Booksology Task #6: Read Gothic novels published in the past 10 years.
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker (April 14)
Now Lee has fled New York and is hiding in his father’s house in Japan. He knows there’s something wrong with him and that he committed a crime, but he can’t remember the details. In 1877, Sen, a female samurai, hides from Imperial soldiers and tries to protect her family. The two find themselves communicating with each other across time and realize they live in the same house, a house built on dark secrets. —Emily Martin
“May the Dead Protect You” by Jill Bagczynski (April 21)
Loosely inspired by Wuthering Heights, this atmospheric gothic YA novel centers on Katie East, a lonely loner who finds solace in the redwoods that surround her family home, The Heights. There she meets Hunter Solis, who has moved into the cabin next door with his scientist father. Hunter fascinates and fascinates Katie. However, the closer she gets to him, the more strange events begin to occur around The Heights. It turns out that the house Katie has known and loved all her life has a dark and painful past. —Emily Martin
Access members, keep reading for 5 more new books coming in April that check out the 2026 Read Harder Challenge tasks.
Task #9: Read a Romantic Book with a Queer or BIPOC Main Character
“Clara Thorne’s Impossible Garden” by Summer N. England (April 7)
It promises to be a “sweet and spicy cozy romantic romance” with a sapphic romance set in the world of queer gnomes. Clara lives a quiet life as a talented gardener in the town of Moss and is very happy. But the goddess has other plans. Clara is chosen to go to the cursed town of Diwindle and plant a garden for them. Accompanying her is the annoying chipper Hesper, who acts as a bodyguard. Clara keeps it a secret that her talent only works with Moss, but Hesper insists she is capable of more than that. Their journey to Diwindle together brings them closer together, and Hesper may convince Clara that he can save them from a creeping ancient evil. —Danica Ellis
Task #13: Read nonfiction comics
“Until We Meet Again” by Lily Kim Chiang (April 21)
In this gorgeously illustrated graphic memoir, Lily recounts her peripatetic childhood with a loving but sometimes uncommunicative single father. Occasional intrusions from her mentally ill mother add to her confusion and instability, but as she matures and confronts her own mental illness, she is able to accept her past and embrace her future. —Irene Gonzalez
“Mixed Feelings” by Sara Amini and Shadia Amin (April 7)
In this graphic middle school memoir, as a mixed-race girl, Sarah never felt comfortable anywhere. Once in middle school, everything only gets worse until the drama club comes to the rescue. Pretend play is a valuable outlet, but how long will it take until reality invades Sarah’s happy fantasy life? —Irene Gonzalez
Task #21: Read translated books in genres (SFF, horror, mystery, romance)
“Mrs. Shim is a Murderer” by Kang Ji-young, translated by Paige Morris (April 21)
For fans of dark humor, contract murder novels, and Korean crime novels!
Sim, who is a widow and must take care of her family, must quickly find work after losing her job at a butcher shop. But when I went to the interview thinking it was a cleaning job, I realized they were only interested in the skills I learned at the butcher shop. Apparently they want to make her a contract killer. —Jamie Canaves
Keigo Higashino “Guilt (Godai Detective #1)” (April 7)
The author of Detective Galileo is back with a new series! As the title suggests, this crime novel delves into the long-term effects of guilt stemming from the murder of a lawyer. Detective Godai of the Metropolitan Police Department immediately obtains a confession from Tatsuro Kuraki, but Tatsuro Kuraki also confesses to the murder from decades ago, and the defendant dies before the trial. The case should be solved soon, but something is not going well with Godai… —Jamie Kanabeth
For more information, check out the new March release of Complete the 2026 Read Harder Challenge tasks.
