Nothing is much better than sitting outside on a warm spring day (or inside with the windows open and a warm breeze coming in) with a book. Here are five great books to read this spring:

1. For a thrill ride that will keep you glued to the pages:

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. On Rachel’s commute every morning, she fantasizes about the lives of the people who live in the houses she passes. But when she notices something strange one morning, she wonders if she should tell anyone or if she should keep it to herself.

It came out at the beginning of the year, and I read the entire thing the day it arrived on my doorstep.

2. For a dreamlike story that will leave you breathless:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. It’s without a doubt one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. It’s a short but incredibly lovely story about friendship, love, and a little bit of magic. Everyone I’ve recommended it to has loved it, and I hope you do, too!

3. For an incredible story of survival:

The Martian by Andy Weir. When astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after his team evacuates during a dust storm, he has to figure out how to survive until the next Mars mission arrives…in four years.

4. For a fantastic trilogy that combines the magical worlds of Harry Potter and Narnia:

The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman. On the morning of his Princeton interview, Quentin Coldwater instead finds himself admitted to a secret college of magic located in upstate New York. It’s such a great story.

5. For a unique coming-of-age story:

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones. Dana’s father is a bigamist, married both to her mother and to another woman. Growing up in the shadow of her father’s “real family,” Dana wants nothing more than to be recognized as legitimate. Though not the sort of thing I’d normally pick up, I really enjoyed it.

If you decide to read any of these, be sure to come back and tell me what you thought!

What books would you add to this spring reading list?