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Bookreporter.com's Spring Reading 2025 Wrap-up

THANK YOU to all who subscribed to this Spring Reading newsletter and entered our 24-hour contests! We appreciate your enthusiasm and participation.

This Bookreporter.com Spring Reading Wrap-up newsletter brings you a look at all of the titles that were included in our Spring Reading feature. We shared seven books with you in March and April, and we thank our publisher sponsors who made this possible.

Below are all of this year's featured titles, and we've also created a list of these books in a PDF format that you can access here. A list of the prize winners is here.

Stay subscribed to this newsletter so you can participate in our 2026 Spring Reading contests, which will begin next March.

April 22, 2025

In this newsletter, you will find books releasing the weeks of April 21st and April 28th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers, along with Bonus News, where we call out a contest, feature or review that we want to let you know about so you have it on your radar.

This week, we are calling attention to our 20th annual Mother's Day contest. From now through Monday, May 12th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes 10 fabulous titles that we think moms will love. Click here to read more about the books and enter the contest.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Happy Land

Nikki hasn’t seen her grandmother in years. So when the elder calls out of the blue with an urgent request for Nikki to visit her in the hills of western North Carolina, Nikki hesitates only for a moment. After years of silence in her family, due to a mysterious estrangement between her mother and grandmother, she’s determined to learn the truth while she still can. But instead of answers about the recent past, Mother Rita tells Nikki an incredible story of a kingdom on this very mountain, and of her great-great-great grandmother, Luella, who would become its queen. The more Nikki learns about the Kingdom of the Happy Land, and the lives of those who dwelled in the ruins she discovers in the woods, the more she realizes how much of her identity and her family’s secrets are wrapped up in these hills.

Lynn Steger Strong, author of The Float Test

The Kenner siblings are at odds. Jenn is a harried mom struggling under the weight of family obligations. Fred is a novelist who can’t write, maybe because she’s lost faith in storytelling itself. Jude is a recovering corporate lawyer with her own story to tell, and a grudge against her former favorite sister, Fred. George, the baby, is estranged from his wife and harboring both a secret about his former employer and an ill-advised crush on one of his sisters’ friends. Gathered after a major loss, each sibling needs the others more than ever --- if only they could trust each other.

Casey Sherman, author of Blood in the Water: The Untold Story of a Family Tragedy

When Nathan Carman, a young man with a complicated past, is miraculously rescued from a lifeboat bobbing in the unforgiving North Atlantic, questions swirl about the fate of his mother, who is presumed to have drowned when their fishing boat sank. Nathan is in remarkably good shape for being lost at sea for a week, and his account of what exactly happened out there on the waves raises questions from family members and law enforcement. Nathan's story of a fishing trip gone awry doesn't quite add up, and suspicion mounts. The mysterious murder of Nathan's multi-millionaire grandfather a few years before had made Nathan's mother an extremely wealthy woman. With a seven-million-dollar fortune at stake, did Nathan commit the ultimate betrayal? Or is there more to this tragic tale than meets the eye?

David Baldacci, author of Strangers in Time

Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he’s old enough to enlist to fight the Germans. After barely surviving the Blitz, Charlie knows there’s no telling when a falling bomb might end his life. Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to a nearly unrecognizable London. One of millions of children to have been evacuated to the countryside, Molly has been away from her home for nearly five years. But now she’s confronted by a devastating reality: neither of her parents are there. Charlie and Molly find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, and solace at his book shop, The Book Keep. But Charlie’s escapades in the city have not gone unnoticed, and someone has been following Molly since she returned to London. And Ignatius is harboring his own secrets, which could have terrible consequences for all of them.

Editorial Content for The Death of Us

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Ray Palen

In a short period of time, Abigail Dean has made quite an impact with her psychological thrillers, GIRL A and DAY ONE. I am pleased to report that she continues this success with her latest effort. Read More

Teaser

Together, Edward and Isabel move to London. They are young and in love, occupied by friends, work and fun. But late on a spring evening when they are 30 years old, their home is invaded by a serial killer. In the wake of this violation, each tries to come to terms with a night that changed everything --- and their marriage begins to crumble. Twenty-five years later, their tormentor is caught, and Edward and Isabel reunite for his sentencing. Isabel has waited years for the man who nearly ended her life to be brought to justice. Edward has tried to think about anything else. As they prepare to deliver impact statements in the public eye, it is time to revisit their love story. Will they finally be able to confront the secrets, longings and lies that tore them apart? Or will the horror of that night be the death of them?

Promo

Together, Edward and Isabel move to London. They are young and in love, occupied by friends, work and fun. But late on a spring evening when they are 30 years old, their home is invaded by a serial killer. In the wake of this violation, each tries to come to terms with a night that changed everything --- and their marriage begins to crumble. Twenty-five years later, their tormentor is caught, and Edward and Isabel reunite for his sentencing. Isabel has waited years for the man who nearly ended her life to be brought to justice. Edward has tried to think about anything else. As they prepare to deliver impact statements in the public eye, it is time to revisit their love story. Will they finally be able to confront the secrets, longings and lies that tore them apart? Or will the horror of that night be the death of them?

About the Book

It’s the night we never talk about.

It’s the story the world wants to hear.

But this isn’t the story of that night. This is the story of us.

Together, Edward and Isabel move to London. They are young and in love, occupied by friends, work and fun. But late on a spring evening when they are 30 years old, their home is invaded by a serial killer. In the wake of this violation, each tries to come to terms with a night that changed everything --- and their marriage begins to crumble.

