Book to Read in Spring

With warmer weather now upon us, here are some books to read that capture the Spring feeling! These are books I have either already read or am planning to read this Spring.

Fantasy Books

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

In this original fairytale, a princess is cursed to be poisonous to the touch. This is a Persian, queer, demon-filled novel follows a lonely but cursed girl. If you enjoy slightly dark fairytales, themes of overcoming fears and finding oneself, this book is for you.

Our Divine Mischief by Hanna Howard

A determine heroine, an outcast young man, and a wish-granting dog. Áila LacInis is ready to take on The Goddess Trial, an event that marks a person’s coming of age. However, when she sets sail to the island of her goddess, she finds it empty. In order to compensate for the failed Trial, she must participate in a series of Ordeals.

Wind Daughter by Joanna Meyer

A companion novel to Echo North, Wind Daughter focuses on a storyteller and his daughter. Long ago, the storyteller was the North Wind, but he lost his power in exchange for mortality. His daughter sets out on a journey to reclaim her father’s magic.

The Raven Tower by Ann Mackie

A Hamlet-inspired fantasy book that focuses on the kingdom of Iraden where a god known as the Raven stands as protector. However, his power is weakening, an usurper has claimed the throne, and the kingdom is being threatened. A warrior arrives to provide help, and discovers that the Raven’s Tower may be holding a dangerous secret. 

Graphic Novels

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill

This is a cozy fantasy full of cute dragons that grow tea themselves and happy, past memories. Greta, the main character, learns the art of tea dragon care-taking from a pair of tea shop owners. If you love found family, friendships, cottagecore vibes, and generally anything that feels like a warm hug, this middle grade graphic novel is for you.

Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen

When Willow runs away into the woods, she meets a lost tree spirit named Pilu. As they try to find their way home, Willow must come to terms with her emotions– the “monsters” that cause her to lash out at her loved ones. This is a gorgeous graphic novel that deals with grief, imagination, and understanding one's emotions.

The Sprite and the Gardener by Rii Abrego

Wisteria is a garden sprite who longs to be like her ancestors and use her magical talents to help care for gardens. She discovers a young human girl at an abandoned and overgrown garden and decides to help her.

The Moth Keeper by Kay O'Neill

The Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year, takes a break from the moon to see the sun. This middle grade fantasy follows Anya, a new Moth Keeper and the journey she embarks on. There is found family, magic, and LGBT themes. 

Fiction Books

Sweet Bean Paste by Dorian Sukegawa

Sentaro, a man with a criminal and a failed dream, spends his time selling dorayaki. When an elderly woman with disfigured hands enters his life, everything changes for him. Tokue makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. Slowly, she begins to teach him her recipe as her dark past is revealed.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

A mother tells her three daughters about her past lover and fellow actor. During her story, the daughters ponder their own lives and relationship with their mother. Full of family dynamics, hopeful tones, and discovering emotions, this book takes place during Spring 2020.

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

This story is told through the life of a fig tree. There is a dual narrative that reflects the history and story of the volatile time in 1970 Cyprus. It’s a love story of both the past on the island and the 2010’s in London.

Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

The fourth novel of the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” series. A new set of visitors find themselves in the magical time-traveling Tokyo cafe. This time, readers meet a former professor longing to speak to his bedridden wife, a young woman wishing to apologize to her late father, a husband who wants his wife to say goodbye to their dog, and a young woman following a cryptic message left by her deceased former boyfriend.