The Best Paperback Books of April

A powerful story of family, home and freedom. Percival Everett has flipped the script on an American classic as Huck Finn steps to the side and Jim — James — takes center stage.

After a chance encounter with a stranger, a young woman falls down a rabbit hole of obsession, fantasy and exhilarating self-exploration.

From the team behind March comes a graphic novel continuation of John Lewis’ life story and the struggles seen across the United States after the Selma voting rights campaign

Battles won and lost, alliances gained and broken. Everything has come down to this — with only ten days to prepare. Experience a high-fantasy writer at the top of his game and get ready for the next five installments.

We are still catching our breath after King of Envy left us wrecked in the best way, but King of Gluttony, the next installment in the sinfully addictive series, is already around the corner — and we are restlessly counting down the days.

Return to the Cruel Shifterverse with Jasmine Mas, where mafia rules and danger lurks in the shadows. The fast-paced dark fantasy romance continues, delivering even more enemies-to-lovers tension if you dare to enter. Will love survive, or will hate take over for good?

Get enamored by the landscapes of Provence in this deliciously crafted slow-burn romance between a curious journalist and the unexpected artist who emerges from the kitchen.

Maybe you already think you know the midnight ride of Paul Revere by heart, maybe not, but even if you know it… do you really? This captivating account of what actually happened pulls in all the tertiary details to paint a complete picture, from the man himself to the events that led to this most important night.

The fourth installment of Balle’s expansive and highly ambitious seven-volume story about a woman set adrift within the walls of November 18th. 

Another season of camp for manager Kate means another summer of monsters, haunting creatures and a few spiders. After the sinister Lady In Chains arrives, the campers must fight for survival in this thrilling tale.

EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award) winner Whoopi Goldberg turns her boundless talents to the page with a beautiful tribute to family, childhood and a very special mother-daughter relationship.

Former Monthly Pick author Sarah Penner returns with a nautical novel of buried treasure, romance and the occult. This is perfect for fans of Emilia Hart and Adrienne Young.

Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Haslett returns with a story about new beginnings, old grudges and complicated family ties. Mothers and Sons is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Strout and Ann Patchett.

At just 176 pages, Anne Tyler’s latest is a big-hearted, charming and funny story about motherhood, marriage and life from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

With a mesmerizing mystery and meaningful themes, this is a twisted tale full of secrets that are a thrill to uncover from Julie Clark, author of The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell.

Daring and dazzling, Katie Kitamura’s Audition follows one woman’s exploration of identity, life and love — with the bite of Colored Television by Danzy Senna and the intimacy of All Fours by Miranda July.

A former nun travels to a quaint but mysterious island to investigate her missing pen pal and inadvertently digs up chilling small-town secrets that were meant to stay hidden.

The bestselling author of Swan Song and The Perfect Couple returns — this time, with her own daughter joining her at the helm. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld meets Reputation by Sara Shepard in this engrossing story of high school and high society.

With two sisters, a pair of aging parents and barn animals aplenty, The Usual Desire to Kill is a quirky and heartfelt novel that reminds readers our parents had lives before us.

From the author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping story of three women told across three eras for a terrifying and exhilarating tale that blends witchcraft and horror.

Who do we become without the people we love? This is a thriller with secrets and plot twists to keep you guessing. This edition includes a bonus chapter set five years later, when Nic and Jenna’s story appears on the Crime Junkiepodcast

Sarah’s perfect marriage is cut short after a shocking betrayal that leads to an even worse discovery. This is a classic cat-and-mouse thriller from an author at the top of her game.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens is an inspiring, heartfelt and intimate memoir chronicling the life of the one and only Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. Garten presents an intimate and inspiring account of her remarkable journey.

Exploring what it means to truly grieve and melding it with the personal experience of a celebrated writer, this is a moving account of what it is to love, to lose and to heal.

Faced with a system that would silence her voice and allow justice to go unserved, student-turned-activist Amanda Nguyen’s story of resilience, strength and defiance will illuminate and inspire.

Michael Luo Notes From Your Bookseller

Michael Luo chronicles the complex history of Chinese immigrants in America and traces their harrowing, century-long struggle to belong in the wake of the Chinese Exclusion Act. 

After losing her butcher job and her husband, a middle-aged woman applies for a “cleaning” position with a detective agency, but they are more interested in her killer knife skills. Witty and darkly humorous, this Korean thriller is a sharp and satisfying tale.

This brand-new heiress is just getting used to estate-living when the past comes knocking at her door. Captivating and always charming, Kristen Perrin’s latest is perfect for fans of Benjamin Stevenson and Agatha Christie.

The Doorman explores humanity’s elite at their lowest under the careful watch of one man. Witty, sharp and twisty, this is perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building.

Fairytales, mythology, magic, romance and a main character who’s as compelling as she is empathetic. This rip-roaring adventure is a charmer.

An ode to the ’60s, a portrait of an iconic American family, and a personal account of our country’s greatest histories from a Pulitzer Prize-winner.

Quirky and clever, this “dictionary” is filled with relatable travel jargon and illustrations that globetrotters and tourists will appreciate.

Just in time for the semiquincentennial, discover an in-depth, accessible timeline of the nation and all its flaws, obstacles and triumphs.