10 Spring Books to Add to Your Reading List Right Now

A spring reading list has become one of my most cherished seasonal traditions. There is something about the shift in light and air that makes me want to gather up a fresh stack of books and settle in with intention. As a slow reader who believes deeply in choosing books that align with the season of life I am in, I look forward every year to curating a collection of spring books that speak to themes of renewal, self-discovery, and joy. This year’s list is one I am especially excited to share with you.

I look forward to list-making at the start of every new season. Over the years, I’ve encountered plenty of skepticism about lists, from productivity circles and personal care communities, but here’s what I keep coming back to: without writing something down, without the act of prepping, planning, and pulling scattered thoughts together, it’s difficult to make sense of any of it. So I always return to lists. Bucket lists, cleaning lists, and in this case, reading lists.

A Spring Reading List to Keep You Grounded & Intentional

Reading lists, especially, hold a special place in my heart. As a reader, I almost always have a stack of books that I’m working through. Maybe it’s the English major in me, or the persistent dream of someday owning a small bookstore, but even as a slow reader (and yes, I really am slow), book lists keep me grounded and intentional. They keep me moving, even at my own pace. Do I get through every book on the list? No. Hardly ever. But the list itself provides inspiration, and year after year, I can look back at the compilations I’ve built and see real threads of growth, learning, and discovery running through them. There is something genuinely meaningful in that.

This season, I am so excited to share something new. I’ve been building out a full collection on Bookshop.org, a wonderful alternative to Amazon that directly supports independent bookstores across the country. (Full transparency: I am an affiliate and may receive a small commission from purchases made through my list. Thank you, truly, for your support — it means so much.)

Shut-Up, You Mean, I Can Create My Own Bookstore?

When I first learned that I could build my own curated online bookshop, my reaction was something like, “Stop. Shut up. You mean I can actually make my dream of owning a bookstore come true?” And the answer, it turns out, is yes! So this spring, I am thrilled to offer you, dear reader, my very first seasonal collection: a carefully chosen gathering of novels and memoirs that speak to the themes and feelings of spring: rejuvenation, self-discovery, re-emergence, growth, perspective, connection, and joy.

Below are my spring book picks. I’d love for you to enjoy them curled up outside with a blanket and a cup of tea, or as audiobooks while you’re baking, walking, or crafting your way through the season.

📚 Books On My Bookshelf This Spring

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly is a dual-timeline novel weaving together the stories of a garden designer in 1907, a land girl during World War II, and a woman in the present day — all connected by one extraordinary English garden. Rich, immersive, and deeply satisfying.
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle A warm and witty romance about two people who inherit a run-down property and must work together — and ultimately fall in love — while restoring it to its former glory. Full of charm, humor, and the particular joy of watching something neglected become beautiful again.
The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams A tender and atmospheric novel about two women — separated by decades but connected by a single garden — who each find themselves at a crossroads and discover that nature has a quiet way of healing what feels broken. Lush, unhurried, and full of the kind of gentle hope that spring itself seems to carry. A perfect read for anyone who believes that gardens hold more than just flowers.
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout The latest from the incomparable Elizabeth Strout, this novel returns to the world of Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton, weaving their lives together in a meditation on storytelling, memory, and what it means to truly know another person. Luminous and quietly devastating in the best way.
The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi The second book in a beloved Japanese magical realism series about a small seaside restaurant where traditional meals can summon a loved one from the past — just for the length of a single meal. Gentle, soothing, and quietly emotional, with recipes tucked into the pages that make the magic of the kitchen feel wonderfully real. If you loved Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this one belongs on your list.
Better Living Through Birding by Christian Cooper A joyful, deeply personal memoir by the birdwatcher whose Central Park encounter sparked a national conversation. This book is about far more than birds; it’s about finding wonder, identity, community, and freedom in the natural world. Uplifting, beautifully written, and perfectly timed for spring.
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer From the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, this slim and quietly profound book uses the serviceberry tree as a lens through which to explore gift economies, abundance, and our relationship with the natural world. A gentle but genuinely paradigm-shifting read — perfect for spring, when the earth is reminding us how generously it gives.
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter A beloved classic published in 1909, this novel follows a determined young girl growing up near the Indiana limberlost swamp, using the beauty of nature — and the moths she collects — to work her way toward education and independence. Quietly feminist, deeply nature-loving, and utterly timeless. If you haven’t read it, spring is the perfect season to discover it.
Spring Rain: A Life Lived in Gardens by Marc Hamer A lovely, contemplative read for anyone who finds restoration in growing things. Pour yourself a cup of tea, find a sunny window, and let this one settle over you like the season itself.
Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Tóibín A quietly devastating and deeply beautiful novel about a young Irish woman who emigrates to Brooklyn in the 1950s, caught between two worlds, two lives, and two versions of herself. Tóibín’s prose is spare and restrained, which somehow makes every emotion land all the more powerfully. A timeless story about home, identity, and the bittersweet courage it takes to begin again.
Bonus Book For Women’s History Month: The Women by Kristin Hannah. A powerful, sweeping novel following a young woman who serves as a nurse in Vietnam and the long, complicated road home that follows. A profound tribute to the women whose service went largely unrecognized. A particularly meaningful read for Women’s History Month, and an important one any time of year.

You can view all of the books in my spring collection on A Farm to Keep’s Bookshop.org shop. Check back often as we continue to build out more book selections.

Let’s Be Friends!

If you gave any of these books a try, I’d love to hear what you think. Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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