5 STAR READS YOUR MOM WILL LOVE

THE FROZEN RIVER

The Frozen River is a historical fiction novel by Ariel Lawhon about midwife Martha Ballard in 1789 Maine who investigates a man's death. After Martha concludes the body found in the frozen Kennebec River was murdered, she is contradicted by a local physician and must pursue the truth on her own while dealing with the secrets of her community, a related rape accusation, and a male-dominated society.

I loved that this was a fictionalized biography of a midwife. It really brought the whole story to life.

THE WOMEN

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction novel about Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a young nursing student who enlists in the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. The book follows her experiences in Vietnam, the camaraderie she forms with other nurses, and her difficult return home to an America that refuses to acknowledge her service. It explores themes of resilience, female heroism, trauma, and the challenges of reintegrating into a divided society that often ignores the contributions of women in war.

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a novel about a 70-year-old widow, Tova Sullivan, who works as a night cleaner at an aquarium and forms an unlikely friendship with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. Through their bond, they work together to uncover the truth about the disappearance of Tova's son, Erik, over 30 years prior. Another key character, Cameron, who is looking for his father, becomes entangled in the mystery and their lives intersect. The story explores themes of grief, family, friendship, and connection through the interwoven narratives of these three characters and the insightful, witty commentary of Marcellus.

THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB

The Thursday Murder Club is about four friends in a retirement village who meet to investigate cold cases but are pulled into a real-life murder investigation when a local property developer is killed. The club—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim—uses their collective experience and wit to solve the case, which involves deceit, conspiracy, and bodies piling up, all while navigating the challenges of aging.

TOM LAKE

Tom Lake is Ann Patchett's 2023 novel about a family sheltering at their Michigan cherry farm during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The story is framed by the mother, Lara, telling her three daughters the story of her passionate, but short-lived, romance with a now-famous actor named Peter Duke in the summer of 1984 when they both acted in a play at a theater in Tom Lake, Michigan. The novel explores themes of youthful love versus married love, family, career choices, and happiness.

THE 5-STAR WEEKEND

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand is about food blogger Hollis Shaw, who, after her husband's death, hosts a gathering at her Nantucket home with four friends from different stages of her life to help heal and find herself again. The weekend is intended to be a luxurious retreat with good food and company, but it turns chaotic as each woman arrives with her own personal crisis. The story explores themes of grief, friendship, and the challenges of balancing different parts of one's life.

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY

THE NIGHTINGALE

The Nightingale is a historical fiction novel by Kristin Hannah that follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, in German-occupied France during World War II. Vianne, the more cautious sister, is forced to make impossible choices to survive and protect her daughter after a Nazi officer requisitions their home, while the rebellious Isabelle joins the French Resistance and risks her life to help downed Allied airmen escape. The story explores their different paths of resistance and survival, highlighting the courage and resilience of women during the war.

Lessons in Chemistry is a novel by Bonnie Garmus about Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist in the 1960s who faces significant sexism and personal tragedy. After being fired from her research position, she becomes the host of a popular television cooking show, Supper at Six, where she uses her platform to teach viewers about chemistry and to inspire women to challenge the status quo and pursue their full potential. The story explores themes of gender inequality, resilience, and the intersection of science and domestic life.