Reading the Stars: What You Should Read this Spring Based on Your Zodiac Sign!

This Ends in Embers

by Kamilah Cole

My rambunctious rams, you kick off the spring season (not to mention the entire zodiac wheel!) It can’t be easy to be you, Aries, cooped up all winter. TORTURE. The amount of pent-up energy you have needs to be unleashed. A book is the safest outlet to do that. I think you may find a kindred spirit in Faron Vincent… 

Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn doesn’t hold back. After all, there are no easy endings in war—especially when sisters are forced to fight on opposite sides.
 
Faron Vincent was once the saint of San Irie. Now, she’s done the unthinkable: betrayed her country. Alone, disgraced, and kidnapped, Faron is forced to help Iya grow his bloody empire. With her soul bonded to a ruthless killer, Faron has become an enemy to her people… and she fears they might be right.
 
Elara Vincent—the new Empyrean—must undo the damage her sister has caused. San Irie has been brought back to the brink of war as Iya proclaims no nation will be safe from his brutal invasion. But how can Elara save her sister, her best friend, her country, and her world when she’s already cracking under the pressure?
 
This heart-pounding conclusion to the Divine Traitors duology pushes these unforgettable heroines to their breaking point and beyond. Because when the lines between hero and villain are blurred, deadly sacrifices must be made.

Lovesick Falls

by Julia Drake

YAY!! Spring means colors, fresh perfumes, vibrancy, earth, LIFE!!!! Taureans live for this season. You are as loyal as perennial flowers, and just as gorgeous. Kind of like loyal Celia in Lovesick Falls, who would do ANYTHING for her life-long besties. This swoony, queer romance is one decadent drama of a book! And just LOOK at the cover. LUSH!!!

This queer take on As You Like It features first loves, friend breakups and madcap mix-ups, from award-winning author Julia Drake.

Celia Gilbert is the perfect friend—loyal, trustworthy, and committed to mending her best friends’ broken hearts.
 
She’s the reason the trio is spending the summer in Lovesick Falls, the idyllic little town where Touchstone’s sort-of-uncle’s cabin was waiting to be house-sat by three unsupervised (but totally responsible) teenagers.
 
After all, Celia, Ros, and Touchstone have been best friends since childhood. Sure, Celia is in love with Ros, and Touchstone was once in love with Celia — but that’s the beauty of a place like Lovesick Falls. If you fell in love, you could fall out.
 
Unless you can change the other person’s mind.

They started the summer closer than ever. Will living together tear them apart?

Truth, Lies, and the Questions in Between

by L. M. Elliott

Curious and open-minded, I think that spring would be the perfect time for you to explore a new interest, Gemini. Embody that spring-y quality of growth, if you will. You are naturally adaptable and intelligent, but of course, you want a book to be entertaining as well! Equal parts fact and fun, Truth, Lies, and the Questions in Between delivers on all fronts

As a presidency unravels and the fight for women’s rights intensifies, a teen girl’s future will be determined by her willingness to seek the truth, in this stunning work of historical fiction perfect for fans of Monica Hesse and Malinda Lo.
 
Patty Appleton is making history. As one of the Senate’s first female Congressional Pages, she’s not only paving the way for other politically minded girls, she has a front-row seat to debates dividing the nation, especially around women’s rights and roles. The battle between the old ways and the new polarizes the women in Patty’s life, and she finds herself torn between traditional expectations—to be an obedient daughter aspiring to become a perfect wife—and questions new friends like fiercely feminist Simone encourage her to ask.

But the questions don’t stop at women’s rights: The Watergate scandal is intensifying. As evidence mounts that the White House engaged in crimes, smears, and cover-ups to manipulate an election, Patty worries her dad, a fundraiser for President Nixon, could somehow be involved. Determining truth from lies becomes ever more essential for the nation’s future—and for Patty’s as well.

Illustrated throughout with remarkable real-life images and headlines, this timely exploration of 1973—the year of Watergate hearings, the Equal Rights Amendment, and Roe v. Wade—unfolds through the story of a young woman driven to question everything as she learns to think for, and rely on, herself.

An Appetite for Miracles

by Laekan Zea Kemp

Cancers, did you know that you rule the stomach?? (I didn’t either.) But it makes perfect sense- I mean, you are known for your comforting natures, desire to create safe spaces, and caregiving tendencies. You deserve to have that given back to you, and that’s why this spring, you should read An Appetite for Miracles. This lyrical book is written in verse (MADE to be read amongst the flowers… #cottagecore) — and don’t worry, there are LOTS of mentions of good food. 

An Amelia Walden Award Finalist
★ Kirkus Reviews ★ SLJ ★ BCCB
 
Award-winning author Laekan Zea Kemp’s heart-wrenching novel-in-verse follows two teens who must come together to heal the pain from their pasts, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Ibi Zoboi.
 
Danna Mendoza Villarreal’s grandfather is slowly losing himself as his memories fade, and Danna’s not sure her plan to help him remember through the foods he once reviewed will be enough to bring him back. Especially when her own love of food makes her complicated relationship with her mother even more difficult.

