20 Best Books For Early 20S (2023 Update)

I absolutely LOVE this book. It is the perfect amount of comical wisdom to keep any 'millennial' intrigued and wanting more. It covers so many topics and is an involved read, asking you to jot down your ideas during the reading. I will be re-reading this in the years months or days to come and will definitely be buying his older book.. 101 Secrets For Your Twenties!kaley522

The yellow cover drew my eye, so I picked it up and leafed through some of the questions. I felt like they hit home, so I bought it. As well as the other book from the same author 101 Secrets for Your Twenties. Two must-have books for your personal library. The questions were thought provoking and some real eye openers, as they helped me figure out my life purpose. I’d recommend it to most people (not just those in their 20’s) who are going through any type of life transition or just want to get more clarity in life. Glad I have my own copies as I’ll be reading and referencing them again and again.Me

A book for anyone wanting to create more meaning in their lives, especially people in their 20's and 30's. Paul Angone brings together insight, personal anecdotes, quotes, and humor whilst touching on a wide range of life-related topics such as: identifying the life you want to lead and the life story you want to tell, love and relationships, doing meaningful and inspiring work, creativity, making decisions, anxiety, networking, entrepreneurship, mindfulness mindsets, overcoming fear, dealing with 20's stereotypes, identifying and living by your life values, the aim of work for 20 years-olds, how to properly filter through the information we gain in life, success and failure, creating beneficial encounters and so much more. Not too long or difficult of a read. I highly recommend taking short notes as there is a lot of constructive information you might want to go back to and think about over-time. Best self-help/life skills books I have read so far as a 21-year-old. The audiobook is well narrated too. 10/10 book.Simone

What a great read! This author has an incredible ability to filter lessons from her day into this book, jam-packed with witty, enlightened, and practical advice for young adults. I think this book actually applies to all ages with lessons like "the greatest explorers weren't following paths" and "let your shoulders drop". I would highly reccomend.Phillip

I received this book yesterday and opened it just to flip through. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. What a great book! Each chapter is divided into short lessons, so it's easy to stop if you need to, I just didn't want to! If you are in your twenties, or need a birthday or graduation gift for someone in their twenties, this is definitely for you! I'm no longer in my twenties, but was intrigued by the title. I found so many tips and lessons that are great for any age! Order one for a gift and one for you, too! You'll be so glad you did!Jean

Excellent writing, compelling story though little happens physically. A story of morals and inner life. Wish there more like itbigjohnof406

Small Things Like These is a novella by award-winning Irish author, Claire Keegan which can be easily read in one sitting. In December 1985, in the little Irish town of New Ross, coal and timber merchant, William Furlong delivers a load of fuel to convent next door to St Margaret's school, where two of his daughters are taught. Sister Carmel being absent, he opens the chapel door to find a group of young women on hands and knees, polishing the floors, one of whom begs him to take her away. He has heard, and perhaps dismissed, the rumours about the convent's training school for girls, that girls in trouble are made to work in the laundries. He gets on with his job. Then, on the icy Sunday before Christmas, he has another load of coal to deliver to the convent. He's a little early, and none of the Good Shepherd nuns are at the coal shed to meet him, but eager to get on, he unlocks the shed. What he finds, or actually whom, is a shock, and despite the ready cover story that the Mother Superior provides, her smoothly convincing act, William is disturbed. Her veiled threat towards the future of his daughters and his business, should he make any sort of fuss about what he has encountered, while it is echoed by his wife and others in the town, disturbs him even more. "…you want to get on in life, there's things you have to ignore, so you can keep on" William cannot forget that he was born to an unwed mother in 1946, and his mother had only escaped the same fate as those girls he has seen through the Christian generosity of a Protestant widow. But for Mrs Wilson, where might William have ended up? Can he really tolerate the status quo? "He found himself asking was there any point in being alive without helping one another? Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what was there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror?" Keegan deftly portrays a hard-working man who is charitable and generous, both with what he has and his opinions of those around him. Her descriptive prose easily captures the setting and the mindset of society at that time, the power of the Catholic Church in small Irish towns. This powerful little tale demonstrates just how the Magdalen laundries were able to persist in a first-world country until four years short of the twenty-first Century and illustrates the saying that evil persists where good men fail to act. An uplifting story. This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.Cloggie Downunder

This book is well written and humorous, even if it deals with a range of serious subject matter such sex discrimination and orphanages run by the Catholic church. If this sounds like a contradiction, you will have to read the book to find out how well it works.Derrith

