Looking for the best new books? Fill up your reading list with the best books of spring 2024 so you have plenty of great books to read this spring.
I can’t decide if I’m excited for spring or not. The nicer weather will bring bike rides and soccer games and all the beautiful flowers. However, the skiing has been so amazing this year and part of me wishes winter would never end.
One thing I am excited for: the spring 2024 book releases.
I have been so impressed with the new book releases of 2024. I have read so many 4 and 5 star reads that I just want to spend all day telling people about them.
Today, I’ve got all the best books of Spring 2024 to keep your TBR overflowing this season. No matter your mood, I’ve got you covered with family dramas, thrillers, historical fiction, and more.
Contemporary Fiction Books of Spring 2024
Family Family
Laurie Frankel
While promoting her latest movie, actress India Allwood sparks a media firestorm when she complains that the project only shows the tragic side of adoption. India knows the blessings adoption can bring as both an adoptive mom and a teenage mom who placed a child for adoption. Now that child is sixteen, excited to meet her birth mother and willing to help – only to make the media firestorm worse. Family Family takes on adoption in a nuanced way, reminding us that, no matter how it was formed, every family is complicated.
The world likes to make issues black and white when reality is much more shaded, which is why I quite enjoyed Frankel’s look at adoption. Frankel tackles the stereotypes of adoption head-on, neither glorifying it nor vilifying it, reminding us that just because something is often the case doesn’t mean it’s always the case. India Allwood’s backstory provided an interesting and unique perspective, and the entire story had a heartwarming tone that made it a quick read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Henry Holt & Co. through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 23 January 2024
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Expiration Dates
Rebecca Serle
Every time Daphne dates a new man, she receives a piece of paper telling exactly how long the relationship will last. Before a blind date at her favorite LA restaurant, Daphne’s paper just says “Jake” with no end date. As Daphne and Jake date, she begins to question whether this relationship really doesn’t have an expiration date. For Daphne knows something that, if she told Jake, it could ruin everything.
Rebecca Serle has been a hit-and-miss author for me and I am glad to say that Expiration Dates was a hit. Similar to In Five Years, Serle delivers a lighthearted romance with an intriguing dash of magical realism that side swipes you halfway through. With a clever twist, Expiration Dates introduces more complex themes that make you feel, make you think, and make you want the story to never end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 19 March 2024
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Anita de Monte Laughs Last
Xochitl Gonzalez
In 1998, Raquel is almost finished with her art degree. As a Latina, Raquel has struggled to fit in at her upper class mostly white college until she starts dating a wealthy older art student. While trying to handle her newfound popularity, Raquel learns of another Latina art student, Anita de Monte, who was a rising art star until she was murdered over a decade ago and the parallels between them seem almost eerily similar.
Funny Story
Emily Henry
Daphne and her fiancé Peter have the perfect cute story of how they met, up until Peter leaves her for his childhood best friend Petra. Stranded in Peter’s lakeside Michigan hometown with a job as a children’s librarian she loves, Daphne needs a roommate to help pay the bills. Who better than Petra’s ex, Miles, who is completely Daphne’s opposite? And no big deal if they happen to post misleading photos to make their exes jealous, because there’s no way they would ever actually fall in love.
The Best Books of Spring 2024: Historical Fiction
The Women
Kristin Hannah
When her brother ships off to Vietnam, nursing student Frankie McGrath impulsively decides to leave her sheltered life on Coronado Island and join the Army Nurse Corps. In Vietnam, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos of war. Yet, even more unsettling is the shock of coming home to a country that has been divided by war and disillusioned by politics.
With a similar feel to The Four Winds, The Women is immersive historical fiction with a more serious tone. I took a little longer to attach to Frankie than usual but, by the time I did, I was desperate for Frankie to get her happily-ever-after. Yet, The Women reminds us that life isn’t like a fairytale. War is a messy, traumatizing business even when veterans are fully supported. And Vietnam was messier than any other war in American history, leaving unheard of struggles for returning soldiers, especially for the women who were often overlooked and forgotten.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 February 2024
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The Storm We Made
Vanessa Chan
In 1945 in Malaya, Cecily Alcantara’s family is trying to survive until the end of World War II. Cecily’s son has disappeared, her youngest daughter must stay hidden so she isn’t forced to work in the comfort houses, and her oldest daughter hates serving drunken Japanese soldiers in the teahouse. Cecily knows it’s all her fault; for a decade ago, Cecily was drawn into a campaign to keep “Asia for Asians.” Tired of being a housewife, Cecily became a spy who unwittingly ushered in the Japanese invasion. Now Cecily must face what she has done in order to save her family.
