15 Insanely enchanting books to read in Spring

The secret garden was another one of my childhood favourites. I love the idea of a magical secret garden.

 Some childhood classics are better when you don’t revisit them. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this when I reread it.

The plot centres around Mary Lennox. She is a young English girl who returns to England from India.  She discovers a charming walled garden. But it’s always kept locked.

The Secret Garden is a classic but it’s also a children’s classic. And that makes it much easier to read.

Good Reads Rating: 4.14

Pride and Prejudice is an absolute classic romance books.  The beautiful romance and the gorgeous descriptions of the English Countryside make it the perfect book for Spring. 

Pride and Prejudice follows a group of daughters. Mrs Bennet insists they find rich husbands and settle down. So when a wealthy bachelor moves nearby, she’s very happy.

This is a classic love story - the character development is absolutely incredible. And the themes throughout are timeless. Although it was first published in 1813 - it still feels relevant today. 

If you're a fan of the BBC Adaptation or the Keira Knightley movie - then I highly recommend reading this.

Good Reads Rating: 4.28

I’m not sure I could write a post on Cottagecore books to read without mentioning Anne of Green Gables.

A great choice for Anne with E fans.  You should read the original book series if you love the Netflix series.

Anne of Green Gables follows Anne Shirley. She’s is an orphan girl who goes to stay with the Cuthberts

From Start to finish – this is a delightfully charming read. The characters and the plot both hold a very special place in my heart.

Good Reads Rating: 4.28

This one will make you super emotional. Seriously, have a box of tissues at the ready when you read this one.

It follows Theodore Finch who meets Violet when she is standing on a ledge considering committing suicide. They are paired together for a geography project and have to explore places in their local community.

This book made me incredibly emotional. And it’s the most insanely perfect depiction of suicide and mental health issues. It is sensitively and touchingly done.

Good Reads Rating:  4.14

To All the Boys I’ve Loved before follows Lara-Jean. She’s never openly admitted her crushes to anyone. Instead, she writes them a letter and puts them away in a box. But what happens when someone mails all her secret letters?

To all the boys is a heartwarming, emotional and adorable read. It features the fake dating trope which creates so many comedic moments and character growth.

The romance is adorable but I love that what shines through the most is the relationship between the sisters.

If you’re looking for romantic summer beach reads then this would be an excellent choice.

Good Reads Rating: 4.09

To All the Boys I’ve Loved before follows Lara-Jean.

It’s the cover. Just look at it  Even if you’re not planning on reading this one then the cover alone would look stunning in your bedroom. There are so many beautiful versions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland online.

The imagery is adorable with tea parties, roses and talking animals. It follows Alice who falls down a rabbit hole. And she finds herself in the absurd world of wonderland.  This book is pure magic whether you are old or young.

Good Reads Rating: 3.99

If you're looking for diverse LGBTQ+ YA graphic novels then you need to read some of Kay O'Neill's work.  While the plot is very different to Heartstopper - they are still cosy, heartwarming reads. 

The Tea Dragon Society is about dragons who grow leaves you can make tea from. But the tea is infused with memories.

We follow Greta a blacksmith apprentice. One day she finds a lost tea dragon in the marketplace. Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners.

This book is adorable, impossibly cute and heart-warming.  The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and painfully adorable.

  Not only is it a beautiful book with a lovely message. But it stars people of color, people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ characters.

Good reads rating: 4.37

This Poison Heart follows Briseis. She has a magic gift where she can magic tiny seeds grow into rich blooms with a single touch.

Her aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York. And it’s there she must uncover her family’s heritage and secrets.

Again, mythology was woven seamlessly into the plot of this book. It opens in an urban setting before the characters move to a small town. And the cottagecore imagery is beautiful. I love the plant references.

It opens with several mysteries and they keep you intrigued until the end of the book.

Good reads rating: 4.20

Black Flamingo is a coming of age story about a mixed-race, gay teenager finding his identity and the power of drag. It is written in beautiful verse.

This LGBTQ+ YA Book is an empowering and joyful read about race, identity and pride. It deals with so many different issues such as race, racism, gender identity, sexuality and internalized homophobia.

