Still looking for that perfect gift for Mom? Whether you’re a world-class procrastinator or somewhat of a perfectionist, finding something to show whomever you call Mom how much you love and appreciate her proves a tricky task every year. The clock may be ticking, but never fear. There’s always time for a trip to the bookstore. So, allow this list to be your guide!
No matter what genre your mom enjoys, we’ve got you covered: romances to make her heart swell, thrillers to keep her adrenaline pumping, science fiction and fantasy to take her on wild adventures, historical sagas to connect her with times past, and a few thought-provoking works of literary fiction that are sure to make her book club worship at her alter — which is, frankly, what she deserves.
Heck, why not take Mom to the bookstore with you? Treat her to a Mother’s Day trip to her favorite bookshop, and wow her with the insider knowledge below. Will she suspect you forgot to get her a gift? Probably. Moms seem to know everything. But she’ll appreciate the time with you all the same.
MAKE MOM THE STAR OF BOOK CLUB
Thought-Provoking Literary Fiction to Foster Memorable Discussions
Honor by Thrity Umrigar | Algonquin Books
Gripping, heart-wrenching and all-absorbing, this Reese Witherspoon book club pick is sure to captivate. When Indian American journalist Smita Agarwal receives an assignment on short notice, she’s apprehensive to return to the country that her family turned their backs on. The focus of her investigation is Meena, a Hindu woman brutally attacked by her family for marrying a Muslim man. With Smita’s help, Meena intends to bring her family to trial in the hopes of setting an example. But as the two women work on the case, Smita is confronted by long-kept secrets of her own.
Author Thrity Umrigar seamlessly weaves together the two women’s stories, creating a nuanced discussion of how a rich cultural heritage can be twisted by political corruption and close-mindedness. This evocative read balances sorrow and hope to tell a story of sacrifice, family devotion and the enduring strength of love.
Read Jennifer Blankfein’s full review.
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The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed | Knopf
Inspired by a historic miscarriage of justice, author Nadifa Mohamed dives into a harrowing discussion of racism and wrongful incarceration. With searing emotion, Mohamed tenderly depicts a man held captive by a broken institution, searching for hope amid ever-looming tragedy.
An ex-sailor with a complicated past, Mahmood Mattan is many things — but he is no murderer. When a local shopkeeper is found dead in her own store, however, police scour the area for “a black Somali man” seen just before the crime and begin to question everyone with dark skin and a mysterious past. As circumstantial evidence is gathered and Mahmood faces capital punishment, he soon realizes that his innocence may not be enough to save him. As Mahmood awaits trial, both he and the reader are forced to confront the false promises of freedom and opportunity that so many countries proclaim, and the painful reality that so many immigrants face.
Read Michael Ferry’s full review.
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The Next Thing You Know by Jessica Strawser | St. Martin’s Press
Engaging and meticulously plotted, Jessica Strawser’s The Next Thing You Know is a character study, a call for compassion and empathy and a hopeful read. Grab the tissue box and dive into this heartbreaking and uplifting book that will break you apart and put you back together again.
An end-of-life doula for the organization Parting Your Way, it’s Nova Huston’s calling to help terminally-ill patients prepare for their impending death. She’s worked with difficult clients before, and gladly — to Nova, being an end-of-life doula is her life’s purpose. But Mason proves to be Nova’s most difficult client yet, keeping her at an arm’s length as he struggles to face the reality of his situation. But the two have more in common than they may realize — and as they grow closer, their connection shows readers what it means to live with no regrets. Written with gentle, thought-provoking prose, The Next Thing You Know is a testament to love, compassion and strength in the face of loss.
Read Tif Marcelo’s full review.
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KEEP MOM UP LATE, TURNING PAGES, & HEART POUNDING
Spine-Chilling Thrillers and Suspense With the Occasional Dash of Horror
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas | Berkley
Enter spellbinding 19th-century Mexico with Isabel Cañas’ remarkable blend of suspense, horror, romance and supernatural gothic elements in The Hacienda. It’ll scare the pants off you, its lush, hypnotic prose causing you to stare into the shadows.
