Book of the Month At A Glance- April 2020 Picks

Well the Book of the Month picks for April have been confirmed and that means its time for one of our favorite posts here on Stuck in the Stacks, our At A Glance where we wade through countless reviews to provide you the vital information you need to select the BOTM pick(s) that are right for you.

We are excited this month because we nailed them all, thanks to some fellow sleuthers. As always, let us know which book you think you’ll be getting in the comments.

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
Published by Berkley on March 31, 2020
Goodreads

Written with the haunting emotional power of Elizabeth Strout and Barbara Kingsolver, an astonishing debut novel that explores the lingering effects of a brutal crime on the women of one small Texas oil town in the 1970s.
Mercy is hard in a place like this . . .
It’s February 1976, and Odessa, Texas, stands on the cusp of the next great oil boom. While the town’s men embrace the coming prosperity, its women intimately know and fear the violence that always seems to follow.
In the early hours of the morning after Valentine’s Day, fourteen-year-old Gloria Ramírez appears on the front porch of Mary Rose Whitehead’s ranch house, broken and barely alive. The teenager had been viciously attacked in a nearby oil field—an act of brutality that is tried in the churches and barrooms of Odessa before it can reach a court of law. When justice is evasive, one of the town’s women decides to take matters into her own hands, setting the stage for a showdown with potentially devastating consequences.
Valentine is a haunting exploration of the intersections of violence and race, class and region in a story that plumbs the depths of darkness and fear, yet offers a window into beauty and hope. Told through the alternating points of view of indelible characters who burrow deep in the reader’s heart, this fierce, unflinching, darkly funny, and surprisingly tender novel illuminates women’s strength and vulnerability, and reminds us that it is the stories we tell ourselves that keep us alive.

At A Glance: This powerful literary novel is set in Texas during the 1970s when the city of Odessa is preparing for the prosperity brought by the nearby oil fields. Then the city is rocked by a brutal assault on fourteen year old girl in the oil fields. Gossip spreads and the novel follows this town as they come to terms with how to handle such a terrible turn of events and what it means to mete out justice. The novel alternates perspectives and boasts beautiful, poetic prose and a deep, flawed characters. Reviewers have been raving about this novel since galleys first went out last year so if you love historical fiction, literary fiction, social issues, or any combination of the three you definitely need to pick up this book!

Spine Logo: Yes but this will also be Jenna’s pick so if that logo bothers you maybe purchases this one elsewhere

Comparable BOTM Titles: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver; Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

The Paris Hours by Alex George

At A Glance: Set over the course of a single day in 1920s Paris, this historical fiction novel follows four different individuals who are looking for things and at the climax of the novel these four seemingly disparate paths intersect for an ending that reviewers have described as jaw dropping and powerful. Each character is beautifully fleshed out and compelling, This novel is for fans of intimate storytellers and character driven tales.

Spine Logo: Yes

Comparable BOTM Titles: The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey; The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

At A Glance: This thriller is set during the course of a wedding and reception on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. It atmospheric and dark and is being compared to authors like Agatha Christie. Our story begins with petty drinking games and uncomfortable toasts and leads to someone being murdered. This mystery unfolds from multiple perspectives and appears to be as much of a who-dunnit as a who-dunnit. Basically everyone has secrets has this slow burn, psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Spine Logo: Yes

Comparable BOTM Titles: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager; The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang

At A Glance: this the third historical fiction rounding out our list but this one elements of fantasy and mythology. Set in in China during WWII, a bunch of University students must flee their home to safety and they carry with them hundreds of myths that are known as The Library of Legends. Reviewers are raving about the novel’s rich history, poignant prose, and dynamic characters. Full of romance, murder and myth there is a little some thing for everyone!

Spine Logo: Yes

Comparable BOTM Titles: Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang; Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Beach Read by Emily Henry

At A Glance: this romance from the same author of A Million Junes features two creative minds, living in neighboring beach houses as they try to write the next great novel by the end of the summer. These characters are polar opposites so you are getting a bit of enemies to lovers as well as forced make this a fun read for any romance lover. Oh and for those worrying that there might be too much sex, from what we can tell from reviewers it’s nothing too salacious.

Spine Logo: Yes

Comparable BOTM Titles: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang; Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center

What About You?

What do you think of these picks? Which one will you be adding to your April box? Share your thoughts in the comments!