This post originally appeared on Book Riot.
Yay, April! From where I sit in the upper midwest is the month where the weather seems to turn and we finally get to feeling like spring – the chance of a late-season blizzard seems to go down exponentially as soon as the calendar flips to April 1. This means I start to shift my mood from dark, atmospheric reads to books with a sense of fun or playfulness. I hope the five books I’ve pulled out to highlight for April make you feel the same way.
Rise of the Rocket Girls
by Nathalia Holt (April 5 from Little Brown)
During the 1940s and ‘50s, leadership at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California recruited a group of young, female mathematicians – “human computers” – to help transform the design of rockets and launch the first American satellites. How cool is that? Nathalia Holt tells the story of the Rocket Girls using extensive interviews with living members of the team, offering another perspective of the contributions of women in science.
The Regional Office is Under Attack by Manuel Gonzales (April 12 from Riverhead Books)
My Book Riot colleagues have mentioned this book before, but it sounds so great it’s worth mentioning again. Super-powered female assassins square off over the fate of the Regional Office, the mysterious organization that recruited and trained them now under attack from one of their own. This one sounds like just seriously so much fun… I am anxiously awaiting it’s arrival in the mail.
First Women by Kate Andersen Brower (April 12 from Harper)
The First Lady of the United States has a tricky job – part leader, part politician, part CEO, part wife and part mother. In this book, journalist Kate Andersen Brower takes a look at the 10 women who have served in this role since 1960, looking at their different approaches, challenges and styles in front of the public eye. I loved her earlier book, The Residence, and have high hopes for this one.
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (April 12 from Grand Central Publishing)
The #Hamiltome is finally here! If you’re tired of just reading about Alexander Hamilton, make sure you get your hands on this book – an inside look at the development of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash musical that includes the full text of the show with footnotes and other goodies. Get in my hands now.
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren (April 5 from Penguin Random House)
Apparently I’m on a kick for books about lady scientists. In this memoir, geobiologist Hope Jahren writes about her childhood in rural Minnesota, her love of plants and development of three laboratories where she studied the natural world, and her relationship with her lab partner and best friend. I’m excited about a book that mixes memoir with science writing, two genres that I love.
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I can’t wait to read Regional Office!!
It sounds so weird and fun! I’m pretty psyched.
First Women sounds really good to me!
HAMILTOME! I’m very excited. I preordered it for my mum for her birthday last month, and I am hoping that once she owns it I can sneak a peek at it now and then at her house. :p
If I were you, I’d probably sneaky read it before I gave it to her 🙂
I pre-ordered the Hamiltome, rationalizing that both my kids will want to see it and we can have a copy at my house (as in Jenny’s comment above).
I am so curious about the Regional Office! It sounds so good! I have the Residence on my list so now I am very curious about First Women too!
The Residence was great. I don’t think I ever reviewed it, which is a shame, since I liked it a lot. I think her style and tone will work really well looking at First Ladies.
Oh, the Hamiltome!!!!! I cannot wait! It might be a race between my daughter and me as to who reads it first!
That’s how my family was with all of the Harry Potter books. I’m glad I don’t have to share this one!
We do have good taste! 🙂
I like the sound of Lab Girl. Might have to look for that one!
I haven’t heard of some of these books but I’ve been reading more science books this year so I’m looking forward to Lab Girl. Thanks for sharing!
I just finished “Lab Girl” and loved it. Such a great blend of lyrical writing, scientific facts, and a fascinating, unique life story.