Most of us probably think of winter as a good time to sit inside by the fire and curl up with a good book. However, springtime offers us an opportunity for renewal and revitalization. I can picture it now: sitting outside on a blanket, soaking up the sun, and getting lost in a new read. I have recently read some very good picks and wanted to take this opportunity to share them with you.

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway was the March book choice for the young adult book club that I belong to. I absolutely loved it! I started it on a Saturday afternoon and had it read by Sunday at noon. It’s been a long time since I came across a book that I wanted to finish in a day. Far from the Tree follows the story of three biological siblings, Grace, Maya, and Joaquin, who were separated by adoption but end up finding each other in the end. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the teens as they explore the meaning of family in all its different forms. This novel won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (2017). 

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus was first recommended to me by a friend but it really caught my attention after reading the inside flap:

“On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.”

Please tell me you get the reference? If not, you need to check out The Breakfast Club ASAP. This is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four of them walk out alive. Throughout the book you find out the secrets each student is hiding and you have to decide which one had the most motive to kill. It keeps you guessing until the end.

The final book I wanted to share is Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi. It follows sixteen-year-old Scott Ferdowski on his adventure to discover how to overcome his tendency to be a quitter. He has never been one to follow through on anything. Until one day, he discovers the research of a famous professor who specializes in grit, the psychology of success, and runs away to Washington, DC to seek guidance on how to become grittier. His journey for self-actualization turns into a wild adventure after meeting high-spirited, ballsy college student, Fiora Buchanan, whose life goal is to write crossword puzzles. I came across this novel through a website called Book Riot.

I highly recommend subscribing to the various Book Riot newsletters that are sent out via email. They have a list for almost every type of reader. My favorites include “New Books,” “What’s Up in YA?,” “In the Club,” and “Kissing Books.”