Do I really need to make a list? While I know I will eventually get to these books, it is very likely not in spring (just like the books on the list I made earlier this year or previous years!!). Anyways, it is good to make these lists so I have them, just in case! So here goes – a list of

10 Irresistible Books to Read Now (For Me)

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For this week’s theme of our spring tbr over at That Artsy Reader Girl

At Last She Stood

At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom by Erin Entrada Kelly (Children’s Historical Biographies | 8 – 12 years, and up | May 6, 2025) 

Joey Guerrero, a native of the Philippines, was diagnosed with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) as World War II began. When Japan occupied the Philippines, she joined the guerrilla movement, using her condition to evade searches while couriering secret messages—including a vital minefield map taped to her back. She was later awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom but struggled to find work after her release from the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana. Forced to pawn her medal, she eventually shed her identity. When she died in 1996, her obituary listed her as a secretary—but she was a hero who changed history.

My Why: I love WWII stories, and when based on real life stories, more love there, plus, when we learn about an unsung hero, even more love!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick (Women’s fiction | April 22, 2025)

Margaret Ryan never meant to start a book club—or a feminist revolution in her suburban town.

By 1960s standards, she has it all: a husband, three kids, a station wagon, and a home in Concordia, Virginia. She even has a new subscription to A Woman’s Place, a magazine telling housewives exactly who to be. But something still feels missing.

Enter Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia’s intriguing newcomer. To spend time with her, Margaret starts a book club, inviting neighbors Bitsy and Viv. Their first read, The Feminine Mystique, sparks revelations about their lives and dreams. Calling themselves the Bettys, they soon find their impromptu club reshaping their world—and themselves.

My Why: A bookish book about troublesome women?! Consider me hooked and booked!

Candle Island

Candle Island by Lauren Wolk (Children’s Novels | 10 years and up | April 22, 2025)

Lucretia and her mother flee to Candle Island, Maine, seeking refuge from the accident that took her father and the press hounding her reclusive artist mother. On the island, Lucretia finds solace in painting, exploring, and caring for an orphaned osprey chick. But Candle Island holds its own secrets—a hidden room, a mysterious boy with a haunting voice—and like the island’s tides, they pull Lucretia into their depths.

Set against a vivid New England backdrop, this is a powerful story of art, loss, and finding the courage to embrace your own voice.

My Why: The storyline

Enough is Enuf

Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell by Gabe Henry (Language | April 15, 2025)

A brief and humorous 500-year history of the Simplified Spelling Movement from advocates like Ben Franklin, C. S. Lewis, and Mark Twain to texts and Twitter.

Why does the G in George sound different from the G in gorge? Why does C begin both case and cease? And why is it funny when a philologist faints, but not polight to laf about it? Anyone who has ever had the misfortune to write in English has, at one time or another, struggled with its spelling.

So why do we continue to use it? If our system of writing words is so tragically inconsistent, why haven’t we standardized it, phoneticized it, brought it into line? How many brave linguists have ever had the courage to state, in a declaration of phonetic revolt: “Enough is Enuf”? 

Find the answers to these questions and many others in this witty book

My Why: Words..

Maya Loves the Sun (Picture Books | June 3, 2025)

Paired with vibrant illustrations, Maya Loves The Sun by Disha Mathur is a tender exploration of self-acceptance, encouraging readers to celebrate their own light and love the skin they’re in. This heartfelt story also opens the door to meaningful conversations about colorism, belonging, and creating change.

My Why: Loving the skin I’m in.

Octopus Moon

Octopus Moon by Bobbie Pyron (Children’s Verse Novels | 10 years and up | March 25, 2025)

Pearl loves watching octopuses and turtles at the aquarium—especially octopuses, who feel everything, just like she does. Sometimes, she wishes she had a turtle’s shell to protect her from the overwhelming changes of fifth grade.

When school, friendships, and even skateboarding become a struggle, Pearl’s parents take her to Dr. Jill, who diagnoses her with depression. Resistant at first, Pearl slowly starts tackling “Impossible Things” each day, marking each small victory with a bead on a string.

In this heartfelt novel-in-verse, Bobbie Pyron shares the story of a brave girl learning to navigate her emotions and find herself again.

My Why: Middle-grade novel in verse

Please Pay Attention

Please Pay Attention by Jamie Sumner (Children’s Novels | 10 years and up | April 1, 2025)

Sixth grader Bea Coughlin’s world is divided into Before and After—the shooting that took her classmates and teacher. As her community rallies, Bea struggles with the helplessness she felt in her wheelchair, unable to take cover like everyone else.

Through therapeutic horseback riding, she slowly begins to heal, rediscovering her strength. And as she finds her voice, she gains the courage to demand change.

In this powerful novel-in-verse, Jamie Sumner explores grief, resilience, and what it means to move forward in a world that wasn’t built for you.

Rebellion 1776

Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson (Children’s Historical Fiction | 10 – 14 years | April 1, 2025)

In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper wakes to cannon fire—the Siege of Boston has begun. With her father missing and the city in chaos, she struggles to survive, taking work with a wealthy family awaiting inoculation as a deadly smallpox epidemic sweeps through.

As war rages outside and fear of the disease divides the city, Elsbeth, immune from childhood illness, must navigate a world of uncertainty. But will she ever find her father?

In this gripping historical adventure, Laurie Halse Anderson weaves a tale of resilience, survival, and hope amid revolution and epidemic.

My Why: Anderson, and the setting of this book

Six Days in Bombay

Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi (Women’s Fiction | April 15, 2025)

From the bestselling author of The Henna Artist comes a sweeping tale of identity, art, and mystery spanning Bombay, Prague, Florence, Paris, and London.

When celebrated painter Mira Novak arrives at Wadia Hospital in Bombay, nurse Sona is captivated by her stories of love and adventure. But when Mira dies suddenly, Sona becomes a suspect. Clutching a cryptic note and four paintings, she embarks on a journey across a Europe on the brink of war, unraveling the secrets behind Mira’s life—and her own.

Inspired by the real-life “Frida Kahlo of India,” Amrita Sher-Gil, Alka Joshi crafts a rich novel of self-discovery and belonging.

My Why: Have been meaning to read Alka Joshi forever now, and well, the setting(s) too.

The Trouble With Heroes

The Trouble With Heroes by Kate Messner (Children’s Fiction | 9 – 14 years, and up | April 29, 2025)

Finn Connelly is nothing like his late father—a star athlete and firefighter hero. Struggling in school and making no headlines, he suddenly lands in trouble after being caught vandalizing a cemetery.

To avoid charges, Finn must climb all 46 Adirondack High Peaks in one summer—with the deceased’s dog in tow. Over three wild months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, he discovers more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don’t care about personal growth, and Finn’s final challenge may be more than even a hero can face.

My Why: Kate Messner, and oh my, this tale is sure to tug at heartstrings!

And Now, the End of This List

Dear reader, have you read/heard of any of these books? Which one(s) would you add to your reading list? Which books do you have on your TBR currently? Do let me know