What Should I Read in April?

Springtime reading – is there anything better?

Curling up with your favorite book – with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket – on a rainy spring day is one of our favorite things.

So we decided to create a list of our favorite spring reads – with book candle pairings, of course.

Absent in the Spring, Mary Westmacott

The great Agatha Christie published Absent in the Spring in 1944 – her third novel written under the Mary Westmacott pseudonym.

Why the pseudonym? Because Absent in the Spring is not your typical Christie mystery.

Agatha’s unmistakably keen eye for human nature is the only connecting thread to her mystery novels.

Absent in the Spring tells the story of Joan Scudamore, an upper-middle-class Edwardian woman returning to England after visiting her daughter in Baghdad.

Due to a mishap with her trains, Joan finds herself stranded for several days – alone with herself and her thoughts.

This time for self-reflection forces Joan to see her actions - and her life - in a new and unflattering light.

While we don’t have an Absent in the Spring candle – we have two mystery-inspired Agatha Christie candles for your springtime reading.

Inspired by Miss Marple, Breakfast Tea & Knitting Wool is all about getting cozy.

While our Hercule Poirot candle – Carnation & Grooming Tonic – is a scent as unusual as the inspector himself.

The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

A book about a secret rose garden is a natural fit for spring reading. 

And revisiting a classic you read as a young person can open new windows in your mind – leading to self-discovery and reflection.

The Secret Garden is that type of classic children’s novel.

When reading through a child’s eyes, I focused on the mystery and wonder of the secret rose garden – and the excitement of discovery. 

As an adult, I felt the tragic backdrop of neglected Edwardian children much more keenly - and appreciated the tragic sentiment behind the garden.

If you read The Secret Garden this spring, why not light a candle for an extra cozy ambiance? You’ll love English Ivy & Blooms – inspired by The Secret Garden!

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

I don’t know about you, but I like to read a bit of Austen every spring. I think it’s all the walks through the countryside. 

Most Austenites have a novel or two that they tend to reread more than others.

Mine is Pride and Prejudice - followed by Sense and Sensibility – probably because they are akin to familiar, witty friends who always make me smile.

Whatever Austen novel you pick up this spring, we have a candle for you in our Jane Austen Candle Gift Box!

Each box contains six mini candles – each scent inspired by one of Jane’s six novels!

If you’re looking for a full-sized Jane Austen book candle – we’ve got you covered with Gardens of Pemberley.

Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery

Speaking of walks through the countryside, spring is also the perfect time to visit Prince Edward Island and the community of Avonlea.

The landscape of Prince Edward Island and the Canadian Maritimes is as much of a character in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne series as Gilbert Blythe. 

Each story uses a place – Green Gables, Avonlea, or the Island itself – as a metaphor for Anne’s place in her life and to illustrate how big her world is at the time.

If you’ve never explored the Avonlea series beyond Anne’s childhood, make space on your reading list this spring to revisit the series.

And be sure to light Raspberry Cordial – our Anne of Green Gables book candle – while you visit Avonlea.

The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien

Spring is the perfect time to set out on an adventure – or read a great fantasy adventure book!

It’s also the ideal time to visit Middle Earth. 

Tolkien’s writing is full of stunning imagery – the Ents’ terrifying majesty – Rivendell’s ethereal elegance – and the cozy cottagecore vibes of the Shire.

Is there a setting in all literature that’s more springtime cottagecore than the Shire?

So if it’s been a while since you’ve picked up that dusty copy of The Hobbit – or if you’ve never read The Lord of the Rings trilogy – put it on your spring reading to-do list. 

Add some springtime hygge ambiance to your escape to Middle Earth with our Hobbit-inspired candle, Shire Sweetgrass!

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Spring is also the perfect time to take a trip down the rabbit hole. 

Because the imagery in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is like a psychedelic garden party.

What could be more springtime than the Mad Hatter’s tea party – or playing croquet?  There are also talking flowers, a hookah-smoking caterpillar, and soldiers painting the roses red.

So curl up with a cup of tea and revisit this kooky classic. 

And the ideal accompaniment to your trip down the rabbit hole? Our Alice in Wonderland book candle gift set! 

With six mini candles inspired by characters from the story - these candles will keep your space quirky all season long.

The Midnight Library, Matt Haig

Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library was one of our favorite reads of 2021 - and this fantasy tale about a magical library belongs on any bookworm’s “to read” list.

This emotional story examines themes of regret, self-exploration, and infinite possibility – all within the confines of a mysterious, magical library.

The plot centers around a young woman named Nora -- who discovers the Midnight Library after making the desperate decision to end her life.

Instead of finding heaven or hell -- Nora wakes up in an enormous library filled with the stories of her life -- if she had made different choices.

Her guide and companion on this unusual reading journey is her school librarian, Mrs. Elm.

The novel inspired us to create The Library – our best-selling candle in 2022.

Because every bookworm needs a candle that smells like a magical library!