If you loved
Books like Mama
A raw, unapologetic portrait of a fiercely flawed matriarch fighting for her family's survival in a world stacked against her. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Mama.
- chaotic
- vibrant
- weary
- grounded
- 01
Waiting to Exhale
Terry McMillan · 1995
A sharp, hilarious, and deeply comforting celebration of the friendships that hold us together when romance falls apart.
- 02
Song of Solomon
Toni Morrison
A mythic, soaring journey through ancestry and identity that blends the gritty reality of the American Rust Belt with the transcendent magic of folklore.
- 03
What we lose
Zinzi Clemmons
A fragmented, deeply intimate meditation on the shattering weight of grief and the search for a self between two worlds.
- 04
Push
Sapphire
A harrowing but ultimately triumphant descent into the darkest corners of abuse, illuminated by the radical, life-saving power of language.
- 05
Precious
Sapphire
A devastating, visceral diary of trauma that transforms into a fierce testament to the power of finding one's own voice.
- 06
Mom & me & mom
Maya Angelou
A tender, clear-eyed exploration of the profound wounds and fierce healing found within a complicated mother-daughter bond.
- 07
True to the Game
Teri Woods
A gritty, high-stakes plunge into the seductive and dangerous world of 1980s street life, fueled by a ride-or-die romance.
- 08
The Leaving Morning
Angela Johnson
A gentle, bittersweet exploration of the long wait and mixed emotions that come with leaving a beloved home.
- 09
A Project Chick
Nikki Turner
A gritty, high-stakes ride through the hustle and heartbreak of inner-city survival.
- 10
Paradise
Toni Morrison
A haunting, lyrical descent into the fractures of a utopian community and the fierce, flawed women who become its scapegoats.
- 11
Please, baby, please
Spike Lee
A rhythmic, joyful ode to the exhausting, hilarious reality of keeping up with a toddler from dawn until dusk.
- 12
Kendra
Coe Booth
A striking, emotionally resonant exploration of a fractured mother-daughter bond and the difficult work of building a family.
