Books About Women in STEM
Books about women in STEM are becoming more popular, and it’s about time! In the past, women in STEM have been overlooked. Their contributions are minimized, and the story often becomes one of male achievement. Jackie and I have noticed more books, both fiction and nonfiction, are being written about women in science and I wanted to make a list of my favorites.
I love reading books where the female characters feel like they could be real people. In the past, too many female characters were, in my opinion, not representative of real women. So, I have been so happy with the number of books I have read recently with women in science, technology, engineering, and math; women in politics; and women in sports.
The Best Books About Women in STEM
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
The Best Book About Women in Science
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict- Jump to Section
The Best Book About Women in Technology
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabriele Sevin- Jump to Section
The Best Book About Women in Engineering
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid- Jump to Section
The Best Book About Women in Math
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn- Jump to Section
The Best Nonfiction Book About Women in STEM
Code Girls by Liza Mundy- Jump to Section
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Books About Women in Science
The Other Einstein
Author: Marie Benedict
Year: 2016
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
The story of Mileva Maric is an absolutely fascinating one that has not been told. This book gives a glimpse into the life of Albert Einstein’s wife who was a brilliant physicist that contributed to the special theory of relativity. How much of a role she actually played has been debated for years.
It is clear from the letters that Albert Einstein wrote, he was a horrible husband and this book brings him into a new light. It is a shame that his first wife, Mileva, a brilliant scientist herself, is a mere footnote in history.
Why Kirsten loves it
I like the way the story was written and it will certainly bring about a lively discussion as a book club book.
Why Jackie loves it
I never knew that Mileva was a brilliant physicist. I loved reading her story- especially the way Benedict writes.
Find this book in: Books About Women in STEM / Books Like Lessons in Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Year: 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: April 2022 GMA Book Club Pick
Age Range: 14+
Plot
I don’t even know where to begin with this unique contemporary fiction story. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 50s when women were expected to know their place in society- the kitchen and the home. I did not know what to expect when the book started and I never could have guessed where the story would take me.
Elizabeth struggles to be taken seriously in her field and as a single mother, in this amazing book. So when an offer to host a cooking show for women is put in her path, she reluctantly takes it.
She uses her no-nonsense attitude and chemistry principles to teach the women in America how to cook and follow their dreams outside of the home.
Zott is a quirky character like Eleanor Oliphant with a charming daughter and a dog whose inner monologue is as quirky as hers. This is also an absolutely wonderful book about motherhood!
Trigger Warnings
Sexism
Why Jackie loves it
Elizabeth Zott is never characterized as neurodivergent. However, the way that she relates to the other characters leads me to believe that she is. I love the character growth and I was cheering for her success throughout the entire book. Can I also tell you how much I LOVE Six-Thirty?
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved seeing a woman before her time being a powerful strong role-model. She thrived and set a great example for her daughter. That is not even to mention the narration of this book! She is so great and so is six-thirty.
Find this book in: Lessons in Chemistry Book Club Guide / 15 Books Like Lessons in Chemistry/ Books About Mothers and Motherhood / Books Like Eleanor Oliphant / Books About Women in the Workplace / Books About Food / Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Books Set in the 1960s
The Love Hypothesis
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Olive Smith is a Ph.D. student who does not believe in her ability to be in love. When her best friend develops a crush on someone she dated briefly, she decides to kiss the first man she sees to prove she is over him.
That one kiss happens to be with THE Adam Carlsen, an academic genius, who is also very standoffish. The two decide to fake-date and what starts as pretend, becomes something more- for Olive.
Trigger Warnings
Strong sexual content
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this fake dating book/office romance novel that is also a perfect example of the grumpy sunshine trope. I love reading about a strong and smart female protagonist rather than a damsel in distress.
Adaptation
A movie is being made of the book for Amazon starring Lili Reinhart (Olive Smith) and Tom Bateman (Adam Carlsen). Filming is currently underway but the release timeline is not yet known.
Find this book in: The Complete List of Romance Tropes / Fake Dating Books / Grumpy Sunshine Books / Books Like the Kiss Quotient / Hot Office Romance Books / Ali Hazelwood Books Ranked / Books Becoming Movies/ Books About Women in STEM
Books About Women in Tech
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Author: Gabriele Zevin
Year: 2022
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
From the Author of “The Storied Life of A.J Fikry” comes a story that spans thirty years. Sam and Sadie have been friends since childhood when Sam opened up to Sadie in a hospital when he wouldn’t talk to anyone else. When they reconnect in their college years, they work together to create a hit video game, it ends up changing their lives forever with its juggernaut success.
As they navigate the ups and downs of friendship and working together, they come together and drift apart during the important moments that shape their lives. This novel examines what it means to love and be loved and how friendships evolve and shift over time.
