April 2019 Book Picks

Guys, there have already been a ton of good books this year, but April in particular is looking particularly heavy with excellent reads!  Below are the highlights of what I’m looking forward to.  What book are you excited for?  Let me know in the comments below!

THE PRINCESS AND THE FANGIRL by Ashley Poston
Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
I did not expect to be so taken in by GEEKERELLA, the first book in what has been dubbed the ONCE UPON A CON series.  In this entry, a movie star who has tired of being the lead in a popular genre franchise crosses path with a die hard fan – who just happens to look exactly like her. The two end up trading places in a “Prince and the Pauper” scenario and I’m sure hijinks ensue.  GEEKERELLA was a delightful rom-com in the world of fandom, and I look forward to seeing more of that mix!

DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE by Joan He
Release Date: April 9th, 2019
I was fortunate to get an ARC of this one and I have to say that after months of seeing hype on Twitter, I found that this YA fantasy court drama largely lived up to my expectations.  Princess Hesina is about to ascend to the throne, but only because her father the emperor died under mysterious circumstances. Hesina is determined to discover her father’s killer and will go to any lengths to uncover the truth – including consulting with a sooth, an action which is punishable by death.  Hesina learns some brutal lessons about the realities of politics and ruling in this (currently) standalone book.

SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK by Sam Sykes
Release Date: April 9th, 2019
Another ARC!  I’ve been following Sam on Twitter for a bit and have been meaning to read some of his already published work, but this seemed like an excellent opportunity to jump in. Sal the Cacophany was a woman stripped of magic and left for dead in the war-torn area known as the Scar.  Now awaiting execution, she tells her tale of revenge to her jailer.  I’ve only read a handful of chapters so far but am really enjoying it so far!

MASTER AND APPRENTICE by Claudia Gray
Release Date: April 18th, 2019
I really enjoyed Claudia Gray’s BLOODLINE about Senator Leia Organa, and I harbor a love for the Jedi pair Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, partially due to a long-running middle-grade series I read when I was younger that focused on them.  MASTER AND APPRENTICE looks to be another relationship dive for Gray, who has been successful in the past working around the restrictions currently making story-telling more challenging in the STAR WARS universe. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to mediate a political dispute, one that will call their own bond into question as they contend with different approaches to the Jedi code and responsibilities.

STORM OF LOCUSTS by Rebecca Roanhorse
Release Date: April 23rd, 2019
TRAIL OF LIGHTNING was one of my favorite reads of 2018, so of course the sequel is on my April picks list! STORM picks up one month after the end of TRAIL and sees the return of Maggie Hoskie, a Navajo woman with magical gifts who hunts monsters in a post-apocalyptic United States.  I am VERY excited to read this book in the next week, having been lucky enough to get an ARC from the publisher.

What are you looking forward to this month?