Hi, my bookish friend!
I’m so impressed with how many fantastic new books keep being released this spring! There are so many that I’m taking it month by month.
So, today’s book list is dedicated to the most talked-about new books coming out this April 2026! The first two books, Yesteryear and American Fantasy, have been getting a ton of buzz!
Crack open your TBR list, because today I have for:
13 New Fiction Books that look phenomenal!
2 Nonfiction Books you’ll want to get your hands on!
Plus, Bookish Updates:
An author’s true identity reveal,
Another reading retreat idea,
And learn more about bestselling author Emma Straub!
Happy 🌸 Spring 🌸 Reading!
Your friend,
Audry
P.S. You LOVED last week’s post about reading retreats! So, I’m planning another similar list to share with you this summer!
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Bookish Recs: Best & Buzziest Books of April 2026
Welcome to Part 2 of the Best & Buzziest Books of Spring 2026!
New in Fiction
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Natalie has built a huge online following around her picture-perfect life: a rustic farmhouse, a handsome cowboy husband, and six adorable children. But when she wakes up in a version of her life that feels both familiar and terrifyingly wrong, she has to figure out whether she’s in a twisted test, a reality show gone bad, or something even stranger. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
American Fantasy by Emma Straub
On a four-day fantasy cruise with her sister, Annie unexpectedly finds herself surrounded by screaming fans and the five members of a once-famous boy band she grew up loving. Suddenly, the music, memories, and unexpected friendships awaken a lost part of herself. All the old feelings she thought were gone start rushing back, especially after meeting one of the members of the band! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Into The Blue by Emma Brodie
In the summer of 2000, AJ Graves is stuck in a video rental store in small-town Massachusetts when she meets Noah Drew, a magnetic member of a famous acting family. The two form a bond that feels bigger than either of them understands. Years later, when they’re cast together in the same TV production, old feelings and a buried secret pull them back toward each other, forcing them to face what really tore them apart. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is an 81-year-old tea-loving, no-nonsense woman whose quiet life gets complicated when a neighbor turns up dead and old secrets start bubbling to the surface. But Elsie has a past she’s kept buried for decades. With a nosy little girl next door, a suspicious town, and the police closing in, she may finally have to tell the truth about who she really is. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Love the Book by Jessica George
Remy is a bestselling author whose inspiration disappears right when her closest friends start drifting away, leaving her more alone than ever. When she crashes into Simone at a bookstore, the two women slowly uncover their deepest secrets, recent heartbreaks, and a friendship that could change both their lives. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer
Rainy March is a Book Witch who protects stories by jumping into novels and fixing any messes that try to change them. But when her grandfather disappears, and a rare book is stolen, she has to team up with the handsome fictional detective she’s not supposed to see, even if it could cost her everything. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
When six struggling authors are invited to a private Scottish island to help finish the final novel of a famous reclusive writer, they quickly learn the job comes with one huge problem: Arthur Fletch is already dead. With only seventy-two hours and a big career-changing prize on the line, this twisted writing contest turns into a race to outsmart each other before someone else writes the killer ending. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Go Gentle by Maria Semple
Adora Hazzard thinks she has found the secret to a happy life: keep your wants small, enjoy what you already have, and stay in control. But when a mysterious stranger enters her world, her carefully built routine starts to crack open with desire, secrets, and a past she hoped would stay buried. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Dear Monica Lewinsky by Julia Langbein
Forty-year-old Jean Dornan can’t stop reliving the summer of 1998, when an affair with her professor left her carrying guilt, regret, and a life she barely recognizes. When the real Monica Lewinsky becomes a kind of spiritual guide, Jean is forced to look back at her younger self with honesty and wonder if forgiveness is finally possible. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Take by Kelly Yang
A young writer desperate for a break and an older Hollywood producer trying to stay relevant strike a wild deal: $3 million and a series of age-reversing treatments that link their lives in ways neither of them expects. But as ambition, power, and survival collide, both women are forced to ask how far they’re willing to go to get what they want … and what it might cost them. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Dog Person by Camille Pagán
Harold is an aging dog on a mission to help his grieving owner, Miguel, fall back in love with life after a loss. But when a bookstore crisis and a missing author lead them to Fiona, a women who dislikes dogs, Harold discovers that sometimes the path to healing starts with a little chaos and a lot of heart. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez
Alicia Canales Forten is a 26-year-old woman who feels trapped by the life she’s expected to live until one night pulls her into the exciting, chaotic world of Fort Greene’s creatives. As she gets closer to her glamorous neighbor and her wealthy cousin, Alicia is drawn into a story about ambition, secrets, and the painful price of chasing the American Dream. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton by Jennifer N. Brown
When historian Alison Sage uncovers the long-lost prophecies of a 16th-century nun, she lands a dream invitation to a prestigious research gathering at a crumbling English manor. But when a murder shakes the estate and old secrets surface, Alison has to untangle a deadly mystery connecting modern academia to a dangerous past. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Out Now in Nonfiction
This Is Not About Running by Mary Cain
Mary Cain was a track star with Olympic-level talent, but behind the speed was a brutal world of bullying, pressure, and injury that slowly broke her down. In this powerful memoir, she tells the truth about what went wrong and makes a strong case for a kinder, healthier youth sports culture. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
When 19-year-old Zac Brettler dies after jumping from a London tower, his parents are left with a heartbreak that quickly turns into something even stranger. They discovered he had been living a secret double life. This gripping true story follows their search for answers as they uncover a dark world of crime, lies, and corruption hiding beneath London’s polished surface. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
View the booklist on Bookshop.org!
(Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)
You’re invited to join the fun at Bookish AF! 🤓
Bookish AF News Updates
The Real Identity of Freida McFadden
I’ve featured bestselling thriller author, Freida McFadden, and her books, plus her recent movie adaptation, many times on here and last summer in my post: Chill with a Thriller. However, this reveal of her true identity has me as riveted as one of her novels!
So, who is The Housemaid author, Freida McFadden, in real life? (It’s almost like she’s a character in one of her books!) The real identity of Freida McFadden is …. (drumroll) … Sara Cohen. Read about why she’s sharing her true identity now here. And see what the real-life version of the author looks like here!
Bookish Reading Retreat Idea: Reading Aloud and Bonding Over It
A recent New York Times article spotlighted a weekend reading retreat called Page Break in the New York City area. This particular reading retreat involved reading an entire book in a weekend. Each participant took turns reading the book aloud.
Research has linked reading aloud with others as a bonding experience. I’d never really thought about it or tried reading aloud with other adults, but now I’m definitely curious! But it makes sense. Reading aloud together was so cozy and special when my kids were little, and it was a big part of creating connection with my students as a teacher, too. Watch an Instagram reel about the experience here.
Getting Bookish with Emma Straub
Emma Straub is the author of many addictively fun books. I’ve only read one of her titles, The Vacationers, and I really enjoyed it - the perfect escape read! Her latest feel-good novel, American Fantasy, is at the top of this week’s new release book list. But did you know that the author also owns her own bookstore? Learn more about the fabulous Emma Straub in this interview!
Bookish Quote of the Week
“The way you spend your days is the way you spend your life.”
― Emma Straub, This Time Tomorrow
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