Our Most Popular Stories of the Week
Welcome to The Best of Book Riot. Here’s your weekend highlight reel of the week’s most popular stories.
The Latest on the Institute for Museum and Library Services
Two weeks ago, President Trump issued an Executive Order targeting funds allocated to libraries and museums nationwide. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is a federal agency that distributes fund approved by Congress to state libraries, as well as library, museum, and archival grant programs. IMLS is the only federal agency that provides funds to libraries. The Executive Order states that the functions of the IMLS have to be reduced to “statutory functions” and that in places that are not statutory, expenses must be cut as much as possible.
One week later, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) entered the IMLS offices. Many at IMLS were prepared to see their jobs disappear, but that didn’t quite happen. Instead, DOGE installed a new Acting Director of the agency, Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith E. Sonderling.
The Best Books of April
As we step into a new season, it feels like we’re stepping into a new season of books, too. A lot of the publications that dabble in bookishness are releasing their own versions of the best books of spring—there’s The New York Times‘, Goodreads’, and Harper’s Bazaar‘s. Vogue has even released a list of the best books of 2025 so far, which is kind of doing the most, in my opinion, but I still appreciate the enthusiasm.
And then there’s us. While this isn’t an overview of spring releases like the other publications—I cry at the thought of narrowing that list down—it is one of the best books coming out this month. There’s a thrilling critique of influencers, romantasy inspired by Ancient Rome, an Appalachian queen, queer cozy historical romance with a merman, and so much more.
What We Talk About When We Talk About “Bringing Back Yearning”
Across social media, I am seeing the trend “bring back yearning.” I’ve seen it referencing both books and visual media, but let’s specifically talk about romance books. Frankly, I don’t like this trend, and not because I don’t like yearning. What I find sinister is the way this phrase functions very similarly to another refrain that we’ve all heard a lot: Make America Great Again.
Tell me I’m reading too much into it. I’ll tell you you’re not reading enough into it. What makes MAGA such a troubling phrase is the implication that America was once great, something made it not great, and we have to eliminate whatever that is to bring back the greatness. The subtext is dripping with the racism, misogyny, xenophobia, transphobia, and homophobia we’ve come to expect from people in power.
All the Best April Historical Fiction
Whether or not April brings showers this year, as the saying goes, it’s certainly bringing a lot of great historical fiction. There’s no real rhyme or reason or common theme to the books coming out this month. There are mysteries and retellings (including a new Robin Hood retelling! add it to the list) and historical fiction that runs the gamut from literary to romantic. The only thing all these books have in common is that they sound incredible. Sorry in advance for what I’m about to do to your library holds list and TBR. For what it’s worth, though, I do this to myself, too. Every month I’m just adding more books to my never-ending TBR. At least we’re in this together, right?
Spring Releases by Latine Authors to Have On Your Radar
What’s not helping that TBR project is how many fantastic books from Latine authors are publishing this spring. We have the latest from prolific Chilean author Isabel Allende to look forward to, a historical novel set in 19th-century San Francisco. We have an epic family saga spanning the first 100 years of Spanish colonization in what is now New Mexico. We have a debut work of gothic horror with a haunted mansion turned hotel (because that’s always a great idea). We have romance, we have fantasy, we have vengeful zombies eating the rich. Santa Madre, my TBR never stood a chance, did it?
April’s New Horror Releases
Somehow we’re already in the fourth month of 2025, and this a new month brings even more new scares. Every month, we get horror novels that are creepy as heck, but these April horror novels are absolutely nightmare-inducing. You’ll see a few titles from horror authors you already know and love. You’ll also see young adult scares that will have you sleeping with the lights on no matter your age.
