I love to travel—but if I’m being honest, I love bookish travel even more.

Give me a charming little bookstore tucked into a side street, a cozy café where I can read for hours, or a destination that feels like it’s been pulled straight from the pages of a novel, and I’m instantly sold. Add in good food, new sights, and time with my family, and that’s pretty much my perfect trip.

I’ve been fortunate enough to explore a good portion of the United States, but there are still so many places I want to visit—especially the ones with stories woven into their streets. The kind of places where you can wander through historic neighborhoods, stumble across an indie bookstore, and feel like you’re living inside a chapter of a favorite book.

And then there’s the rest of the world.

The more I read, the more my bucket list grows. A setting in a novel, a passing mention of a dreamy bookshop, or even an author describing their hometown—it doesn’t take much for me to think, I need to go there. My TBR may be out of control, but my travel list? It’s right there with it.

So this list isn’t just about places—it’s about stories, atmospheres, and the feeling of stepping into something magical. These are the destinations that have captured my imagination… and that I hope to visit one day, book in hand.

It’s time for my quarterly look at the books I hope to read — these lists always reveal my optimistic side.

At this point, I’ll call it a success if I manage to knock out even a couple of them. I have a bit of a book problem… like many of you! I see a new release — or even just one that’s new-to-me — and immediately think, “Oh, it’s so pretty! I need to read this one.”

Meanwhile, the rest of my TBR quietly drifts off to the side. And somehow, it just keeps growing. Books I didn’t even know existed are suddenly taking up residence in a space I didn’t realize I had for them. 

And so, without further ado, books that have already caught my eye for the spring. 

Have you read any of these? I’ve read most of them and enjoyed each in their own way. A couple are still on my TBR, and hopefully I’ll get to dive into them soon.

What about you — what green-covered gems did you feature today?

Looking for fantasy without the overload of spice, but still packed with magic, adventure, and heart? Then this Freebie Week is for you.

Genre: Clean YA Fantasy! 🎉

I had to think for a bit about which genre I wanted to focus on this time, and then it just clicked. Lately, I’ve been really enjoying fantasy. I know it’s one of the biggest trends in reading right now, but let’s be honest — sometimes the “spice” can get a little overwhelming. Every now and then, what we really need is a clean, fun, and still intense story we can completely escape into.

All of the stories featured this week are YA, clean fantasy reads. Each one is unique, captivating, and full of rich settings and engaging characters. I truly enjoyed every single one of these adventures.

Most of the books featured are part of a completed series or duology — except for one. That final book is set to release later this year, so thankfully the wait won’t be too long!

Because who needs reality when fantasy is involved?