Warm rays of sun begin to melt the grogginess of cold, chilly days. Vibrant greens paint the leaves on trees amongst Speedway, and the blue sky above UT promises happy days this spring. 

During the final stretch of the semester, students may find themselves beyond frustration and stress. Exams and essays seem to fly in the wind and strike at every turn. Students may wonder what to do in their time of leisure, especially after graduation, to unwind while maintaining a productive flow. The Daily Texan curated a list of upcoming books that serve as perfect reads for one’s own pleasure.

“Happy Place” by Emily Henry

The author of “People We Meet on Vacation,” “Beach Read” and “Book Lovers” aims to release her newest title, “Happy Place,” on April 25. The novel follows a recently broken up couple, Harriet and Wyn, on their annual week-long trip with their group of friends. However, the pair must try to keep their separation a secret from their friends in order to rid any chances of ruining the trip. Reliving the past will awaken memories and dig up familiar feelings, which will make faking their once happy relationship harder than expected. “Happy Place” will offer a perfect distraction from final exams and papers.

“Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang

The most distraught of readers will recognize the author of the painfully beautiful “The Poppy War” series. Her newest standalone “Yellowface” releases May 16. Kuang typically writes fantasy literature, but in this satirical contemporary novel, readers will get a controversial scandal and a problematic character. June Hayward wants to be a best-selling author, but feels that no one wants to hear what a white girl has to say, so when she witnesses the tragic death of literary darling Athena Liu, she steals Liu’s manuscript about Chinese laborers and edits it as her own project. June Hayward becomes Juniper Song. Fame comes to the feet of Juniper Song, but haunting ghosts and threatening evidence to bring her down also crawl to her. Incorporating humor while also addressing topics such as racism and cultural appropriation, “Yellowface” will offer readers a suspenseful read to blow off steam after the end of the semester.

“The True Love Experiment” by Christina Lauren

The author of “Love and Other Words” and “The Unhoneymooners” brings to life her newest title, “The True Love Experiment” on May 16. Lauren constantly depicts romance through dynamic characters, and readers can expect the same here. Felicity “Fizzy” Chen and Connor Prince face Hollywood as aspiring artists. The pair must work together to create a production to help Connor move up as a filmmaker and help Fizzy learn what falling in love feels like so her romance novels depict more authentic love. Reality TV show “The True Love Experiment” begins with Fizzy as the star, and both characters find themselves wondering where the chemistry really lies. This novel will offer a fuzzy, warm blush to accompany warm days and get readers into the light spirits of what graduation and summer bring after spring.