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I spent the past weekend indulging in a solid binge-read. It had been far too long since I marathoned a book—often, there’s a combination of too much to do paired with a healthy dose of distraction that keeps me from reading for more than 30 minutes at a time. Even as a self-professed bibliophile, my reading sessions take place between stolen moments in transit or in the minutes before I fall asleep. But after finishing a book in a 12-hour period (Lucy By the Sea, add it to your list), I felt a renewed sense of excitement for the hobby—and to build upon my momentum with the best spring books of 2024.
Nothing inspires me quite like a library. Even when I was younger, I loved the sense of discovery they provoked, and the wonder that filled me with possibility. It’s the anticipation of not only learning, but experiencing something new. Books have the ability to draw out latent emotions and connect us with the magic of a single poignant phrase. They’re entertainment, sure, but they’re also a reflection of how we, as humans, understand ourselves—and work through the countless questions our lives hold.
The Best Spring Books of 2024
In a way, you can never tire of books. Sure, you might hesitate to call yourself a reader, but how else is it defined beyond the simple act of that: reading? No matter how our practices ebb and flow, we always come back to words in some sense. I find that it’s impossible not to derive a certain pleasure from a quiet day spent busying yourself with nothing more than emerging from a book altogether new and entirely transformed.
If that sounds like exactly how you want to romanticize your life this spring, read on. These are the 20 best new releases that deserve a spot on your bookshelf this spring.
1. Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
Following the success of Reid’s widely-praised debut, Come and Get It is built with a fast-paced and tension-filled narrative. Set at The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, the book is deeply steeped in a coed culture, centered on a messy entanglement between a resident assistant and a visiting professor. In many ways, it made me want to go back to school and never step on a campus again—read it, and you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Genre: Literary Fiction
2. Funny Story by Emily Henry
That’s right, Emily Henry is back. As is usually the case with her releases, this next book is thought to be even better than her last. Henry has a gift for writing in the traditional romantic comedy tropes without her books feeling tired or trite. Funny Story is an opposites-attract-style narrative—but trust, it’s so much more. Think: the perfect couple moves to a small town only to break up—with him leaving her for his childhood best friend. She’s left to pick up the pieces of her life and start over on her terms. It’s messy, fun, and absolutely chaotic, as all the best love stories are.
Genre: Romantic Fiction
Release Date: April 23
3. Table for Two by Amor Towles
I fell for Towles’ gift for storytelling after reading Rules of Civility, and of course, I fell even harder once I’d finished A Gentleman in Moscow. In Table for Two, Towles strays from his past novels with shorter fiction, setting them in New York City and a novella in Golden Age Hollywood. His characters are deeply human, with their complexities put on display as they navigate compelling romances and challenging narratives—and ultimately, find new and hopeful futures.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Release Date: April 2
4. All in Her Head by Elizabeth Comen
Women everywhere have been calling for a change in how the medical establishment approaches our bodies and health. With All in Her Head, Dr. Elizabeth Comen contributes significant work to the revolution, presenting a deeply-researched perspective that diverts from the traditional male-centric narrative. Her writing is empathetic and informative, drawing upon medical journals, interviews with physicians, and Dr. Comen’s own work in treating thousands of women over the years. It can be heavy at times, but is an important read for everyone.
Genre: Nonfiction, Women’s Health
Release Date: Available Now
5. Memory Piece by Lisa Ko
Three deeply creative and idealistic teenagers transform into women trying to navigate the difficulties of growing up and realizing their dreams in New York City. Memory Piece not only asks the important question of how we derive value from our lives but chronicles three different journeys that, in many ways, represent our collective search for fulfillment and satisfaction in a world that tries to steer us from ever reaching either.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
6. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
It’s no secret: even before the pandemic propelled a significant downturn in our global mental health, adolescent mental well-being was already on the decline. In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt tracks this epidemic of teen mental illness to several factors, including the collective transition from a play-based childhood to one driven by our devices and screens. But beyond identifying these issues, Haidt presents parents, caregivers, and educators with the support needed to help the children in their lives regain a sense of community, connection, and curiosity.
Genre: Parenting, Psychology
Release Date: March 26
7. The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
Spring and summer always see me gravitating more toward travel-based reads—and as such, The Sicilian Inheritance is high on my list. You’ll see Italy through the lens of a dysfunctional family with secrets at its center and a mysterious murder that the protagonist will stop at nothing to solve.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Release Date: April 2
8. What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway
I love the transportive aspect of historical fiction—particularly when it’s grounded in the romantic quality of the early twentieth century. In What the Mountains Remember, Callaway’s details are rich with lush descriptions of an opulent way of life, providing an engaging narrative framework of a famed place and legendary family. The book is impressively researched, with a page-turning, dramatic plot at its center.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: April 2
9. The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard
In The Other Valley, neighboring towns are divided by the past and future—with the valley to the east 20 years ahead while the west is 20 years behind. Suddenly, sixteen-year-old Odile is given an impossible choice: to preserve this universe’s careful balance or put her future in jeopardy to save the boy she loves.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
10. Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Daphne has always believed that no matter what happens, the universe has a plan in store. But after losing hope in finding the one, she meets Jake, who’s perfect in just about every way. As they grow closer, Daphne wonders how much of herself she can share, and if she can trust him to hold her secrets.