Raúl Santos has been lost ever since his mother was wrongly incarcerated two years ago. Playing guitar for the elderly has been his only escape, to help them remember and him forget. But when his mom unexpectedly comes back into his life, what is he supposed to do when she isn’t the same person who left?

When Danna and Raúl meet, sparks fly immediately and they embark on a mission to heal her grandfather … and themselves. Because healing is something best done together—even if it doesn’t always look the way we want it to.
 
Perfect for fans of:
★ Romance
★ Instagram poetry
★ Mental health awareness
★ really good Mexican food!

Heiress Takes All

by Lindsey Duga

LEO. Spring is a time for change, but guess what? You’re a fixed sign, babes. Why should you have to grow and change when you’re already basically perfect? (Insert theatrical sigh here). Not to mention, I have a book that will tick all your boxes: drama-fueled romance, lavish parties, designer clothes, larger-than-life characters… Meh. You can “embrace change” next spring.

American Royals meets Elite in this contemporary YA set in a glamorous boarding school where four teens compete to inherit a European kingdom.

For fifty years, King Leander Eldana has ruled Ashland without naming an heir to the crown. After sending away his grandchildren to be raised out of the public eye, it’s finally time to secure his nation’s future by appointing one definitive heir. The best way to appraise his successor? In the halls of Almus Terra Academy, a boarding school infamous for breeding the world’s next generation of leaders—and liars.

Titus Eldana has always known he’d inherit Ashland’s future. Now he must prove he has what it takes. Alaric Eldana was not raised with a silver spoon. His secondhand clothes might not be fit for a king, but he knows how to rule: with his fist. Emmeline Eldana only wants to please her neglectful parents. If that means securing the crown, she won’t hesitate to destroy anyone in her way. Sadie Aurelia has no idea why she’s been given a chance to bring new blood to the throne. With nothing left to lose back home, she’s ready to take it. 

Filled with competition, secret alliances, enemies-to-lovers romance, and cunning revenge, Royal Heirs Academy is a breathless, entertaining read set in modern-day. This gossip-filled school for the global elite is inspired by UWC of the Atlantic, which Vanity Fair has described as “Hippie Hogwarts.”
For fans of the breakout television hit Maxton Hall — The World Between Us.

The Other Side of Perfect

by Mariko Turk

Spring cleaning, school’s winding down, finals coming up, maybe college applications, who am I asking to prom/WILL I GET ASKED TO PROM?! You can throw all the flower petals you want, spring, but you are secretly… STRESSFUL!!!  I know my fellow earth signs, you vivacious Virgos, are liable to feel it more than anybody. Remember to give yourself a break this spring!! This book will be a reminder <3

For fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi, this lyrical and emotionally driven novel follows Alina, a young aspiring dancer who suffers a devastating injury and must face a world without ballet—as well as the darker side of her former dream.

Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but then a terrifying fall shatters her leg—and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it.

After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected—namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive castmate she just might be falling for.

But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she experienced in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet—something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?

Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.

My Last Summer with Cass

by Mark Crilley

Harmony is very valuable, Libras. But make sure it’s not a fixation! Ruled by Venus, you have exquisite taste, but your desire to consider all perspectives (and be a people pleaser) can sometimes keep you stifled. My Last Summer with Cass will satisfy your artistic eye, while illustrating how to deal with any changes that may upset your life’s balance! Remember, it is spring, and we’re embracing change!

This One Summer meets The Edge of Seventeen in this poignant coming-of-age YA graphic novel about two childhood friends at a crossroads in their lives and art from the author of Mastering Manga.

Megan and Cass have been joined at the brush for as long as they can remember. For years, while spending summers together at a lakeside cabin, they created art together, from sand to scribbles . . . to anything available. Then Cass moved away to New York.

When Megan finally convinces her parents to let her spend a week in the city, too, it seems like Cass has completely changed. She has tattoos, every artist in the city knows her. She even eats chicken feet now! At least one thing has stayed the same: They still make their best art together.

But when one girl betrays the other’s trust on the eve of what is supposed to be their greatest artistic feat yet, can their friendship survive? Can their art?

In the Company of Killers

by Elora Cook

Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking. (I had to use that quote somewhere in this post and thought you’d appreciate it the most). Scorpio is ruled by the planet (?) Pluto, which governs both destruction (not very springtime) AND transformations (VERY springtime). This book encompasses all those characteristics… enjoy, my shadowy, surreptitious Scorpios!

Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos in this fast-paced drama about a teenage mafia heiress who would do anything to avenge her family, even join forces with her handsome enemy.
 
Inside the tony suburb of Scarsdale is New York’s worst-kept secret: The mob runs everything, and the Nicastro family is at the center. Seventeen-year-old Tasha Nicastro lives a life of glitz and glamour, but she has no idea her family harbors a dark truth. 
 
