Everything I Read in April 2026
For my April reading, I spent a lot of this month trying to catch up on ARCs I’ve gotten lately, including two new favorites: Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson and Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt. I sprinkled in a few titles I’ve been hearing great things about, like Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden, which I can say now has earned the hype it’s gotten. I also started my ACOTAR reread this month, in preparation for the sixth and seventh books coming out later this year and early next year. It felt more overwhelming than it has actually been; reading a book for the second time goes a lot faster than the first, even when there’s a lot of world building to work through!
If you’re looking to be more intentional with your reading this year, download my free reading tracker here to help you stay organized and discover patterns in what you love.
Of the 9 books I read this month, here are my top favorites:
- Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson
- Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
- Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt
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Table of Contents:
April 2026 In Books
Contemporary Fiction
Just a highland Fling by Naina Kumar
4/5 Stars
A rom com set in Scotland? Sign me up. This book was a fun, quick read, with some twists and turns in the romance department that keep the reader on their toes. The love interests’ clashes sometimes didn’t fully make sense to me, but overall I found it enjoyable. It makes me want to go to Skye even more than I already did!
Just a Highland Fling by Naina Kumar comes out July 21, 2026 and is available for pre-order from Bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt (Spunes Book 3)
5/5 Stars
I was unsure about this one when I read the summary (there’s an IVF/pregnancy storyline), but decided to try it out since I loved the first two books in the series so much. I am so glad that I gave the topic a shot, because it was a totally unique storyline and really well handled. The book has DeWitt’s trademark banter and rom com traits, along with plenty of emotional and thought provoking points throughout. Plus, there is a really funny cat character who is incredibly well written (I love when there’s a well written cat!).
Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt comes out August 4, 2026 is available for pre-order from Bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
5/5 Stars
I started this audiobook after hearing so many great things about the story and quickly understood all the hype. A deeply emotional and timely memoir about a relationship’s abrupt end during the pandemic, this book handles the story with thoughtful nuance. Burden’s grace at the abrupt dissolution of her marriage and the shocking actions of her ex-husband are almost unimaginable, and her honesty about her own role and growth from the experience is truly compelling.
Strangers by Belle Burden is available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and as an audiobook from Libro.FM here.
Kitten by Stacey Yu
4/5 Stars
A gripping new lit fic novel, I found Stacey Yu’s writing engaging and compelling. The characters were curious, and they often made choices that I…well, that I disagreed with, but I found I couldn’t put it down regardless. I would raise a trigger warning for pet death in this novel, which is normally a 100% deal breaker for me, but this book handled it in such a (ridiculous) way that it I did not immediately DNF. The writing style pulled me through and I’m glad I finished the book.
Kitten by Stacey Yu comes out August 4, 2026 and is available for pre-order from Bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson
5/5 Stars
Witty and thoughtful, Bad Words is a must-read for fans of Emily Henry-esque novels who love witty banter, romance, and thoughtful plot lines. This book tries to cover a lot, and it succeeds in most of what it sets out to do. There is character growth and humor in droves, along with discussion of the role (and survival) of media and literary analysis. Some of the things the protagonist Parker does made me so mad, but I assume that’s the point. The characters are flawed, but real — and consistent in both. Go ahead and preorder it now; you’re going to love it.
Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson is available from Bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
Game On by Navessa Allen (Into Darkness Book 3)
4/5 Stars
The new enemies-to-lovers/fake dating installment of Navessa Allen’s Into Darkness series has everything readers enjoyed from the first two books and more — including an animal friend (this time, a parrot). It took me a minute to get oriented with the story, but once I did, I was hooked. The book moves fast, and the characters are constantly hiding motives from one another. I enjoyed the dual narration of the audiobook, so I’d definitely recommend checking that out.
Game On by Navessa Allen is available from Bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
Fantasy
ACOTAR REread: A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
This month, I reread the first two books in the ACOTAR series as part of my prep for the new books in the series coming out later this year and early next year.
The first book, A Court of Thorns and Roses, is truly a foundational book for the series. Knowing what I know about what happens next, I found parts of the story frustrating and I was impatient to get through it. That being said, I did pick up on some details I had missed the first time around, and it was interesting to see the introduction that some characters who become important later received. A Court of Mist and Fury is where the action really starts.
The ACOTAR books by Sarah J. Maas are available from bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
Are you excited for the new ACOTAR book releases? I sure am!
Get all the latest details along with series summaries here!
Historical Fiction
A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
5/5 Stars
Well researched and emotional, this new historical fiction novel about Abigail Adams highlights a side of the American Revolution not often showcased: the role of women. I particularly enjoyed seeing how Abigail Adams worked in parallel to her husband and those who would become the Founding Fathers to help create the country she believed in. All in all, an interesting glimpse into the world of colonial women and the roles they took on alongside the famous patriots we learned about in history class.
A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie is available from Bookshop.org here and Amazon here.
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*Some of the novels featured here were gifted to me as part of various book review programs in which Cats & Coffee participates.
