslim artist. Sutton wants to move beyond her assistant position to chase a dream that could have real world financial consequences. And sure, they all have love lives complicating things even further, but men are rarely the focus. Instead, the show dives into topics like feminism and women’s health, political identities and what it means to compromise in order to move forward professionally.

Overseeing it all is Jacqueline (Melora Hardin), the editor-in-chief who’s levelheaded and supportive, and who eschews all of the typical mean-female-boss stereotypes that we so often associate with women in charge. Plus, she’s awesome! Honestly, the whole show is awesome. It’s currently airing on Freeform on Tuesdays at 9pm, with the season finale coming up next Tuesday, September 5th.

We’re feeling pretty bittersweet about the first season ending, which is why we rounded up 4 books that remind us of Jane, Kat and Sutton. Here are the modern reads that you should pick up when you’re craving even more of The Bold Type crew:

Saints and Misfits, S. K. Ali 

Ali’s young adult novel is described as a “modern day My So-Called Life,” which will instantly appeal to fans of The Bold Type. It’s about Janna, a Muslim teen who’s trying to navigate friendships, family, her love life, and finding her own sense of identity. She’s the kind of confessional, relatable heroine who you instantly root for. While her Muslim faith is a part of the story, it’s not necessarily the focus, instead giving you a well-rounded portrait of a teen who’s trying to find her place in the world. It’s the kind of searching-for-self that sums up The Bold Type too, and we know that Janna would fit right in with the friends at Scarlet.

Adultolescence, Gabbie Hanna 

Best known for her popular Youtube channel, The Gabbie Show, comedienne Hanna is breaking into literature with a collection of poetry that explores what it means to be a modern young woman. Her poems are both honest and inspirational, combining humor with astute observations about life as a (sort of) adult. Every poem is illustrated by Hanna, with drawings that capture the sad, funny, and moving moments in her life. This is the kind of young and cool poetry collection we could definitely see gracing the shelves of Jane, Kat, and Sutton.

 

Amanda Wakes Up, Alisyn Camerota 

So much of The Bold Type is about the struggles of trying to succeed in a modern corporate setting without losing your identity. It’s the same struggle that’s at the heart of news anchor Camerota’s contemporary novel. While The Bold Type deals with the world of magazine publishing, Amanda Wakes Up tackles broadcast journalism. Amanda Gallo has always wanted to be a news anchor, and when she finally gets a prominent position, she’s sure that her dreams are coming true. But being a morning show anchor isn’t quite what she thought it would be, and now she’s balancing frustrating coworkers, the constant fight for ratings, her personal life and more. Just like on The Bold Type, she has to decide what she’s willing to compromise in order to succeed.

Rad American Women A-Z, Kate Schatz & Miriam Klein Stahl 

It might be a children’s book, but Rad American Women is the kind of read that everyone should have on their shelves. Each page features a bold, graphic image of an iconic American woman, diving into their accomplishments and exactly why they’re so rad. It also encourages reader to become rad themselves, and to follow in the footsteps of these (sometimes unheard of) groundbreaking women. Written by Schatz and illustrated by Klein Stahl, this is a book that will inspire and enthrall you. Kat, Sutton and Jane are so hip to the current social and political climate that we know they’d each love a copy too.