Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new April 2023 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 I’ve also included some of the most popular April 2023 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the April 2023 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
Top April 2023 Book Releases
Homecoming
Kate Morton
When the grandmother who raised her ends up in the hospital after a fall, Jess rushes back from London to Sydney to take care of her. While going through her grandmother’s house, Jess discovers a true crime journal, following a notorious murder at a mysterious mansion on Christmas Eve in 1959. As any journalist would, Jess begins to look into the mystery and the surprising connections to her family’s history.
Happy Place
Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they began dating in high school. Except they broke up six months ago and still haven’t told anyone. Thus, at their group’s annual Maine vacation, they find themselves faking a relationship. With the cottage for sale, they don’t want to ruin everyone’s last time there. They’d been together for a decade, how hard can it be to fake another week?
The Soulmate
Sally Hepworth
Gabe and Pippa love their perfect little cottage on the edge of a sleepy coastal town. Yet the tall cliffs bordering their property are a magnet for jumpers. Usually, Gabe talks them off the edge, until one woman falls to her death. Was she jumped or was she pushed? When Pippa realizes the victim was Amanda, the wife of Gabe’s former boss, she begins to question everything about her marriage.
Hepworth is the queen of domestic thrillers and her latest book on marriage and murder is a bit more focused on marriage than murder. Chronicling the ups and downs of Pippa and Amanda’s marriages, Hepworth hits all the hot topics – love and passion but also mental illness and infidelity. While not as suspenseful as some of her other thrillers, The Soulmate is still an enjoyable weekend read.
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: 4 April 2023
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The House is on Fire
Rachel Beanland
On December 26, 1811, Richmond, Virginia’s only theater is packed with holiday revelers waiting to watch the Placide & Green Company perform. When the theater goes up in flames, split-second decisions by four people – a new widow who realizes how little women have in the world, an abused slave who sees her chance for escape, a young stagehand got in a moral quandary, and a local enslaved blacksmith hailed as a hero – have lasting repercussions in this novel based on a true event.
Beanland takes the true story of the Richmond fire and then gives a peek at how it might have changed the lives of four people. Quickly you are caught up in the world of slavery of colored people but also a world that disempowers women. Beanland keeps the historical fiction fairly grounded, making each of the characters feel very plausible. The blacksmith actually was a hero of the fire. Although the story lacked a powerful concluding message, I found the story interesting and engaging.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 4 April 2023
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With My Little Eye
Joshilyn Jackson
When increasingly disturbing letters written in fruit-scented markers are sent to actress Meribel Mills, she turns to the police for help. Yet without a name, the police can do nothing to help. After realizing he’s been in her home, Meribel desperately moves her and her autistic teenage daughter to Atlanta. But Meribel can still feel eyes on her and begins to question the motives of every man she meets: her ex-husband, her ex-boyfriend, and her new neighbor, wondering if they might be the crazy stalker who refuses to give her up.
Usually I can count on Joshilyn Jackson for a compulsively readable escapist thriller, but With My Little Eye was just so unsatisfying. More than anything, Meribel was irritating. Although she’s a good mother, the entire book is dedicated to her thoughts on the men in her life. To make it worse, the chapters from the deranged male characters’ point-of-view were off-putting. I will say, the one bright spot of the novel was Meribel’s daughter, Honor. She was a fantastic character brilliantly written and was the absolute highlight of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 25 April 2023
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Before We Were Innocent
Ella Berman
Ten years ago, Bess and Joni spend a summer in Greece with their best friend Evangeline. When Evangeline dies, Bess and Joni find themselves suspects, their brash personalities vilified by the media, but ultimately no charges are filed against them. Since then, Bess has kept the lowest profile possible while Joni has become an outspoken motivational speaker. When Joni’s fiancée disappears, Bess comes out of hiding to support Joni and must face what really happened all those summers ago.
