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Best Books of April

Summer is on the horizon and it's not too early to add to your poolside reading list. We've rounded up ten of the most popular releases from last month. Which will you check out first? 

Circe by Madeline Miller 

You might think you know the story of the Greek goddess, but you've never heard it told quite like this. Miller takes her readers on an epic adventure that explores Circe's character like never before. Follow the young goddess from her strange childhood to her banishment on a deserted island where she eventually meets the iconic hero, Odysseus. Lovers of Greek mythology will gobble this story right up. 

"The writing is lush and intimate, once again inviting the reader into a magic different, yet just as special, as Circe's: a magic that is unleashed whenever Miller picks up a pen." - Book People's Blog

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young 

What part of this Wonder Woman/Vikings mashup doesn't sound amazing? Young tells the story of a seventeen-year-old girl who spends her life fighting and surviving in a world filled with betrayal. Pick it up for a hefty dose of warriors, battle scenes, and family loyalty. This piece of historical fantasy doesn't disappoint, no matter how old you are. 

"A refreshing tale where life is tested and people have to overcome their differences to fight a bigger foe to survive. A fast-paced, action-filled fantasy for all YA collections." - School Library Journal

Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer

In Rimmer's compassionate novel, Lexie Vidler is forced into a complicated situation when her drug-addicted sister gives birth to a premature baby. She finds herself caring for the fragile newborn, but her sister's drama is wreaking havoc on her life. Eventually, Lexie is forced to ask herself where she draws the line and how much of their complicated past she can handle. 

"Kelly Rimmer's shimmering and poignant new novel, Before I Let You Go broadens our current national conversation about seeking to combat the deadly yet curable disease of addiction while being ultimately a story of relationships." - Library Journal, Editor's Pick

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 

This YA bestseller is making waves with its provocative premise and unique portrayal of America. Ireland's protagonist, Jane McKeene, was born in a time rife with war. America stood on the brink of freedom, but with social change came racial injustice. As an African American, Jane must work to survive in this newborn country while protecting herself and dealing with the death reaped by the battlefields of Gettysburg. 

"This highly anticipated release is getting lauded as equal parts exciting, terrifying, and oh-so-relevant. Crackles on every page." - Brightly.com 

Trespassing by Brandi Reeds 

In the mood for some psychological suspense? Pick up this story about a young mother who must embark on a dangerous journey to locate her missing husband. Veronica's history of mental illness adds an element of unease to the entire story, and at some point, you'll start to wonder where the truth really lies. 

Trespassing combines the creeping dread of a gothic novel with the page-turning suspense of a contemporary grip-lit thriller. A drip-feed of revelations forces the reader to question their theories in time with the narrator, as she is tipped over the edge of sanity by the eerie predictions of her daughter’s imaginary friend. This sinister atmosphere makes for a sleep-stealing novel; it is hard to put down and even harder to put out the light.” - Jo Furniss, bestselling author of All the Little Children

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell 

Fans of The Lovely Bones will immediately become addicted to Jewell's thrilling novel. Ellie Mack was a great daughter, and when she went missing, her mother struggled to piece together the broken puzzle pieces of her life. Ten years later, Ellie's mom meets a man whose daughter bears a striking resemblance to her daughter. Where did Ellie really go? And why does this man's daughter viscerally remind her of the missing girl? 

"Jewell expertly builds suspense by piling up domestic misunderstandings and more plot twists than an SVU episode. It’s a page-turner for readers who like beach reads on the dark side." - People 

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See 

Prepared to have your heart touched by this story of mothers and daughters. Li-yan lives in a remote mountain village, and when a Jeep shows up at the gate, everyone is startled. The stranger marks the introduction of the village into the modern world, and as Li-yan leaves the only life she's ever known and gives her daughter a new life of opportunity in America, they both wonder what has been lost. 

"With vivid and precise details about tea and life in rural China, Li-Yan’s gripping journey to find her daughter comes alive." - Publishers Weekly 

The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie 

When a terrible explosion takes place in Chicago, three women must work to hide the dangerous secrets that could unravel their lives. Time passes and their lies seem to go undetected, but how far will these ladies go to ensure that no one ever unearths their carefully hidden truths? 

“Give this to fans of seemingly benign characters with dark inner lives like those in Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies.” - Booklist

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren 

This is a book about second chances and becoming the person you were meant to be. Lauren flip-flops her storytelling between the Then and the Now, following Macy and Elliot as they grow from friends to something much more. They share memories of both agony and joy, and the two will have to learn to cope with the past in order to move on to a future full of love. 

"Lauren writes of the bittersweet pangs of love and loss with piercing clarity, and delivers a resoundingly life-affirming tale of what it takes to claw one’s way to necessary healing, both romantically and personally." - Entertainment Weekly 

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld 

Sittenfeld's short story collection reveals just how easy it is to form an opinion based on what people say and how they behave. Women who are eager to reflect on their college years and how they've grown will devour these ironic, original stories full of nostalgia. Follow an upper-middle-class woman, a college student, a young intern, and a suburban mother of two as they all re-evaluate the assumptions they've made. 

“Novelists get called master storytellers all the time, but Sittenfeld really is one.” - The Washington Post

Circe by Madeline Miller
Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Trespassing by Brandi Reeds
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld
Tuesday, 01 May 2018