Now more than ever, books are a source of comfort, escape, and mental stimulation. And while lots of things are changing in the world right now, one thing remains the same: there are a bevy of new releases coming your way this month. In fact, the best books coming out in April are the perfect mix of comforting and challenging reads. Whether you've been seeking solace in romances or looking for literary fiction designed to take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride, this month has all of that and so much more. Go ahead and stake out your favourite spot on the couch, because these April must reads are so good, they're going to make staying inside a breeze.
Godshot by Chelsea Bieker
The town of Peaches, CA, becomes the perfect target for a cult leader, Pastor Vernon, seeking to bend a community to his will in Chelsea Bieker's Godshot [1]. The pastor promises to bring rain to the drought-stricken town as long as everyone follows his secret assignments, but when 14-year-old Lacey's mother is exiled from Peaches, the teen begins to challenge the pastor's authority.
Out March 31
Afterlife by Julia Alvarez
Julia Alvarez's first adult novel in nearly 15 years tackles the question of what do we owe our fellow humans? Afterlife [2] finds the recently retired immigrant writer Antonia Vega facing a number of losses as her husband dies and her sister disappears. Then one day, she comes home to find a pregnant, undocumented teen on her doorstep in need of a little help.
Out April 7
The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah
Afaf Rahman is the principal of a Muslim school for girls in Chicago in Sahar Mustafah's The Beauty of Your Face [3]. This intense novel kicks off with an active shooter entering the school, leaving Afaf to reflect on her life as she tracks their progress through the halls.
Out April 7
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
Veronica Roth's first novel for adults is perfect for anyone who grew up reading Harry Potter [4] or The Hunger Games. Set 15 years after five teens fulfiled a prophecy making them the saviors of humanity, Chosen Ones [5] delves into what happens to world-saving teens after their work is done — and how they cope with being asked to be heroes once again.
Out April 7
The Engineer's Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood
Based on the true story of the Brooklyn Bridge's construction, The Engineer's Wife [6] by Tracey Enerson Wood shines a light on Emily Warren Roebling, the woman who stepped up to make the bridge a reality after her husband was hurt on the job. Even as the story delves deep into 1800s New York City, at its heart, this book is the story of a marriage put to the ultimate test.
Out April 7
Girl Crushed by Kate Heaney
Girl Crushed [7] by Kate Heaney is an adorable LGBTQ+ YA novel about first loves and first heartbreaks. Quinn and Jamie were best friends before they were girlfriends, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when Jamie dumps Quinn one month before senior year starts. Soon, Quinn finds herself drawn to a new girl, but she just can't quite get over Jamie.
Out April 7
Greedy Heart by A.P. Murray
Even if you're not a fan of financial novels, Greedy Heart [8] by A.P. Murray is worth checking out. Set in 2006 before the market crash, the story follows Delia Mulcahy, a young woman drowning in student debt who gets the break of a lifetime when she's hired by a hedge fund. Soon, Delia finds herself drawn into a cutthroat world where she could make millions, as long as she's willing to compromise all of her principles.
Out April 7
Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed
Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know [9] by Samira Ahmed is a lush YA novel that spans two timelines. In the present, Khayyam Maquet should be enjoying her Parisian holiday, but instead, she can't stop thinking about her boyfriend, who seems to be ghosting her. But Khayyam's trip gets a whole lot more interesting as she finds herself tracing the forgotten story of a 19th-century Muslim woman named Leila whose life intersected with the likes of Alexandre Dumas, Eugène Delacroix, and Lord Byron.
Out April 7
Queen of the Owls by Barbara Linn Probst
Elizabeth, an academic with a love for Georgia O'Keeffe, is convinced by a photographer to re-create the artist's nude photos in Queen of the Owls [10] by Barbara Linn Probst. The moment she does so, the images become the property of the photographer, leaving Elizabeth exposed in a way she never has been before. With her job and her marriage on the line, she must now decide what she truly wants out of life.
Out April 7
Sin Eater by Megan Campisi
Dark and evocative, Sin Eater [11] by Megan Campisi is the story of May, a 14-year-old girl whose punishment for stealing bread is to become a Sin Eater. As a Sin Eater, she must eat foods that are symbolic of the sins of the dead, but when a deer heart appears on the coffin of a royal governess, May goes on a journey to discover who put the heart on the coffin and why.
Out April 7
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Desperate Housewives and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans, this one's for you. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires [12] is a '90s-set tale about a Charleston book club with a fascination for true crime. However, when children across town begin to go missing, the members of the book club soon realise the person behind the crimes isn't exactly human.
