Hello Reader,

We know you’re always looking for your next good read, so we have some great recommendations.

Every month, you’ll receive team CGF’s top picks of books to help you improve your finances, advance your career, practice self-care, or get lost in a fantasy world.

Here is our list of July 2026 book recommendations!

• Note: This book list contains affiliate links from Amazon. Clever Girl Finance is an Amazon Associate which means we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases. These commissions help us keep our resources free!
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• We also encourage you to support your local independent booksellers! You can search by your location here.​
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Finance pick:The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life

Ask any financial expert how to get rich, and they'll say "invest." Ask them to explain how, and things usually get confusing. That’s where JL Collins comes in to clear the air.

In The Simple Path to Wealth, Collins delivers a powerful roadmap for financial independence. He cuts through the noise on critical topics like debt elimination, the power of having "F-you Money," and smart investing through market highs and lows.

By proving why simple portfolios outlast complex strategies, he takes the mystery out of retirement accounts and long-term planning.

Written with a blend of lighthearted humor and straight talk, Collins gives you the tools to confidently own your financial destiny.

Self-help pick:101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think

More than just insightful essays, this book holds the inner workings of what makes us human. Author Brianna Wiest writes in a way that helps you find profound meaning and understanding when it comes to how you think, without being overly academic or exhaustively philosophical.

​101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, is so fascinating in its ability to take run-of-the-mill self-improvement advice, like "be positive" and "follow your passion", and flip it on its head. Instead, you get practical advice on how embracing negative thinking can actually lead to resilience and clarity. You learn why it is far more useful to follow your purpose instead of romanticizing the pursuit of passion.

Because the essays are short and concise, you get straight to the meat of the message without any of the fluff.

If you are someone who values personal growth and believes in trying a little harder each day to be the best version of yourself, this book will not only guide you, it will transform you. Many readers rave about this collection, calling it a book they revisit again and again.

If you know you’ve only scratched the surface of who you are, this book will widen the vision you have for yourself and show you just what your life could be.

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Business pick: Power Moves - Mind Your Business: A Workbook to Grow Your Creative Passion Into a Full-time Gig

Almost everyone has a passion project or side hustle they secretly dream of turning into a full-time career. Perhaps instead of constantly splitting your energy between a day job that covers the bills and the creative work that actually fires you up, your desire is to focus entirely on your own path. You long to transform your creativity into a reliable income, but the starting line feels completely out of reach.

It’s natural to worry that trading a steady paycheck for your dreams will end in financial struggle. Author Ilana Griffo understood those exact fears firsthand, yet she successfully built a thriving, six-figure design studio out of a simple hobby.

In Mind Your Business, Griffo channels her experience into a comprehensive guide to help aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. Packed with wisdom from seasoned founders, essential legal tips, budgeting strategies, and mistake-proofing tools, this book hands you a rock-solid road-map for your venture. You will learn how to:

• Bypass the classic mistakes that derail most new startups
• Establish a powerful presence on online platforms
• Leverage actionable SEO and social media tactics to outpace the competition

Mind Your Business shows you exactly how to take your creative passion and scale it into a sustainable, growing empire.

Fiction Pick: Pachinko

Not every love story is about romance and happy endings. Some love stories are about sacrifice and making hard choices. Pachinko is the tale of how one woman chooses a difficult path in life to provide a better future for her child.

Taking place in the early 1900s, the story follows Sunja, a poor Korean teenage girl who falls in love with a wealthy stranger. When she discovers she is pregnant, she also uncovers the unsettling news that her lover is already married.

In an effort to secure a future for herself and her unborn baby, she says nothing to him. Instead, she agrees to marry a gentle minister who is passing through town on his way to Japan.

However, this single decision sets off an epic journey that will transcend generations.

This novel isn't merely a tale of misfortune; it opens your eyes to a side of Korean culture and history that is little-known to many outside of it. If you're looking for a book whose vivid imagery will transport you to another place and time, filled with page-turning emotions, Pachinko is the book for you.

Personal development pick: Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve

If you’re a career-driven woman, you’ve likely heard the expression "It’s lonely at the top." The implication is that the more success you achieve, the fewer meaningful connections and relationships you will keep.

Author and psychologist Dr. Alison Fragale heard similar stories from high-achieving women and found herself wondering: Can women reach the level of success they desire and climb the corporate ladder without sacrificing the camaraderie they’ve built with their peers?

After diving into the research, Fragale discovered that how people, women in particular, are perceived has a lasting effect on their reputation. The secret lies in being viewed as both a warm and assertive person, otherwise known as a "likeable badass."

If you’re looking for real-world advice blended with research-backed behavioral science and laced with humor, Likeable Badass is a must-read. For every woman who craves success but refuses to sacrifice her personality to get it, this book is for you.

Which read will you choose this month?

Which book are you considering? Let us know in the comments!

Don’t forget you can stay motivated and learn other financial tips and tricks from our completely free financial courses.​

Happy reading! ❤️
Team CGF