Eight books just right for moms
The joy of reading will linger long past Mother’s Day.
Flowers fade and dinner out is fleeting, but the joy of a good book lingers long after it is enjoyed. Indulge mom this year by showing her how well you know her with just the right book.
We’ve rounded up current bestselling titles from USA TODAY’s BestSelling Books list that are sure to please Mom.
For the book club mom:
Looking for a fictional heroine who will sweep Mom off her feet? Look no further. “When We Left Cuba” (Berkley) by Chanel Cleeton tells the story of Beatriz Perez, a young Cuban exile in 1960s Florida who risks her life when she is recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle. This is a sequel to Cleeton’s “Next Year in Havana,” which was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick in July.
For the aspirational mom:
When it comes to recommendations on aspirational books, do we really need to say more than Oprah Winfrey? In “The Path Made: Clear Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose” (Flatiron), Winfrey shares her own stories, gathers insights from renowned figures, including Lin-Manual Miranda, Jay-Z and Ellen DeGeneres, and lays out a plan for self-actualization, with tips to achieve not just a successful life but a significant one.
For the mom who loves politics:
We have two selections to choose from for Mom, depending on her political leanings. Both feature former first ladies who cross the aisle when it comes to mass appeal. The first, a biography, is a recent addition to the list: “The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and
the Making of an American Dynasty” (Twelve) by USA TODAY’s Susan Page chronicles the life of the late former first lady. USA TODAY gave the book
★★★g). The second, a memoir, is the blockbuster best-seller “Becoming” (Crown) by Michelle Obama.
Filled with stories from her childhood through to her experience as first lady, “Becoming” became the No. 1 book of 2018 on USA TODAY’s year-end top 100 Best-Selling Books and shows no signs of slowing down.
For the music-lover mom:
Mom can hum down memory lane with “Daisy Jones & the Six” (Ballantine) by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel follows the fictional story of singer Daisy Jones, from her huge success with her band in the 1970s to their eventual breakup. Reese Witherspoon’s book club selected the book as its March pick, and Amazon, along with Witherspoon’s media company Hello Sunshine, is adapting the book into a 13-episode limited series.
For the mom who needs a laugh:
Being a mom is serious business – so serious that sometimes you really have to find the humor in it.
And Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, the comedic duo behind popular #IMomSoHard videos on YouTube, take their mom comedy seriously. In their book “#IMomSoHard” (HarperOne) the pair take a satirical look at the daily and unique challenges facing parents today.
For the mystery-loving mom:
Who doesn’t love a good whodunit? And this is a whodunit with legs. “The Woman in the Window” (William Morrow) by A.J. Finn has been a constant presence since its publication in early 2018.
The “Rear Window”-esque novel follows Anna Fox, a 38-year-old shut-in in New York City who self-medicates, until one day she believes she sees a crime committed in the townhouse across the park. USA TODAY gave the book ★★★☆.
For the mom who needs a reminder:
Women, particularly mothers, don’t always recognize the power and confidence they have within. But Abby Wambach wants to make sure women know their power. And as a two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA World Cup champion and sixtime winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year, Wambach is definitely qualified to talk about both.
Her book “Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game” (Celadon Books) is based on her inspiring commencement speech to Barnard College grads that went viral in 2018.