Thanks to NetGalley & Doubleday Books for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. This novel, a debut no less, was all over the place for me. Funny, satirical, sad, ironic, entertaining, witty, with elements of fantasy and feminism. And don't forget the magic realism of the dog. So did I like the novel and how would I rate it? I'm giving it 4 stars – read my review to find out why. Cleverly written with a quirky and memorable heroine, this is the story of chemist Elizabeth Zott. In the 1950s, when the story begins, it was very nearly impossible to be anything but a housewife/mother, nurse, or secretary. But Elizabeth fights against stereotypes throughout the novel – whether it's cooking, rowing, motherhood, or chemistry. Elizabeth's on-the-spectrum personality (literal, headstrong, blunt) propels the plot. And the plot is brilliant – things happen and people connect (and reconnect) in ways that both surprised me and had me admiring how the author fit everything together. There were several provoking aspects to the story – some of which were the way people misunderstood each other, the sexist attitudes, and how some characters fought against and often overcame the 1950s cultural norms. What gives the novel depth is that the story is told from different characters' points of view, including Six-Thirty, the dog. And these characters were compelling. The reader learns what each is thinking, and why, and we can often anticipate the way things will be misunderstood, which makes for laughs as well as sighs. While the book contains a great deal of wit, as another reviewer mentioned, there are serious issues including brutal abuse which is described in detail, and a suicide due to homophobia. And the sexism is rampant which unfortunately was how it was back in the 1950s, with some areas still troublesome today. But in the end the bad guys get their comeuppance, with loose ends tied up, providing a satisfying conclusion.PhyllisE

This book for me I really liked because it was an easy read with a lot of parts that allowed me to stop and see how they connected to my life. Being in my 20s there are a lot of statements in the book that resonated with me and made me stop and say it’s not just me and that felt nice. What I liked most about this book was the real life stories in connection with the research. The book had a perfect balance of human stories that were also supported by research findings but in a way where it all made sense and flowed. I feel like if you’re in your 20s or know someone in their 20s that likes to read this book is a good staple.vanessa.s

This book puts your twenties into perspective! Every twentysomething should read it. It provides clarity, direction and motivation. Definitely highly recommend this book!!Sav

I’m in my mid twenties and probably haven’t sat down to actually finish a whole book unless it was for a class. But this was a hard one to put down! I recommend this book to anyone in their twenties or even later teens. I feel like these years can be so lonely, our friends are living it with us and it seems like our parents are so far past it so it can feel difficult to navigate. But to have a book that feels so relatable and insightful was definitely something I needed. So if you’ve ever wondered about if your life is going to turn out, I definitely recommend this book.Toni

This book is a little different twist for Lisa Wingate. She has taken actual events, the adoption scandal of The Tennessee Children's Home Society that was exposed in 1950, and has woven an engrossing account of lives changed. A large family living on a houseboat on the Mississippi River finds themselves in a desperate situation one dark and stormy night. The father must take the mother, in the midst of a life-threatening childbirth, to the hospital leaving the five children on the boat. Operatives for the predatory orphanage grab the children and propel them into a terrifying situation. Big sister Rill tries desperately to protect her siblings and keep them together through it all. It is told in two different voices in two different times, but unlike some books that doesn't prove a distraction. It is very easy to keep it all straight, and it adds to the suspense by taking you up to a point and then pulling you back to a different aspect of the story. The characters are well developed, and you are allowed to peel back the layers slowly to get the big picture. As Rill's story unfolds, you are held spellbound by the unrelenting sadness of her situation, and horrified by the fact that these things really happened to some children. Wingate has a gift for imagery that pulls you into a scene. But in true Lisa Wingate fashion, there are also plenty of happier moments to relieve the sadness and many truths uncovered. The other voice is that of Avery, the daughter and heir-apparent of a political dynasty. Her story gives some interesting insights into how political families live their lives on display. She wasn't the most sympathetic character in the beginning, but she did grow on me as she learned to be more aware of her own aspirations and feelings. This is a well-crafted new effort from Wingate – one of those books you can't put down and you don't want to end!Pittypat

Twelve-year-old Rill Foss, the "princess of Kingdom Arcadia", lives on the Mississippi River with her parents and four siblings in a homemade shanty boat built by her dad. The river proves to be more forgiving than land during the Great Depression, and Rill's family flourishes on hard work, a little food, and lots of love. They don't have much but they're happy. Queenie, Rill's mother, must be rushed to the hospital late one night while giving birth to twins. Policemen come to the boat the next day and kidnap the five siblings, starting a nightmare of abuse, scandal, loss and perseverance for Rill. Told from two angles, one from Rill during the 30's; the other from Avery, a distant relative during present day life in Aiken, South Carolina, the plot weaves closer and closer together, keeping your interest with each turn of the page (or touch of the screen, whichever applies!). The story and people are fiction but based on true events that happened in Memphis Tennessee when Georgia Tann was investigated for child trafficking, running a black market baby adoption scheme that involved powerful political and Hollywood figures. Lisa Wingate gives life to each character and their surroundings; you'll hurt for the victims as if they truly existed. I can easily recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about human emotion, especially when the plot is based on historical events. It will captivate you with the first page, and you'll keep reading until you can make sense of the mess created by stolen children, whose identities were wiped clean, names and histories changed. Excellent read, but will leave you with a sadness that this situation happened and flourished during harsh times. (I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for making it available.)Avid Historical Fiction Reader

