Six Books You Need to Read This Spring
I don't know about you, but I tend to be a bit of a mood reader. For me, spring is all about gardening, and that's true when it comes to my TBR, too. Give me a lush, atmospheric book. Throw in a little plant magic or a haunted forest and I'm all in.
On a recent episode of my Pinterest TV show, Books with Liz, I did a deep dive on some of my favorite spring reads (and spring teas! blog post to come on those). You can watch the whole thing here, but I thought I'd break it down in a blog post, since I know we're all readers here, and sometimes we'd rather read about books than watch me talk about them for an hour.
Note: I've included buy links for these books using my Bookshop.org affiliate account, but all opinions are my own!
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
I will never (and I mean never) get over this book. Garden Spells is why I write the kind of magic that I write. This is a Southern, small town multi-generational story about a magical family and the garden they tend (obviously my sort of thing). There's a magical mischief-making tree, two sisters who don't get along, cooking magic (!!!), and falling in love. If you pick one book to read this spring, make it this one.
In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker
I would be remiss if I didn't mention my own book on this list. While In the Shadow Garden technically takes place in the summer, there's a lush garden at the heart of the book (and a lot of atmosphere! perfect for spring!). We've got witches who heal their neighbors' pain, tea leaf readings, a mystery, a couple of love stories, a small town in Kentucky, and missing memories. And who doesn't love a floral cover?
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber
Keeping on theme with Southern small town romances, Midnight at The Blackbird Cafe is a must-read for spring. Anna Kate returns home to bury her grandmother to discover the truth behind why her mother left her small town, who her father is, and learns there's a little magic in her family tree. This is a beautiful story about grief and letting go but knowing the people you love are always in your heart. That sort of growth gives me big spring vibes.
What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine
With this next book, we leave cozy behind for things to get a little bit weird. What Should Be Wild is as lush as they come with a magical forest right outside the family manor where Maisie has been hidden her whole life because of her power to kill or resurrect with a single touch (if that's not a spring vibe, I don't know what is!). I won't spoil anything about this beautiful book, but I will tell you there was a moment I got so mad that I put it down for two weeks, and to me, that's a 5-star experience.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Speaking of weird, with Wilder Girls, we go full-on horror. T.S. Eliot said April is the cruelest month, and cruel is absolutely the word I would use to describe this book. Think, Lord of the Flies but with teenage girls on an island full of plant magic. Also, make it gay. Remember how I said spring is for lush books? There is no prose more lush than Rory's. I will read anything she writes for the rest of my life.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
While we're talking about gay books with plant magic, let me add an epic fantasy read to the list. The Jasmine Throne is one of the most atmospheric fantasy novels I've ever read. The series is inspired by ancient India and it's unapologetically feminist (and sapphic) in the best way possible. If you're looking to start a new epic fantasy series this spring, make it this one.