What We’re Reading: April ‘26
Plus, an admin reveal (*gasps*)
April 1, 2026
*Pauses audiobook*
You might be shocked to learn that the entire Libro.fm team isn’t crouched around a shared laptop, writing these newsletters. We are a small company…but we’re not that small.
No, Mark, our co-founder and CEO isn’t standing next to me as I type these words.
And Louise, one of our engineers, isn’t passing along book recommendations from over my shoulder. Instead, it’s me, Olivia, one half of the Libro.fm marketing team :)
I joined Libro.fm in 2022, and can wholeheartedly say (write?) that spending my day talking about books and indie bookstores is a dream. One of the many reasons I was so excited to start a newsletter is because there’s so much as readers that we often don’t get to see. What goes on behind the scenes at Libro.fm? What about at our local indie? Why are indie bookstores so important for the publishing world?
My hope is that, in addition to making your TBRs even more overwhelming (not sorry), these newsletters shed a bit of light on such questions and beyond. Because the more we know, the more we can show our beloved booksellers, authors, and narrators support.
Last thing before we dive into all the amazing audiobook recommendations from our bookselling partners: Have you marked your calendars for April 25? It’s Indie Bookstore Day—my personal favorite holiday of the year—and bookstores will be going all out. Visit them, show them love, and make sure they know just how important they are!
A quick note: Please know that we will never monetize this newsletter. We are aware of and in opposition to Substack’s content moderation policies, and will actively monitor for alternative options.
Hot bookseller recs
Who better to suggest your next read than our partners? Here are a few of our booksellers’ most recommended audiobooks over the past month. Browse all their picks.
🎧 Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar, narrated by Rachel Elizabeth Smith
“Poignant, enchanting, like slivers of glass to the heart—none of it adequate to describe how deeply connected I feel to these stories. Pulling from a varied tapestry of myth, folklore, and lived experience, these stories weave a web to hold your heart close.” —Rebeca, Fireside Books
🎧 Just Friends by Haley Pham, narrated by Sura Siu
“A tender, emotional and cozy second-chance romance about first love, heartbreak, and finding your way back to the people who feel like home…Told through dual timelines, the story beautifully captures the magic and messiness of friendship turning into something more.” —Aly, Second Chapter Books
Upcoming reads for your radar
Here are some forthcoming releases our bookselling partners are raving about. Consider pre-ordering them! Pre-orders benefit the author and booksellers, and will show up in your library on release day.
🎧 Dear Monica Lewinsky by Julia Langbein, narrated by Alex Sarrigeorgiou, Louisa Zhu, and Patti Murin
“In this wickedly funny yet touching novel, the reader follows Jean as she recalls a turbulent summer spent studying French churches and persecuted saints, watching the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal unfold on television, and sparking an unseemly relationship with her much older teacher. Featuring an all-knowing Monica Lewinsky, breathtaking moments of irony and beauty, and an array of saintly women, this novel enchanted me beyond words.” —Josh L, The Underground Bookshop
🎧 Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez, narrated by Elizabeth Rodriguez
“Gonzalez captures the soul of The Great Gatsby on the backdrop of the financial crisis of 2007 in the hot summer of Brooklyn. I loved the commentary on class, race, and gentrification…a must read!” —Sammie, Anderson’s Bookshop
Backlist buzz
These reads may have been out for a while, but are definitely still worth your attention. Not only do our bookselling partners love them, but they’re also on our bestselling list!
🎧 The Complete Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller
“The Poppy War trilogy is a masterpiece and a modern classic of both military and grimdark fantasy—and every single book will leave you breathless, punched in the gut, in awe and in pain.” —Megan, Underground Books
🎧 The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
“This delightful collection of essays by John Green is an antidote to the cynicism and negativity we encounter in all varieties of media. Green offers his view of hope for the world and its inhabitants, and I appreciate his heartfelt opinions.” —Natalie, Katy Budget Books
Playlists to explore
💭 The Attention Economy: “The attention economy refers to attention as a valuable commodity captured and sold by digital platforms, where engagement is currency.” Curated by MATTER in Denver, CO.
🎥 Read It Before You See It: “Whether you read the book before you see the movie or after (as long as you don’t try to read during), who are we to judge? But, if you do like a head start, we’ve put together a list of book-to-movie adaptations that recently hit or will hit the big screen soon.” From the Strand in NYC.
🎧 Books by Iranian Authors: Featuring authors from Iran and the diaspora, curated by Habibti Bookshop.
What we’re reading on audio
I’ve personally been on a Cara Bastone kick these days, especially since her newest novel, No Matter What, just came out. (I also spent my Sunday sobbing for 45 minutes straight as I meal prepped and finished Ready or Not. How was your weekend?) Alex Finke does a fantastic job narrating from these characters’ POVs, balancing Bastone’s transitions from heavy to silly content with ease. They might make you cry, but one paragraph later, you’ll be in tears laughing or swooning in love.
See all of our team’s favorites.
You don’t need headphones for these…
Things around the internet our team is loving.
🎒 Do we even need to say that we love the new Coach x Penguin Random House book charm collab?! Obviously we’ll be constantly refreshing the page in April for the restock.
📚 “I hope it inspires others to write their own reviews of whatever books they’d wish might be covered,” writes Sandy Ernest Allen for LiteraryHub in “What Was Lost: A Queer Accounting of the NY Times Book Review, 2013-2022.”
🚫 Anti-censorship activist Kelly Jensen interviews librarian Luanne James, who is doing everything she can to fight book bans.
That’s all for today, folks! We’ll be back soon with another bookseller interview.
Congrats to Lucrecer for being the winner of our giveaway! Send us a DM and we’ll get you your audiobook copy of The Mean Ones asap.
Don’t forget to let us know what you’re reading and loving! Your pick could be featured in a future issue.
And if you have a friend that would like this newsletter, why not send it their way?
Thanks again for reading! Feel free to now return to your audiobook.
*Presses play*
Coming to you from San Francisco, this newsletter is written by me, Olivia Butze—hi! As the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, you’ll find me running our social media accounts, creating brand campaigns, and working on all things email related. I’m passionate about storytelling as a catalyst for societal change, and my favorite activities include long audiobook walks, drinking matcha lattes, and reading in Golden Gate Park.
I'm almost finished reading "The Secret Garden" and am adoring it. Perfect time of year for the read. I'm a bookseller at the local bookstore and a young customer told me how much he enjoyed it, so I'm trying to finish it before he comes back into the shop. Highly recommend!
I just finished The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann and performed by Florence Howard. Easy 5-star review and made it to my Best-Ever list! It was easy to get caught up in the story!