The year is 1823, shortly after the bloody Mexican War of Independence, and Beatriz’s family had the misfortune of being on the wrong side. With her father dead and her mother reduced to poverty, it’s clear marriage to rich Mexican landowner Don Rodolfo Solórzano is the only way out. But Hacienda San Isidro bears secrets, and so does everyone in and around it: her husband, whose first wife died under circumstances no one will discuss; his younger sister, Juana, who clearly runs the house but refuses to sleep in it; the very unpriestlike Father Andrés, who is newly come to town but already knows a great deal about San Isidro, its inhabitants, and … unearthly things. The only person she can completely count on is herself, but she has no idea of the depth of the malevolence surrounding her.
Read Neil Nyren’s full review and interview with Isabel Cañas.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough | William Morrow
Get ready to stay up all night with Sarah Pinborough’s electrifying new release Insomnia. This hair-raising thriller shows just how quickly a lack of sleep can cause reality to unravel.
39-year-old Emma Averell lives the good life as a high-powered lawyer, mother to two beautiful children and loving wife to her loyal, stay-at-home husband. But as her birthday approaches, Emma finds sleep becoming ever more scarce. The looming date also has an added significance — Emma’s own mother stopped sleeping just before her 40th birthday, and the insanity that soon took hold caused her to do the unforgivable. As Emma walks through her house in the dead of night, she can’t escape the fear that she’ll soon be facing the same fate, forced to turn into the same monster she spent her childhood terrified by. Grappling with complex topics like aging, motherhood and female guilt, Insomnia is the kind of thriller that feels all too real.
Read Dawn Ius’ review and Q&A with Sarah Pinborough.
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The Fervor by Alma Katsu | Putnam
With a blend of Japanese folklore and the horrors of American history, acclaimed author Alma Katsu crafts a tale of supernatural danger and the very real consequences of persecution.
Set in 1944 as World War II rages on, Meiko and her young daughter Aiko are uprooted from their Seattle home and forced into a Japanese internment camp. Imprisoned behind barbed wire, the situation is dire enough — but soon a strange illness begins to spread through the camp, and the camp’s newly-dispatched “doctors” seem to be even more of a threat than the disease itself. It doesn’t help that Aiko keeps telling Meiko she’s seeing strange creatures all around the camp — creatures that remind Meiko of the terrifying tales from her homeland. Both fantastical and rooted in the sometimes horrific reality of humanity itself, Katsu combines two staples of the horror genre to produce a truly haunting read.
Read Lydia Lefevre’s full review.
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Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild | Putnam
Brilliantly creative and morbidly witty, Blood Sugar winds a twisty tale of motive, murder and a woman unafraid to stand by her beliefs, as abhorrent as they may be to others.
A self-described animal lover, therapist and wife, Ruby Simon wants you to know she is not a sociopath — the three people she’s killed all deserved it. But the Miami police aren’t concerned about those murders, at least not yet. It’s another death they have questions about: one that Ruby, ironically, didn’t actually cause. Author Sascha Rothchild crafts an incredible anti-heroine who, despite her crimes, is sure to wheedle her way onto your good side. Filled with surprising turns, and told by a woman with indelible humor and knife-sharp observation (not that she’d ever use a knife), Blood Sugar is not one to be missed.
Read Neil Nyren’s full review and interview with Sacha Rothchild.
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TAKE MOM ON A JOURNEY TO BYGONE ERAS
Sweeping Historical Fiction for Those Enchanted by the Past
The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani | Dutton
Adriana Trigiani dazzles readers with the tale of one family’s enduring legacy in the Tuscan hills in The Good Left Undone.
For over a century, the Cabrelli family have been respected artisans and tradesmen, having earned a reputation as gem cutters and craftsmen of fine jewelry and Sacred Vessels. Bound by blood and extended familial relationships, the Cabrellis are not immune to jealousies, rivalries and rifts; the three remaining generations no longer live close to each other: Sharply critical grandmother Metelda resides at the former family villa. Daughter Nicolina tends to the family business in Lucca. Granddaughter Anina is torn between increasing her role in the family trade and moving away with her fiancé. And Metelda’s estranged younger brother, Nino, left Italy years ago. Matelda’s 81st birthday prompts her to share the closely held family history, which unfolds through seamless movement from 1920, World War II and on to the present day.
Read Linda Hitchcock’s full review.
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The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn | William Morrow
Amid WWII, can Lady Death, a quiet bookworm turned lethal sniper, hit her mark? In The Diamond Eye, New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn manages to give her readers something that’s both engaging because it’s well written and exciting because it’s grounded in truth.
