Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new April 2021 book releases for you. I’ll let you know what I’ve read, what I can’t wait to read, and what’s getting all the attention this month.
In case you’re new to Booklist Queen, every month I cover all the hottest new book releases. I try to read as many new book releases as I can to give you an honest perspective on what to read and what to skip.
However, I realize that my to-read list might not exactly match yours. That’s why, this year, I’ve decided to also include some of the most popular April 2021 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the April 2021 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
The highlights of the month:
- Two fascinating true WWII stories
- Four terrifyingly creepy thrillers
- Two multigenerational family dramas
Have I got you interested? Then keep scrolling to see our picks for the best of the March 2021 book releases.
Top April 2021 Book Releases
The Bomber Mafia
Malcolm Gladwell
In the years leading up to the second world war, a group of military strategists, nicknamed “The Bomber Mafia,” wondered if precision bombing of strategic targets could make war less lethal. Gladwell ponders how technology and the best intentions collide in the heat of war while examining the bombing of Tokyo. Weaving together stories of a Dutch genius, pyromaniacal chemists, and two competing generals, Gladwell makes you consider the incalculable costs of war.
Mother May I
Joshilyn Jackson
Bree Cabbat wakes up one more to find a witch looking in through her window. She shakes it off as a nightmare, but then she experiences every mother’s worst nightmare: her baby boy is abducted. Instead of a ransom note, she finds a message telling her to follow the instructions to get him back, forcing her to decide how far she will go for her child. Mother May I starts off strong, with great twists and shocking moments, and then settles into an investigation story that, while more predictable, was still compelling enough to carry me through the story. A fun little thriller perfect for a quick summer read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Drowning Kind
Jennifer McMahon
Growing up, Lex and Jax were inseparable, spending summers at their grandmother’s estate in Vermont, known for its underground springs rumored to grant wishes … but also take things in return. When Lex dies in the pool, Jax returns home and begins to learn more about the house’s supernatural history, including the story of a woman in 1929 desperate to have a baby. The Drowning Kind was a perfectly spooky read making you wonder: is something in the water or is it just Lex’s manic imaginings?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 April 2021
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The Light of Days
Judy Batalion
The untold story of a group of Jewish women in Poland who became Resistance Fighters during World War II. In the Jewish ghettos, the Jewish women transformed their youth groups into the ultimate freedom fighters – bribing the Gestapo, flirting with soldiers, and bombing train depots. Already optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture, The Light of Days is a tale of bravery never before told.
Effortless
Greg McKeown
What if you could achieve more without overexerting and overthinking? McKeown stresses the importance of simplifying processes to get effortless results. McKeown focuses on how to get yourself in the right mindset, how to simplify your actions, and then how to automate them to reach even greater results.
When I read McKeown’s Essentialism last year, its simplicity spoke to me in a way few books have. Needless to say, my expectations for Effortless were rather high. Unfortunately, McKeown’s newest book just didn’t have the same power that Essentialism had, and I struggled to stay engaged with the uninspired advice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crown Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 27 April 2021
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The Good Sister
Sally Hepworth
A quirky free-spirited librarian with Asperger’s, Fern Castle likes to keep her life strictly regimented. On the other hand, Fern’s twin sister Rose is the responsible one with the perfect house and the perfect marriage, a sister who spent their childhood protecting Fern from their abusive mother. When Fern discovers her sister cannot get pregnant, she decides she can have the baby for her. As Fern starts making more choices on her own, she begins to realize that maybe Rose might not such a good sister after all.
After loving The Mother-in-Law, Hepworth’s latest novel wasn’t as good as I had hoped. I adored Fern’s character and loved seeing life from her point of view. Her romance storyline is well-played and she was an all-around perfect narrator. The problem is that even from the start you know that Rose is the villain, which makes the whole drama utterly predictable.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t read it, because I really did enjoy reading The Good Sister. I guess I just wish Hepworth’s publishers would stop trying to market her books like thrillers when they are in reality character-driven family dramas.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 13 April 2021
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Book of the Month – April 2021
Receiving my blue box from Book of the Month Club is a highlight of every month.
