Seasonal Reading: Spring
Recently I have been enjoying the book “The Little Library Year: Recipes and Reading to Suit Each Season” by Kate Young. Young, a chef, pairs seasonal reading recommendations with food pairings and recipes. She is from Australia but currently lives in England, so she has an interesting perspective on the seasons. Reading this book is like having a conversation with a bookish friend; I kept writing down more and more titles that I’d like to read. This also made me think of what I would pair with each season. With spring upon us, here are some books that include sunshine and hope, two features of spring.
“Ready or Not” by Cara Bastone
Eve was not expecting to get pregnant. Four weeks after a one-night stand, this is her reality. Eve is funny and realistic, and I loved following along as she works through some of the tough, messy parts of life, like pregnancy, anticipating becoming a parent, and deciding how she really feels about her job. I highly recommend this smart, page-turning read. I also enjoyed her recent release, “Promise Me Sunshine.” During this novel, Bastone gently leads the reader by the hand through a young woman’s grief over losing her friend to cancer. Cara Bastone’s novels resonate with hope.
“Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Reid looks at one day in the life of four siblings in 1983 Malibu as they go for a surf together and get ready to throw a giant party, switching off with telling the stories of their parents and their childhood. This structure was fascinating and easy to follow. I loved the warm-weather setting and I rooted for the Riva siblings. This book feels like you are taking a vacation in California.
“Women in Sunlight” by Frances Mayes
Three women in their 60s and 70s meet during an information session for a retirement community in North Carolina. They’re all looking for what the next stage of their lives will look like. They decide to ditch the idea of settling down and instead rent a villa in Italy for a year. Mayes follows each of these women as they discover what they want to do with their time and creative energy. This book has an extremely strong sense of place. You’ll feel like you are in Italy, and you will seriously consider the idea of retiring in Italy. While this book won’t be for everyone, due to the writing sometimes feeling a bit choppy, I ultimately loved this book. This spring I’d like to read “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth Von Armin, a classic novel with a similar plot, featuring women who leave dreary England behind and travel together to Italy.
“Say You’ll Remember Me” by Abby Jimenez
When veterinarian Xavier and witty social media manager Samantha go on a date, sparks immediately fly. The only problem is, Samantha’s moving to California to help take care of her mother with Alzheimer’s, and Xavier is rooted in Minnesota, where he’s underwater with loans for his recently opened vet clinic. This is a romance about the importance of family, and prioritizing relationships with others. Abby Jimenez’s writing is funny and smart, and a real treat to read. This novel comes out April 1.
“Three Days in June” by Anne Tyler
Gail is having a tough day. She’s the assistant headmaster at a private school, and she has just found out that the school board plans to replace the retiring headmaster with someone else. She goes home early for the day, only to find her ex-husband, Max, who needs a place to stay temporarily. Over the course of three days–the day before her adult daughter’s wedding, the wedding, and the day after–we follow Gail as she grapples with the evolution of her feelings for Max over the years, and with her daughter’s marriage. This slim (under 200 pages) novel is a peak into her life. I enjoyed it in one sitting.
Next time you’re in the library let me know what books feel like spring to you.
Katelyn Boyer is the Adult Services Librarian at the Fergus Falls Public Library.