What makes the best springtime novels? 

The season of rebirth and awakening should include enduring love, budding friendships,
flowers with a language, a tale of rabbits and more. 
​Put a spring into your reading step with these must read books and ideas

Recent releases that are sunny and bright for spring! More novels below

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Peet on Amazon.com
The Measure by Nikki Erlick on Amazon.com
Not as springy and light in subject matter as you would think but this novel is getting a lot of literary buzz and would make an interesting book club discussion for your group like it did for ours.  Lessons in Chemistry by  Bonnie Garmus on Amazon.com

Fresh ideas for a springtime book club

  • A salad bar dinner - the host will supply a variety of leafy greens and everyone in the group will bring the toppings for the salad bar and sides
  • Have your book club dinner or luncheon 'al fresco' ~ outside
  • Place stem tags on your wine glasses (see below) and write character names from your novel on each one. Stencil pictures of the characters, names or quotes to add a special touch. You can use a rubber stamp or flower decals as well
  • Part of your spring decorations purchase inexpensive herb plants (basil, rosemary, lavender, thyme) and raffle off at the end of book club. Gather all the stem tags and pick the winners from a bag or hat 
  • Include a spring book exchange (a spin on spring cleaning) but with books! Have everyone bring their used books (no book club reads) that you no longer want but would love for someone else to enjoy.  *Tip: Amazon.com will let you loan select e-books via your Kindle.  It's a great way to get fresh reads and clean up your book shelf for new ones!
Buy inexpensive petite vases add a mix of spring flowers and place above each place setting at your table. 
​ A sweet smelling gift for your friends to take home! 
Check out these similar vases on Amazon.com
Set your table with book page roses and flowers on Etsy
 Watership Down inspired stem tags with names of the characters
​(description of the novel below)
5 wine glass markers
​on Amazon.com
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton appealed to all of my choosiest of book club friends. It's a novel packed with deep family mystery that spans from modern day all the way back to the turn of the 20th century as the main characters Nell and her granddaughter Cassandra desperately search for unanswered questions to secrets long buried in the past.  Read more on our cut to the chase book review
Inconceivable! Did you know The Princess Bride was a book before the movie? Published in 1973 by William Goldman the  beloved movie of the same name came out in 1987.  Believe it or not most of us in book club did not know that.  ​Written as a fantasy fairy tale , The Princess Bride is filled with witty humor, swashbuckling adventure and a sweet romance, "As you wish!"

A companion piece,  As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride is a behind the scenes book with stories, photographs and interviews of the movie The Princess Bride by the actor Carey Elwes who played farmer boy Westley
Full of powerful gut wrenching moments The Language of Flowers was a heavy read for us but so worth it in the end.  Victoria the heroine, raised in the foster care system, uses the Victorian language of flowers to communicate with those around her. Now 18 years old and on her own Victoria struggles to find her way and build new relationships. Have tissues handy for your book discussion
Written in 1922 The Enchanted April is the story of four very different Englishwomen, (unknown to each other), that rent a small medieval castle on the Italian Riviera. Our group enjoyed discussing the characters and their growing respect and friendship for each other in a gorgeous setting
In the spirit of Mark Twain's classics, Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn comes a new story through the eyes and voice of Jim, a runaway slave and his young friend, Huck by his side.  Enter into the spring season with a renewed hope and spirit by reading
 James by Percival Everett available on Amazon.com
There are rabbits who live under the sky. Rabbits who are free...
Watership Down by Richard Adams left us a bit skeptical at first. An entire story based on fluffy little creatures called rabbits?  Watership Down in the end gets high marks for it's adventurous spirit and remarkable tale of courage, friendship and most importantly survival.  It is not a children's story in the slightest.
Always good to throw in a memoir into your reading group mix! A remaking a life from scratch this story is a chef's journey from darkness to a brighter future should not be missed. A side note:  This book contains colorful language that may offend some.  Finding Freedom by Erin French

Quotes that will lift your springtime spirits for the season that begins anew!

"Is the spring coming?" he said.  "What is it like?"... "It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine"...
Frances Hodgson Burnette - The Secret Garden

If people do not love one another,  I really don't see what use there would be in having any spring
Victor Hugo - Les Miserables

In the spring when the wind is in the new leaves the echo of her voice may still be heard by the fall that bear her name
JRR Tolkien

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
Leo Tolstoy - Anna Karenina

“That is one good thing about this world...there are always sure to be more springs.”
L.M. Montgomery - Anne of Avonlea

“I suppose the best kind of spring morning is the best weather God has to offer.”
Dodie Smith - I Capture the Castle 
 

*Need some help with your overflowing book shelves?
Here are some practical ​spring cleaning book ideas on Book Club Blogger