With Mother’s Day right around the corner, now is the perfect time to get ahead on your bookish gift-giving with one of these three new releases featuring strong female protagonists. From a new reimagining of a badass mythological heroine to a surprisingly charming and candid story about a death doula, these picks are heartfelt, unique, and testify to the abounding resilience of women. Check them out below!
Hot Pick
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
SYNOPSIS:
Warrior. Survivor. Hero. The story of Atalanta begins in the wilderness. Left abandoned to die for not being the son her parents hoped for, Atalanta is raised by a mother bear in the woods under the protection of the goddess Artemis. Eventually, her love for her forest home brushes up with a longing for adventure. There’s just one crucial catch to her wild and free vision: a stark warning from Artemis that if she marries, it will spell her undoing.
WHY:
Jennifer Saint’s string of mythology-inspired novels continues with Atalanta — a story that cements an unforgettable, fierce, and free-spirited female character into the pantheon of Greek heroes. This epic tale of passion and adventure is a joy from start to finish. It offers a powerful, courageous, and feminist retelling of one of the most heroic women in mythology, who refused to be contained in a man’s world.
Coffee Shop Read
Go As a River by Shelley Read
SYNOPSIS:
Victoria Nash is the sole surviving female in a family of troubled men who all live on the family peach farm in Colorado in the 1940s. Her teenage life consists of little more than work and sleep until a drifter named Wilson Moon shows up, and sparks fly. In the decades to come, Victoria’s life ebbs and flows between betrayal and heartache, loss and love, crafting one stunning emotional journey set in the beautiful yet harsh landscape of rural Colorado.
WHY:
Shelley Read’s debut novel fleshes out a cast of memorable characters — at the center of which is Victoria, our compassionate and resilient narrator. Go As a River ruminates on the haunting hold of one’s youthful memories, as well as themes of motherhood, friendship, discrimination, and love. This sweeping story contains much historical intrigue and is great for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing.
Dark Horse
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
SYNOPSIS:
It all started when Clover Brooks saw her kindergarten teacher drop dead during a dramatic reading of Peter Rabbit. Ever since she’s always been more deeply connected with the dying than the living. So much so that she became a death doula. In fact, Clover spends so much time with the dying that she hasn’t had much of a life of her own. However, that quickly changes when the final wishes of a client send her on a cross-country trip to unfold a forgotten love story.
WHY:
For a book with a distinct focus on death, The Collected Regrets of Clover is surprisingly life-affirming and charming. It introduces us to a memorable, quirky narrator whose unorthodox heartfelt journey will stay in your head long after you read the last page. This thought-provoking character arc will leave you feeling empowered to live the life you desire and find fulfillment and connection in every moment.
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