Spring 2026 Reads Wrap Up: Epic Fantasy, History, and Self-Help Reviews

It’s that time of the year ClayReaders, where I do my Spring in Review. All the books I read this last season. I know, I know, I have gone over this in my last seasonal review, but I am a stickler and I follow the Astronomical seasons. It might be because of all the Astronomy magazines I read as a kid (my all-time favorite magazine by the way) or it might be the pagan in me but this is how I roll. I read a cross-section of books this Spring, from epic fantasy to history with lots of self-help in between. Let’s review my reads, shall we?

Top Pick of the Spring

Before we get into the monthly breakdown, if I had to recommend just one book from this season, it would be The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. The movie didn’t prepare me for how truly of an epic story this classic is.

June Reads: Science Fiction, History & Self-Help

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Synopsis: H.G. Wells’ classic novella follows a Victorian inventor who travels into the distant future and discovers the strange, divided descendants of humanity, exploring evolution, class, decay, and the terrifying possibility that progress is not guaranteed. My Take: I like the movies enough, but the novella was absolutely worth the read. I found the structure and how the time traveller told the story to be incredibly interesting.

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

The Synopsis: Through research and case studies, David Epstein argues that broad experience, curiosity, and cross-disciplinary thinking can be just as powerful as early specialization, making a strong case for late bloomers and generalists. My Take: As someone who jumps between seemingly wildly different interests and book genres, this made me feel a lot better about my own zigzagging habits!

Check out my complete book review of Range by David Epstein.

The English and their History by Robert Tombs

The Synopsis: Robert Tombs delivers a sweeping history of England from its early foundations through empire, war, politics, and modern identity, tracking how the English came to understand themselves and their place in the world. My Take: I picked up this book after a business trip to London. As an American, I liked an outside perspective on the events of the 20th century that the US was involved in. However, as an avid Last Kingdom fan, I was disappointed by how little of the book focused on this period.

Managing Oneself by Peter F. Drucker

The Synopsis: Peter F. Drucker’s short career classic argues that effectiveness starts with self-knowledge: understanding your strengths, work style, values, and where you can make the greatest contribution in a world requiring constant reinvention. My Take: I found the insights slightly dated but still highly relevant to today’s knowledge worker.

Spoiled Milk by Avery Curran

The Synopsis: A gothic horror novel set at a 1920s girls’ boarding school, where a student’s sudden death sparks supernatural events and buried secrets, blending coming-of-age dread, repression, and queer desire. My Take: This story was great, super creepy, and provided a very immersive reading experience.

May Reads: Epic Fantasy, Crypto & Throwbacks

A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science & Spirituality by Ken Wilber

The Synopsis: Ken Wilber lays out an ambitious “integral” framework meant to connect inner growth, culture, systems, and human development into one broad evolutionary map. My Take: This is a dense, idea-heavy book, and honestly, not a light read. I found it hard to pull takeaways from it without having a full college course to help me decode it. Sometimes a book requires a supplementary materials!

Check out my complete book review of A Theory of Everything by Ken Wilber.

Echo (Alex Benedict, #5) by Jack McDevitt

The Synopsis: Antiquities dealer Alex Benedict and pilot Chase Kolpath investigate a mysterious artifact marked with an unknown language, resulting in a far-future science fiction mystery built around archaeology and hidden history. My Take: This is part of my Throwback Thursday reviews! I love dusting off older books, and this one was absolutely worth reading again.

Check out my complete book review of Echo by Jack McDevitt.

Crypto Confidential: Winning and Losing Millions in the New Frontier of Finance by Nat Eliason

The Synopsis: Nat Eliason’s memoir follows his rapid rise through the crypto boom, offering a firsthand tour through the hype, risk, ambition, and emotional whiplash of the digital-asset frontier. My Take: It is a great insider look into crypto culture for any outsider interested in understanding this highly specific period of time.

Check out my complete book review of Crypto Confidential by Nat Eliason.

How to Be Your Own Best Friend by Mildred Newman

The Synopsis: This classic self-help book focuses on self-acceptance, emotional independence, and learning to treat yourself with more patience, pushing the enduring message that the relationship you build with yourself shapes everything else. My Take: This was a vital part of my growth in loving myself more. It is definitely on my to-be-read-again list.

Check out my complete book review of How to Be Your Own Best Friend by Mildred Newman.

Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) by Rebecca Yarros

The Synopsis: The sequel to Fourth Wing throws Violet Sorrengail deeper into war, political secrets, dragon-rider training, and the consequences of a rebellion much larger than she realized. My Take: To me, this seemed like two books slammed together in one large fantasy novel. Even then, I liked this follow-up, and I will continue with the series.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

The Synopsis: A young sailor is betrayed, imprisoned, and transformed into the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, returning years later with wealth, intelligence, and an elaborate plan for revenge. My Take: This was on my list of 100 books to be considered well-read. I am also a big fan of the 2002 movie, but Dumas’ sprawling adventure is more epic than the movie could ever even touch and was well worth the read.

Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries, #4) by Martha Wells

The Synopsis: Murderbot returns to help Dr. Mensah and confront the corporate forces hunting them, tying together the first major arc with action, emotional payoff, and signature dry humor. My Take: This installment ties the whole series together beautifully.

Check out my complete book review of Exit Strategy by Martha Wells.

April Reads: Wellness & Sci-Fi Adventures

The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience by Aditi Nerurkar

The Synopsis: A science-backed stress guide that breaks resilience into five practical “resets” for calming the nervous system and rebuilding healthier daily patterns for those running on too much cortisol. My Take: These are “resets” I should definitely be practicing more often.

Check out my complete book review of The 5 Resets by Aditi Nerurkar.

Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries, #3) by Martha Wells

The Synopsis: Murderbot heads to an abandoned terraforming facility to dig up evidence against GrayCris, only to get pulled into another dangerous rescue mission. My Take: Fast, funny, and tightly plotted. There is definitely noticeable internal growth happening for Murderbot now.

Check out my complete book review of Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells.

Embrace Discomfort: Lean Into Challenge to Improve Your Life by Michael Easter

The Synopsis: Michael Easter makes the case that modern comfort has softened the mind and body, and explores how choosing deliberate, controlled difficulty can sharpen resilience, focus, and confidence. My Take: Being a 2% person is something I try to do daily now.

Check out my complete book review of Embrace Discomfort by Michael Easter.

Sweeping Up the Season

I feel like I have had a diverse set of reads this season. While many of these lean toward heavy non-fiction or sprawling epic fantasies, I found them incredibly rewarding. Here is to the rest of the year’s reading journey!!!

What were you reading this spring? Drop your epic fantasy and self-improvement book recommendations in the comments below!