Genre: Romantic Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
11. The Celestial Wife by Leslie Howard
It’s 1964, and fifteen-year-old Daisy Shoemaker dreams of leaving her fundamentalist Mormon community to find a life beyond its borders and her destiny to become a sister-wife and a mother. When the bishop chooses a man 40 years older to become Daisy’s husband, she escapes. Years later, Daisy has beloved friends, secured a job, and embraced a newfound sense of independence—until her past comes hurtling back.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: April 9
12. The Ritual Effect by Michael Norton
We’re obsessed with rituals at Camille Styles—leaning upon our habits and practices to help us step into each day feeling energized and inspired. Social psychologist, Michael Norton, analyzes the power of rituals from both a practical and psychological sense. In The Ritual Effect, Norton looks at the science behind how approaching everyday activities with intention can transform your life for the better.
Genre: Self Help, Psychology
Release Date: April 9
13. The Hunter by Tana French
A leading author in the genres of mystery and thriller, Tana French is back with another nuanced novel that will have you entranced from the first page. Set in the West of Ireland, The Hunter puts revenge, love, and familial sacrifice at the center of its spellbinding plot.
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: Available Now
14. The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin
Enslaved to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Ady and her mother, Sanite spend every day together. But when they become separated, Ady turns hopeless. That is until she befriends Lenore, a free Black woman who invites Ady to join a secret society of spies called the Daughters. Emboldened by memories of her courageous mother and the strong women she meets, Ady builds the inner strength to believe in a new and brighter future for herself.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
15. Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan
First, you must realize you’re homesick for all the lives you’re not living. Then, you must commit to the road and the rising loneliness. To the sincere thrill of coming apart. These introductory lines of Joy Sullivan’s debut poetry collection exemplify the earnest call to action Instructions for Traveling West instills in its readers. It encourages us to consider what we’re sacrificing if we don’t give ourselves the chance to live in alignment—and to grasp the courage it takes to begin anew.
Genre: Poetry
Release Date: April 9
16. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
As a chronically online woman sitting squarely on the millennial/Gen Z cusp, I deeply resonate with all of Cal Newport’s work. Both Digital Minimalism and Deep Work transformed how I approach my digital life, helping not only change my behaviors for the better but also connect with a greater sense of satisfaction in this hyper-connected age. In his newest book, Newport argues for a quality-over-quantity relationship to our output. He presents compelling research on habits and mindset while laying the framework for what “slow productivity” looks like—and how to reap the benefits of this game-changing alternative.
Genre: Self Help, Productivity
Release Date: Available Now
17. Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
By the author of The Power of Habit, this highly-anticipated new release uncovers the science behind how we connect through words. Duhigg’s research and inquiry into the skills and intuition of these so-called “supercommunicators” reveals consistencies in how we recognize emotions, convey empathy, and are led by our own biases and perspectives.
Genre: Psychology, Self Help
Release Date: Available Now
18. Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna
Set in summertime London throughout one weekend, Evenings and Weekends is built on the hopes, dreams, challenges, and harrowing realities of a multi-generational cast of characters. It reads with the quick clever dialogue of Sally Rooney and is filled with the vibrant possibilities that can only exist in a city during the summer.
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Release Date: April 16
19. While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi
For when you’re craving a rush of cortisol, While We Were Burning is sure to keep you up at night. When Elizabeth Smith’s perfect life spirals out of control following the mysterious death of her best friend, she hires Brianna, who appears to be the perfect assistant. That is until Brianna starts asking questions herself, wanting to know why the police killed her young Black son. And because it was someone in Elizabeth’s neighborhood who called the cops in the first place, Brianna chose to go to exactly where she hopes to find answers.
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: April 16
20. In the Shadow of the Greenbrier by Emily Matchar
Growing up, my family vacationed at the Greenbrier Resort. To a nine-year-old, the West Virginia hotel was not only massive and grand but I remember being deeply aware of how many stories and memories it held. And though I haven’t been back since, even today, I have to imagine it would feel just as expansive. But all that opulence and glamour takes on a dramatic edge as the backdrop to this gripping family saga. The story follows generations of the Zelners, who each struggle to accept their family’s dark secrets and sinister past.