Spring time has arrived in the Lehigh Valley, despite the cold weather we’re still getting. What better way to think spring than to read some great books that remind you of warmer weather? Here are 10 recommendations that you can pick up from the Bethlehem Area Public Library. Who knows, maybe all this spring reading will finally bring us some warmer weather!
For Adult Fiction Readers…
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
College is a time of making friends, learning new skills, and figuring out what you finally want to do with your life. If we’re being honest, though, college is also a time when everything you do seeks approval by your professors and higher-ups. This is the case for Greer Kadetsky in Meg Wolitzer’s latest release, The Female Persuasion. She’s a college freshman who isn’t exactly assertive, but she is longing for something to push her to be ambitious besides her love for her boyfriend, Cory. Enter Faith Frank: a sixty-three year old woman who comes to speak at Greer’s college and catches Greer’s eye. The rest of the novel unfolds as Faith pushes Greer to find that ambition that she has always yearned for. The process may or may not, however, move her away from her love for Cory. A story that is wise, witty, and charismatic, The Female Persuasion will be sure to remind you of all the things your heart has ever desired in life.
For Young Adult Readers…
Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
Lush gardens often give of a hint of magic whenever you have the opportunity to explore their colorful depths, but in Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore, this magic actually comes to life. On the grounds of the La Pradera estate, the women of the Nomeolvides family tend and enchant guest with their beautiful gardens. Unfortunately, life isn’t all fun and magic with these women. The Nomeolvides women are cursed: if they fall deep in love, their lovers vanish. One year, after decades of losing their loves, a strange boy appears in their gardens. Estrella, one of the Nomeolvides girls, decides to solve the mystery of this strange boy, for even her does not know who he is or where he comes from. Along the way, Estrella will discover that the La Pradera estate is much more dangerous and magical than she ever could have thought.
For Middle Grade Readers…
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Accompanied by beautiful illustrations, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente is a whimsical, magical novel that will take its readers on the adventure of a lifetime. The story follows September, a twelve-year-old living in Omaha, Nebraska. One day, when her father is off fighting in the war and her mother is hard at work, a man appears at her window. But not just any man, a green man made from wind. The green man recruits September to help him and the people of Fairyland retrieve a talisman that the new Marquess wants. The Marquess is a choosy woman, and the enchanted forest that the talisman is hidden in is a very strange place. September accepts the proposition, however, and goes on a fantastic journey that involves making new friends (like a book-loving Wyvern) and creating unforgettable memories. Readers who are familiar with Alice in Wonderland will be sure to love this first book in a series and will want to go on a magical adventure of their own by the end of it.
For Fantasy Readers…
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Uprooted takes place in a fairytale land filled with wizards and magical forests, but not everything is as peaceful and idyllic as they seem. Every ten years, a wizard named the Dragon comes to Agnieszka’s village to take a young woman in exchange for ten more years of his magical protection. As much as the villagers don’t want to give up their girls, they have to. If they didn’t, the Wood would terrorize them. The Wood is a nearby dark forest filled with mystery, secrets, and lethal creatures. Barely anyone who has gone in has come out alive. Agnieszka’s doesn’t think that she will be the Dragon’s chosen girl this year, but soon everything changes for her when the unexpected happens. Filled with magic, adventure, and a young girl’s courage to fight, Uprooted is the perfect read for any and all adult fantasy lovers.
For Short Story Readers…
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is well-known for her works Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists, but this short story collection is not one to miss. The many stories in this collection include a medical student confronted with a Muslim woman while they are hiding from a violent riot, a mother in Philadelphia, PA discovering that her husband is hiding a mistress in their Lagos home, a woman unearthing what really happened to her deceased brother, a girl that moves to America and learns that not everything is as she expected in the US, and many more. Love, loss, beauty, and diverse cultures come together in this amazing collection of short stories that will be sure to keep you flipping pages.
For Poetry Readers…
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur’s first collection, Milk and Honey, reinvigorated the world of poetry and brought new poetry readers and writers to light. With her second collection, The Sun and Her Flowers, Kaur continues to encourage readers to delve into the often forgotten genre. This collection is divided into 5 sections: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. Her poems evoke themes of learning, healing, growing, and being able to find a home in yourself. Quick and accessible to read, The Sun and Her Flowers is sure to be enjoyed even by the newest of poetry readers.
For Non-Fiction Readers…
Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World by Tsh Oxenreider
Notes from a Blue Bike is part travelogue, part memoir, and part lifestyle guide as Tsh Oxenreider takes you on the multiple adventures of her life. Tsh and her family travel to Kosovo, Turkey, Texas, Oregon, and every place in between as she tries to solve what may otherwise be simple tasks for settled families: schooling, dinner time decisions, family trips, and entrepreneurial endeavors. This whirlwind non-fiction takes you alongside Tsh’s journey as she and her family live a crazy, yet worldly, life. To live simply and fully may not be an easy task, but the author and her family take on the challenge anyway. Perhaps you will take on this challenge yourself once you have read the book. After all, you never know which adventures might catch your fancy.
#This post was written by BAPL’s intern Jennifer Khawam, Moravian College.