Top Ten Tuesday: Mother’s Day Freebie

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

Fun fact, we (the UK) actually celebrate this holiday in the month of March but mother’s deserve all the love and appreciation in the world everyday. Sadly, I’ve noticed that a lot of Young Adult and Fantasy novels tend to either kill off the mother or have them be a non entity. I love exploring family dynamics in books so this week I am going to highlight some books that have a strong focus on family.

1. The Hard Count by Ginger Scott: How does a sport come to influence the dynamics between a family? This book looks at just that. The dynamic between Reagan and he family has all been impacted by sports in one way or another. With her dad the coach, brother the former star quarterback, and mother the socialite, everything in their life seems to revolve around the sport. The family go through some tough situations but in the end their love for each other and for the sport brings them together as a unified team.

2. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta: This book is all about family. Specifically it’s about how the entire family is affected by depression. When Francesca’s mum, the head of the family, is hit with this depression the rest of the family are left to pick up the pieces of this family life. It’s not an easy journey and through Francesca we really see how depression can shake up the entire family.

3. The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore: Lace and Cluck come from rival competing families. There is no love lost between these two families and in this book Lace and Cluck find themselves at the heart of this feud. These two are considered the outsiders of the family. The ones cast aside in favour of cousins and siblings. They’re quiet characters and this journey is about the way Lace and Cluck break away from the ties that bind them to their respective family.

4. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater: Shout out to the women of 300 Fox Way. You do not want to mess with these ladies. Blue’s family have a strong presence in her life and in this series we see how those bonds change and strengthen.

5. Something Real by Heather Demetrios: Family is at the heart of this book and it is the definition of dysfunctional. Bonnie was raised on the screens of the nation and it’s safe t say that life takes its toll. So when her mum informs the family that the camera’s will be back in their lives, Bonnie feels betrayed. The tension between her and her mother is a lingering presence, one that is only heightened when the camera’s start rolling and controlling their lives again.

6. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway: I loved the way this book explored the way a trauma can affect the entire community. Following Oliver’s kidnapping, Emmy’s parents have taken extremely protective measures to ensure her safety, not realising just how stifling it is for a young woman ready to explore beyond the boundaries they set. It’s a fantastic book was great family dynamics.

7. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: If you’re looking for a book that packs the punches, look no further. I’ll Give you the Sun is an incredibly emotional journey. At the heart of this book is the relationship between twin siblings, Noah and Jude, and through them we see all the highs and lows a family go through. How they hurt each other and how they heal each other. It’s emotional but so worth the read.

8. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick: Despite being neighbours, Sam and Jase’s family come from two different world. The Garrett’s might not have a lot of money but they have a lot of love, something Sam struggles to feel in her own family. Their families are polar opposite and with Jase and Sam’s blossoming relationship we see just how different these two families are.

9. Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler: A family that’s been torn apart are forced to unite again following a sad loss. It’s a summer that sees all of Delilah’s anger and confusion at her mother’s secrecy come to blows. It’s a journey that sees Delilah grow as an individual and a family attempt to reassemble the broken pieces this secret left.

10. I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios: This book covers a lot of themes and relationships. Next to the romance between Josh and Skylar, the biggest relationship we explore is the one between Skylar and her mother. It’s a relationship that sees a lot of hardships. Following the death of her father, Skylar is the one that tries to pick up the pieces he left behind as her mother crumbles. The roles reverse and Skylar seems to be the one caring for her mother and maintaining their livelihood. It’s a rough relationship but it contributes to Skylar’s strength as she sustains this weight on her shoulders.

Those are some of my favourite family orientated books.
What are your favourites?