It’s time to start guessing what might be in the April 2026 Book of the Month box! One of my favorite parts of each month is trying to predict which new releases BOTM might choose, and April has a lot of interesting possibilities which are heavy on the fiction and mystery genres. There are plenty of buzzworthy books coming out across different genres, which makes this month especially fun and a little tricky to predict. While these are, of course, just guesses, it’s always exciting to see how close (or completely wrong) the predictions end up being once the official picks are announced.
Whether or not my predictions are actually picks, only time will tell. Even if they are not, all or most of these are on my April Most Anticipated New Releases list and my Spring Most Anticipated List.
SPRING MOST ANTICIPATED
When the picks are announced and you find you have space in your box still, make sure to also check out my most recent version of BOTM Add-On recommendations HERE, because who couldn’t use even more books!
Keep in mind that these are simply predictions and books I hope get chosen. I could get these completely wrong, but the anticipation and guessing are part of the fun right?!
**I do have a couple of potential spoilers. DM me on Instagram @speakingof.books if you don’t like surprises.
Mystery and Thriller
For the mystery and thriller picks this month, there are quite a few April releases that feel like strong contenders for the box. My predictions include The Insomniacs by Allison Winn Scotch, Boring Asian Female by Canwen Xu, Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass, Who Knew the Ridpath Girl by Stacy Johns, The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke, and Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. These all have the kind of suspenseful premises and buzzy early attention that often make them good fits for the Book of the Month lineup, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least on of them show up in April’s picks.
Romance
My predictions include Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West, Dog Person by Camille Pagán, and The Night We Meet by Abby Jimenez. All three authors are well known for writing engaging, emotional love stories, which makes these releases feel like natural fits for the Book of the Month lineup. If BOTM includes a romance pick in April, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these titles make an appearance.
Historical Fiction
The Last Women of Warsaw by Judy Batalion and The Island Club by Nicola Harrison are my predictions. Both titles have the kind of compelling historical settings and early buzz that often make them great fits for a Book of the Month selection, so I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them shows up in April’s lineup.
Contemporary and Literary Fiction
Love by the Book by Jessica George, Handle with Care by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen, Bumblebee Season by Eileen Garvin, The Radiant Dark by Alexandra Oliva, Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez, American Fantasy by Emma Straub, and The Infinite Sadness of Small Applications. With a mix of buzzy authors and intriguing premises, any of these could realistically land in the April box depending on the direction Book of the Month decides to take with their fiction pick. Though hoping for Jessica George the most.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
For the sci-fi and fantasy category, there are a couple of upcoming releases that feel like strong possibilities if Book of the Month decides to include something speculative in the April lineup. My predictions are The Subtle Art of Fooling Space and Thistlemarsh. Both have intriguing premises and the kind of genre appeal that could make them stand out as a fantasy or sci-fi option for the month, especially if BOTM wants to add a little speculative variety to the box.
I hope you found a book that you are truly excited about in this post. Let me know which other new releases you are excited for this month or that you’re hoping are BOTM picks, by commenting below or by messaging me on Instagram @speakingof.books. Don’t forget to follow me to get weekly updates and new reviews!
Happy Reading!
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