It’s impossible to keep up with all the intriguing new books that come out every month. We do monthly new releases round-ups for each of our genre newsletters, but even when we recommend 17 new romance books out in April, that’s only scratching the surface.
So, today I am highlighting some of the new releases out in April that check off 2025 Read Harder Challenge tasks. There’s a noodle shop cozy mystery, a Puerto Rican merman romantasy, a genre-blending technothriller, an exploration of the Vietnamese refugee crisis, and much more.
Let me know if this is helpful and I can start doing it monthly! I love looking through new releases, even if it’s devastating for my TBR.
Task #5: Read a book about immigration or refugees.
The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse: A Memory of Vietnam by Vinh Nguyen (April 15)
In 1975, the Vietnamese refugee crisis began in earnest, and millions of people fled Vietnam. Decades later, Vinh Nguyen begins researching his father’s history, searching for answers about the details of his family history. The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse takes readers on a tour of abandoned homes and refugee camps, examining questions about what might have been. —Kendra Winchester
Task #6: Read a standalone fantasy book.
When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley (April 29)
This is a queer historical cozy fantasy about a Puerto Rican immigrant and a merman. In 1910s New York City, Benny is hired to build a new tank for a Coney Island amusement park. It’s the home of Rio, an actual merman stolen from the East River. As Benny spends time with Rio and getting to know his gentle soul and kind heart, he realizes he has met his soulmate. But his love with Rio will mean setting him free, which may cost Benny his job, his family, and the merman he loves. —Liberty Hardy
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