The question, “What should I read next?” is the constant companion of readers everywhere. Sometimes you have too many to choose from, and your TBR teeters precariously with its overwhelming options. For mood readers, you might be on the hunt for a specific vibe and you’re not sure where to find it. I am, admittedly, very often the first kind of reader, but one who is always chasing after vibes.
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Chasing Vibes in 5 Spring Reading Recommendations
To help you fulfill your current reading mood, I’ve compiled a list of recommendations based on other books that I think evoke a similar reading experience.
If You Liked The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern…Read The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
This is for the reader that is always searching for doors to other worlds. Both novels feature a story within a story and an unexpected tale of love and romance. Sinister characters are at work in both books, seeking to undo the magic or restrict access to these other places. If you loved the journey into hidden lands and the unraveling of secrets in The Starless Sea then you’re sure to find something to love in The Ten Thousand Doors of January.
If You Liked Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay…Read Our Homesick Songs by Emma Hooper
Canadian landscapes are front and centre in both Late Nights on Air and Our Homesick Songs — The Northwest Territories and Newfoundland, respectively. A sense of isolation and wonder permeate both stories, alongside themes of leaving and coming back in the midst of dying industries and environmental destruction in the name of progress. The human impact on these places is examined equally with the impact these places have on the people who inhabit them. If you loved the distinct setting and memorable characters of Late Nights on Air, you’ll find a similar experience with Our Homesick Songs.
If You Liked Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid…Read The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton
Okay, this spring reading recommendation is where I have to admit that I haven’t actually read The Final Revival of Opal and Nev yet. But I bought it specifically because I loved Daisy Jones and the Six so much. These two have more in common than just their long titles. Both novels are written in an interview style that mimics oral histories of bands and musical eras. They trace the early heydays of their title characters through to the present day. The writing style of Daisy Jones made it feel so real, and I have no doubt it will do the same for Opal and Nev.
If You Liked Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson…Read Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin
This is possibly the most unexpected comparison on the list, but the one I feel most strongly about. What, you may ask, does a story about an Indigenous teen in Canada have in common with a story about teens in Ireland? Let me tell you. Both have supernatural elements that lurk eerily in the background until thrusting themselves to the forefront at the climax. Both deal with a legacy of trauma inflicted by the Catholic Church and colonial forces, whether in the form of residential schools in Trickster or the Irish laundries in Smoke. The magical elements of both books are neither inherently good nor inherently evil. They simply are and the characters must decide what to do with the fact that such magic exists. If you loved the way Indigenous folklore was woven into a modern story and the way the magic slid decidedly into horror territory in Son of a Trickster, I promise you that you’ll enjoy Other Words for Smoke.
If You Liked Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner…Read Three Pianos by Andrew McMahon
On the surface, these books don’t appear to have a lot in common. Crying in H Mart is about Michelle Zauner grappling with the death of her mother, while Three Pianos is about Andrew McMahon’s journey as a musician and his own battle with cancer. But they have similarities beyond the spectre of cancer that haunts them both. Both authors have complicated relationships with their parents. They are both musicians, at times struggling, but ultimately triumphant. There is grief and tenderness and love at the core of these memoirs. If you enjoyed Crying in H Mart, I recommend giving Three Pianos a shot.
Have you read any of these pairs? Do you think they’re well matched? What other books would you suggest? Tell us in the comments below.
Cover photo by Alfons Morales on Unsplash
