Spring Break Reading Recommendations

By Emelia Gauch     3/11/25 10:47pm

No matter if you’re curled up at home or relaxing on a beach, Spring Break is meant for R&R — resting and reading. If you want a compelling book to dive into this coming week, look no further than this list of five recommendations, all published within the last three years.

For romance readers: “Happy Place” by Emily Henry

When Harriet and Wyn start dating in college, it seems like they are going to be together forever. The problem is, sometimes, forever doesn’t go according to plan. Secretly broken up, they find themselves stuck sharing a room (and a bed) during their friends’ yearly getaway in Maine. Equal parts angst and summer sunshine, “Happy Place” by Emily Henry is a second chance romance, an excellent choice for any rom-com lover.

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For literary fiction fans: “Colored Television” By Danzy Senna

Jane, a struggling writer, is determined to turn around her and her family’s life by completing her second novel. However, when her agent and editor are less than enthused by her finished manuscript, Jane shifts her focus to Hollywood where a producer, hoping to generate “diverse content,” is thrilled by her pitch for a sitcom about a biracial family. Jane’s life finally seems to be going right, until it starts going wrong. This dark comedy is a page-turner with clever writing, a cast of intriguing characters and thoughtful meditations on the entertainment industry today.

For history buffs: “The Lion Women of Tehran” by Marjan Kamali

Ellie and Homa meet as young girls on the first day of school, quickly becoming best friends. When Ellie’s family moves away to a wealthier part of Tehran, however, they lose touch. Many years later, Homa reappears as a new student at Ellie’s private school, eager to reconnect and disrupting Ellie’s privileged life. Through Ellie and Homa’s complicated relationship across decades, Kamala explores female friendship, loyalty and activism in 20th century Iran. For fans of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet or historical fiction fans, “The Lion Women of Tehran” is a great read. 

For fantasy fanatics: “Babel” by R.F. Kuang

Dark academia meets fantasy in “Babel” by R.F. Kuang, when Robin Swift, an orphan from Canton, is brought to London to study languages. For years, he is prepared by the mysterious Professor Lovell to enroll in Oxford University’s Royal Institute of Translation, “Babel,” where magic, translation and language become inseparable. Through a rich universe and compelling cohort of Oxford students, R.F. Kuang explores questions of colonial resistance and the power of language. 

For a novel under 200 pages:“Open Throat” by Henry Hoke

Haven’t you heard? A hungry mountain lion lives underneath the Hollywood sign. That is, until, when a fire catches nearby, the mountain lion is forced to roam the streets of Los Angeles. “Open Throat” will make you laugh and cry as the lion explores everything from cities and gender identity to what it means to be (or eat) a human. At only 160 pages, if you are looking for short high-quality literary fiction, take a bite out of “Open Throat.”

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