9 Can’t-Miss Books to Read This Spring

The “In Five Years” author is back with another time-warp novel that’ll make you weep. Except this time, it’s not a romantic story but instead a love story about mothers and daughters. It follows Katy, a grieving daughter, who was supposed to embark on a special trip to the Amalfi Coast with her mother. But after mother dies, Katy goes on the trip alone and finds herself magically reunited with a 30-year-old version of her late mom. It’s a sweet story that reminds us that the people we care about stay with us forever. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

Paris is always a good idea…until it isn’t. When Jess, who’s in desperate need of a fresh start, jets off to France to stay with her half-brother Ben, her quest to create a brand-new life quickly gets turned upside down. When she arrives in the City of Light, she soon discovers her half-bro is missing — and that all of his neighbors are suspects to be weary of. Dun dun dun. It’s written by the author of “The Guest List,” so you can expect some plot twists and Agatha Christie-esque whodunit vibes. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

Single and fabulous, exclamation point. If you’re obsessed with consuming stuff about love, dating, and cultural norms, this one’s for you. Lutkin, a 30-something writer, blends memoir and reporting to explore why as a society we’re obsessed with the idea of “coupling up.” Over the course of a year, she went on hundreds of dates, studied the work of sociologists and relationship experts, explored capitalist structures, and more to reexamine the pleasures (and stigmas) around singledom. The end result is a stunning, vulnerable book that will make anyone who reads it feel smarter and you guessed it, less alone. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

Dark academia has entered the chat. If you love a campus novel, you’ll want to add this to your cart. It follows a 29-year-old PhD student, Ingrid, who’s desperate to finish her dissertation on a legendary (fictional) poet. But when she discovers an archived note that leads to an explosive scandal, her life and relationships get completely upended. It's a deeply smart (and funny) satire on the pressures, power imbalances, and racism within the academic world. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

A former senior tech correspondent at CNN, Segall gives readers the ultimate inside look at some of the most impactful companies and players in the world (think: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Uber). Subtitled “My Adventures with Tech's Titans and Misfits,” she mixes personal stories about her own coming of age and career growth — starting out as an assistant at CNN and later rising through the ranks — with smart observations and reported anecdotes (including ones about the rising popularity of polyamorous relationships and sex parties in the Valley) that’ll have you glued to the page. Fans of “Brotopia” or anyone who wants a backstage pass to Zuckerberg and some of the biggest co.’s of our time, you’ll devour this. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

Will all the YA stans please rise? And if you’ve never considered reading YA as an adult…let us introduce you to “All My Rage.” It switches perspectives and timelines as it follows Noor and Salahudin, two friends in Juniper, California, as they long for bigger lives than what their circumstances can give them. Noor is fighting against her uncle who wants her to work at his liquor store instead of attending college. While Salahudin is dealing with his mother’s declining health and his father’s alcoholism, all while trying to keep his family’s motel afloat. Tahir beautifully marries feelings of despair and hope, so if you’re the type who loves to feel a range of emotions, add this to your cart. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

Meet-cute alert. Introducing: Franny Doyle. She’s having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. And when Hayes, an uber-attractive, shy guy comes to her rescue on the subway — while rocking a Gucci jacket no less — their chance encounter ends up going viral online. The thing is…they’re totally wrong for each other (or so they think). And in New York City, it should be easy for them to never have to see each other again, right? Wrong. Because the serendipity keeps on giving and their paths keep on crossing. You can probably guess how this one’s gonna end, but it doesn’t make the journey to get there any less enjoyable. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

This collection blends humor and the deeply personal à la Samantha Irby to create this set of compulsively readable, LOL-worthy essays about pop culture and queerness. Gutowitz’s book covers everything from the time the FBI showed up at her home because of a tweet she wrote about “Game of Thrones” to the impact “Orange Is the New Black” had on her and her sexuality. (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)

If you fall into the category of “the limit does not exist” when it comes to reading rom-coms, then you’ll love this modern retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew.” It’s got an enemies-to-lovers plot, a quirky cast of friends, and of course, some meddling family members. Need we say more? (Amazon, Apple Books, Bookshop)