Twenty-five years later, their tormentor is caught, and Edward and Isabel reunite for his sentencing. Isabel has waited years for the man who nearly ended her life to be brought to justice. Edward has tried to think about anything else. As they prepare to deliver impact statements in the public eye, it is time to revisit their love story. Will they finally be able to confront the secrets, longings and lies that tore them apart?

Or will the horror of that night be the death of them?

A captivating portrait of a marriage and its implosion, THE DEATH OF US digs into the stories we tell ourselves about love --- and everything love can bear.

Audiobook available, read by Claire Skinner and John Hopkins

Editorial Content for Murder at Gulls Nest

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Rebecca Munro

Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of THINGS IN JARS and THE NIGHT SHIP, launches a new cozy mystery series with MURDER AT GULLS NEST, which is about a smart, perceptive nun with an eye for intrigue. Read More

Teaser

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest, it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

Promo

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest, it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

About the Book

From Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of THINGS IN JAR who “is so good it isn’t fair” (Erika Swyler, nationally bestselling author), the first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears.

I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret.

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent.

A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest, it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

Audiobook available, read by Siobhan McSweeney

Editorial Content for Fun for the Whole Family

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

When the Endicott siblings were kids, their lives were nothing if not chaotic. Their mom, Frankie, left the family when they were still young, and their dad had to work extra hard to provide for the four children on his own. As a result, the Endicotts grew almost inseparable. Oldest sister Gemma became a de facto mother figure to her younger siblings. Connor retreated into his books and writing. The twins, Roddy and Jude, seemed so close they practically could be one person. Read More

Teaser

The four Endicott siblings were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country. Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years…until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. Each sibling is at a crossroads, though Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together. But appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets…each of which could change everything.

Promo

The four Endicott siblings were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country. Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years…until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. Each sibling is at a crossroads, though Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together. But appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets…each of which could change everything.

About the Book

A breathtaking, joy-filled novel about the people we love, the secrets we keep, and the enduring power of family, from the bestselling author of THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES.

The four Endicott siblings --- Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude --- were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country.

Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years...until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. They’re each at a crossroads: Gemma, who put her own ambitions aside to raise the others, now isn’t sure if she wants to be a mother herself; Connor, a celebrated novelist, is floundering after his recent divorce and suffering from an epic case of writer’s block; and Roddy, at the tail end of a professional soccer career, is dangerously close to losing his future husband for the chance at one last season.

Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together --- but appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets...each of which could change everything.

A captivating journey and an ode to forgiveness that takes readers across all 50 states, FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY brims with heart and resonates long after the final page.

Audiobook available, read by Lauren Graham

Editorial Content for Friends of the Museum

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Ray Palen

The first full-length novel from Heather McGowan since 2006 is here. I typically do not look at online reviews or blurbs of titles that I am covering, but I needed to make an exception with this one. Read More

Teaser

When Diane Schwebe, the director of a major New York museum, is awakened in the early morning by a text message from the museum’s lawyer, it is the start of a 24-hour roller-coaster ride. Diane has sacrificed many things in her life to help the fading institution stave off irrelevance and financial ruin. In this battle, she’s surrounded by her stalwart supporters. Orbiting her is a motley assortment of museum employees, each on the precipice of collapse or revelation --- among them a line cook staring down a huge opportunity he’s not sure he wants; a costume curator stuck in an inescapable rut; and the ambivalent curator of the museum’s film program, whose first day on the job might very well be his last. On this day of the museum’s annual gala, every plate that Diane has kept spinning will fall --- and by daybreak, someone will be dead.

Promo

When Diane Schwebe, the director of a major New York museum, is awakened in the early morning by a text message from the museum’s lawyer, it is the start of a 24-hour roller-coaster ride. Diane has sacrificed many things in her life to help the fading institution stave off irrelevance and financial ruin. In this battle, she’s surrounded by her stalwart supporters. Orbiting her is a motley assortment of museum employees, each on the precipice of collapse or revelation --- among them a line cook staring down a huge opportunity he’s not sure he wants; a costume curator stuck in an inescapable rut; and the ambivalent curator of the museum’s film program, whose first day on the job might very well be his last. On this day of the museum’s annual gala, every plate that Diane has kept spinning will fall --- and by daybreak, someone will be dead.

About the Book

Coworkers at a legendary but troubled New York City museum struggle with issues large and small over the course of one extraordinary day in this whip-smart “marvel” (Mona Awad, bestselling author of BUNNY) of a novel in the vein of "The White Lotus."

When Diane Schwebe, the director of a major New York museum, is awakened in the early morning by a text message from the museum’s lawyer, it is the start of a 24-hour roller-coaster ride.

Diane has sacrificed many things in her life to help the fading institution stave off irrelevance and financial ruin. In this battle, she’s surrounded by her stalwart supporters: her enigmatic and tireless personal assistant, Chris; the museum’s trusty head of security, Shay; and its general counsel, Henry --- a man whose ability to weasel his way out of a jam is matched only by his capacity to avoid learning anything from the experience.

Orbiting her is a motley assortment of museum employees, each on the precipice of collapse or revelation --- among them a line cook staring down a huge opportunity he’s not sure he wants; a costume curator stuck in an inescapable rut; and the ambivalent curator of the museum’s film program, whose first day on the job might very well be his last.

On this day of the museum’s annual gala, every plate that Diane has kept spinning will fall --- and by daybreak, someone will be dead.

Wise, surprising and darkly funny, FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUM is a kaleidoscopic tragicomedy that surges along to the unstoppable tick of the clock, leaving you on the edge of your seat until the final second.

Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell