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Recommended Reads: YA spring fling
As winter settles in, escape into worlds of warmer days and blooming flowers.
As winter’s chill settles in, there’s no better time to escape into a world of warmer days and blooming flowers with a reading list of young adult (YA) books set in spring. Offering a refreshing reminder of the brighter, sunnier months ahead, this collection of spring-themed stories brings to life the beauty and renewal of the season. From blossoming romances to the excitement of new beginnings, these books capture the spirit of spring through the eyes of young protagonists navigating change, growth, and adventure.
Digital book (DB), braille (BR), and large print (LT), copies of these titles are available from Perkins Library or the Worcester Talking Book Library. Please contact Perkins Library to order any of these books.
Prepared by Erin Fragola, Outreach Manager, Perkins Library
Anna and the French Kiss
by Stephanie Perkins
DB 81201, BR 20421, available as BARD download
When Anna Oliphant’s father–a bestselling novelist–sends her to an elite American boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school, she is less than thrilled. But Anna befriends a boy, and soon they both yearn for something more. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2011.
Before I Fall
by Lauren Oliver
DB 71214, available as BARD download
Popular high school student Samantha dies in a car crash but wakes up alive the next morning. She must relive her last day repeatedly until she discovers why she has been given this chance. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2010.
Download Before I Fall, DB 71214
The Darkest Part of the Forest
by Holly Black
DB 80479, available as BARD download
In the town of Fairfold, where humans and fae coexist, a boy with horns and sharp ears awakes after generations of sleep. And Hazel is swept up in new love, shifts her loyalties, and feels the sting of betrayal. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2015.
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine
by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
DB 97975, BR 23010, available as BARD download
After an incident at St. Catherine De’ Ricci Academy, seventeen-year-old Alaine Beauparlant spends the spring semester working on an immersion project in Haiti, and learns more about herself and her family in the process. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019.
Debating Darcy
by Sayantani DasGupta
DB 108223, available as BARD download
A lifelong speech competitor, Leela loves nothing more than crushing the competition, all while wearing a smile. But when she meets the incorrigible Firoze Darcy, a debater from an elitist private school, Leela can’t stand him. Unfortunately, he’ll be competing in the state league, so their paths will collide. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Download Debating Darcy, DB 108223
The Do-Over
by Lynn Painter
DB 116387, available as BARD download
“Sixteen-year-old Emilie, stuck in a cosmic Groundhog/Valentine’s Day nightmare where she discovers her family is splitting up and her boyfriend is cheating on her, decides to embark upon The Day of No Consequences, but when her repetitive day suddenly ends, she must face the consequences of her actions. After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day. And the next. Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare: re-watching her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. And she keeps running into Nick—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways. When something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?” Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Family of Liars
by E. Lockhart
DB 108143, LT 31708, available as BARD download
“Lying runs in the family. A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts. A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow. A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy. A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes. Twenty-seven years before the events of We Were Liars comes another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades—a story that is scandalous, tragic, and layered with mystery. Welcome back to the Sinclair family. They were always liars.”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Five Survive
by Holly Jackson
DB 111518, LT 35821, available as BARD download
“Red Kenny is on a road trip for spring break with five friends: Her best friend, the older brother, his perfect girlfriend, a secret crush, a classmate, and a killer. When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead. With eight hours until dawn, the six friends must escape, or figure out which of them is the target. But is there a liar among them? Buried secrets will be forced to light and tensions inside the RV will reach deadly levels. Not all of them will survive the night.” Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Flirting with Fate
by J.C. Cervantes
DB 107934, LT 32169, available as BARD download
Ava Granados arrives too late for her grandmother’s deathbed blessing, and then Nana appears as a ghost asking for help. With the help of her two older sisters and bumbling spiritual guide, Medardus, Ava must befriend the mysterious boy who received the blessing the night of the storm. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
I’ll Give You the Sun
by Jandy Nelson
DB 79944, BR 20707, available as BARD download
Once close, sixteen-year-old twins Jude and her brother Noah barely speak to each other following a tragedy. But time and new relationships begin to mend their lives. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2014.
I Love You So Mochi
by Sarah Kuhn
DB 95652, available as BARD download
After a huge fight with her mother, creative Kimi eagerly accepts her grandparents’ invitation to Kyoto, where she is surrounded by her heritage. Being in Japan helps her understand her mother—and brings her in contact with an aspiring med student. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2019.
Kisses and Croissants
by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
DB 103113, available as BARD download
Sixteen-year-old Mia travels to Paris to attend an elite ballerina program. Along the way she meets a cute French boy, finds an unexpected rival, and discovers the truth behind a family legend. Commercial audiobook. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2021.
Love from A to Z
by S. K. Ali
DB 95514, available as BARD download
Eighteen-year-old Muslims Adam and Zayneb meet in Doha, Qatar, during spring break and fall in love as both struggle to find a way to live their own truths. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019. Bestseller. 2017.
Lovely War
by Julie Berry
DB 94119, LT 26633, available as BARD download
Four very different lives are intertwined in stories told by the goddess Aphrodite. There is hope and heartbreak—and the lesson that war is no match for the transcendent power of love. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019.
Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity
by Angela Velez
DB 108383, available as BARD download
“On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco to visit Standford University, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover older sister Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Maybe This Time
by Kasie West
DB 95938, available as BARD download
Sophie works for a florist and party planner in her small southern town and dreams of attending design school. But this year she has to contend with Andrew, son of the fancy new chef, who keeps getting in her way. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019.
