The Reading Lounge: Unforgettable Motherhood Books
10 of my top recommendations for loving, complicated, and downright dark motherhood stories (Part 1). Plus a buzzy new release I did not finish
Hello! It’s been awhile since I’ve written a reading lounge newsletter. When I sat down to write, I asked myself what theme has been popping up in my reading this year, and motherhood stories immediately jumped out to me. I decided to check my backlist reads and I’ve read some amazing motherhood books over the years- and not just about being a mother, but also about the relationship we have (or had) with our mothers. I love the variety of ways authors dig deep into this nuanced relationship, whether it’s the choice to have kids or not, what happens when motherhood isn’t what was expected and ambivalence surfaces, and the fraught relationships between mothers and their children, especially between mothers and daughters.
I love to read motherhood stories that illuminate and explore, but I also love to read the dark side of mothers and their kids. I love a good motherhood revenge story, a motherhood forgiveness story, “weird” motherhood books, and those propulsive what would you do in this situation type of motherhood stories. Those are some of my absolute favorites! Today, I’m sharing a mix of all of these types of books. Some I read this year and some are from my deep backlist. Of note, you do not have to be a mother to enjoy a book that explores motherhood! We all have mothers and in my opinion, some of the most riveting stories are ones that explore motherhood and all its facets- the loving, complicated, and dark.
My motherhood recommendations today are books I’ve given 4 stars and above - I loved these books! For your convenience, I’m sharing a brief synopsis and my thoughts about why I loved it. Plus, I’ve had some requests for me to share my DNF’s (did not finish) and I have one motherhood (somewhat buzzy) new release that I gave up on…details below. Turns out I have 32 four star and above recommendations, so as not to overwhelm you I’m going to separate them into three parts, today is part one:)
Motherhood Books I Loved
Mother in the Dark by Kayla Maiuri (Bookshop.org)
Growing up in an Italian American family in working-class Boston, Anna lives a simple but comfortable childhood--filled with homemade meals and front-porch gatherings in a close-knit neighborhood. She and her sisters are devoted to their mother, orbiting her like the sun, trying to keep up with her loving but mercurial nature. When their father gets a new job outside the city, the family is tossed unceremoniously into a middle-class suburban existence. Anna's mother is suddenly adrift, and the darkness lurking inside her ignites. Her daughters, isolated and trapped with her in their new house, do everything they can to keep her from unraveling. Years later, when Anna's sister calls with an urgent message, Anna doesn't return the call. She knows it's about their mother.
** This was such a compelling story that was literary, but also propulsive. I loved how the author created tension amongst the sisters in present day while also taking us back to their growing up years and the downward spiral of their relationship with their mother. I felt for these girls, and thought this was such a riveting exploration of a very flawed family. Great on audio.🎧 Since this story is also about sisters, I think this would make a great book flight with Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Rootless by Krystle Zara Appiah (Bookshop.org)
On a spring afternoon in London, Sam races up the stairs of his flat two at a time. There's 1,300 missing from the bank account he shares with his wife, Efe, and his calls are going straight to voicemail. When he finally reaches someone, he learns that Efe is over four thousand miles away, as their toddler looks around and asks, "Where's Mummy?" What went wrong? This story explores what happens when motherhood and marriage are not what a woman expected.
** This stunner of a story is one of the most underrated 5 star reads on my list. The author was bold in her choices to explore a marriage in crisis, a mother who found herself so lost and drowning under the weight of motherhood that one day she just disappears. This is a story that I found I had to give myself ample time to “get into” but once I did, I couldn’t look away. With unexpected twists and turns, this story made me gasp. Best read with a friend because you’re going to want to discuss this one!!
Now onto an unputdownable thriller…..