This is a significant day! It’s the start of a new month, spring is in the air, it’s Easter Monday (for those who celebrate), and it’s April Fools’ Day! I had so many options of things to write about today that I had trouble narrowing it down, but one rose to the top: pranks and pranksters. Whether you love, hate, or are vaguely annoyed by April Fools’ Day pranks and hoaxes, you’re likely to run across at least one today.
These books cover the good, the bad, and the deadly of pranks. There are romance novels where people fall in love through pulling pranks on each other, their mutual animosity reluctantly turning into something sweeter. On the other hand, an “innocent” prank can also get out of hand, which we’ll see in a few prank-themed thrillers and horror novels.
We’ll get to see the hilarity and horrors of pranks in these stories, but I hope today brings you only jokes that bring a smile to your face — you might spot one among Book Riot’s posts out today — and nothing that edges towards the inconvenient (or even dangerous) end of the pranking spectrum. Just remember, before you share any surprising news stories today, take a moment to double-check your calendar.
Now, let’s get into the highs and lows of pranking!
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
As Naomi and Nicholas’s wedding approaches, they both realize they want out. The catch is that whoever calls it off will have to foot the considerable bill. Now, they’re in an escalating prank war to try to push the other one past their limits. But this turns out to be a lot of fun, and they’re more relaxed and authentic around each other than ever before. Will they fall back in love before their wedding date? This is a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance!
The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
For a very different take on the theme, Remy and Elise used to be best friends — soulmates. Elise was the master of pranks and calculated revenge. But now, Remy’s boyfriend Jack is dead — and Elise pulled the trigger. Now Remy has to reconsider everything she thought she knew about Elise and their relationship. This is a great option for completing task #23 of the 2024 Read Harder Challenge as a “whydunit” mystery/thriller!