Here’s how it works – each month, they pick 5 books and you get to choose one book or skip until the next month. If you want to add any extra books, then you get them at a discounted price.
Each month is usually a mix of new releases and advance copies of unreleased books. If you are interested in joining, right now you can use my Book of the Month Club affiliate link to get your first book for $5!
The April Book of the Month selections are:
See the Complete List of Upcoming Releases!
Exciting New April 2021 Book Releases
All the Children are Home
Patry Francis
In a small town in Massachusetts in the 1960s, Dahlia and Louie Moscatell have finally found a rhythm as long-term foster parents. Then a social worker begs them to take on one more foster child – a six-year-old indigenous girl who will change their family dynamics forever. Patry Francis hits the emotions hard in this powerful story of love and family and the struggles of the foster care system. I cried with their heartaches and rejoiced in their victories, and can emphatically declare this the best new release I’ve read all year.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Perennial through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 13 April 2021
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When the Stars Go Dark
Paula McLain
After a personal tragedy, Anna Hart leaves her life as a missing persons detective in San Francisco to return home to Mendocino, California. When she arrives, she gets drawn into the case of a local missing teen, one that is hauntingly similar to an unsolved murder from her childhood.
Known for her historical fiction (The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun), Paula McLain successfully tries her hand at the mystery & thriller genre. When the Stars Go Dark is a character study of a cop haunted by her own traumas who sees herself in the victims. Instead of page-turning action, you get a slow atmospheric build-up similar to Liz Moore’s Long Bright River.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 13 April 2021
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The Widow Queen
Elzbieta Cherenzinksa
The great duke of Poland sees his three daughters as three chances for alliances. However, Swietoslawa refuses to be a pawn, seeking a kingdom of her own without the need for a husband. Based on the true story of a forgotten Polish princess, The Widow Queen is a must-read for historical fiction lovers.
Margreete’s Harbor
Eleanor Morse
When Margreete’s dementia becomes too bad to allow her to live alone, her daughter Liddie moves her family from Michigan to the coast of Maine. There they struggle with the changing family dynamics and the tumultuous events of the 1960s. Margreete’s Harbor is a literary family drama with a pace so slow that I found it downright boring. Although many reviewers love this character-driven story, I felt the narration jumped too frequently between characters, leaving me with just a glancing understanding instead of the deep connection I craved.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 20 April 2021
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The Music of Bees
Eileen Garvin
Three lonely strangers, Alice, still reeling from her husband’s death; Jake, a paraplegic teen; and Harry, a young man with crippling social anxiety, are brought together by a local honeybee farm in rural Oregon. As their surprise friendship leads to healing, they must battle a nefarious pesticide company threatening the local honeybee population.
Hype
Gabrielle Bluestone
Whether it’s selling tickets to a festival that never happened, raising money for a fraudulent startup, or a top-rated restaurant that’s just a shack, scams have become the new normal. Vice journalist Gabrielle Bluestone investigates the irresistible hype that fuels social media and the scammers and con artists who take advantage of the digital age to help you learn how to avoid getting played.
Lies We Bury
Elle Marr
Marissa Mo’s childhood consisted of a basement prison that she luckily managed to escape. Now as a young photographer, she is assigned to cover a series of macabre murders in Portland that are eerily similar to her own experiences. After a note is left for her at the crime scene, she must revisit her own childhood trauma to solve a string of murders. Although the writing is rather weak, I found Marr’s thriller intriguing with a solid plot. An okay read that exceed my rather low expectations.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas and Mercer. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 April 2021
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See the Complete List of Upcoming Releases!
Popular Upcoming Releases
What April 2021 Book Releases are You Most Excited to Read?
What books can you not wait to get your hands on this month? Did I miss any April 2021 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