Message Not Found
by Dante Medema
DB 112404, available as BARD download
“Mourning the death of her best friend Vanessa, seventeen-year-old Bailey creates a chatbot using their text messages and emails, but, unsatisfied with the result, Bailey seeks out more data for the app and uncovers Vanessa’s secrets, forcing Bailey to reconcile what she thought she knew about her friend with what Vanessa kept hidden.”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
My Week with Him
by Joya Goffney
DB 121688, available as BARD download
“Nikki can’t wait to leave Texas and follow her dreams of a music career… After a painful betrayal by her sister and a heated argument with their mother, Nikki is kicked out and finds herself homeless. She decides to go to California to pursue her singing career. When her best friend, Malachai, discovers her plan to flee Texas, he begs her to spend the remainder of spring break with him. He believes that over the course of a week, he can convince her to stay in Texas, or to at least graduate high school. But their plans are interrupted when Nikki’s little sister Vae goes missing. Nikki is forced to work alongside her difficult mother as they set off in search of Vae, with Malachai’s support. Will Nikki find a reason to stay in Texas, or will this spring break be the last time she sees them? Through her emotional journey, Nikki ultimately finds the love she’s always been missing and discovers the power of her own voice”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2023.
Opposite of Always
by Justin A. Reynolds
DB 94402, available as BARD download
After Jack falls for Kate, she unexpectedly dies. He is sent back in time to the moment they met and tries to prevent her death, but he soon learns that his actions have consequences. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2019.
Penderwicks in Spring
by Jeanne Birdsall
DB 83339, BR 21318, available as BARD download
As spring arrives on Gardam Street, surprises await each Penderwick. Batty starts a new dog-walking business, but her plans to use her profits to surprise her family on her eleventh birthday go astray. Sequel to The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, DB 73713). Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7. 2015.
Picture-Perfect Boyfriend
by Becky Dean
DB 115933, available as BARD download
“A girl who created a fake boyfriend to impress her family is shocked when the fictional boy shows up on her family vacation to Hawaii. An aspiring nature photographer. Kenzie Reed can’t get her family of optometrists to take her art seriously. Resigned to putting aside her dreams and join the family business, she makes up Jacob, a fake, boring boyfriend, to get her parents off her back. When the Reeds arrive in Hawaii for spring break, “Jacob” shows up at the airport—and joins their vacation!”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2023.
Rivals
by Katharine McGee
DB 116585, available as BARD download
“In an alternate America, Beatrice, now queen, and her siblings Samatha and Jefferson struggle to untangle their personal lives and settle into their new political roles while the country hosts the world’s monarchs at the League of Kings conference.”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Save the Date
by Morgan Matson
DB 95662, available as BARD download
When seventeen-year-old Charlie Grant’s four older siblings reunite for a wedding, she is determined they will have a perfect weekend before the family home is sold, but last-minute disasters abound. Some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2018.
Download Save The Date, DB 95662
See You Yesterday
by Rachel Lynn Solomon
DB 116265, available as BARD download
“After reliving the same day for months, eighteen-year-old Barrett reluctantly teams up with her nemesis Miles to escape the time loop, and soon finds herself falling for him, but what she does not know is what they will mean to each other if they finally make it to tomorrow.”—Provided by publisher.—Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Download See You Yesterday, DB 116265
SHOUT: A Poetry Memoir
by Laurie Halse Anderson
DB 94454, LT 25864, available as BARD download
Laurie Halse Anderson is known for her advocacy for—and unflinching writing about—survivors of sexual assault. Shout, a poetry memoir, is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal, and previously untold, stories from her life. Searing and soul-searching, this memoir is a denouncement of our society’s failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #MeToo and #TimesUp, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice—and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore. 2019.
Download SHOUT: A Poetry Memoir, DB 94454
Six Crimson Cranes
by Elizabeth Lim
DB 104326, available as BARD download
Shiori, the exiled princess of Kiata, must unravel the curse that turned her six brothers into cranes. Her spurned betrothed, a capricious dragon, and a paper bird brought to life by her own magic help Shiori in her quest to save her kingdom. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.
Download Six Crimson Cranes, DB 104326
There You’ll Find Me
by Jenny B. Jones
DB 79439, available as BARD download
After the death of her brother, eighteen-year-old Finley travels to Ireland to feel closer to her brother and God. She prepares for an audition at a prestigious music conservatory in New York and befriends a troubled teen movie idol, Beckett Rush. For senior high and older readers. 2011.
Download There You’ll Find Me, DB 79439
This May End Badly
by Samantha Markum
DB 108278, available as BARD download
Seventeen-year-old pranking mastermind Doe abandons her plans to win a rivalry with the neighboring boys’ school and instead joins forces with her enemies to protect a younger student from a teacher’s inappropriate behavior. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.
Download This May End Badly, DB 108278
Tokyo Dreaming
by Emiko Jean
DB 108704, LT 32332, available as BARD download
Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Emiko Jean’s Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true. Only… Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game. But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?” 2022.
Download Tokyo Dreaming, DB 108704
You’re So Dead
by Ash Parsons
DB 105469, available as BARD download
Plum Winter and her two best friends sneak into an influencers-only festival event on a private island in the Caribbean, only to discover that a killer is in their midst. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.
Download You’re So Dead, DB 105469
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