We’re nearly at the bottom of the month, so it’s time to pull up a chair and look at what April has in store for us. If There’s Always Room For One More, these are books I need to make some room for…

I have a shorter list for April than the past 2 months – although I suspect this says more about my biases and research skills than the number of books actually coming our way next month! However, it makes me worry that there’s something really exciting that I just don’t know about (ah, the perennial fear of missing out) so I’m counting on you to yell if you can’t see a book you’re excited about.

Let’s start with one that’s already on my shelf (thank you Headline): the new thriller from one of my favourite authors, Laura Lam. Goldilocks – out April 30th – is the first of two space operas by Lam this year (the other is a collaboration with Elizabeth May in the summer). It focuses on a stolen spaceship crewed by women determined to find humanity a new home before it’s too late… but somebody aboard is keeping secrets. Set course for white knuckles and disaster? Quite possibly, but I trust Lam to steer us safely through the drama. And if you can’t resist a shiny special edition, this is also the inaugural book for Goldsboro Books new SFF bookclub!

Next up is Corey J White’s debut novel, Repo Virtual, out on April 21st. I thoroughly enjoyed White’s Voidwitch novellas so you can bet I’ll be lining up for this cyberpunk heist. Promising nested virtual and augmented realities in a dystopian future, an online repoman is asked to steal a mysterious something for a reclusive billionaire. Needless to say, he should have asked more questions before signing up… Repo Virtual sounds like a fun set of tropes given a gritty, tech-spun workout.

…speaking of irresistible tropes, let’s talk about Emily Skrutskie’s new novel, Bonds of Brass, released April 7th. Ettian has rebuilt his life after his world was invaded by the repressive Umber empire. But his peace is about to be shattered, because it seems his irresistible room-mate is in fact the heir to the Empire. Ettian must decide whether to save his friend or throw his lot in with the rebellion. Some romance tropes are just too good for even me to turn a blind eye to (especially from the pen of Skrutskie, who has form for enemies-to-lovers and conflicted loyalties).

Rather unusually for me, the other two books I’m most intrigued by are more YA. It means I’ll hesitate to pick them up until I see some reviews, but I’m already enticed by their juicy plots.

Incendiary is the first in a new series from Zoraida Córdova, set in a fantasy world inspired by Inquisition-era Spain. The royal family are determined to stamp out magic – but when a magical warrior-thief attempts to assassinate the crown prince, she discovers truths in his memories that put the fate of magic in her hands. Honestly, this had me at magical thief who steals memories, although I love the sound of the setting to. Incendiary comes out on April 28th.

Seven Endless Forests had me at “feminist Arthurian retelling” – here Uther is a flame-loving wolf queen, who kidnaps Torvi’s younger sister. Torvi and her allies – a druid in search of a mythical sword, and a band of knife-wielding artisans – go in hot pursuit. Expect side quests and dangerous magic, but probably no round tables, on April 30th (probably – NetGalley seems to think it’s June, but if that’s the case then nobody told Amazon).

What are you looking forward to in April?

All release dates quoted are for the UK.