The Great Divide
Cristina Henríquez
Cristina Henríquez, the author of The Book of Unknown Americans, tells a tale of the building of the Panama Canal from the perspective of fishmongers, laborers, doctors, and journalists. Local fisherman Francisco isn’t happy about the foreigners wanting to carve a canal through Panama but his son Omar sees it as a means for escape. When Omar collapses after a grueling shift, Ada, a teenage immigrant from Barbados, rushes to his aid. Moved by her act, John Oswald, a researcher studying malaria, hires Ada to care for his sick wife, an action that will set into motion a sweeping tale of loyalty and ambition.
The Phoenix Crown
Kate Quinn and Janie Chang
In 1906 San Francisco, Gemma arrives in San Francisco to sing in the opera chorus. When she meets Henry Thornton, a rich tycoon willing to be her patron, her dreams of becoming an opera star seem within reach. Meanwhile, Suling lives in San Francisco’s Chinatown, desperate to escape an impending arranged marriage. When she picks up embroidery work for Thornton, she finds she has a connection with Gemma. After an earthquake tears the town apart, Henry disappears and the girls eventually track him to Paris to finally find justice.
I love when historical fiction transports you to an interesting time in history and The Phoenix Crown‘s best attribute was its setting: The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. I especially enjoyed seeing Chinatown through Suling’s eye and feeling the rampant racial discrimination against Chinese. Although the story was charming and the alternating chapters between Gemma and Suling worked well, the story wasn’t particularly deep or emotional. Unfortunately, the post-earthquake revenge plot that ended the book fell flat and ruined the pacing of the novel.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 13 February 2023
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Redwood Court
DéLana R. A. Dameron
Growing up in a Black working class South Carolina neighborhood, Mika Tabor has become a repository for the stories of her loved ones. Told through a series of vignettes, Redwood Court showcases Mika’s coming of age as well as her family history: her grandparents who survived Jim Crow to settle on Redwood Court; her parents working two jobs to provide a better life, and her older sister, finding her own footing.
The Best New Thrillers of Spring 2024
Listen for the Lie
Amy Tintera
For Lucy, the night five years ago still remains a blank though their entire Texas town knows that Lucy killed her best friend Savvy. When a popular true crime podcaster chooses to investigate Savvy’s murder, Lucy finally returns home at her grandmother’s insistence. Now Lucy must face her ex-husband and her distrust family while trying to find out the truth about Savvy’s death, even if it ends up pointing to herself.
Listen for the Lie had me hooked from the very first page. After ordering a physical copy, I found out I had received a free copy of the audiobook from the publisher which turned out well for me since the audiobook was fantastic. Lucy’s cynical sarcasm kept making me laugh and the podcast chapters sounded so realistic in audio format. Although Lucy’s personality was the highlight of the book for me, I also found myself fully invested in the mystery and was satisfied with Tintera’s many twists.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 5 March 2024
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No One Can Know
Kate Alice Marshall
Emma has purposely kept her husband in the dark about her past. When Emma announces she is pregnant, he confesses that he was laid off and has lost the down-payment to their house. With nowhere else to turn, Emma and Nathan move into her parent’s estate that she jointly owns with her estranged sisters. Emma just never mentioned that this is the house where her parents were murdered, and she was always seen as the prime suspect. With a baby on the way, Emma finds it’s time she learn what actually happened all those years ago. For Emma has been covering for her sisters without ever really knowing what actually happened that night.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a really satisfying thriller, and No One Can Know was just what I needed. Emma makes for an excellent narrator and Marshall smoothly builds tension as you slowly learn the truth of what actually went on in that house. I loved the complicated relationship between the sisters and Emma’s intense desire to protect them no matter what. With excellent pacing and plenty of unexpected twists, No One Can Know is the perfect thriller to kick off the new year.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 23 January 2024
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First Lie Wins
Ashley Elston
Every time an assignment comes in from the mysterious Mr. Smith, Evie takes a new identity and learns everything she can about the town and its people. Her newest mark: Ryan Sumner. But Evie connects with Ryan in a way she hasn’t in a long time. When a woman shows up using Evie’s real name, Evie must do everything she can to stay one step ahead of her boss and complete her mission. Especially after what happened last time.
