Book List

20 Best Books To Read in April

  • FICTION

    THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES

    APRIL 2, 2024

FICTION

THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES

by Julia Alvarez

Buried stories find their way to the light in this finely crafted novel. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    CLEAR

    APRIL 2, 2024

FICTION

CLEAR

by Carys Davies

A deft and graceful yarn about language, love, and rebellion against the inhumane forces of history. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    THE INVENTION OF PREHISTORY

    APRIL 2, 2024

  • NONFICTION

    HELL PUT TO SHAME

    APRIL 2, 2024

HISTORY

HELL PUT TO SHAME

by Earl Swift

A gripping, memorable work that wholly confronts a hellish past that continues to bleed into the present. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    JELLY ROLL BLUES

    APRIL 2, 2024

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

JELLY ROLL BLUES

by Elijah Wald

An illuminating, deeply researched study of roots music, decidedly not suitable for work. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    A SHORT WALK THROUGH A WIDE WORLD

    APRIL 2, 2024

FICTION

A SHORT WALK THROUGH A WIDE WORLD

by Douglas Westerbeke

A hopeful tale of improbable friendships, whirlwind romances, and unexpected joy. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    THE FAMILIAR

    APRIL 9, 2024

FICTION

THE FAMILIAR

by Leigh Bardugo

Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    THE GARDEN

    APRIL 9, 2024

FICTION

THE GARDEN

by Clare Beams

Like an overgrown garden—untamable, lush, and wild in ways lovely and terrifying. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    NATIVE NATIONS

    APRIL 9, 2024

HISTORY

NATIVE NATIONS

by Kathleen DuVal

A revelatory account of the power and influence of Indigenous peoples in North America. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    FI

    APRIL 9, 2024

NONFICTION

FI

by Alexandra Fuller

A true marvel of a memoir, simultaneously beautiful and devastating. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    PATTERNS OF THE HEART

    APRIL 9, 2024

FICTION

PATTERNS OF THE HEART

by Ch’oe Myŏngik ; translated by Janet Poole

A debut by a modernist prose master more than 50 years in the making—and well worth the wait. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    MY BLACK COUNTRY

    APRIL 9, 2024

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

MY BLACK COUNTRY

by Alice Randall

Essential for country fans—a delightful, inspirational story of persistence, resistance, and sheer love of music. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    IAN FLEMING

    APRIL 9, 2024

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

IAN FLEMING

by Nicholas Shakespeare

Shakespeare leaves no stone unturned in this exhaustive, highly readable biography. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    WEIRD BLACK GIRLS

    APRIL 16, 2024

FICTION

WEIRD BLACK GIRLS

by Elwin Cotman

Sharp, poignant, funny, and, above all, filled with the joy of invention—a must-read. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    THE ALTERNATIVES

    APRIL 16, 2024

  • NONFICTION

    MUSE OF FIRE

    APRIL 16, 2024

NONFICTION

MUSE OF FIRE

by Michael Korda

Poets and war are a winning combination in the hands of a seasoned historian. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • FICTION

    FUNNY STORY

    APRIL 23, 2024

  • FICTION

    REAL AMERICANS

    APRIL 30, 2024

FICTION

REAL AMERICANS

by Rachel Khong

Bold, thoughtful, and delicate at once, addressing life’s biggest questions through artfully crafted scenes and characters. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    SILK

    APRIL 30, 2024

NONFICTION

SILK

by Aarathi Prasad

A colorful, wholly absorbing narrative tapestry. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >
  • NONFICTION

    THE CHAIN

    APRIL 30, 2024

NONFICTION

THE CHAIN

by Chimene Suleyman

A maddening tale told with insistence, insight, and beauty. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

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