I was immediately drawn into Berman’s captivating story about intense female friendships, for it’s always the ones who know us best who can hurt us the most. Before We Were Innocent is a slow-burn mystery that serves as a fascinating character study. I loved the look at Bess, Joni and Ev’s friendship and the examination of how easily our lives can be cherry-picked to paint us white or black, when we are all shades of grey.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 4 April 2023
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The Only Survivors
Megan Miranda
Ten years ago, on the way back from a high school service project, two vans were in a tragic accident and only nine students survived. Yet none of the survivors feels like a hero, each ashamed of a decision they made that fateful night. Every anniversary since, they have met at a North Carolina beach house to check up on each other. Cassidy Brent has tried to distance herself from the other survivors, but when she finds out one has recently died, she finds herself drawn back in. When the group realizes that someone has been talking, they begin to suspect each other, and Cassidy wonders if one would go to great lengths to keep them all quiet.
The Only Survivors is an excellent slow-burn mystery, emanating a tense atmosphere as Cassidy suspects each classmate in turn. Slowly, Miranda reveals the true story of the accident, exposing how the weight of their secrets has influenced each of their lives. The high-action climax was a bit overdone, but I absolutely loved the final twist in the story. A solid 4 stars for me, The Only Survivors is my new favorite of Megan Miranda’s thrillers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Scribner through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 11 April 2023
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Simply Lies
David Baldacci
A single mom and a former detective, Mickey Gibson is trying to balance life with two small children and her work for ProEye, a global investigation firm focused on tax and credit fraud. When a woman pretending to be a colleague sends Mickey to investigate a vacant home, Mickey discovers the body of a former mob boss who was in Witness Protection. Soon Mickey is caught in a game of cat-and-mouse with an unknown woman who has a deadly endgame in mind.
With plenty of twists and turns and strong female protagonists, I thought I would love David Baldacci’s latest standalone psychological thriller. Instead, I found I was forcing myself to pick it up and constantly checking how much I had left. I just couldn’t get into the convoluted narrative and found the story dragging too much. An underwhelming read that doesn’t showcase Baldacci at his best.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 18 April 2023
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Symphony of Secrets
Brendan Slocumb
When Bern Hendricks receives the chance of a lifetime, he is ecstatic to be able to help authenticate a newly discovered piece by America’s most famous composer, Frederick Delaney. Yet, as Bern digs into the history, he comes to realize that Delaney may have stolen music from a young Black composer, Josephine Reed. Flipping between 1920s Manhattan and the present day, Symphony of Secrets is about the search to right history and the determination of powerful individuals to keep secrets buried.
Book of the Month – April 2023
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 April selections are:
See the Complete List of Upcoming Releases!
Read With Jenna’s April 2023 Pick
Camp Zero
Michelle Min Sterling
Desperate to help her immigrant Korean mother, Rose accepts a job to spy on the architect of Camp Zero, an American building project for climate change survivors in the northern end of Canada. As Rose befriends Grant, a newly arrived college professor, they begin to suspect the architect is hiding dark secrets. While they dig into the camp’s mysteries, a rumor begins to spread of an elite women’s fighting force camped nearby.
Reese’s April 2023 Pick
Romantic Comedy
Curtis Sittenfeld
Comedy writer Sally Milz has given up on finding love, channeling herself into her work writing for a television late-night live comedy show. When her average-looking male coworker starts dating a celebrity, Sally decides to write a sketch about how that would never happen for an average-looking woman. As she works on the sketch with Noah Brewster, this week’s pop music host, she realizes that sparks are flying and her life is looking more and more like a romantic comedy.
GMA Book Club April 2023 Pick
Dirty Laundry
Disha Bose
In a small Irish village, Ciara Dunphy is the queen bee with the perfect life that makes her the envy of all her friends. Meanwhile, Ciara’s best friend Mishti feels out of place in her arranged marriage in a foreign country and local mom Lauren feels ostracized for her disheveled lifestyle. When Ciara is murdered, the flaws in her immaculate life are on display for all to see and everyone starts airing their neighbors’ dirty secrets to distract from their own possible motives.
The Most Anticipated April 2023 Book Releases
In the Lives of Puppets
TJ Klune
In a home in a grove of trees live Victor Lawson and three robots – the fatherly inventor android Gio, a sadistic nurse machine, and a little vacuum starved for love. The little family is hidden and safe until Vic repairs an android named HAP. Suddenly, Gio’s past of hunting humans is revealed, and when Gio is captured, the odd little family must band together to rescue him.