Tasha might look like your classic high school mean girl, but behind the designer clothes is a sharpshooter who knows how to bring anyone to their knees. The only person who has ever gotten under her skin is her former best friend, Leo Danesi, the youngest son of the Nicastro family’s rivals. After Leo returns to New York older and more handsome, Tasha thinks he’ll be the worst of her problems—until the life she thought she knew takes a violent, shocking turn. When her father and beloved older sister are murdered before her eyes, Tasha learns the dark truth: Her family runs the most powerful Mafia branch in New York, and now she’s set to inherit it all. 
 
Tasha vows vengeance on the mysterious new mob behind the hit, but she can’t do it alone. She needs someone who already knows the underground world to help track them down. And that person is none other than Leo, the heir to his own family’s dangerous empire. 
 
But Tasha is a Nicastro. She’s been raised in the company of killers, and there’s absolutely nothing she won’t do to avenge her family. That is, if the enemy doesn’t put her in gold chains first.
 
Perfect for fans of:

• Mysteries
• Mafia Romances
• Second Chance Romance
• Rivals-to-Lovers
• Thrillers

Blades of Furry

by Emily Erdos, Deya Muniz

I know, I know, they’re ice skating, and aren’t we done with winter?! JUST HEAR ME OUT.  Sag, you are restless, curious, and fun-loving. This graphic novel has SO many twists and turns, I promise you, it will satisfy your lively and adventurous nature! And the romance… it’s just toooo cute. Thank me later!

Enter the high stakes world of battle skating in this rivals-to-lovers romance based on the spectacularly popular webcomic. 

Emile is an up-and-coming rookie in battle skating, a sport that combines the grace of figure skating with the high impact sparring of martial arts. Just as he is gearing up to fight in his next duel at the championships, there’s a change in the lineup! To his horror, he’ll have to face off against reigning champion Radu, the best battle skater in the world (and Emile’s longtime skating idol). There’s no way he can win!

During a pivotal moment in their match, however, Emile discovers Radu’s most closely guarded secret…and it’s a bloody one. This could destroy Radu’s career for good, but when feelings start to develop between them both on and off the rink, will this rivalry turn into something more…?

Based on the WEBTOON hit comic with over forty million views and half a million subscribers, this irresistible story full of heart-pounding romance, breathtaking skate battles, and secrets both good and bad is now available in a gorgeous print edition that includes never-before-seen content!  

The Singular Life of Aria Patel

by Samira Ahmed

Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn, associated with tasks, responsibilities, and time. Sometimes, you may feel like you’re racing against the clock, trying to achieve all your goals- like Miss Aria Patel! Well, THIS spring, my lovely Caps, you can take a breath. Let ME do the work. For once, serendipitously, you are in the right place at the right time. Chill out, kick back, and relax with a book timed perfectly for you!

For fans of You’ve Reached Sam and See You Yesterday, this captivating and mind-bending second-chance romance explores what it means to love—even across the multiverse.

Aria Patel likes stability, certainty, predictability. It’s why she’s so into science. It’s why she dumped her boyfriend before they went to different colleges because the odds were that something would go wrong, eventually. In a life that’s already so chaotic, why obsess over complicated relationships and shadowy unknowns when the scientific method gives you direction and a straight path to avoid all the drama.  

But there’s no avoiding anything when Aria finds herself suddenly falling through parallel universes and there’s no formula that can save her. She can’t explain why she’s been waking up in a new reality almost every day, or why Rohan, and a poem from her English class, seem to be following her through every new life.

As Aria desperately attempts to find a way home, she eventually ends up stuck in a parallel world very similar to her own. She cherishes this new version of her family, and she finds herself unable to deny the yearning she has for Rohan…but it’s not her life or her Rohan. It belongs to another Aria, another girl, and unless Aria can get back home, she’ll have taken this happiness away from someone else forever. And she may never find her own. 

This whirlwind novel from New York Times bestselling author Samira Ahmed will whisk you through worlds unknown, all while putting a multiverse spin on one of BookTok’s favorite tropes: second chance romance.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

by Zoulfa Katouh

Spring is huge for you, Aquarians. The changes and growth in this world mirror the restless energy you contain all the time, and you feel seen. Represented by the mythical being Aquarius, you hold a vase that pours a stream of inspiration, hope, and healing to this cold, wintery world. The flowers wouldn’t grow without you, darlings. Neither would the lemon trees <3

A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Salt to the Sea.

Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life. 

Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe. 

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.  

Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.

Strange the Dreamer

by Laini Taylor

What can I say, sometimes the dream chooses the dreamer… I mean, the book chooses the reader… and this one is made for you, dreamy Pisces. Go lay in a field like Edward and Bella while you read this lyrical, whimsical, ethereal book. The springtime fairies will probably stop by for a visit. 

From National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor comes an epic fantasy about a mythic lost city and its dark past.

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around–and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared his dream chose poorly. Since he was just five years old, he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the form of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? And who is the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams?

In this sweeping and breathtaking novel by National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, the shadow of the past is as real as the ghosts who haunt the citadel of murdered gods. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.

The answers await in Weep.