Ladies, books are important. I might be biased because I'm an English major, but really – they are. Books have long given women the power to express their experiences intelligently. We turn to them to feel our own feelings, and to find the words to describe ourselves. When in doubt, you can always turn to these female literary giants to find out who you really are.

1. Margaret Atwood

The dystopian novelist and environmental activist nails how it feels to be a college student on the brink of entering the "real world":

"Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise." (from "Cat's Eye")

2. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

You probably know her from Beyoncé's ***Flawless, but Chimamanda has also written several fantastic novels, including "Americanah" and "Half of a Yellow Sun". As usual, she understands how you feel about being a so-called "intimidating" woman if you are intelligent or outspoken:

“Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.”

3. Maya Angelou

Feminist icon and Pulitzer Prize winner Maya Angelou captured a lot of universal feelings in her poetry. Plus, in her autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," she nails the excitement and dread of being a twenty-something:

"To be left alone on the tightrope of youthful unknowing is to experience the excruciating beauty of full freedom and the threat of eternal indecision."

4. Malala Yousafzai

If you ever need inspiration to continue your education or to unite with other women in an unstoppable force of change, turn to Malala:

“There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women.” (from "I Am Malala")

5. Jane Austen

Jane Austen isn't as stuffy as reluctant English students expect. Case in point: in her letters, she embodies being antisocial and feeling that liking everyone just takes too much effort:

“I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal.”

6. Charlotte Brontë

Another classic literary lady that gets accused of being stuffy and boring is our good friend Charlotte Brontë. But look! She's a girl like us who doesn't want to be expected to be "ladylike" all the time:

“I would always rather be happy than dignified.” (from "Jane Eyre:)

7. Sylvia Plath

Ah, Sylvia. Champion of emotional 14-year-old girls everywhere. Believe it or not, Ms. Plath actually has some more uplifting moments in her work. In "The Bell Jar," she artfully explains those moments when you just need to remind yourself that yes, you are a person:

“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.”

8. Tina Fey

Our generation's spirit animal, Tina Fey, is a talented and hilarious writer, as well as a professional actor and cool mom. Part of the reason we relate to her so much is that she is a successful woman who does (and gets) what she wants, all while ignoring other people's unimportant demands:

“If you retain nothing else, always remember the most important rule of beauty, which is: who cares?” (from "Bossypants")

9. Amy Tan

She really knows what it feels like to put on the perfect outfit – whether it's your freakum dress to make an ex jealous or your power suit to nail a job interview:

"I had on a beautiful red dress, but what I saw was even more valuable. I was strong. I was pure. I had genuine thoughts inside that no one could see, that no one could ever take away from me. I was like the wind." (from "The Joy Luck Club")

10. Zora Neale Hurston

And Zora Neale Hurston really knows what feels better than the perfect dress: a perfect day. That seemingly indescribable feeling of power that the sun and the wind give you:

“The morning air was like a new dress. That made her feel the apron tied around her waist. She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet… From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything.” (from "Their Eyes Were Watching God")

11. Betty Smith

And finally, Betty Smith knows exactly what it's like to be empowered by literary ladies and the masterful works they create, like "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn":

“The world was hers for the reading.”