I listened to The Black Flamingo as an audiobook. Dean Atta wrote the book and also narrates the audiobook. Atta has been writing and performing for over 10 years. This really comes across in the audio version.

A powerful read. It also has some really lovely, lighthearted moments in it. The Black Flamingo is truly unique.

Good reads rating: 4.41

The Hobbit is another absolute classic. If you're looking to read more adult fantasy books then this is a great place to start. I recommend this as a great starting point over the Lord of the Rings. It's a fantasy standalone novel with a simple but engaging storyline. And a well paced plot. 

The Hobbit follows Bilbo Baggins. He is A Hobbit who lives in The Shire. One day he meets Gandalf and goes on an adventure.

The Hobbit the most charming adventure story. Also, the imagery in the hobbit – particularly around food is lovely. I want to be able to eat seven meals a day much like a hobbit.

The Hobbit is such a cosy, comforting book. It's not as long and drawn out as Lord of the Rings. And it's a really light-hearted read. 

Good reads rating: 4.28

The Brown sisters series is incredible. The writing is the perfect blend of romantic, smutty and seriously funny. I had to recommend  Act Your Age Eve Brown. Contemporary romance always gives me Spring vibes.

Everything Eve Brown does seems to go wrong. So she usually ends up giving up trying. But when she accidentally ruins an expensive wedding -she decides it's about time she grows up.

Out of the blue, she interviews for a chef position at a B&B. But the owner is uptight and hates Eve on sight.

Act Your Age Eve Brown is the most perfect contemporary romance.  It has the most perfect grumpy/sunshine vibes. And the writing is really funny.

Good reads rating: 4.20

Heartstopper  includes an adorable romance,  a supportive friendship group and the most stunning graphics!

The book series follows Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson. Charlie Spring is an openly gay student in year 10.  And he meets Nick Nelson a soft-hearted rugby player in year 11.  They quickly become friends. But could there be something more?

Alice Oseman wrote and illustrated the graphic novel series. She is insanely talented. And she secured her first publishing deal at just 17 years old!

The graphics are stunning! Seeing the characters faces meant that I felt so many more emotions when reading this.  And I got so emotional! 

Good reads rating: 4.52

She drives me crazy is a high school queer enemies to lovers romance with the fake dating trope.

It follows Scottie Zajac. She loses spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up. So she gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person. Her nemesis Irene Abraham.

Irene Abraham is incredibly beautiful but also incredible mean. And things only get worse when their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved and the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop.

And it only gets worse the more time they spend together. But then an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her ex. And she bribes Irene into playing along.

Good reads rating: 4.09

Oh, I wept buckets when I read this one. It made my heart swell, my eyes water and at the end made me smile like a loon.

It follows Ivy Aberdeen. Her house is destroyed by a hurricane. In the aftermath, someone steals her notebook full of secret drawings of her crush (A girl)

Ashley Herring Blake is a literary genius. The writing is sublime. Vivid and beautiful.

The plot is paced exceptionally well. And all the characters were well developed and nuanced.

Good reads rating: 4.38

The Henna Wars is incredible!  It’s an own voices, YA Contemporary book featuring a Muslim, Bangladeshi, lesbian main character

The Henna Wars follows Nishat as she comes out to her parents as a lesbian. They’re happy for her to be whoever she wants to be. As long as she isn’t herself – because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians.

Her life becomes harder when she is reacquainted with a childhood friend – Flavia. Especially when in a school competition they both decide to start their own henna business.

Adiba Jaigirdar wrote The Henna Wars. She’s a  Bangladeshi, Irish writer who has been living in Dublin, Ireland from the age of 10.   

This book includes a lovely queer f/f romance. But it’s also so much more than a romance

It navigates homophobia, bullying, racism and cultural appropriation. It also includes one of the best main characters in Nishat. Nishat bravely deals with so many things being thrown at her. 

But it still manages to remain a cute, funny and romantic debut novel. Please pick it up and read it!

Good reads rating: 4.03