Trigger Warnings
Gun violence, Suicide
Why Kirsten likes it
Unlike the majority of readers, I liked this story but didn’t love it. It was very character-driven, which I normally enjoy, but the lack of communication really frustrated me at times. It was understandable at first, but eventually got old. Still, I enjoyed learning more about the world of gaming, I liked following Sam and Sadie’s friendship through highs and lows, and I liked the balance between heavy-hitting topics and funny, quirky moments. It was heavy on the video gaming lingo and development process which I found fascinating but others might find dull.
Find this book in: Books about Friendship / Books About Women in STEM
Plot
Zoe is a promising Harvard scientist whose life is changed when she meets Jack in one of her classes. As their intellectual sparring leads to an unlikely friendship, they end up working together to tackle a scientific breakthrough that could reverse aging and expand the life expectancy of everyone on earth.
Through the ups and downs of working on the science to launch a tech startup, from friendship to partners to lovers, this story captures an incredible story of science, love, and ethics.
Why Kirsten loves it
As someone who watched The Dropout with rapt attention, this story was right up my alley. I couldn’t tell where it was going, but I loved seeing how young scientists could become sucked into the lucrative but crazy world of launching a biotech startup.
It was a roller coaster of a story and I adored the creative choice of having Jack become the narrator around the 70% mark. It reminded me of Fates and Furies in the way it totally reframed the story and filled in the missing pieces.
Plot
Aurora, a startup on the brink of sale, is hosting it’s annual executive retreat – a glorified party dressed up as work. From clubbing to paragliding, yachting to inappropriate relationships, it’s a wonder these execs had a chance to sign the merger papers.
And in the middle of it all, one of the top executives winds up dead – possibly murdered – and they all need to keep it hush hush for the sale to go through. Narrated from the employees’ perspectives, it was a riot to figure out motives and gain access to each one’s innermost thoughts.
Why Kirsten loves it
The crazy cast of characters and their INSANE antics might be too much for some readers, but I loved to hate each and every one of them. The over-the-top work retreat, toxic culture, and every-man-for-himself
Find this book in: Beach Reads 2024 / Books Set in Tropical Locations / Books About Women in STEM
The Circle
Author: Dave Eggers
Year: 2013
Genre: Fiction
More info: The Circle #1, New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
The Circle is about a social network whose founders are trying to get everyone in the world to use it. They link social media, emails, banking, and purchasing in one system.
Mae Holland is hired to work at the Circle and cannot believe her luck at the opportunity. As she spends more time with the company, she begins to wonder how ideal the company really is.
The Circle does some pretty dastardly things, though it takes a while for them to flesh out completely in the book. Soon Mae begins to question how much information is too much.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is a book that I think about years later because Dave Eggers predicted some of the very tech problems our world is facing today. The moral questions he raises in this book are playing out in the present day.
Find This Book in: Best Dystopian Novels of All Time / Books About Women in STEM
Books About Women in Engineering
Atmosphere
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Year: 2025
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: June 2025 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Joan is a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University, and she sees an advertisement for women to join the NASA space shuttle program. She applies and is chosen from thousands of applicants. She begins training in the summer of 1980 and forms deep friendships with the other astronauts in the program.
In December 1984, everything changed on mission STS-LR9. The book alternates between Joan’s application to the space program and her years of training, and the present mission in which there is an accident in space with Joan at mission control.
Why Jackie loves it
This book sucked me in from the first page. It’s crazy to think how far we have come in some ways and how stagnant we are in others. The amount of sexism that these women had to overcome to be in the space program felt personal but not exaggerated. #gifted
Adaptation
Before the book was even released, it was announced that Laika Studios would be turning it into a movie. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are set to direct.
Find this book in: Taylor Jenkins Reid Books Ranked / Books Like Lesson in Chemistry / Beach Reads 2025/ Books Set in the 80s / Best Historical Fiction Books of 2025 / Books Becoming TV Shows / Books About Women in STEM
The Engineer’s Wife
Author: Tracey Enerson Wood
Year: 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I had no idea that a woman was so instrumental in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Emily Warren Roebling is the focus of this historical fiction novel.
I loved learning about New York at the time of the bridge building and how hard Emily fought for her right to be part of the building.
Why Kirsten loves it
It’s also humbling to understand the dangers of building in the 1860s and 70s. Men risked their lives for the betterment of society. On the lighter side, all the scenes with P.T. Barnum made me smile. I used to work for the circus after all!
Find this book in: Books Set in New York / Gilded Age Books / Best Circus Books / Books About Women in STEM
Books About Women in Math
The Rose Code
Author: Kate Quinn
Year: 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of The Alice Network
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
While the main portion of this story features 3 code breakers at Bletchley during WWII, one of the main characters is dating Prince Philip. You know, the same Prince Philip who eventually marries the queen?
It’s a dual-timeline story and one of those storylines is set against the backdrop of Philip’s wedding to QE2.
