Where would we all be without our mothers?
As Mother’s Day is approaching, it’s the best time to start thinking about how to congratulate our moms on this special occasion and better express our honor and love towards them. Because that’s what this event is about.
We’d want to acknowledge every single effort they put in our wellness and thank them for being our mothers.
What do most moms want for Mother’s Day?
There are many Mother’s Day gift ideas: from accessories to self-care products to books for moms.
Interestingly, 43% of US citizens prefer giving books as presents and do that several times a year.
“Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them. And it’s much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world!” – Neil Gaiman
If you’re searching for ideal books for Mother’s Day specifically, you’ll need to answer one more question.
What Kind of Books Do Moms Usually Read?
If you do some googling, you’ll discover that females are keen buyers of fiction.
They account for 80% of fiction book sales in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Besides, the most favorite book genre for female readers in the US, for example, is romance.
However, these are only average statistics. Everyone has different reading tastes and preferences, so you might need to consider some personalized books for Mother’s Day.
For this article, I’ve rounded up the 12 best Mother’s Day books for every type of mom. They are broken into three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and memoirs.
Let’s pick up something great for your mom.
Fiction Books for Mother’s Day
Fantasy, romantic mystery thriller, historical drama, and humorous romance novel: quite a mix to choose from!
Circe by Madeline Miller
The second novel by Madeline Miller, Circe, became the 2018 winner of Goodreads Choice Awards in the Best Fantasy category with over 78,000 votes.
When I was reading this story, it opened up to me as a completely fresh look at Greek mythology and its reinterpretation from the modern perspective. It’s a feminist rewriting of the Odyssey by Homer – an epic story of a woman’s life torn between the mortal and immortal worlds.
Circe is a misfit in the family of the water nymph and the sun god. She gets exiled but soon rediscovers her strength by honing her witchcraft skills. She’s now empowered to reshape her life path. But where does she belong?
Circe may be a superb book for Mother’s Day. Get it from Amazon or check more novels like Circle on this list.
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Verity is one of the best romance books for moms who love mysteries and thrillers.
Truths can be alarming and painful.
When Lowen, a budding author, starts working for the Crawfords, the last thing she expects is the shock from opening Pandora’s Box of secrets in this family.
Her job is to finish the book series written by Jeremy Crawford’s incapacitated wife, Verity. But when she accidentally finds Verity’s autobiography, the “box” gets unlocked.
Curiosity kills the cat, but Lowen can’t stop herself from discovering the horrifying things Verity narrates in her manuscript.
Then there’s Jeremy, who attracts Lowen like a magnet.
Click here to purchase this unputdownable read. Also, you can scroll through some other stories similar to Verity in this selection.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
If your mom adores historical fiction, My Brilliant Friend is a must-read for her. In 2019, this novel was ranked eleventh in The Guardian’s list of 100 best books of the 21st century.
It’s a coming-of-age story of two girlfriends, Lila and Elena, intertwined with the transformations of Italian society in the 1950s.
It navigates the complications and struggles of people growing up at those times in Naples.
Jump to this book without hesitation. It can become a fantastic present for Mother’s Day.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
This captivating novel can make your mother’s rom-com loving heart swell with happiness.
People We Meet on Vacation is an extraordinary take on the friends-to-lovers trope. Plus, it has a non-traditional narrative structure switching back and forth between the vacations of two friends, Alex and Poppy.
You won’t find two people less alike, but somehow they decided to spend their annual vacations together until one trip that changed everything.
Let your mom enjoy this adventurous spirit, daring and hilarious dialogues, and electrified air sparking and pulsing between these travelers.
Pick it up here or see some other books by Emily Henry.
Non-fiction Books for Moms
Below are the four must-reads for those who prefer factual stories focused on real people and events.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
What did it take a human to grow from an animal of no significance to the “Homo Sapien” of today?
A philosopher and historian, Prof Yuval Noah Harari, explains how the cognitive, agricultural, religious, and scientific revolutions were changing the landscape of humanity inch by inch.
He lays out a timeline of history starting from 13.5 billion years before the present and dwelling on the “now” and the “possible future.”
Prof Harari made me actually delve deep into my thoughts on the dominating power of people: can humans live happily and organically ever after?
Find this book on Amazon. It can be a perfect educational and philosophical read for your mom.
Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi
Turns out our brains are somewhat picky eaters.
What do they actually need?
Dr. Lisa Mosconi, often referred to as “the Mona Lisa of Neuroscience,” blends nutrition and neuroscientific research in this book and tells you what foods are better for the brain and why.
She also shares some recipes to boost brain health. Why not cook them together with your mom?
But before that, you can grade yourselves and see how well you feed your brains by taking Mosconi’s test.
