“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
There’s just something delightfully refreshing about springtime. The dark nights transition to longer, warmer days, flowers start to bloom, the grass is greener and the whole world in general seems to be a little bit more alive. It’s easy to feel more weightless and inspired, which makes it the perfect time of year for settling down with a book that matches the joyful vibes around you. When it comes to the best books for spring, we like to pick out titles that feature warm settings, vibrant characters and an uplifting, hopeful message. So why not join us today at What We Reading as we take you through our list of spring books for 2024 that tap into all of these themes? From whimsical romances to witty and uplifting transformative journeys, these are the perfect stories for curling up with at the park on a sunny day!
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
What list of books for spring would be complete without The Secret Garden? Whilst it might be over a century old now, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s work is as timeless today at capturing the transformative power of nature and imagination as it was when it was first published back in 1911.
The story follows ten-year-old Mary Lennox, who arrives at Misselthwaite Manor without so much as a greeting from her uncle’s guardian. She finds herself cordoned off in a small part of the estate and told that she is forbidden from venturing into the walled garden outside. Naturally, this a rule she dutifully breaks and begins tending to the overgrown and neglected garden. A tale where faith restores health and flowers refresh the spirit, The Secret Garden is the perfect book for some springtime reading.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia Of Faeries (Emily Wilde #1) – Heather Fawcett
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is a genius scholar, a meticulous researcher and is penning the first encyclopedia on faerie lore. What she isn’t so good at, however, is people. She’s never invited to social gatherings and struggles to make small talk to strangers even when she is. So when she arrives at the picturesque hamlet of Hrafnsvik, she has no intention of befriending any of the gruff locals.
Things are made worse for Emily by the arrival of Wendell Bambleby, her dashing, charming and insufferable rival who instantly charms the residents and promptly gets in the way of her research. But, as she does gradually find herself unlocking the mysteries of the Hidden Ones – the most elusive of all faeries – she finds herself attempting to decipher an even bigger mystery: who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? A charming fantasy-romance book from 2023, with faeries and plenty of cottagecore vibes, Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia Of Faeries is the perfect springtime read.
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The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton
Having just lost her dearly loved grandmother, Nell, Cassandra finds herself feeling lost, anxious and alone. But then an unexpected and mysterious bequest from her grandmother upends her life and challenges everything she thought she knew about her family, and herself.
Having inherited a book of dark and captivating fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace – a Victorian novelist who disappeared without a trace – Cassandra embarks on a journey to follow in Nell’s footsteps to discover the truth about her family and their deepest secrets. What she doesn’t bargain for, however, is how she will also discover a new life for herself in the process. Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden is a charming book for spring that centres around an aristocratic family, a secret garden and an old book of fairy tales that taps into the power of family secrets, the past and our memories.
Heartless – Marissa Meyer
New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer offers readers a dazzling escapist prequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in her 2016 young adult fantasy book, Heartless. In it, she introduces Catherine, one of the most desired girls in Wonderland. All she wants to do is pursue her passion for baking along with her best friend but, having caught the eye of the King of Hearts, is made to pursue the goal of being Wonderland’s next queen.
Then she meets Jest, the enigmatic court jester, and feels the pull of true attraction for the first time in her life. Not wanting to attract the ire of the king and their parents, the two enter into a secret relationship. Catherine is determined to follow her destiny, but in this land of monsters, magic and madness, can such a plan ever happen?
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Undoubtedly one of the best historical fiction books for spring, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo introduces readers to an ageing and reclusive Hollywood star who is finally ready to tell the unbelievable tale that is her life story. Her decision to tell it to Monique Grant, a struggling writer, is a surprise to everyone, especially Monique.
Yet, being summoned to her luxurious apartment, Monique is soon enamoured with Evelyn’s stories of Los Angeles in the 1950s, leaving the film industry in the 1980s and of all the ambition, friendships, forbidden loves and, of course, husbands along the way. The pair quickly strike up a close connection but, as Evelyn’s story nears its end, Monique soon begins to see how her own life intersects with the icon’s in a series of tragic and irreversible means.
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Caraval (Caraval #1) – Stephanie Garber
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, reside with their powerful and cruel father. Now, having been told of an arranged marriage for her, she realises that her dreams of seeing Caraval, the famed annual performance where the audience participates in the show, are over. But this is the year Scarlett’s invitation finally arrives and, with the help of her sister and a mysterious sailor, they run away to see the show.
As soon as they arrive at Caraval, however, Tella is kidnapped by the show’s mastermind, Legend. This year’s show revolves around her and, whoever finds her first, is the winner. Told that everything in Caraval is a performance, Scarlett nevertheless soon finds herself embroiled in a game of love, heartbreak and magic. And whether the show is real or not, she must find Tella within the five nights of Caraval, or risk losing her sister forever.
The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
One of the most powerful stories ever written, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is the perfect book for spring for any readers looking for a blend of magic, mysticism, wonder and self-discovery.
The book tells the story of Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd boy who dreams of travelling the world in search of treasure. What his quest will eventually lead him to, however, is something far more valuable than any gold or jewels. Across his journey, Santiago encounters various individuals who offer him wisdom and guidance to guide him on his quest. Throughout this tale, Coelho teaches readers about the interconnectedness of the universe and the importance of following our dreams, making it one of the most inspiring reads perfect for this spring.
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The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
What would you do if you could see all the different lives you could have lived if you had made different decisions? Would you step into any of these lives? And would any of them be any better than the one you have now? In Matt Haig’s 2020 fantasy book, The Midnight Library, Nora Seed finds herself faced with that choice.
After finding herself at rock bottom, she finds herself in the Midnight Library, a place between life and death where all her possible lives are catalogued. She can browse through them, undoing previous mistakes, mending broken relationships and pursuing her dream career as a glaciologist. But, as she travels through the Midnight Library, she begins to meditate on what is really fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
Check Out Our The Midnight Library Book Review
The Last Murder At The End Of The World – Stuart Turton
The Last Murder at the End of the World is a 2024 mystery-thriller by Stuart Turton, bestselling author of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Featuring an ingenious puzzle, an inventive murder mystery and a stunning backdrop, it is one of the best books for spring this year.
The idyllic island is home to 122 villagers, all of whom are content to fish, farm and feast, obeying their nightly curfew and doing as the three scientists tell them. Outside the island is nothing other than a world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. But, the villagers’ pleasant existence is shattered when one of their beloved scientists is found brutally murdered, and the island’s security system, their only protection from the fog, has been lowered. Collectively, they only have 107 hours to find out there is a killer among them, identify who it is, and save themselves from certain death.
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Before The Coffee Gets Cold – Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a small cafe that has been serving specially brewed coffee for over a century. However, this coffee shop also offers its visitors something altogether more unique: the opportunity to travel back in time. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold, readers meet four visitors to the coffee shop, all of whom have their own reasons for wanting to make use of its time-travelling capabilities.
But, such capabilities come with rules. Each visitor must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the cafe and they must return to the present before their coffee gets cold. Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s 2015 work is a heartwarming and beautiful tale that explores the age-old question of what you would do if you go back in time. A snappy read that is sure to linger with any reader long after they’ve downed the final page, it is the perfect book for springtime.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
