"Spring Break" develops all new meaning post-college, as in it doesn't exist anymore—and even if you do plan a vacay, it's often absent any body shots and midnight raves. But whether you're treating yourself to a much-needed getaway from work, or simply looking to cozy up with a good read in the much-welcomed nice weather, we've got five new page-turners to add to your reading lists, stat. Starting with...

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen If Water for Elephants proved anything, it's that Gruen is a master at the period piece—and her latest novel is just another stunning example of that craft. You'll find yourself transported to the Scottish highlands during the height of World War II with Madeline Hyde as your guide, a young woman who follows her husband and his best friend across the Atlantic in their hunt to locate the Loch Ness monster after a high-society disgrace. But the book is less about elusive adventures and more a love story—between Maddie and her husband, Maddie and her newfound friends, Maddie and her natural surroundings—that you will soak up hungrily in one sitting.

Pretty Ugly by Kirker Butler If there is a novel version of Toddlers and Tiaras, this is it—and it's just as much a delicious guilty pleasure as the TLC reality hit. Brought to us by Family Guy writer Kirker Butler, you'll be left equally cracking up and disturbed at the fictional Miller family, with obsessive stage mom Miranda, her cheating/drug-addicted husband Ray, nine-year-old pageant vet/binge-eater Bailey, and grandmother Joan, who spends her time secretly plotting a murder with Jesus (yep, that Jesus). Butler's crew is just one clown short of a circus, but you'll love them all the more for it.


The Book of Wanderings by Kimberly Meyer Perfect for those bitten by the bug of wanderlust, this memoir follows a mother-daughter duo on a bonding pilgrimage around the world. Kimberly and her daughter, Ellie, make their way from Venice to Greece to Cyprus to Cairo and Alexandria (and more exotic stops in between), all the while rediscovering themselves and their relationship. At the end, you'll be left with both a burning desire to see the world and an immediate need to call your mom.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan This book from blogger duo Cocks and Morgan (they're behind the fashion site Go Fug Yourself) is every bit as engrossing as the real Kate and Will, with juicy drama on par with the fictional The Royals to boot. It follows American Bex as she falls in love with British heir to the throne Prince Nicholas, and the parallels to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are uncanny (right down to the momentous ski trip and devilish younger brother, Prince Freddie). The pages turn as easily as a tabloid feature on the royal couple—and you'll end up just as obsessed with Bex and Nick as you already are with Wills and Kate.


Visiting Hours by Amy Butcher I'm not sure if I have Dark Places on the brain, but this gripping memoir is every bit as chilling as a the darkest Gillian Flynn novel—except this nonfiction account is based entirely on real events. Amy writes about her friend Kevin Schaeffer, who, four weeks prior to their college graduation, walked Amy home from a party and then proceeded to stab his ex-girlfriend Emily Silverstein to death hours later. Psychiatrists would conclude that Kevin suffered an acute psychotic break, but the memoir follows Amy's obsessive quest over the years to piece together what really led her friend Kevin to that fateful moment. It's emotional, powerful, and, oddly enough, beautiful.

Which book are you most excited to read?