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You know what they say: April showers brings a lot of excuses to spend time indoors with a good book.
Okay, maybe that isn't what they say, but it is how we feel about the spring season. The rain provides a cozy setting to be nestled with a page-turner, while a sunny-but-not-too-hot day is ideal for a day spent under a shady tree getting lost in a story. Regardless of your weather preference, you are sure to find something to love among April's best new book releases.
So, as we inch closer and closer to official beach read season, you should definitely start preparing by buying physical copies of our picks or—because, you know, technology—pulling them up on Kindle Unlimited or through a free trial of Audible.
Here are 14 books to add to your reading list this month:
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Still not over The Glass Hotel or Station Eleven? Welp, prepare for another one of the bestselling author's book to take up permanent residence in your brain as her highly anticipated next novel is finally here. Oh yeah, we are getting a time travel story from Mandel, which follows an author who lives on a moon colony and visits Earth for a book tour. The space and centuries-spanning storylines range from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon 500 years later. (April 5)
The Lifeguards by Amanda Eyre Ward
There is nothing quite like the bond between mother and son, just look at the three pairs of them in The Jetsetters author's latest novel. Over the course of one summer, the friendship between three picture-perfect—but viciously protective—moms is tested when their boys come back from their lifeguarding job with a devastating secret. Ward expertly weaves together each woman's point of view as well as commentary from entertaining neighborhood listservs, secret text messages, and police reports for one of the first true beach reads of the year. (April 5)
A Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li
Inspired by the true story of Chinese art vanishing from Western museums, this cultural heist thriller is the literary baby of Ocean's 11 and The Farewell. Harvard senior Will Chen lands an impossible job offer from a mysteriousChinese benefactor: Lead an eccentric crew that will steal back five priceless Chinese sculptures that were once looted from Beijing centuries ago. You are going to want in on this one. (April 5)
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
This charming and chemistry-filled debut novel—set in 1960s California—centers on one-of-a-kind scientist and single mother Elizabeth Zott, whose career takes a detour when she reluctantly becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show. But, thanks to her unconventional approach to recipes, Elizabeth may just inspire a feminist revolution. (April 5)
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
Twelve years after the release of her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel A Visit From the Goon Squad, Egan has resurrected several of its major players for this long-awaited sibling novel. The Candy House dives back into the gripping world as genius Bix Bouton creates Own Your Unconscious, a new technology that grants someone access to every memory they've ever had—and allows them to share with others in exchange for their memories. The consequences and complications are explored through interlocking narratives of characters old and new, diving into themes such as love, privacy and the human desire for connection. (April 5)
Cover Story by Susan Rigetti
Obsessed with stories about scammers à la Inventing Anna and The Dropout right now? Same. Which is why we are recommending this gem about an ambitious young scribe who gets trapped in a charismatic con artist's scam when she is asked to be a ghostwriter for a chic magazine editor, who is also the child of a clean-energy mogul. Ahh, a tale as old as time, but Rigetti's take on the trendy storyline is freshened up with the addition of diary entries, emails and FBI correspondences for a ridiculously fun romp. (April 5)
The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
Following her breakout bestseller The Good Sister, Hepworth is back with another thriller that will have you muttering "just one more chapter" to yourself at 1 a.m. Renowned heart surgeon Stephen Aston is ready to get married to the much-younger Heather, but there is one problem: He is still married to his current wife, who can no longer speak for herself. Complicating matters even further are Stephen's disapproving adult daughters and the secrets Heather has been keeping in this warped tale of domestic deceit. (April 5)
The No-Show by Beth O'Leary
Imagine being stood up for a date on Valentine's Day. Now add in the fact that the guy also bailed on two other women. While they are all wildly different, the ladies do have one thing in common: They all forgive him for the slight and are in danger of falling in love, so they need answers as to where he was that day. Equal parts rom-com and mystery, this unexpected story about the power of second chances will have you swooning and crying. (April 12)
Birds of California by Katie Cotugno
Prepare for a sexy and timely romantic comedy when former co-stars Fiona St. James and Sam Fox reconnect. Though Fiona dropped out of the spotlight after a very public breakdown, she is surprised when her former on-screen brother Sam reaches out to her, desperate to try and revive their TV show. Neither expects the sparks that fly between them, but will the real reason behind her exit from Hollywood threaten their relationship? P.S. Feel free to adapt this ASAP, streaming services! (April 26)
Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close
Get ready to wish you were a member of the Sullivans in this generation-spanning, laugh-out-loud story from the best-selling author of Girls in White Dresses. Grab a seat at the family's beloved Chicago bar as the owner's two daughters and nephew find their world completely turned upside down in the span of a few months in late 2016 as the Cubs win the world series, Donald Trump is elected president and their steadfast patriarch suddenly dies. Grudges are examined, love affairs are exposed and lots of drinks are consumed as the trio is forced to finally act like (gasp!) adults. (April 26)
One of Us Is Dead/I> by Jeneva Rose
Welcome to the wealthy small town of Buckhead, where the friendships can be as deadly as the cars are expensive. The Perfect Marriage author takes us inside the complicated inner circle of women, including the disgraced queen bee whose politician husband left her for a younger woman, her replacement who will do anything to keep her new status and the salon owner who knows everyone's secrets. And, as you can tell from the title, one of them will not live to see the next block party. (April 26)
The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon
Taking inspiration from Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein, McMahon defies genre in this suspenseful story about a brilliant psychiatrist who brings a feral child client to live with her and her two grandkids, Violet and Eric, in 1978 Vermont, with the trio forming their own Monster Club. Four decades later, Violet, now a popular podcast host, reluctantly travels to their small town to investigate the abduction of a young girl and rumors of—wait for it—a monster sighting striking fear among the public. (April 26)
I'll Be You by Janelle Brown
Bet we can get you interested in this thriller with one sentence: After a falling out between twins who were child TV stars—think B-list Olsen twins—one sister must search for the other after she disappears, forcing them to confront the secrets they have each been hiding. Yeah, we can already hear you pre-ordering. (April 26)
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
Fans of Madeline Miller's Circe will want to check out this dazzling debut that reimagines the life of the infamous and vilified titular queen from the Indian epic the Ramayana. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, Kaikeyi transforms from an overlooked princess into a warrior after discovering her own power in this mythic retelling. But will she be able to defy the destiny the gods have chosen for her family to forge her own legacy? (April 26)
Still in need of a new read? Check out our 16 picks from March.