Mrs. Whitehurst’s Book Recs for Spring Break

Spring Break is a good time to take advantage of and catch up on some reading. Schoolwork sometimes leaves students little to no time to read the books they found on Booktok. 
​by Jasmine Morales

Spring Break is a good time to take advantage of and catch up on some reading. Schoolwork sometimes leaves students little to no time to read the books they found on Booktok. Finding a new book can be overwhelming since everyone tends to recommend the same authors: Colleen Hoover, Emily Henry, Stephanie Meyer, etc. Walnut Grove’s finalist for Teacher of the Year and Literature teacher, Mrs. Whitehurst, made a list of book recommendations for Spring Break.

If you're reading on the beach: The Summer of Broken Rules
A young adult contemporary romance with tons of Taylor Swift references. The main character, Meridith Fox is an 18-year old girl who spends her summer vacation at Martha’s Vineyard. The book deals with coming of age, growing up, death and grief, family, love and heartbreak, travel, and identity.

If you're into thrillers: The Island 
The Island by Natasha Preston is a young adult horror and mystery novel. The book follows six social media influencers who have been invited to stay at a resort for its grand opening. When one of them goes missing, they realize something strange is going on. They end up having no communication and no way off the island. 

If you like westerns:  Vengeance Road  
“Revenge is worth its weight in gold.” Kate disguises herself as a boy to seek revenge for her father’s murder. Along the way, she joins two cowboy brothers who have no idea who she really is. Kate gets closer to her family secrets and she ends up discovering a startling truth. 

If you want to ugly cry: If He Had Been with Me
A perfect example of a friends-to-lovers trope that leaves you shocked and crying. The book starts off with foreshadowing and gives a clear idea of what the character is going to go through. It starts right in freshman year of high school and ends after graduation. There are some trigger warnings for this book, so check them out before opening. 

If you want something light & sweet: The Upside of Falling
The relationship between Becca and Brett may be fake, but the love is definitely real throughout the book. This enemies-to-lovers novel focuses on two characters who decide to fake date so their friends can stop bothering them about being single. Throughout the book, they realize they have more in common than they ever could imagine. 

If you want a dark romance: Sparrowwood Academy Book 1
The first book of the Sparrowwood Academy trilogy introduces the main characters, including Eden Warren. Sparrowwood Academy is described to be for the rich. Eden is not rich but instead grew up in Kingston. When her sister goes missing, she makes the decision to attend Sparrowwood Acadamy. 

If you want an LGBTQ romance: Some Girls Do
Morgan changes schools her senior year after word goes around that she is Lesbian, and this is against her private Catholic school's code of conduct. At her new school, she meets Ruby, and the two are drawn to each other and can't deny their growing feelings.

If you're into fantasy/adventure: Court of Thorns & Roses Book 1
A human girl ends up being brought into a faerie world after she kills a faerie. She is forced to live with the High Lord of the faeries as punishment. As she lives among the faeries she starts developing forbidden feelings for a member of the faerie community. 

If you want a ghost story with themes of social justice: White Smoke
A YA psychological thriller that follows teenage Marigold who is running from ghosts. Her family moves to a new house in Cedarville. Marigold is focused on having a fresh start when she starts noticing household items vanishing, doors opening on their own, lights turning off, shadows walking past rooms, voices being heard in the walls, and a foul smell seeping through the vents. Marigold learns about the dangers surrounding her, and the secrets start to spill. 

If you're into graphic novels: Locke & Key Book 1
The Locke children return to their father’s childhood home after he was murdered during a gruesome home invasion. The children notice that something is... off... with the house. After the youngest son finds a new friend living in an empty well and a new toy, a key, that offers hours of spirited entertainment, they start to discover old, new, real, and imagined secrets their family holds.