Must-Read Books for Spring and Summer: Inspiring Stories to Brighten Your Days

Celebrate World Book Day with These Inspiring Reads

As we celebrate World Book and Copyright Day on April 23rd, spring invites us to rediscover ourselves, stroll through blooming streets, and open our windows to inspiring stories. It’s the perfect time to dive into those books we’ve been meaning to read. This curated list features tales of inner transformations, challenging choices, self-discovery, and a deep sense of the world around us. From intellectual non-fiction to captivating prose and the poetic voice of Rupi Kaur, these are the books you should read this spring.

Spring and Summer Book Recommendations

Literary critic and book reviewer Olena Lysenko has selected the latest from Vivat Publishing, perfect for reading on your balcony, in the park, or at home with the scent of flowers in the air. Each book offers emotional depth, relatability, and authenticity.

“The Girl Named Samson” by Amy Harmon

This story, based on real events, follows Deborah Sampson, who in the late 18th century disguised herself as a man to fight for American independence. Harmon reimagines this biography, creating a novel filled with emotion, inner turmoil, and life choices. It’s a tale of daring courage and inner strength, of the desire to be heard in a world not yet ready for equality. And it’s about love that comes when least expected.

“Three and One” by Iren Rozdobudko

This novel by a Ukrainian author is about us and for us. It centers on a heroine who returns to her hometown near Kyiv after decades of living in America, as if meeting her past. But the new life awaiting her at home is more complex and profound than her memories. Against the backdrop of impending full-scale war, old relationships, unfinished stories, and unresolved emotions take on new significance. It’s a book about second chances, about how life can bring people together again, even when it seems too late. And how war changes not only the external world but also our understanding of ourselves, love, and closeness.

“Shifts: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself” by Tinks

This is the voice of a modern woman who stops hiding behind “correctness” and learns to live with self-respect. American influencer and media personality Christina Najjar, better known as Tinks, shares personal stories, failures, and small victories to show that dating is not about pleasing others but about getting to know yourself better. This book is for those who have ever been ashamed to laugh out loud, finish fries on a date, or “overdid” caring for someone who didn’t deserve it. It’s about not losing yourself in a partner, not getting stuck in toxic relationships, and not breaking yourself because of others’ expectations. Instead, it’s about building yourself, setting clear boundaries, and finding someone who complements your world, not turns it upside down.

“The Sun and Her Flowers” by Rupi Kaur

A poetic journey that grows through pain and blooms with hope. In the five sections of the collection—”wilting,” “falling,” “rooting,” “rising,” and “blooming”—the author guides the reader through deep experiences: separation, loneliness, memory of kin, emigration, the search for home, and finally, the return to oneself. These poems are about a woman’s voice that has learned to speak aloud. About a body that remembers pain but does not allow it to destroy itself. About roots that stretch through generations and love that heals. These are texts in which it is not scary to be vulnerable. On the contrary, this vulnerability is the real strength.

“They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera

Imagine waking up and knowing it’s your last day. What would you do? And with whom would you spend it? Mateo and Rufus are strangers. Each has their own past, fears, and unspoken desires. But today, September 5th, they both receive a call from “Death-Cast.” And that’s it. Then there are only 24 hours left to live a whole life. They find each other in the “Last Friend” app and decide to spend this day together. Without plans. Without guarantees. Just being—honestly, sincerely, truly. This book is not about death. It’s about the life we postpone for “later.” About connections that appear when we least expect them. About love that doesn’t ask for permission. And about how important it is to live your day so that it doesn’t hurt to say goodbye.