Arts & Entertainment
The 10 Best Books To Read In April
From Harlan Coben's new thriller to the Lee brothers' high-end catering tell-all, these are the books everyone's going to be talking about.
Now that spring is here, we can finally head outside to enjoy a great book! And if you're looking for a perfect page-turner to bring to the park or enjoy on the front porch, we've got you covered.
This month's reading list includes picks from Patch staffers and Amazon editors, and whether you're into history, romance, thrillers, biographies or anything in between, we've got a book (or 10) you're bound to love. Happy reading!
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#1 "Lights All Night Long: A Novel" by Lydia Fitzpatrick
When 15-year-old Ilya arrives in Louisiana as an exchange student from Russia, he should be gearing up for the best year of his life. His American host family is thrilled to welcome him to their home, and their beautiful daughter Sadie has taken an interest in him. But Ilya is too worried about his older brother Vladimir back home to enjoy the American dream unfolding before him. Just before Ilya left for the U.S., Vladimir, who'd fallen into the seedy, drug-plagued underworld of their small town, was arrested for the murder of three young women. But Ilya is convinced his brother is innocent, and with the help of Sadie, he's determined to prove it.
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#2 "The Mother-in-Law: A Novel" by Sally Hepworth
Lucy could never quite win over her mother-in-law, Diana. Everyone in the community adored her husband's polite, philanthropic mother, but Lucy wasn't as fond of the woman who always kept her at arm's length. When Diana dies by suicide with a note about the cancer plaguing her entire body, the whole town is shocked. But when an autopsy reveals no cancer, people begin to wonder if Diana was actually murdered. Who would've gone to such lengths to stage a suicide? Should Lucy be a suspect? This fast-paced novel is a thrilling read with family drama and secrets on every page.
#3 "Boy Swallows Universe: A Novel" by Trent Dalton
Eli Bell is a 12-year-old boy with big dreams, good intentions and a bright, inquisitive mind. He's trying to train for a career in journalism and stay on the straight and narrow, but it isn't easy living in a seedy Australian suburb in the 1980s. Eli's father is lost, his mom's in jail and his stepdad is a heroin dealer. The most steadfast adult figure in his life is Slim, a felon and prison escapee, who watches over Eli and his brother. In this raw, coming-of-age story, the reader roots for Eli as he tries desperately to stay out of trouble in a world that gives him few options.
#4 "Hotbox: Inside Catering, the Food World's Riskiest Business" by Matt Lee and Ted Lee
High-end catering is a wild, competitive world where cooking conditions have more in common with a mobile army hospital than a restaurant. In "Hotbox," the Lee brothers take you inside the highs and lows of what it takes to work in this fast-paced industry full of eccentric characters and extreme conditions. You'll never eat food at an event the same way again!
#5 "Miracle Creek: A Novel" by Angie Kim
In rural Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment device known as the Miracle Submarine. It's a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter with the hopes of curing issues like autism or infertility. When the Miracle Submarine explodes and kills two people, the Yoos find themselves at the heart of a dramatic murder trial. What caused the fatal explosion, and are the Yoos to blame?
#6 "The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty" by Susan Page
This vivid biography of former First Lady Barbara Bush is informed by more than one hundred interviews with Bush friends and family members, access to her private diaries and hours of conversation with Mrs. Bush herself in the final six months of her life. Regardless of your politics, "The Matriarch" is a fascinating read about an undeniably influential woman who wasn't afraid to speak her mind.
#7 "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed" by Lori Gottlieb
What happens when a therapist has a breakdown and starts seeing a therapist of her own? You get this smart, hilarious, insightful book. Lori Gottlieb will have you laughing and crying as she breaks down the problems of her patients, her therapist and herself.
#8 "The Parisian: A Novel" by Isabella Hammad
In 1914, Midhat Kamal leaves his native Palestine to study medicine in France. There he falls in love, but when he returns to Palestine, nothing is as he left it. The nation is under British rule, and Midhat struggles with conflicting loyalties and new life. "The Parisian" is historical fiction, stormy romance and family drama at its finest.
#9 "Run Away" by Harlan Coben
A father is desperate to save his daughter from the grasp of drug addiction and an abusive boyfriend, but in his quest to help her, he discovers things are darker and more disturbing than he could've imagined. Before he knows it, his life is on the line. Will he save his daughter before it's too late, or will dad be the one who needs saving?
#10 "Don't Let Them Disappear" by Chelsea Clinton
This beautiful picture book, illustrated by Gianna Marino, spotlights the plight of rhinos, tigers, whales, pandas and more amazing animals. It's filled with information and ideas for kids (and adults!) who want to help prevent these animals from disappearing from our world forever.
Looking for even more great books? Check out last month's reading list!
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Photo Credit: All images via Amazon
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