This is not the edition I received. Instead, they sent a much older version of it. Yet, I had to pay from my own pocket for the return.Victoria

4.5 stars Twenties Girl is the fourth stand-alone novel by British author, Sophie Kinsella. Life isn't going terribly well for Lara Lington: without saying why, her boyfriend, Josh has broken up with her (but she's sure he still loves her, he just needs to be reminded); her fledgling business is in trouble since Natalie (best friend, business partner and front of the whole enterprise) has followed some bloke to Goa; her parents are worrying about her financial security and her psychological welfare; her sister Tonya (married, kids, perfect life) is far too eager to discuss how well Lara is coping (or not) with her break-up; and her parents are insisting she attend her Great Aunt Sadie's funeral. And now she's being haunted? That's all she needs to put her over the edge. A beautiful young woman in an (admittedly gorgeous) 1920's dress is demanding her necklace. When the woman identifies herself as Sadie Lancaster, guilt about the neglect shown to her 105-year-old great aunt sees Lara stopping the funeral with a claim of murder. And from there, thing just get crazier. This is a madcap ghost story that's got intrigue, romance, a good helping of humour and a heart-warming ending. A delightful read.Cloggie Downunder

This book speaks truth! I have never laughed and cried so much with a book. He writes in such a way that it makes you see things from a different perspective. Every 20-something needs to read this book!aaf

I bought this book my senior year of college. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life after college. I loved how this book was such an easy and quick read yet there was so much advice to take in. Paul talks about almost every aspect in life that we 20 something year old will encounter. I also love how he adds humor to his advice and it just comforts you knowing you're not the only one going through whatever it is you're going through!yyq

"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒔𝒘𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝑳𝒊𝒍𝒚. 𝑾𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆." I'm gonna be honest, I thought Colleen Hoover's books would never be for me. However, the amount of hype It Ends With Us receives made me want to meet the infamous Atlas and Lily. I knew very little about it, I thought I'd hate it… I was very wrong. Colleen Hoover wrote this heavy, intense story so flawlessly, I simply could not put it down. The strength this book carries is unimaginable. It is a story with messages woven within the simplistic style of writing that I don't believe I'll ever forget. Also, Lily Bloom is an unforgettable character, and not just because her name happens to be 'Lily Bloom'. Her strength is incredibly admirable. Aaaaaand, I'm actually wanting to read more CoHo books now – hopefully I'll come across Verity or Ugly Love.Lena

Read this over the weekend because I had Covid and laid in bed all week. Absolutely glad I read it in a weekend, because I would been very upset if I had invested anymore time into it. Truly disappointing read, the story feels force and unnatural. It's not all terrible I rather enjoyed the about the letter to Ellen regarding her interactions with Atlas those feel natural. Everything seems like an exmachina to keep the story going or rather create a story. Don't see how this author could be on NY times best-selling list, really don't see how this books has so much hype. It feels done like I've somehow already read this book, not very original. Which is a shame because I think if the author was aiming for this to be a book about DV she missed the boat. It feels more like a book about lost and found romance than a young woman overcoming and ending the circle of abuse so many women find themselves inpregnanttargetlady

This book is truly a masterpiece! Colleen knows how to grab the readers attention and keep it there!! It has been sometime now since I’ve had such a good read as I have found in this book set of two with the starting book, “it ends with us,” AS I AM FINDING IT QUITE HARD TO KEEP MY HANDS OFF IT!! I SO DO LOOOOVE THIS BOOK!! IM already immediately roaring for Lily, then it’s Ryle…OMG-THEN ATLAS!!?? WHAT THE….. Yes! This book is AWESOME!! A purely find myself so wrapped around the writing of this author portraying the characters out, every drop of it, I find myself actually purposefully trying to not read the book TOO QUICKLY!!! I knooow THATS CRAZY!??? However, DONT JUDGE ME..LOL…I’m an AVID reader, my friend/s! I’ve read since I was 8! NOVELS!! **Anyways! I look forward to getting through this book and beginning “it begins with us, “which of course we all know is the sequel to the book I’m reading now! Miss Colleen Hoover is quite a talented writer, I knew that she had talent, however, she has held on to my attention and probably will never be able to let go of it!!!!!!!!!! Awesome BOOK PICK!!! -ShannonShannon

