Florence Osmund's favorite literary fiction novels about ordinary people facing extraordinary choices

Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of The Kite Runner Book cover of Where the Crawdads Sing Book cover of The Remains of the Day Book cover of A Man Called Ove

The best books about becoming yourself

Book cover of How to be Loved Book cover of The Perks of Being a Wallflower Book cover of Hello Beautiful Book cover of Bel Canto Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees

The best bold heroines in alchemical adventures where the marvelous cavorts with reality

Book cover of Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype Book cover of Like Water for Chocolate Book cover of The Hummingbird's Daughter Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of West with the Night: A Memoir

The best southern novels that aren't "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Book cover of A Painted House Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of Arkansas Summer Book cover of Loving the Dead and Gone Book cover of The Prince of Tides

The best (quiet, character-driven) books about finding family

Book cover of Bastard Out of Carolina Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of Where the Heart Is Book cover of Anne of Green Gables Book cover of Practical Magic

The best visionary books for lovers of democracy

Book cover of Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements Book cover of Strange News from Another Star, and Other Tales Book cover of Angels on the Clothesline: A Memoir Book cover of Every Day Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees

The best coming of age books with strong female characters, family secrets, and a touch of magic

Book cover of Brown Girl Dreaming Book cover of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake Book cover of Like Water for Chocolate Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of Beloved

The best books of suspense with a splash of paranormal to make you wonder who’s watching you

Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of We Were Liars Book cover of The Last Mrs. Parrish Book cover of The Bad Place Book cover of Enemy Among Us

The best books for inspiring resilience and change in the face of adversity

Book cover of Deacon King Kong Book cover of Solito: A Memoir Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of The Sentence Book cover of Faith's Reckoning

The best books that illuminate the unique life of outsider children in the South

Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of Cold Sassy Tree Book cover of Salvage the Bones Book cover of The Cicada Tree Book cover of To Kill a Mockingbird

The best forgotten coming of age novels

Book cover of Ellen Foster Book cover of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of She's Come Undone Book cover of Where the Heart Is

The best books about leaving home, travel, and self-discovery

Book cover of A Room with a View Book cover of Jane Eyre Book cover of The Secret Life of Bees Book cover of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail Book cover of Eat Pray Love

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Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 90 books like The Secret Life of Bees.

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Interested in South Carolina, African Americans, and sisters?

South Carolina 55 books
African Americans 849 books
Sisters 225 books