Give Your TBR a Spring Refresh!🌷

The spring reading season is in full bloom, with plenty of exciting new releases, celebrity book clubs recently announcing their picks for April, and it’s National Library Week. So, today, I’ve got 11 new book recommendations to add a refresh to your TBR. Just like the unpredictable spring weather, I’ve listed “sunny” rom-coms, “rainy day” family dramas, “stormy” mysteries, and more!

And in case you’re like me and have trouble deciding what to read next (especially when there are so many great books coming out), I’m sharing my process for deciding on my next book. (Speaking of, my mom just finished Broken Country and loved it. So, that may just be my next read! I think … probably.)

This time of year, the pull of getting out into my garden often competes with my downtime to read. I may take my advice from last week and listen to an audiobook while I mulch and hem in new plants. Of course, I love a rainy day when I don’t feel bad about not going outside and can get cozy with a book and a mug of tea.

How about you? Does the spring weather affect your reading habits?

Leave a comment

Happy Reading!

Audry

P.S. Last week’s poll on what day you’d like to see Bookish AF in your inbox has Wednesday barely in the lead over Saturday morning. I’m keeping the poll up for an extra week. So, click here if you have a preference and want to vote for it!

P.P.S. I’m so thankful to all of you who have generously upgraded to paid! I’m beyond honored and humbled that you’re enjoying this newsletter. Your support means so much to me. 💗

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Bookish Update: April's Celebrity Book Club Selections

I love seeing what books have caught the interest of celebrity book clubs. Often, you can count on a well-crafted story by a talented author. Here are the latest picks for April 2025:

Reese’s Book Club

All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett

This one looks like a fun escape! Recent college grad Anna follows her dreams of living in London, just like the Jane Austen books she used to read in her local library. However, she can’t leave behind the fact that she still has a money issue. That is until she takes a tutoring job with the elite Wilders, who whisk her off to Saint-Tropez. Anna is soon making questionable decisions, meeting new love interests, and getting so caught up in this lifestyle that she risks losing what’s most important.

Read with Jenna

Heartwood by Amity Gaige

This mystery will have you turning pages as you become more and more emotionally invested in whether or not lost Appalachian Trail hiker Valerie will be found in the Maine wilderness. The story shifts from the viewpoint of three characters. We learn about married, forty-two-year-old Valerie from the letters she has been writing to her mother. We also follow Beverly, the detective known for her search and rescue skills, and Lena, an older woman living in a retirement home with a love of the forest, who becomes an unexpected help. Then, there’s the suspicion that Valerie’s disappearance may not be an accident! What really happened to Valerie?

Good Morning America Book Club

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

From the author of Weyward comes another intriguing tale of magical realism mixed with historical fiction. However, instead of witches, this book focuses on sirens, mythological creatures known for luring men to their deaths at sea. This eerily dark tale follows Lucy, who is looking for her missing sister Jess in the present. Somehow, they both have recurrent dreams about two sisters who were forced to leave Ireland for a penal colony in Australia in the 1800s and the abuse they suffered at the hands of men.

Oprah's Book Club

The Tell by Amy Griffin

Fans of memoirs, heads up: This book is already earning glowing reviews. Amy Griffin appeared to have the perfect life. She’s in great shape, has a beautiful family, and is a successful investor in popular products like Spanx. However, Amy’s life-long passion for running seemed to be more than an exercise habit. Amy was running from something, but she didn’t know exactly what. Motivated by her daughter’s observation that she seemed “checked out,” Amy set out to find the truth, using controversial methods such as therapy that included psychedelics.

Jimmy Fallon (last summer’s pick)

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I’m including this selection from last summer for a few reasons. First, it’s “newish,” published last July. This is my first celebrity book round-up here on Bookish AF, so I’m trying to cover them all. And, finally, I’m currently reading this lengthy but captivating book, which continues to rack up four and five-star reviews … for good reason! If you enjoy a mystery with excellent storytelling, pick up this mystery about what happened to missing camper Barbara Van Laar in 1975. The twist? Barbara, the daughter of the camp’s owners, isn’t the first child in her family to go missing.

