*Spring* Into These 10 New Books That'll Completely Captivate You This Season
Spring is officially here and we're ready to welcome the warmer weather with a great read! What's better than sitting out on the deck with a new book while soaking up the sun before it gets too hot? And there's plenty to be excited about this season—these 10 best spring books for 2023 will transport you to new places and totally enthrall you.
From Dave Barry's return to fiction to a heartfelt novel from Tom Hanks' and so much more, you'll love looking through our list of spring books below.
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10 Best Books for Spring 2023
1. Swamp Story by Dave Barry
Get ready to laugh out loud with Dave Barry’s return to fiction, Swamp Story (May 2, Simon & Schuster). It’s a hilarious Sunshine-State caper starring a single mom who stumbles upon buried treasure, her wannabe-reality-star ex-boyfriend and a store owner attempting to attract tourists by making viral videos of the "Everglades Melon Monster." The Pulitzer Prize-winner and self-described “Florida Man” always delivers the laughs, and Swamp Story is no exception. $26, amazon.com
2. Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renée Rosen
USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen offers a fascinating fictional take on the life of Estée Lauder, the woman behind the famous cosmetics company, in Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl (Berkley Books). The narrative focuses on Gloria Downing, a young woman who dreams of reinventing herself after a family scandal. A chance encounter with the ambitious Estée leads to a friendship that changes both their lives. It’s an inspiring tale about a woman’s determination to become a household name. $15, amazon.com
3. A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung
Nicole Chung’s searing memoir, A Living Remedy (Ecco), documents the grief she feels after losing both her parents in two years—and her anger towards the healthcare system that failed to treat them. With nearly 60 percent of Americans reporting they can’t afford a $1,000 emergency expense, it’s a poignant book that’s sure to resonate widely. $23, amazon.com
4. The Society of Shame by Jane Roper
When Kathleen Held goes viral, it’s not because her Senate-candidate husband had an oh-so-cliché affair with a young staffer. Instead, she’s catapulted to fame because a photographer caught a period stain on her pants. Overnight, she becomes an unwilling meme and attempts to find a way to hide from the public eye. But, when she’s contacted by the Society of Shame, a group of people trying to overcome their own scandals, she learns to channel her new notoriety for good. $22, amazon.com
5. The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks
Beloved actor Tom Hanks’s funny and heartfelt new novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece (May 9, Knopf), brings movie magic to the book world. Spanning more than 70 years, it chronicles the production of a star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero movie and the comic books that inspired it. As a bonus, the novel includes three comic books created by Hanks himself. Cinephiles won’t want to miss this one. $27, amazon.com
6. Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
In her latest essay collection, Quietly Hostile (May 16, Vintage), Samantha Irby engages readers with her characteristic combination of laugh-out-loud moments, heartfelt passages and plenty of awkward experiences. Covering topics ranging from Dave Matthews Band and Sex and the City to adopting a pandemic pup and bathroom etiquette, Quietly Hostile will delight established fans and newcomers alike. $15, amazon.com
7. The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly
Fans of Martha Hall Kelly’s bestseller Lilac Girls won’t want to miss her latest novel, The Golden Doves (Ballantine Books). The new installment shares the harrowing tale of two former female spies—an American, Josie, and a Parisian, Arlette—known for stealing Nazi secrets during World War II. Years after the war, they team up again to embark on a new dual mission: to take down an infamous doctor and find Arlette’s kidnapped son. $26, amazon.com
8. Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
Brendan Slocumb’s follow-up to his hit novel, The Violin Conspiracy, takes readers back into the competitive world of classical music. When music professor Bern Hendricks discovers a renowned American composer may have stolen work from Black and Indigenous musicians, he finds himself the target of a powerful organization determined to suppress the truth. Alternating between the present day and the 1920s Manhattan jazz scene, Symphony of Secrets (Anchor) will draw fans of classical music and thrillers alike. $25, amazon.com
9. A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist’s new nonfiction thriller, A Fever in the Heartland (Viking), documents the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to power in the Midwest and West during the 1920s—and the seemingly powerless woman who took them down. Equal parts devastating in its depiction of racism and enthralling in its storytelling, it’s a book anyone looking to learn more about America’s history should read. $25, amazon.com
10. Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa
Fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton will love Ana María and the Fox (Berkley), the first installment in a sizzling new romance series. After Ana María Luna Valdés and her sisters flee French-occupied Mexico and move to London, she meets Gideon Fox, the son of a Scotsman and a biracial English woman who fought for a position in Parliament. As he fights to abolish the Atlantic slave trade, he finds himself distracted by Ana María. When an aristocrat threatens Ana María, Gideon risks his political future by marrying her, and a marriage of convenience blossoms into something more. $15, amazon.com
In bookstores and online
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