The weather is warming, which means one thing – and one thing only. We’re loading up our beach bags, finding a spot on the sand and ploughing through our TBR (‘to be read’) list. These are the books we’re reading this spring/summer.
‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ by Sarah J. Maas
Fine, we’ll bite. We’ve been hearing people talk breathlessly (for more reasons than one) about this book for months, and we’re intrigued by its power to have even the most fantasy-averse reader swooning over men with… wings? We’re a little lost, but we’re sure we’ll be superfans by summer’s end.
‘Intermezzo’ by Sally Rooney
We have Sally Rooney to thank for two hit shows (not to mention Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones), so we’re obviously eager to see what’s next in her bibliography. In good news for hearts everywhere, Rooney seems to be stepping away from romance and setting her sights on familial love instead – though we’re sure there will be plenty of anguish thrown in.
‘Blue Sisters’ by Coco Mellors
Whether you loved or loathed her debut novel ‘Cleopatra and Frankenstein,’ you can’t deny that Mellors has a knack for crafting indelible characters – and (slightly less importantly) choosing beautiful covers. True to form, her second novel ‘Blue Sisters’ has both. We can’t wait to meet the Blue sisters.
‘Yellowface’ by R. F. Kuang
It’s a tale as old as time: one author witnesses the unexpected death of another, steals her manuscript and publishes it as her own – under a racially-ambiguous penname, no less. A classic fable! Described as ‘razor-sharp’, ‘chilling and hilariously cutting’, we can’t believe ‘Yellowface’ has been on our TBR for so long. That changes this spring.
‘The Bookbinder of Jericho’ by Pip Williams
We’ll always here to support to Aussie authors, but Pip Williams makes it particularly easy. Her debut ‘The Dictionary of Lost Words’ was one of the most successful Australian novels ever, and this one seems to follow similar themes – it’s a love letter to knowledge, literacy and early 1900s Oxford.
‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin
We understand why this book doesn’t appeal to everyone. For one, it’s pretty long. It’s also about video games. But ask anyone who’s read it, and they’ll all say the same thing: “Just try it. Trust me.” A 4.16-star rating on Goodreads and over five million copies sold can’t be wrong.
‘Fourth Wing’ by Rebecca Yarros
If you’re looking for a series to get lost in, this could be it. It’s been compared to the ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Divergent’ – but with many more dragons – so the hype around ‘Fourth Wing’ feels exciting, yet familiar. We haven’t had a blockbuster series in a while, and we’ve certainly noticed their absence.
‘The Happiest Man on Earth’ by Eddie Jaku
We know the story, but we’ve never heard it told quite like this. After seven years in concentration camps, Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku made a vow to himself – because he was alive, he had to smile every day. Powerful, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful, we know this memoir will change us for the better.
‘Everyone Here is Lying’ by Shari Lapena
Page-turning mysteries are perfect beach reads, and Shari Lapena’s are some of the best. This one details a family-friendly neighbourhood that’s turned on its head when a young girl goes missing. We’re expecting twists, turns and high tensions from the ‘queen of the one-sit read’.
Keen to read one of our spring picks? Think before you click – there are so many small, independent bookshops on and around the Gold Coast to support.