The Golden Doves
Martha Hall Kelly
American Josie Anderson and Parisian Arlette LaRue are hailed for their success in the French resistance until they are captured and sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp along with their families. While Josie’s mother is experimented on, Arlette’s son just vanishes. A decade later, Josie hunts down a mysterious doctor and Arlette hears rumors about her son, leading them both to a dangerous web of secrets in French Guiana.
Coronation Year
Jennifer Robson
Edie Howard, the owner of the struggling Blue Lion hotel, sees salvage on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation day since the new queen’s parade will pass right in front of the hotel. A young photographer and an Indian artist, both residents of the hotel, also hope to use the coronation year to buoy their careers. When threats are made against the hotel and the queen, the three must solve the mystery before Coronation Day.
Life in Five Senses
Gretchen Rubin
Known for her year-long search to improve her life in The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin has been studying happiness and human nature for over a decade. But a trip to the eye doctor made her realize she’s been so stuck in her head, she’d forgotten how to live in the moment. In her lastest book, Rubin explores the five senses and how they can add more vitality into your life.
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
Admiral William H. McRaven
The Navy SEALS give the title of “Bullfrog” to the SEAL on active duty who has served the longest. As a former Bullfrog and Chancellor of the entire Univesity of Texas system, Admiral William H. McRaven has seen every type of leadership challenge. Using wisdom gained from his countless experiences, McRaven teaches the most important leadership lessons he has learned.
Honey, Baby, Mine
Diane Ladd and Laura Dern
Diane Ladd and her daughter Laura Dern are both award-winning actresses and they have leaned on each other throughout all of life’s troubles. After a sudden illness, Diane was prescribed long walks to build her lungs, long walks which quickly turned into deep intimate conversations between mother and daughter about life, love, success, and the joy of female friendship.
The Wager
David Grann
In 1742, a patched-together vessel washed up on the shores of Brazil with thirty emaciated men. They told an astounding tale of surviving after the HMS Wager was shipwrecked chasing a Spanish treasure galleon. After cobbling together a raft, they floated for 100 days and traveled 3,000 miles. The sailors were lauded as heroes until six months later when three more castaways washed ashore accusing the first men of mutiny. With accusations of treachery and murder, a court-martial is convened to find the truth, with the guilty party likely to be hung.
Popular April Upcoming Releases
What April 2023 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 2023 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
Susan says
I am excited to read
Romantic Comedy
The Golden Doves
Only survivors
Thanks for the reviews!
Ann says
Love Laura Dern & Diane Ladd.
Gosh, my TBR is nuts!! Completely out of control. Anyone else have that problem.
I guess having too many good things you want to read is a great problem to have!
I need to stay off my phone & read more, but here I am. Been listening to podcasts as I walk & invariably want to pick up several books mentioned.
I am on wait list for The Soulmate & The House Is On Fire & Before We Were Innocent.
I just DNF’d Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. It started off with a bang, but I lost interest toward the middle & had to weigh whether I wanted to spend more time on it when I have so many other things I want to read at the moment. Always a hard decision to make, I may possibly get back to it at some point.
I tend to not have much luck with Reese’s picks. I did love The Paper Palace.
Not keen on Jenna’s Camp Zero either.
May need to try some back-list books and pepper those in my new releases.
Listened to Book Talk, Etc. podcast today and guest Liberty Hardy on my morning walk and found some inspiration! We are about to get lots of rain in the Houston area, so hopefully I’ll get my read on.
Rachael, your lists are always so spot on and I tend to like what you like. Always much appreciated!!!!!!!!!
Have you considered doing a podcast?
Dawn says
I am reading Camp Zero and next up is I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai. I am also reading Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline. Sadly, Venco was a DNF for me but Empire seems better so far. And I need to add Hello Beautiful and The House is on Fire to my next BOTM box. I also want to read Kate Morten’s new book – I love her!