This is it, the month that publishing really gets sprung. You could do months’ worth of reading with the new books coming out April 7 alone. In order to help you narrow down the options, we’ve created a highly scientific vibes-based process of elimination to determine the It Book of the Month.

The ideal It Book rings four bells:

•  Art – Is it good?
•  Acclaim – Will it contend for awards and best-of lists?
•  Sales – Where’s the money?
•  Zeitgeist – What’s the buzz?

This month’s contenders include a novel about middle-aged women on a cruise with their favorite ’90s boy band, a Booker International shortlisted novel about a mediocre witch, narrative nonfiction about a mysterious death in London, and short stories from a celebrated writer.

Join us as we play a knock-out round to crown the It Book of April! You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcatcher of choice.