Spring into reading with fiction titles that fully embrace the season, hand-picked by Fiction-AV-Teen Readers’ Advisor Denise.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. But his quiet life is about to change. Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given an assignment: travel to an orphanage on a distant island and evaluate six dangerous magical children. When Linus arrives at the strangest of islands he’s greeted by a series of mysterious figures, the greatest mystery of which is Arthur Parnassus, master of the orphanage. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, Linus discovers the master would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world has to burn.
Delightful / Heartwarming / Zany
I’ll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos
Shifting between the 1950s and the present and told in the alternating voices of Edith and Clare, I’ll Be Your Blue Sky is vintage Marisa de los Santos—an emotionally evocative novel that probes the deepest recesses of the human heart and illuminates the tender connections that bind our lives.
Tender / Genuine / Powerful
Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn
Working as a prostitute near the pristine beaches and turquoise seas of Jamaica to pay for a younger sister’s education, Margot hopes that a new hotel that is reshaping her home will grant her financial independence and allow her to pursue a forbidden affair with another woman.
Intimate / Haunting / Character-driven
Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie
Abandoned by a mother who instructs her never to fight or ask questions, an illegitimate child of mixed heritage in 1948 Kyoto forges a powerful bond with her older half-brother against the wishes of their formidable grandparents.
Emotional / Lush descriptions / Heartwrenching
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twang Eng
Seeking solace in the Malaysian plantations of her childhood after grueling World War II experiences, criminal prosecutor Yun Ling Teoh discovers a Japanese garden and its enigmatic tender, an exiled Japanese royal gardener who reluctantly accepts her as an apprentice.
Moving atmosphere / Reflective / Lyrical
The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman
Moving to Grand Haven with her traumatized veteran husband, Abby bonds with her reclusive next-door neighbor over a shared love of flowers that they cultivate together, discovering hope and healing along the way.
Likeable characters / Floral prose / Descriptive
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
Settling in America years after his turbulent childhood in China, Renshu, now Henry Dao, refuses to talk to his daughter about her heritage, determined to keep her safe in this new land despite being weighed down by his history.
Sincere / Heartfelt / Compelling
