By Lorie Ham
Spring is nearly here, bringing with it some of the nicest weather of the year. For those who love reading, there’s nothing quite so lovely as sitting outside and enjoying the weather while reading a new book! It’s something the whole family can enjoy. But how does one choose that new book? There are so many books to choose from! Here are a few recommendations for the entire family.
If your tastes run to non-fiction books, Town and Country has several recommendations in their list of 48 Must-Read Books for Spring. Some of the books included are You with the Sad Eyes (a Memoir) by Christina Applegate, Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life by former National Geographic reporter Rachel Hartigan, and a new memoir by Liza Minnelli called Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!.
For romance readers, ABC Blog has a long and varied list of romance novels coming out this spring. They even have them separated into categories: Sports Romances, STEM (ish) Romances, Small Town Romances, Cowboy Romance, and Favorites. Books included are In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde, Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm, Darling Daffodils Farm by Brittanee Nicole, and Fever Dream by Elsie Silver. On the Favorites list, popular romance author Abby Jimenez has a new book coming out called The Night We Met.
If you prefer books that are darker or that include science or fantasy worlds, Grimdark Magazine has a list of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy books that they are looking forward to reading this year, some of which will be released in the spring. The list includes Green and Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons, The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan, The Bone Door by Frances White, and
The Heart of the Nhaga by Lee Youngdo. Another great choice if you enjoy urban fantasy is Twelve Months, the latest Dresden Files book by Jim Butcher—but be sure to start with book one, Storm Front, if you haven’t read the series before. The Dresden Files is a perfect series for those who enjoy mystery combined with fantasy.
Speaking of mysteries, they are another very popular genre of books that has many subgenres. If you prefer thrillers, suspense, and police procedurals, CrimeReads can be a good resource. Their list of March releases includes The Keeper by well-known author Tana French. Bibliolifestyle also has a list of releases that includes Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden, Served Him Right by Lisa Unger, and Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson.
If you enjoy lighter mysteries, Kings River Life has a monthly mystery coming attractions column filled with suggestions of cozy and historical mysteries. This month’s column includes Death at a Firefly Tea by Laura Childs, Buried in a Book (A Cozy Bookshop Mystery 2) by Toni LoTempio, and Vanished in the Crowd by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles.
Don’t forget the kids when it comes to reading this spring. Random House has a great list of young adult book releases. Included are Gaslit by Megan Davidhizar, Love on Ice by Sara Ney, Stolen Midnights by Katherine Quinn, and Adventure Is Out There! by Liz Braswell. Kirkusalso has a list, and that one includes Change of Plans by the very popular Sarah Dessen, Ellen Poe by Diana Peterfreind, and When It’s Your Turn For Midnight by Blessing Musariri.
Kirkus has a list of children’s books coming out this spring as well. The list includes both picture books and chapter books. Some of the picture books on the list are Seven Million Steps by Derrick Barnes and Christian Gregory, illustrated by Frank Morrison, and a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Carson Ellis. Some of the chapter books included are Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and Hattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. Flake.
If you are looking for spring reading for the entire family and don’t want to spend a lot of money, your local library is always a great source of books, and a family outing to the library is a lot of fun any time of the year!