Im not one to read books,never was much of a book lover. I prefer magazines. Once I began reading it,I could not stop. I took to work with me,read on my breaks. Read it during the car washes. I never thought I would enjoy a book so much.I went on Ebay,2 chapters into the book and bought another by Alisa. It makes me laugh at times,and others times Im like wow.Charaters seemed very real,easy to relate to,and understand,but all different in theyre own way. It has very good detail on every woman. I recommended this book to all my friends.bayarea831

This was a fantastic book. Written well and gave a great insight into stereotypic views of the latino/hispanic culture. The book made me happy and sad and i couldnt put it down. I even purchased another book by the same author!! Enjoy!happydb3

I had the an old version I brought back in 2005. I loved that book because it helped me to get my finances in order. I was able to get my credit card debit to nearly 0. I brought a new SUV and paid cash for it. And last but not least, I brought a brand new home in October of 2005. I decided recently that I want to work for myself but I also need to plan for my retirement. I wanted and update version of the book to help through this process.carmella33us

Although this book is directed to 20 and 30 somethings, anyone could benefit from the advice of this financial laden book. It shows that early savings in a retirement plan can grow with compounding and reinvesting of dividends. The earlier you invest, the less it takes to reach your million. Also, it has basic suggestions on how to manage your money and stay out of debt. It is a nice graduation gift and even a nicer graduation gift with a little money inside the cover.kool*gifts

The Book of Great Books has given me the opportunity to read books I have heard about but not read. The book gives you an education on how to analyze and understand plots of those books. I strongly recommend this book to everyone.greanngree

I haven't read much of this book yet, but I love this author, and the subject sounds like a great read. It came very quickly, and it's bound to be on a best seller list soon.grannie beth

I got this book to read for my book club. I like it so far! Its different from any other books Ive read by Sue Monk Kidd! The book is in very good condition.beckylee5353

After downloading the book I was not happy with the formatting. Not as easy to use in pdf formatting. I , personally, would not do again.cshegwer

Extremely unusual connection of characters. Absolutely unpredictable. Very atmospheric of Baltimore in a particular time. Stayed with me long after I finished it.Susan

A very compelling mystery. The main character draws you in and evolves as the plot progresses. The story line plays off of predictable themes but the narration of those themes — the way that they are handled by Lippman — get you to see the old familiar social facts from a fresh perspective. I highly recommend this book.cpdoodle

Comprei este livro por ter sido sugerido. É de leitura fácil. Recomendo pelo conteúdo e o que ensina. Tem no final notas que nos orienta a pesquisar e dar continuidade ao tema.Suzel

The format for this study is quite ingenious. First participants read the author's thoughts and challenges then have five days in which to journal their own thoughts when answering various questions. Sarah Martin wants people to once again regain perspective from one of self to one of making Jesus known to those around them. What began this journey for Sarah was actually reading a book by Chuck Colson titled How Now Shall We Live? Personally I know this is a helpful book as my family has read it gleaning nuggets of truth that compel the reader's heart to the Lord. People are encouraged to seek the Lord and read His Word in order to understand to what purpose He has called them. Some of the questions might best be shared in a one-on-one type of scenario instead of a large group. While I can see why the subtitle of the study is 'A Call to Make Jesus Famous' I don't believe that is accurate of what He has called us to do. However the heart of the study is seeking God hearing God and then doing what He leads you to do. The challenge presented is not to keep living for Him one day of the week or one area of our lives but across the board. In order to do that we must submit ourselves to Him and obey where He leads.LJ88

Dawn has come and it's time to get your day started. What do you do first? Do you like me jump in to all the daily to dos OR do you start your day with Jesus and put him first? In Just Rise Up! by Sarah Francis Martin you are challenged to put Jesus first and to make him 'Famous!' Our personal agendas mean nothing to God and it's show in this book that God will make sure that His goals and dreams for you will come before anything you might have planned. Studying Pslam 145 you will learn how to put Jesus first in your life by acts of worship prayer praise and even acts of service to others. Your relationship with God is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing that you could ever spend time on and there is one quote that I just loved; His greatness doesn't depend on what we think of Him but out faith is greatly increased when we dwell on and love Him with grand thoughts. This is such a wonderful way to look at things. Our relationship with God isn't about making Him greater (He's already great) but instead about our faith. Martin has included journal prompts to help you find your way to living life authentically and making Jesus famous in your life. Once he is famous in your life you can help others to make him famous in theirs. I know that I need to work on putting Jesus first and this book will be a wonderful help. I tend to get stuck in the daily chores that I need to do as a mom and I can take a minute to slow down and hopefully show the world that Jesus is a part of my life by living a life for him. (Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)Bethany@MOMadeMomma