Out April 7
To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
Anyone who has ever wondered what happens after the happily ever after in a Jane Austen novel will love Martha Waters's To Have and to Hoax [13]. After a whirlwind romance and marriage, Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley have barely spoken in four years due to the argument to end all arguments. But when James is thrown from a horse, their lives are upended once again as they engage in a battle of wits and feigned illnesses that could reignite the spark in their marriage.
Out April 7
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Naomi and Nicholas's relationship looks picture perfect on the outside, but deep down, this engaged couple are desperate to break up in Sarah Hogle's You Deserve Each Other [14]. The only catch is whoever calls off the wedding has to pay the bill for the elaborate affair. When they both realise they want out, Naomi and Nicholas begin to wage a hilarious war of annoyance on one another in hopes that one of them will give in and call it quits first.
Out April 7
The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey
Generations collide in Brooke Fossey's debut novel, The Big Finish [15]. Duffy Sinclair is a trouble-making octogenarian who is trying his best not to get kicked out of his posh assisted-living home. Then his roommate's granddaughter crawls in through the window and sends him on the adventure of a lifetime.
Out April 14
Die Next by Jonathan Stone
Die Next [16] by Jonathan Stone kicks off with a simple mistake: normal guy Zack accidentally swaps cell phones with a businessman in a coffee shop. The only problem is, the "businessman" is actually a hit man whose phone is full of incriminating information — and everyone who Zack cares about is in danger as long as he has the man's phone in his possession.
Out April 14
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
The Happy Ever After Playlist [17] by Abby Jimenez has all of the makings of a perfect spring read: a cute dog, romance, and music. Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan takes home a pup that helps her start to feel like her old self again. But after a few weeks, she gets a call from the dog's owner, a musician on tour in Australia, who wants his pet back — but Sloan's not about to give up her new four-legged friend that easily.
Out April 14
The New Husband by D.J. Palmer
Nina's first husband is presumed dead, and she's ready to start a new life with the seemingly perfect widower she meets at her daughter's school in The New Husband [18] by D.J. Palmer. Unfortunately, the new man in her life has secrets that could threaten the safety of her entire family.
Out April 14
The House of Deep Water by Jeni McFarland
After waiting their whole lives to leave River Bend, MI, three women are drawn back to the small town in Jeni McFarland's The House of Deep Water [19]. Returning home is even more difficult than they imagined, as they must reckon with secrets and scandals that demand they deal with their past.
Out April 21
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Four women friends in contemporary Seoul, South Korea, find strength in one another as they struggle with dangerous jobs, high-profile relationships, impossible beauty standards, and money troubles in If I Had Your Face [20] by Frances Cha. Even as their personal and professional lives become more and more complicated, their friendship sustains them.
Out April 21
Master Class by Christina Dalcher
Christina Dalcher, the author of Vox, returns with another dark vision of the future in Master Class [21]. In the not-so-distant future, every child's path in life is determined by their Q score — based on standardized tests. A high score means access to elite schools and bright futures, while a low score means children are taken from their homes and sent to federally funded boarding schools. When a teacher's daughter is taken from her, she vows to defy the system and get her child back.
Out April 21
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeleine L'Engle
The Moment of Tenderness [22] is a posthumous collection of Madeleine L'Engle's short stories. Some of the stories have been published previously or incorporated into the author's famous works, but many have never been seen before. Spanning genres, this collection is a must for fans of the iconic author.
Out April 21
The Silence of Bones by June Hur
June Hur's debut The Silence of Bones [23] is a historical mystery with a fascinating heroine at its centre. Set in 1800 Korea, 16-year-old Seol is indentured to the police bureau. When a noblewoman turns up dead, Seol and a young investigator are put on the grisly case, but when the investigator becomes the prime suspect, it's up to Seol to clear his name.
Out April 21
Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Real-life couple Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka return this month with Time of Our Lives [24], their latest YA novel. Fitz and Juniper are both on the verge of making their first major life decision: which college they should attend. But while there's an undeniable connection between the two, their situations couldn't be more different — Fitz wants to stay close to home to be near his mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer's, while Juniper wants to be as far away from her family as possible.
Out April 21
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
Journalist and LGBTQ+ activist George M. Johnson's collection of personal essays All Boys Aren't Blue [25] explores everything from his first relationship to dealing with bullies. By sharing his own experiences, Johnson reveals what his life as a queer man of colour was like when he was a young adult, while also getting candid about what it means to be an ally.
Out April 28
The Wedding Dress by Danielle Steel
Bestselling author Danielle Steel presents the richly told multigenerational novel The Wedding Dress [26]. In a book that spans decades, Steel tells the story of four women whose lives are bound together by a beautiful dress that was made in 1920s Paris.
Out April 28