While Mother’s Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May in over 40 countries, families still struggle to find the perfect gift for Mom regardless of where she lives. Flowers are nice. A lovely meal she doesn’t have to cook is great. But you want to do more, right? Well if your mom loves books (and really, who doesn’t love books?!), then here are a few titles sure to please her and insure you are still her favorite child.
“A mother is the one who fills your heart in the first place.” – Amy Tan
- For the mom who loves Nora Roberts, pick up a copy of her newest romantic/suspense novel, “Shelter In Place.” A mall shooting changes the lives of everyone in a quiet, Maine community. As the survivors rebuild their lives, there is one person who doesn’t think that they have suffered enough.
- And for the moms who love the kind of twisted suspense that authors like Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware deliver, pick up a copy of “Lying In Wait,” by Liz Nugent. This is a creepy page turner where even though you know what happened right from the start, you can’t figure out why. Lots of twist and turns, with flawed characters, including a mother who makes Joan Crawford in “Mommie Dearest” look tame.
- Speaking of Ruth Ware: This author has been dubbed the “new Agatha Christie of the mystery genre” and has a new novel out called, “The Death of Mrs. Westaway.” Hal is struggling to make ends meet as a Tarot card reader, a business she inherited from her mother. She always assumed she had no family and she has felt bereft since her mother’s untimely death. Then a letter arrives from a lawyer telling her that her grandmother has passed away leaving behind an estate to which Hal is an heir. Or is she? Full of twists and turns, with lots of dark, damp, atmospheric references. The perfect page turner to pair with mom’s favorite tea and a new mug.
- If your mom loves a story she can get lost in, then look no further than “The Vineyard,” by Maria Duenas. This is a big, beautiful, epic tale set in 1860’s Mexico, Cuba, and Spain and follows a family through hardships and joy and the adversity that shaped their lives and their fortunes.
- If your mom loves historical fiction, definitely pick up a copy of “My Dear Hamilton,” by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. This is a captivating read which begins with a 97-year-old Eliza Schuyler Hamilton reflecting back on her amazing life. This was a woman who accomplished so much on her own and was a great deal more than “just the wife of Alexander Hamilton.”
- For moms that enjoy YA as much as I do, purchase the newest novel from Edgar Award winner and National Book Award finalist, Nancy Werlin, “And Then There Were Four.” This is a deliciously malicious suspense novel where five teens must unravel what their parents have to gain from the untimely deaths of their children. A dark take on parenthood for sure.
- Finally, for the mom who likes non-fiction (and a good single malt scotch), “Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey,” by Fred Minnick. Women like Bessie Williamson created this industry and were influential in its continued profitability and success. Few people think of women as being tied to an industry steeped in male traditions. Think again. This book should be paired with a nice bottle of whiskey for mom as well.
Julie Bond is a voracious reader with eclectic tastes running the gamut from YA lit, to psychological suspense, and anything dog-related, of course. You can find her haunting her favorite San Francisco Bay Area indie bookstores. Email her at ObsessiveBookFanatic@gmail.com
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