This guidebook is an excellent road for healthier and brainier living.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
What if I told you that “immortal life” is only partially a metaphor in this title?
Rebecca Skloot, a science writer, chronicles a true-to-life story of Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman who gave rise to the immortal cell line, HeLa cells, and turned medical science upside down in the 50s.
Her cells can literally live forever as they multiply outside of her body. However, they were withdrawn without her approval during treatment in the hospital.
Today scientists still widely use HeLa cells in labs around the globe.
Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter, shares her insights with Skloot and all the intimacy of thoughts about bioethical connotations, as well as the issues of ethics when it comes to class and race in the realm of medicine.
No need to scroll any further if you’re searching for mother-daughter books in the non-fiction genre. I’m sure this is the one – grab your copy.
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Julie Smith
Nominated for Best Nonfiction in 2022 at Goodreads Choice Awards, this book received the third largest number of votes.
If you ask me, it’s one of the most excellent self-help books for moms with anxiety or stress. It can help your mom resist everyday challenges and optimize her mental health.
Written by a professional clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience, this handbook contains the best practices for finding motivation, breaking negative patterns, battling low moods, building self-confidence, and more.
Read the full review of this book or get it right away – here’s the link.
Memoirs for Mother’s Day
If you’re hesitating about what to get a mom who likes to read and whose bookshelf is stacked with tons of books already, a memoir is a great solution.
Check a couple of memoirs your mom might absolutely enjoy.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
“Failure is a feeling long before it’s an actual result.” – Michelle Obama
I always pictured Michelle Obama as the wife of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Until I read this memoir.
Her autobiography reveals so much about her as a personality: her depth, her reflections, and her wisdom.
It’s an incredible journey of a little girl with pigtails dreaming about a house with stairs and a dog to the first African-American First Lady in the USA, with all highs and lows on the way.
From the kindergarten struggles, the first kiss, and the insecurities of adulthood to the chaos of political campaigns and handshakes with the Queen of England.
The book is divided into three parts:
- Becoming Me
- Becoming Us
- Becoming More
This is a heart-touching story of empowerment and becoming more resilient, confident, and successful.
That’s why I’d recommend it as one of the most encouraging and inspirational books for moms on Mother’s Day.
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
In the form of a letter, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie teaches her friend, Ijeawele, how to internalize feminism into the mindset and household from the very first years of her daughter’s life.
The author says that stereotypes have distorted the cultural construction of gender roles in society. She firmly believes that the world must be a proper place for both males and females, and they must respect human dignity.
The key message I took from the book is: a woman doesn’t have to be likable; she just needs to be her full self.
If you’re keen on motivational books for mom from daughter, you shouldn’t go past this letter.
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year by Anne Lamott
“I woke up with a start at 4:00 one morning and realized that I was very, very pregnant.” – Anne Lamott
This one could definitely top the list of funny books for moms.
I particularly loved the author’s openness, self-mockery, and humor.
Journaling her experience of pregnancy and single parenthood, Anne Lamott shows that there’s nothing wrong with making mistakes and being imperfect.
That’s life as it is – with all its sensibility and craziness, triumphs and losses.
Btw, 20 years later, Lamott also journaled the first year of her grandson’s life in co-authorship with her son, Sam – Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son’s First Son.
In this memoir, she is entering a new chapter: grandmotherhood. It’s no less exciting and hilarious.
Educated by Tara Westover
The youngest of the seven kids in the family, Tara Westover, neither owned a birth certificate nor went to school.
Yet, she went on to earn a Ph.D.
Tara Westover grew up in an anti-government Mormon survivalist family with a paranoid domineering father and a subservient mother.
The complexities in the family, emotional and physical abuse, numerous injuries, and cruelties didn’t kill her craving for knowledge.
It budded and sprang forth with all persistence and courage.
Educated was a totally unforgettable reading experience for me. Sometimes meditative, other times stirring, but always compelling.
The book won the Goodreads Choice Award in the Best Memoir & Autobiography category in 2018.
Besides, it spent over half a year on the NYT bestsellers list.
If you decide to choose it as a gift for Mother’s Day, here’s a copy.
2023 Mother’s Day Books: Full List
A book is a beautiful gift that your mom will open again and again, especially if she’s an avid reader.
Here’s a complete list of Mother’s Day books mentioned throughout the article:
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Julie Smith
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year by Anne Lamott
- Educated by Tara Westover
Pick up a book from this list and give your mom a reason to take rest from routine, cozily curl up on the sofa, and understand how significant she is to you.
Don’t forget to share with us in the comments which book you’ve chosen as a present for Mother’s Day.
P.S.: While you’re typing, I’m carefully wrapping up the book I’ve bought for my mom.
The People We Meet on Vacation sounds like an interesting book!
Glad to hear that and thank you for your comment 🙂