What to read to feel the magic of spring

The ambiguity surrounding this year's season of blooms has been a tad unnerving. Allow me to quote a zealous internet anecdote in this regard: "It's like winter left the room and came back in yelling, OH AND ANOTHER THING—" Regardless of the ambience of these part-sunny-part gloomy days, there is always a book to suit to the mood. Here are five books to capture that essence.

THE SECRET GARDEN
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Children's Classics, 1988

Ticking this list off with a classic essential, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a mandatory spring-time souvenir. The book follows the tale of an orphan child's rediscovered family, newfound friends, and a secret pathway to the unknown. This children's novel is not only a beloved go-to book for children, but for adults as well. There are vivid descriptions of sunflowers and roses, a promise of a warmer weather, and the beautiful greenery interspersed throughout the book. 

A SLOW FIRE BURNING
Paula Hawkins
Riverhead Books, 2021

For the readers who would much rather enjoy the blissful company of unwarranted rain, A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins might be a pleasant pick. The grisly death of a young man in a London houseboat raises concerns for three ladies who knew the victim. All three are intricately connected and it could take the revelation of some ugly secrets to help solve the crime. This mystery thriller is appropriately atmospheric, and the London rain sets the mood for a time of murder, mystery, and chill. 

ADARSHA HINDU HOTEL 
Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
Mitra O Ghosh Publishers Pvt Ltd,  2012

Another classic to the addition, Adarsha Hindu Hotel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay (first published in 1940) is a book to be relished all year round. This book is the quintessential example of "where there is a will, there is a way," and has proven to be a favourite to people regardless of their varying reading tastes. The chronicle of a poverty-stricken, working-class cook, Debsharma Chakraborty, as he creates his dream Adarsha Hindu Hotel from scratch is one significantly appreciable story. 

EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES 
Heather Fawcett
Del Rey Books, 2023

This cosy, adult fantasy title by Heather Fawcett follows a curmudgeonly professor of the University of Cambridge, Miss Emily Wilde, who specialises in the study of faeries, and has recently compiled her first sturdy encyclopaedia on fairy folklores. While working on the project, Miss Wilde moves to a languorous little village named Ljosland. There, she comes across her academic colleague and rival, Wendell Bambleby. And lo and behold, romance blooms. 

LITTLE WEIRDS
Jenny Slate
Little, Brown and Company, 2019

Although fiction appears to be the most coveted genre during spring, Little Weirds by Jenny Slate might be an alternative to take the cake. An exquisite analogy of short essays, embodying curious experiences of the author's life, this autobiographical memoir is an ideal option for the spring-time. It is creative, candid and funny, but most importantly, a little weird to bait the readers. 

Nur-E-Jannat Alif is a Gender Studies major and part-time writer, who dreams of authoring a book someday. Find her at @literatureinsolitude on Instagram or send her your book/movie/television recommendations at nurejannatalif@gmail.com.