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Bookish Recs: April New Releases

April is bringing it with exciting new releases to add a spring refresh to your TBR! Here are a few intriguing choices worth checking out:

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper

In this story that mixes history with present day, librarian Tildy Burrows unexpectedly finds a hidden room and two mysterious dollhouses. In her curiosity and hoping that what she discovers may save her San Francisco library from bankruptcy, Tildy begins researching the dollhouses and uncovers fascinating secrets. The story also unfolds through Cora, the artist behind the dollhouses, who left San Francisco for Paris in the early 1900s.

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Who’s up for a rom-com? This book delivers a balance of humor and emotional depth. The story begins with what seems like a wonderful budding romance between Samantha and Xavier. However, despite an unforgettable first date, Samantha has far too much going on in her life for a relationship. Can the sparks that once flew now survive the 2,000-mile distance that stands between them? The reviews are quite good so far, but it’s not your typical light-hearted romance.

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Weiner for decades, so I was excited to learn about her latest novel that takes on pop music and sister drama. Cassie and Zoe Grossberg, a.k.a. The Griffin Sisters, were once a hit pop duo in the early 2000s for about one year … until their success came to a grinding halt. Now, twenty years later, the sisters have little in common and less reason to look back until Zoe’s daughter starts uncovering their past. (This book was also selected for this month’s Amazon book club, Sarah Selects, run by Amazon’s editorial director, Sarah Gelman.)

The Other Lata by Kirthana Ramisetti

If you love a clever premise, a less-than-perfect main character, and New York society, pick this one up. Lata Murphy has been receiving emails intended for a woman with the same name. But, other than sharing a name, the two women have little in common. Lata leads a meager life while “the other Lata” gets invites to swanky soirees, high-brow fundraisers, and fancy boutiques. So, can you blame Lata for taking on this other woman’s identity? And don’t you want to read what happens when she does? I do!

The Float Test by Lynn Steger Strong

In this entertaining family drama set in balmy Florida, four siblings struggle with the recent loss of their mother while juggling their less-than-perfect lives. Jenn, the oldest, is an overwhelmed mom. Fred is a novelist fighting with her sister, Jude, a former corporate lawyer, over a family secret. And George, the baby of the family, is managing a failed marriage and a flirtation.

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

This multi-generational novel unveils a secret kingdom of freed people that once existed in the western North Carolina hills. Nikki’s mother and grandmother have been estranged for years. Hoping to find answers, she honors her grandmother’s request to visit her. Here, Nikki learns about this area’s unbelievable past and her family ties to its history.

Bookish Reading Tip: How to Decide What to Read Next Created on Canva by Audry Fryer

The best part of a TBR list is the thrill of finding books to add to it. No doubt after the list I’ve shared above, you’ve likely added a title or two (or ten, LOL!).

So, then it goes that the worst part of a TBR list is trying to decide which book to read next. Do you go with the one everyone is talking about? The book that’s on everyone’s bookstagram or booktok? Or do you take a chance on a lesser-known title that piqued your interest?

I have a confession…I’m terrible at making decisions. I can always see all sides of a situation, which is both a blessing and a curse. But, mostly, it means I remain stuck or, worse, second-guess my choices.

But, fortunately, I’ve discovered a way to get around all this indecision so you can choose your next book. Here’s how:

Choose three to five books from your TBR list.

Then, get a sample or open the print book and read only the first or few sentences.

Take a break for a few minutes or even a day.

Then, notice which opening lines stuck with you or made you the most curious.

The book that stays on your mind the most is your next read!

Don’t overthink it. Just start reading. And remind yourself that when you’re done with this one, you can always circle back to one of the books that you didn’t choose this time around.

Bookish Celebration: National Library Week

“I always felt, if I can get to a library, I’ll be OK.” —Maya Angelou

Visit your local library, bring a friend, get a library card, and browse the shelves because April 6-12, 2025, is National Library Week. When my children were young, the local library was a favorite place to visit for storytime and community events. So, I’m all for doing what I can to support libraries. Today, I have a library card that I use on the Libby app.

It’s no secret that our local libraries face many challenges, from lack of funding to censorship issues. Visit the official National Library Week website to learn how you can help libraries continue to remain a valued community resource.

Bookish Quote of the Week

“Spring is made of solid, fourteen-karat gratitude, the reward for the long wait. Every religious tradition from the northern hemisphere honors some form of April hallelujah, for this is the season of exquisite redemption, a slam-bang return to joy after a season of cold second thoughts.”

― Barbara Kingsolver, “Animal, Vegetable, Mineral”

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