Books To Add To Your Reading List: Babble's Top Picks April 2025
- Erika Doty
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
We're back to babble about the books we're reading this month. This list includes some good, highly recommended reads to add to your TBR list. And one that I literally hated - you'll want to remove this from your TBR list. Now. You're welcome.
As always, if you have a book you think the Babble team ought to dive into, let us know!
Babble Book Review: April '25
BOOKS:
James has been featured on several "best" lists since it was published last year. This is a beautifully written book about the Huck Finn adventures, yet told from the slave, Jim's (James), perspective. If you read Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn in your youth, you'll find this story particularly enduring. Even if you've never heard of Tom and Huck, I still recommend reading this. (And buckle up for the plot twist at the end!)
You'd have to be living under a rock to not know about this book. Everyone is reading (listening to) it. We at Babble love Mel - we love her books, her podcasts, her Ted Talks...she's amazing. Mel has a unique ability to take seemingly complex problems and simplifying them making them easily digestible and executable.
Personally, I do not like self-help books. When I read, I want to escape reality - not dive into my crazy brain. But I honestly LOVED this book! It will change your life. Prime members can download the audio version for free. However, if you're like me, you'll want the paper copy to highlight and reference over and over again.
I love historical fiction. This story was amazing! Lawhon built this story based on the real-life diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife. Martha Ballard stood up for women and against a sexist legal system in the brand new United States of America, during a time when women couldn't vote or own property, let alone have outspoken opinions. This story includes historical facts, a murder mystery, rape, love, and a fascinating look into life as woman in America in 1789. If you like mysteries, historical fiction or just a good story, this book is for you.
Such a charming little read. This book is very short (less than 100 pages). I read the entire thing on a flight from Orange County to Salt Lake City. Backman is the author behind A Man Called Ove (one of my most favorite books ever!), and his humor and vivid characters, once again, hit the mark. This story is hilarious but also touching. God bless our introverts!
What the @#%!! I hated this book. And I don't ever "hate" books. I hated this. This book got so much attention when it came out (bravo to July's publicist and agent and publishing house!). The book was billed as a genuine look at mid-life and menopause and what women go through. Fake news. The main character is in mid-life and is entering perimenopause...but the rest is absolute garbage. I didn't like a single character in this book - especially the main character (she's an awful person!). I don't know anyone who could relate to what she goes through in this story. This book is so strange and a TERRIBLE way to characterize the modern mid-life woman. (Just because you have an open marriage and you don't gender your child does not make you an awesome person!) We need more books about women in their 40s and 50s. We need more books about women going through perimenopause. We definitely did NOT need this book.
This book also made Brooke's list of "Books Everyone Loves, But She Hates".
Coming up next month…
A book from Oprah's book club, Chelsea Handler's latest, another self-help (what?!?) and more! Till then, happy reading!
--Erika
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