Book Releases April 2019 – My Top Five Picks
Spring is here and so are a lot of fabulous new book releases. It is really difficult to narrow the list down to my usual top five books as there are many highly anticipated releases in April. I have included some honourable mentions, which may be cheating slightly but I think is reasonable considering the line up this month!
Descendant of the Crane
Author: Joan He
Published: 9th April
Publisher: AW Teen
Genre: YA Fantasy
Synopsis: Goodreads link
Descendant of the Crane is one of the most anticipated YA Fantasy releases this year. It has been a massive hit amongst book bloggers who were lucky enough to be granted Advanced Reader Copies. Princess Hesina is thrown in at the deep end when her father is killed. The kingdom is unstable, she doesn’t know who she can trust and in her desperation turns to a soothsayers magic…. The book has a lot of my favourite elements including magic, court politics and a strong female protagonist. I know that I will be receiving a copy in a book box this month and I can’t wait to dig in!
The Devouring Gray
Author: Christine Lynn Herman
Published: 16th April 2019
Publisher: Titan Books
Genre: YA Fantasy
Synopsis: Goodreads link
I was lucky enough to be gifted an ARC of The Devouring Gray and have enjoyed it so far. It is definitely a page turner! The book has bisexual main characters and disability representation, which peaked my interest when requesting a copy from the publisher. This is a YA Fantasy but it has a contemporary setting. Violet is uprooted from the city to the rural town of Four Paths. She is descended from one of the town’s founders, as are the children she meets. Bodies begin to appear in the woods, the locals are becoming hostile and the clock is ticking to solve the mystery before disaster strikes again. It has been described as a blend of Stranger Things and Riverdale, so if you are a fan this book might be for you.
Sky Without Stars
Authors: Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell
Published: 1st April 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: YA Fantasy, Science Fiction, Retelling
Synopsis: Goodreads link
This year is making all of my retelling dreams come true. As if a King Arthur retelling with a female lead wasn’t enough with Once & Future, now we have Sky Without Stars, which is a reimagining of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables! I was so excited to find out about this book and I really can’t wait to read it. Set on the planet of Laterre there are whispers of revolution. The elite reign whilst the poor starve. Rebel groups are resurfacing and three unlikely heroes begin a dangerous game in the hope of shaping the future of their planet. *SO EXCITED*
How to Make Friends with the Dark
Author: Kathleen Glasgow
Published: 11th April
Publisher: Rock the Boat
Genre: YA Contemporary
Synopsis: Goodreads link
Okay, I am probably going to cry over this one. A lot. This is a heartbreaking story about mental health, depression and grief. It has always been Tiger and her mother against the world. Tiger’s mother dies. And now Tiger is alone.
Sherwood
Author: Meagan Spooner
Published: 18th April
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Synopsis: Goodreads link
I have always had a soft spot for Robin Hood stories. In fact, at one point I was banned from watching the Disney retelling as I insisted on watching it every single week at a friend’s house. She moved to London not long afterwards. which may or may not be related. I was inevitably a huge fan of the children’s TV show Maid Marion and Her Merry Men. The things I loved most about the tales were the camaraderie and my romanticised notion of living in the heart of a forest.
Sherwood is Meagan Spooner’s latest retelling and I am lucky enough to have received an ARC from the publisher, so it is my current read. As someone who had Hunted on my TBR pile for ages I was so excited to discover she was writing a Robin Hood retelling. This isn’t your average retelling though as Robin of Locksley is dead. Marian wants to protect her people, Robin’s people, from the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham and his right hand man Guy of Gisborne. Sometimes when you don’t have a hero, you need to become one.
April Book Releases
There are many more books that I could have added to this list but here are a few honourable mentions:
- Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin
- The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare
- Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
- The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala
- King of Fools by Amanda Foody
What books are you most excited for this month? Comment below to let me know which are your favourite April book releases.
13 Comments
OMG Descendant of the Crane is 😍😍😍 And Sky Without Stars + How to Make Friends with the Dark are both on my TBR list!! I can’t wait to read your review! 💕
I look forward to reading yours! Honestly, so excited about this month’s books and then next month we have We Hunt the Flame!!!! I need to learn to read faster!
So many good books coming out this month!!! And you’ve reminded me of a few I had forgotten about, so thank you!
Thank you for reading 🙂 It is easy to forget a few when there is so much coming out. I am far too excited about book releases at the moment. My bank balance is taking a real hit! I hope you enjoy the ones you pick up!
The Devouring Gray looks interesting.
Great list! I have a copy of Sherwood I still need to read and enjoyed Descendant of the Crane.
Thanks. I am so bad and haven’t finished Sherwood yet. Sneaky late review incoming soon. Yay, Descendant of the Crane has so much hype and I think it will actually live up to it <3
Lol story of my life. I’m always late on posting my reviews
I’m looking forward to How To Make Friends with The Dark. It’s on my shlef and I’m hoping to squish it in soon.
I look forward to your review! I fear that I am so behind at the moment that I won’t get to it until the end of next month at least 🙁
I’m so full of yours next month but then I’ve really cut back as I’m back to work full time next week and won’t hear the same spare time
Descendant of the Crane sounds very interesting, I’ll have to look out for that one 😍🙌🏻
I am really excited to read it. I hope you enjoy it if you pick a copy up! 🙂