Trigger Warnings
Death, child death, forced institutionalization
Why Kirsten loves it
This is a Kate Quinn royal novel, so the writing and story are both top-notch.
Find this book in: Ultimate List of Mystery Books / Books Like The Alice Network / Royal Reads / Books With Color in the Title / Best Books of 2021 / Books With Flowers in the Title / Books About Women in STEM
The Last Equation of Isaac Severy
Author: Nova Jacobs
Year: 2018
Genre: Mystery
More info: Wall Street Journal’s “Mysteries: Best of 2018”
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This book was compared to my favorite middle-grade mystery, The Westing Game so I immediately purchased it.
Days after Hazel’s grandfather, Isaac Severy, dies by apparent suicide, she gets a mysterious letter from Isaac imploring her to find and deliver his last equation before it falls into the wrong hands.
Why Kirsten loves it
It’s the perfect mystery novel for fans of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. This mystery is unique and so smart.
Find this book in: Books About Puzzles / Cozy Mystery Books / Books About Women in STEM
The Kiss Quotient
Author: Helen Hoang
Year: 2018
Genre: Romance
More info: Book 1 of 3
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This is a great romance with a neurodiverse main character named Stella who hires an escort to teach her about relationships. Math, she can figure out. Algorithms to predict customer purchases are second nature but relationships are beyond her scope. What starts out as a business relationship with Michael turns into a lot more.
Trigger Warnings
Graphic sexual content
Why Jackie loves it
I was not prepared for this book! Reader beware that it is the Rosie Project with a sprinkle of Pretty Woman and a whole lot of 50 Shades. It is not offensive in the least but, I listened to this one, and let me say that I am very glad that my kids were not in the car. I did not realize that some of the scenes would be graphic.
Find this book in: Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Helen Hoang Books / The Complete List of Romance Tropes/ Feel-Good Books / Books About Women in STEM
Nonfiction Books About Women in STEM
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
Author: Liza Mundy
Year: 2017
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This fascinating book tells the story of the code girls, the women who worked to decode messages during WWII. They worked incredibly hard to save the men on the frontlines, yet their work has been largely overlooked. Mundy shines a light on their story, which was almost lost completely.
Trigger Warnings
War, Sexism
Why Kirsten loves it
I’m not generally a huge non-fiction reader unless the topic is of particular interest to me. Having seen the Imitation Game and read quite a few non-fiction books about coding in war times, I thought this one would be interesting and it did not disappoint. I loved finding out about the trials and tribulations of the real-life heroes of the war that we rarely hear about.
Find this book in: Good Nonfiction Books for Beginners / Books like Lessons in Chemistry / Books about WWII / Books about Female Spies / Books About Women in STEM / Books Like The Alice Network
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Woman Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race
Author: Margot Lee Shetterly
Year: 2016
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This true and amazing story is about Black female mathematicians and their role in the space race. So many people know this story because of the movie but, the book gives so many more details.
These women, who were originally sent to teach math in the South’s segregated schools, were called into service during WWII. They were some of the most brilliant minds of their generation. They eventually helped in the race to space during the Cold War.
Trigger Warnings
Racism, Sexism
Why Jackie loves it
When I read this book, years before the movie came out, I couldn’t put it down. I was mesmerized by what these overlooked women had gone through as they worked to help their country.
Find this book in: Feel Good Nonfiction Books / Black History Book List / Books Like Lessons in Chemistry / Best Nonfiction Books / Books About Women in STEM
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Author: Rebecca Skloot
Year: 2010
Genre: Nonfiction Science
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 14+
Plot
In the 1950s an African-American woman named Henrietta Lacks unknowingly had her cells taken. These cells, known as HeLa, were the first human cells to survive outside the human body and could reproduce indefinitely. HeLa cells became the basis for medical breakthroughs from the creation of the Polio vaccine to cancer and Aids research. However, Henrietta Lacks’s family was never compensated for her contribution to science and could not afford to pay medical bills despite the cells making billions for companies.
Trigger Warnings
Racism
Why Jackie loves it
I read this book a few years ago and I was absolutely stunned. With each page, I kept thinking to myself “this can’t be true” and yet, somehow, it was. If you have not read this non-fiction book about poverty and science, it should be at the top of your list.
Find this book in: Books About Poverty / Best Nonfiction Books / Thought-Provoking Books / Books About Women in STEM
Expert Tip
Are you wondering how to choose a book about women in STEM you will love? Here are some expert tips:
- Books avout women in STEM are becoming much more popular. This means that you do not have to look as hard to find a book. Jackie and I have the genre of each book listed in the description. You can choose a book in your favorite genre.
- Jackie and I have read every one of these books. If you are not sure what book to pick, use our descriptions of the books to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is STEM?
STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Sometimes the acronym is written as STEAM, with the A for arts.
