“From Dec. 5 through Dec. 9, Facebook tasked innovators and tastemakers with publishing their most-recommended business reads on the platform, using the hashtag #ReadToLead. The campaign took off, with no less than Richard Branson and Bill Gates responding. Bustle's writers and editors wanted to know what career women were reading this year, so we waited until our results were in, and it was totally worth it.” We love these recommendations from Bustle writer, Kristian Wilson! 

“The titles span old and new, on a variety of topics and interests to feminists, both budding and seasoned.” 

Happy Friday, Bookworms! Here’s what the team at Simon & Schuster Canada is reading.

Alexandra, Marketing Assistant: A.J. Banner’s The Twilight Wife is a psychological suspense thriller that will leave you reassessing who you can trust when you don’t even know who you are. Since winter finally seems to have found Toronto, it’s the perfect read for a weekend spent curled up inside! 

Holley, Publicity Assistant: Feminist Fight Club by Jessica Bennett is an insightful guide full of so many great tips to help anyone feel empowered. It’s a great girl power read that promotes self-confidence and inner strength. Very enjoyable read and a great thing to talk about! 

“I write about a woman in my book who lives in Bismarck, North Dakota, and when she tells people she’s not married, they say, “I’m sorry.” Like it’s an illness. — Rebecca Traister, the author of All the Single Ladies 

Did you know that in the 19th century, it was single women who often founded colleges and expanded education for women? @chatelainemag explores why single women matter more than ever. Read: (x)

What's not to love about female protagonists who kick ass? Check out the books below for titles that feature strong, brave women.

Dark Territory by Susan Philpott, Author: http://ow.ly/Y8hqN The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield: http://ow.ly/Y8hmo Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs: http://ow.ly/Y8hxL Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish: http://ow.ly/Y8huZ

Planning to read a book on Valentine’s Day? Join the group: http://ow.ly/YaGYV

Female-Driven Urban Fantasy: A Reading List

Fans of the genre know that the best urban fantasy novels contain a mix of adventure, paranormal, romance, suspense, and (of course) fantasy. The novels below have all that and much more. Check out the list for some essential reads featuring female leads.

Owl and the City of Angels/Kristi Charish

Hailed as a modern-day “Indiana Jane”, antiquities thief Owl must head to one of the most volatile regions of the world to break into a heavily guarded archaeological site. Why, you ask? To stop the resurrection of an undead army set on the invasion of Los Angeles. Duh.  

Perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Indiana Jones, Owl and the City of Angels has it all—adventure, drama, fantasy, and sass.

The Drafter/Kim Harrison

Detroit 2030. Double-crossed by the person she loved and betrayed by the covert government organization that trained her to use her body as a weapon, Peri Reed is a renegade on the run. She is a drafter, possessed of a rare, invaluable skill for altering time, yet destined to forget both the history she changed and the history she rewrote. When Peri discovers her name is on a list of corrupt operatives, she realizes that her own life has been manipulated by the agency. 

The Bourne Identity meets Minority Report in this first highly anticipated installment in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison's new suspense trilogy.

Dreams of Shreds and Tatters/ Amanda Downum

When Liz Drake's best friend vanishes, nothing can stop her nightmares. Driven by the certainty he needs her help, she crosses a continent to search for him. This is Lovecraftian urban fantasy, but with all the worst excesses taken out. 

Four Reasons Philippa Gregory Turned Me into a Feminist

Best known for her book The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory has written 28 books with kick butt women as the main focal point. To celebrate her latest novel, The Taming of the Queen, which highlights King Henry VIII last wife, Kateryn Parr, we’ve come up with a list of 4 ways Philippa Gregory has turned you into a feminist, and you didn’t even know it!

1. These women were historically significant The characters Philippa Gregory continuously writes about are women who have been forgotten by history. Gregory has given these women a voice in a time when they were seen rather than heard. #FemalesHaveAVoice

2. Women are the main focus Although many of her leading ladies are married to kings, or politicians, whom generally history has focused on, Gregory focuses the entire book on the female protagonist. #GirlPower 

3. Her novels are not romance driven FINALLY! Gregory has found a balance between historical accuracy, romance and social justice. Instead of swooning over the main man who sweeps the damsel off her feet, swoon over the damsel who saves herself, or (in many cases) dies trying. #NoThanksIllSaveMyself

4. Her Characters Made a Difference in History Each one of her heroines has made a significant difference in history. Anne Boleyn gave birth to the first ever Queen of England who did not marry, who didn’t need a man by her side, and ruled by herself. Elizabeth went to war, was a voice for her people and did not bend to the rules of society just because a man told her too. This was only made possible by Kateryn Parr, The Taming of the Queen’s female protagonist, who ushered in the Third Succession of the Throne Act which made Princess Mary and Elizabeth eligible to inherit the throne. She was also the first Queen to publish a book! #YouGoGirl

Read more about historical kick-ass females in Gregory’s newest book The Taming of the Queen! Available August 25th, 2015!

How Issa Rae Learned Her Worth

The comedian and author (her new book is out this month) on being naive, broke, and finding her way.

Working women get all sorts of advice. Lean in, lean out, ask for a raise, but don't ask in the wrong way, be aggressive, but not too aggressive. We're also told to make sure not to forget about our personal lives, lest we end up foregoing families or love or travel or friendship in service of our careers. It's confusing and maddening, and we're all still struggling to figure it out.

Read the full interview with Issa Rae, the author of the new book of essays (and the star and creator of the web series of the same name) The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. You may be seeing Rae's hilarious, relatable comedy on HBO in the not-so-distant future; the network just ordered a pilot that Rae created and will star in called Insecure. (x)

Learn more.

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant is available December 9th, 2014.