The Ultimate Spring Book Guide

Do you know what I like best about springtime? I’ll give you some hints: it’s not the warmer weather, and it’s not the flowers in bloom. It’s all of the new books! Somehow I managed to narrow this list down from 100 to 12 of my favorite spring book releases. Check it out, and let me know what your favorite springtime reads are in the comments below!

Play For Me by Celine Keating

Amazon / Via amazon.com

The first time Lily sees JJ play, she is transfixed. But when the concert comes to an end, Lily returns her to safe life as a videographer married to a less than enthusiastic husband. Lily cannot get JJ’s face out of her mind, so she decides to make a movie about the band in order to get a spot on the tour bus. But the more Lily succumbs to her desires and gets involved in JJ’s world, the more troubled things become in her life, as well as within the band.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Sydney is used to her brother Peyton being the center of attention. But when her brother gets into a drunk-driving accident that causes him to go to jail, Sydney is left questioning her place in the family. It isn’t until she meets the Chatham family that Sydney finally feels accepted. Sarah Dessen returns with her most mesmerizing novel of love, friendship and self-discovery to date.

Bear Witness by Melissa Clark

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Ever since she witnessed the kidnapping of her best friend, Robin, Paige Bellen’s life has been changed. How can people expect Paige to continue on as normal when her best friend is out of the country, and her family treats her like an unstable child. Bear Witness investigates the aftermath of misfortune on an adolescent, as well as the impact of tragedy in a small town.

The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Lane Harmon is a mother and interior designer for the wealthy. She is suspicious when she is brought in to help do a job for a modest townhouse, until she learns that the home belongs to Parker Bennett’s wife. Parker suspiciously disappeared right after $5 billion dollars he had been managing vanished. Unbeknownst to Lane, the closer she gets to the Bennett family, the more dangerous things become for Lane and her daughter.

Fire Season by Hollye Dexter

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Hollye Dexter’s life changed forever the night her house burned down. Dexter, her husband and toddler son were able to escape the blaze, but not without a cost. Over the next two years, Dexter was tested emotionally, losing her friends and nearly losing her marriage. It was then that Dexter realized she had to get her life back together. Fire Season is an enchanting tale of finding hope in hopeless situations.

The Balance Project by Susie Orman Schnall

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Katherine Whitney has the perfect job, an amazing husband, two loveable daughters and just released a hit book. Unbeknownst to everyone, Katherine’s life is actually falling a part, and it is her assistant, Lucy Cooper, holding it together. But when Katherine does the unthinkable to Lucy, Lucy must determine if the stress on her life is worth pleasing her boss.

The Outskirts of Hope by Jo Ivester

Amazon / Via amazon.com

The United States is at the peak of its civil rights movement when 10-year-old Jo Ivester and her family move to a small, all-black Mississippi town. Jo’s father is a doctor at the poor population clinic, but ultimately, it is Jo’s mother, a high school English teacher, who makes a lasting difference. Using her mother’s journals and writings, Jo explores the trials and tribulations faced by her family while living in that small, Mississippi town.

One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart

Amazon / Via amazon.com

While spending a year in Florence, Italy, Nadia Cara has changed. She is a thief who is chasing an Italian boy that she has only met once. When Nadia tries to explain the obsession, she is at a loss for words. One Thing Stolen is the riveting story of a girl with a rare neurological disorder in pursuit of art and love in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Don’t Leave Yet: How My Mother's Alzheimer's Opened My Heart by Constance Hanstedt

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Constance Hanstedt was always fearful as a child. She was fearful of people and social situations, as well as her critical mother, Virginia. While raising a family of her own eased some of Constance’s qualms, she never repaired the relationship with her mother. Until one day, Virginia gets Alzheimer’s, and Constance returns to her Midwest hometown to help her. Constance relives the struggles with her mother and discovers that maybe she can feel something toward her mother, something almost like compassion.

Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Jacob McNeely has always known that he was dealt a poor hand in life. His father runs a meth ring in North Carolina that Jacob dropped out of school to join. The only happiness in Jacob’s life comes from Maggie, the intelligent girl that he has always loved. Jacob realizes that Maggie is destined for better things than him, but what if he was given the chance to go with her? But, will Jacob be strong enough to shed the demons of his past for a new life with the girl he loves?

Wishful Thinking by Kamy Wicoff

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Jennifer Sharpe is a single mom of two struggling to balance her work and home life. One fateful day, a brilliant physicist decides to play fairy godmother and install a time-travelling app on Jennifer’s phone: Wishful Thinking. Jennifer is finally able to devote herself fully to every aspect of her life, but why does Jennifer feel more busy than ever?

Summer by Summer by Heather Burch

Amazon / Via amazon.com

Before setting off for college, Summer takes a position as a nanny for a family traveling to Belize. Summer loves Josh, but the family’s oldest son, Bray, loves to make things difficult. Everything changes when Bray and Summer find themselves stranded on an island together, after a diving trip gone wrong. Forced to work together to survive, the pair soon realizes that being together may not be so bad after all.