After being mostly disappointed with 2023’s selection of thrillers, First Lie Wins was exactly the great thriller I needed. Elston throws you into a delicious cat-and-mouse game between Evie and Mr. Smith. With relatable characters and plenty of twists, First Lie Wins keeps you on your toes from the very first page to its clever ending.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 2 January 2024
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Darling Girls
Sally Hepworth
Jessica, Norah and Alicia are the luckiest girls, or so they are told. After family tragedies, each was given a second chance at a happy family, living on a peaceful farm with a loving foster mom. Yet, the foster sisters’ childhood was far from idyllic. When a body is found buried on the farm, they soon find themselves prime witnesses and possibly prime suspects.
Daughter of Mine
Megan Miranda
After her father, Mirror Lake’s longtime detective, dies, Hazel Sharp unexpectedly inherits her childhood home. Returning to Mirror Lake, Hazel feels wary of the town she fled over a decade ago. When a drought causes the lake to dry up, hidden clues emerge that might help Hazel finally solve her mother’s disappearance.
The Best Fantasy Books of Spring 2024
House of Flame and Shadow
Sarah J. Maas
In the third Crescent City book, Bryce Quinlan struggles to find her way back to Midgard. Stranded in a new world, she must decide who she can trust. Meanwhile, Hunt Athalar is in the Asteri’s dungeons, again, with no clue what happened to Bryce. If he wants to find her, he must first escape the Asteri’s leash.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts
Katherine Arden
A revered field nurse, Laurie is recovering from her war injuries in Canada when she receives word of her brother Freddie’s death in the trenches. Months earlier, Freddie survives an explosion and befriends a German soldier. Not wanting to return to the battlefield, they take refuge with a man who seems to make the hell of battle disappear. Searching for answers and the brother she doesn’t think is dead, Laurie volunteers at a private hospital in Belgium, where she hears whispers of a man who can make soldiers forget.
A Fate Inked in Blood
Danielle L. Jensen
Stuck in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days dreaming of becoming a warrior. When her husband betrays her, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret. Freya has a drop of goddess’ blood and the magical ability to repel any attack, an ability that was prophesied to save the kingdom. Now Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic without falling in love with the warrior set to protect her.
Heartless Hunter
Kristen Ciccarelli
After a violent revolution, witches have been overthrown as rulers to become ruthlessly hunted outcasts. By day, Rune pretends to be a vapid socialite but by night she acts as The Crimson Moth, a vigilante saving other witches from the purge. When a rescue goes wrong, Rune decides to court the handsome witch hunter Gideon Sharpe. While each is using the other to gain information, Rune and Gideon never expected they would fall in love in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy series.
The Best Nonfiction Books of Spring 2024
Supercommunicators
Charles Duhigg
We all know that person who is able to connect deeply with anyone they meet; a skill that anyone can learn. All conversations can be categorized as practical, emotional, or social. Charles Duhigg argues that these supercommunicators can identify and match each type of conversation while also hearing complex emotions, subtle negotiations, and understanding possible biases. Using the power of storytelling, Duhigg promises to help you become more adept at recognizing and navigating any conversation you find yourself in.
Although I’ve loved Charles Duhigg’s previous books (The Power of Habit, Smarter Faster Better), Supercommunicators is my new favorite. Duhigg has always been great at presenting interesting anecdotes and food for thought. However, Supercommunicators shines because it feels so much more doable. I could instantly see how to practically apply his advice into my life. Yet, I forced myself to read the book slowly so I could ponder each section, not wanting to miss anything. It’s not a quick fix self-help book, but I feel that, if you took the time to contemplate and analyze your conversations, you would become a much better communicator.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 20 February 2024
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The Demon of Unrest
Erik Larson
Erik Larson delves into the five months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the first shots fired on Fort Sumter that started the Civil War. In a period of betrayal, error, and miscommunication, Larson focuses on the stories of four individuals: Sumter’s commander caught between sympathy to the South and loyalty to the Union; a bloodthirsty radical promoting secession at every turn; the wife of a local planter who is conflicted about marriage and slavery; and in the thick of it all, is Abraham Lincoln, desperately trying to avert a war.
Normal Women
Philippa Gregory
For centuries, history has been written for men and about men. In a new nonfiction book, Philippa Gregory rewrites British history with ordinary women at the forefront. Extensively researched, Normal Women showcases the contributions of women during periods of social transition and reminds us that the persistence of normal women can change history.
What Do You Think Are the Best Books of Spring 2024?
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my best spring books list? What new book releases have I forgotten? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
