April Books on Deck

Here are the books coming out next book that I am the most looking forward to.

Before we dive into the books, just wanted to remind you about the pop-up bookshop I’m hosting for people impacted by the LA wildfires. We need your help to make it a success. Please donate if you can, and find out other ways to help by clicking that cute pink button right there.

This month, because April doesn’t start for a few more days, and I’m still actively reading, I split up my books on deck post and my ranked reading. So today you’ll be hearing about the books coming out in April that I am most looking forward to. Then, next Friday, you can expect all my March reads ranked. And if I get my shit together something else next Friday too, but don’t count on it.

The Stacks March Recap

Here is your quick reminder of The Stacks episodes from the month. Just in case you missed any of the great conversations we had in March.

Tembe Denton-Hurst

came on the show and talked about her hyperlexia as a child, her love of Black stories, and a book she really can’t stand.

One of the best books I’ve read so far this year is One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, so getting to have the author, Omar El Akkad on the podcast was an honor. He did not disappoint.

Torrey Peters has unlocked a whole new author crush for me. She and I spoke about her latest book, a story quartet, Stag Dance.

Unabridged: We’re in a Gender Straitjacket with Emily St. James

This month’s bonus episode was with author and culture critic Emily St. James. We talked all about trans representation in pop culture and the political climate around trans issues, plus Emily’s debut novel Woodworking.

Tembe Denton-Hurst came back for book club to discuss They Were Her Property and white women’s active role in American slavery.

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April Books On Deck

I am so happy to report that I am going to tell you about a manageable number of books in April, unlike last month when I thought talking about 15 books was a good idea¹. I have seven books for you today. The books are listed in pub date order², and anything I’ve already read (or started) appears in bold.

• City Summer, Country Summer by Kiese Laymon illustrated by Alexis Franklin (April 1)
  Kiese, the great, is entering the picture book space with this love letter to Black boys. It is gorgeous. And it already has the Mini Stacks’ stamp of approval.

• Authority by Andrea Long Chu (April 8)
  A collection of essays from Pulitzer winning critic Andrea Long Chu. Most of the essays are previously published, but two new essays take on the world of criticism and who has the authority to level it.

• My Documents by Kevin Nguyen (April 8)
  A speculative fiction novel about four members of a family who are placed in an internment camp for Vietnamese-Americans after a spate of violent attacks across the USA.

• The Snares by Rav Grewal-Kök (April 1)
  This one is a literary political thriller set in a post 9/11 America in the waning years of the Bush administration. The cover is doing a lot for me, and I hope whatever is inside lives up.

• Fish Tales by Nettie Jones (April 15)
  This is the last book Toni Morrison acquired as an editor at Random House, which is, for me, enough of a reason to be interested in a book. Turns out is about Lewis Jones, a “party girl for the ages”. That means it is a double yes.

• When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris (April 15)
  I am a fan of Denne, period. She is the EIC of Electric Literature, so I am going into this book generally just like, “Denne, yes”. It is about a gay Black man and his estranged relationship with his dad as he prepares to get married.

• Change the Recipe: Because You Can't Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs by José Andres with Richard Wolffe (April 22)
  Is there such thing as a person who is not a fan of José Andres, chef, activist, and founder of the World Central Kitchen? If so, I do not want to know that person. I’m thrilled to read this memoir especially because of the ways his humanitarian work has inspired me over the years.

What April books are you most looking forward to? Tell me in the comments.

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If you want more of me and my nonsense be sure to listen to The Stacks podcast every Wednesday and follow me over on Instagram for a lot more book content.

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1. I’ve grown so much since then.

2. Then alphabetically, if you really want to know.