April brought some of the best reads of my year so far—and, unexpectedly, my first DNF of 2026. Have you come across a book this year that you just couldn’t finish? Historical fiction has long been one of my favorite genres, in large part because it blends learning with storytelling, and that was certainly true for many of this month’s reads.
All told, I read 11 books in April, plus one that didn’t quite make it to the finish line. Four of these were pre‑release previews, and I’ll link to our full reviews below, along with our Bookshop.org page if you’d like to pre‑order your own copies.
5 Stars
- Salt Air Promises, Francine Chiaramonte
- The Story Keeper, Kelley Rimmer
4 Stars
- The Boxcar Librarian, Briana Labuskes
- Dead Man’s Walk, Larry McMurtry
- Franklin Pierce, Hourly History
- Jungle of Ashes, Brynn Barineau
- Last House, Jessica Shattuck
- The Lions of Fifth Avenue, Fiona Davis
3 Stars
- All We Were Promised, Ashton Lattimore
- Bufalino, Charles Bufalino
- The Lost Bookshop, Evie Woods
DNF
- The French Lieutenant’s Woman, John Fowles
Top Read of April
Both of my 5‑star reads for April came from authors I hadn’t encountered before receiving their pre‑release copies—and I’m a huge fan of both now. Choosing a top book from such strong contenders is never easy, but one novel ultimately rose above the rest and earned a perfect 5.0 rating.
Kelley Rimmer’s The Story Keeper immediately caught my attention thanks to its family‑history focus, one of our key prompts this month. It kept me completely hooked with its layered family drama, a haunting house, and a captivating book‑within‑a‑book that I couldn’t stop thinking about. Spanning multiple decades and two countries, Rimmer delivers richly developed characters and a deeply compelling story. Every setting felt vividly real, and Wurimbirra quickly began to feel like home. This was a true stay‑up‑too‑late, can’t‑put‑it‑down read.
The U.S. edition releases at the end of July—perfectly timed for my birthday—and yes, I already have a copy preordered. Grab yours here and settle in for a truly unforgettable read!
Next Month
I always say that fantasy isn’t a genre I read very often… and then I look at the list of fantasy sub-genres and realize I absolutely do. Think Practical Magic, The Hobbit, and so many others—they all belong here. Magical realism, in particular, hooked me a few years ago through Heather Webber’s writing, and I can’t wait to share some longtime favorites with you. I’m also excited to step a little outside my comfort zone this month and explore a sub-genre I don’t read often at all: paranormal fiction.
May is Get Caught Reading Month, and with several of our favorite authors celebrating birthdays in the weeks ahead, it felt like the perfect time to lean into imaginative, transportive reads. I can’t wait to see which fantasy books you choose to pick up this month!
I invite you over to our StoryGraph reading challenges where you can follow along, check off the prompts, and see what the rest of our community is choosing for these challenges. Don’t forget you can also follow along on our social media pages like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest to continue the conversation!
A few sponsored books I’m reading this month:
- The Reimaging of Thornwood House, Jaleigh Johnson
- Rules of Engagement, Ward Larson
- The Sisters and the Sword, Sam Davey
- Satan’s Diary, Nicholas Ponticello
I can’t wait to read these great books with you – keep an eye out for the weekly previews on Sundays for what I’m reviewing each week!
This post contains affiliate links.
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