The novel highlights the amazing career of Lyudmila (Mila) Pavlichenko, who not only volunteered to defend Mother Russia during WWII but excelled in her role as a sniper — proving to be so lethal that the Nazis nicknamed her “Lady Death.” When news of her record reaches the global stage, she is sent to the United States where her unlikely friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and a connection with a fellow sniper, brings her glimpses of happiness after the horrors and heartbreak she endured on the front line. But where there is a President, there are those who wish to see him fail. Can Mila protect her new friends while battling her own demons?
Read Lydia Lefevre’s full review.
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Sister Stardust by Jane Green | Hanover Square Press
A stunning love letter to Talitha Getty, Marrakech and the ’60s, Sister Stardust transports readers to a time where life was carefree, exhilarating and dangerous.
Leaving her small town behind, Claire arrives in London only to get swept up by a new group of friends and land at the newly renovated palace of famous model, actress and socialite Talitha and wealthy oilman Paul Getty in Marrakesh. With parties and a glamorous lifestyle, this new life-in-the-fast-lane for a small-town girl is eye-opening and intoxicating. Talitha Getty immediately becomes the mysterious and beautiful woman Claire, now dubbed Cece by her sophisticated friends, is drawn to and a deep friendship blooms … one not to be forgotten. Amid the throngs of musicians, models, dancing, drugs and sex, the connection to kindred spirit Talitha weighs heavily on Cece, as do her own secrets, as she figures out who she really is and makes decisions that determine her fate and future.
Read Jennifer Blankfein’s full review and Q&A with Jane Green.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
LET MOM FALL HEAD-OVER-HEELS IN LOVE
Swoonworthy Romances to Make Her Heart Glow
Book Lovers by Emily Henry | Berkley
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read, Emily Henry has written the perfect antidote for the blahs with her newest upbeat novel, Book Lovers. A sparkling romantic comedy for people who already love the genre, her skillful and well-honed writing should also win over those who think they dislike romance novels.
Bibliophile Nora Stephens is a top literary agent with a stellar roster of clients and a secret passion is book editing. Despite her workaholic tendencies, she agrees to a month-long vacation in Sunshine Falls, NC, with her younger sister where she bumps into Charlie Lastra, a brooding, executive editor for a prestigious boutique publishing house who passed on Nora’s prized client’s manuscript — big mistake; it was a huge hit. Though their mutual dislike is palpable, they begin a surprisingly harmonious collaboration on their mutual client’s next book, finding a magnetic attraction much stronger than their quick repartee.
Read Linda Hitchcock’s full review.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Know You by Heart by Tif Marcelo | Montlake
Tif Marcelo’s Know You by Heart brings the marriage of convenience trope, most common in historical romances, into a contemporary storyline, adding the marriage-in-trouble and friends-to-lovers tropes along with a rich thread of Filipino culture to create a wonderfully moving novel.
Christopher Puso and Eden Chan shared an instant connection upon meeting 11 years ago, but neither one acted on their feelings. Seven years later, Chris needs to marry in order to gain the inheritance money that could save his family’s resort. When fledgling romance novelist Eden overhears Chris on the phone with his family’s lawyer, his dilemma seems like one straight out of a romance novel … and it doesn’t hurt that offering to marry him would allow her more time to focus on her writing. The inheritance they’d split after the five-year period will allow them to better provide for their respective families. It sounds like a fool-proof plan … until it becomes clear that it isn’t.
Read Priscilla Oliveras’ full review.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon | Berkley
Part laugh-out-loud, Parent Trap-inspired scheming and part steam with a healthy dose of finding love amid human imperfection, Weather Girl offers a poignant, authentic look at happiness and romantic love in the face of conflict and trauma, yet still leaves its reader feeling joyful at the end.
When their bosses continue to make the newsroom a miserable place to be, coworkers Ari and Russell decide to do something about it. After all, how are either of them supposed to focus on their professional goals when Seth and Torrance make their divorce from five years ago everyone else’s problem? So, they hatch a plan to reunite their bickering bosses in the hopes that less newsroom tension will make way for more staff mentoring. Things start to get complicated, however, when they realize that their mutual attraction is undeniable and, possibly, unavoidable. A match is certainly being made, but will they wind up matchmaking anyone besides themselves?
