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Readers' Most Anticipated Books of February
Weatherwise, February is the worst—in the northern hemisphere, anyway. December has the holidays to distract us, January has the promise of the new calendar year. Then February drags its sorry self in, cold and damp. Well, at least it’s the shortest month.
As such, February is good book-reading time. Is there anything more pleasant than a good book when the weather outside is frightful? We submit that there is not.
New books coming in February: Nobel Prize–winning author Olga Tokarczuk chronicles the life of 18th-century religious leader Jacob Frank. Lucy Foley pens a new mystery set in the shadows of the City of Lights. And debut author Brendan Slocumb details the curious case of the Tchaikovsky competition and the missing violin. Also on tap in February: , , and .
Each month, the ŷ editorial team takes a look at the books that are being published in the U.S., readers' early reviews, and how many readers are adding these books to their Want to Read shelves (which is how we measure anticipation). We use the information to curate this list of hottest new releases.
Currently in development as a Hulu series, ’s much-discussed debut novel follows the strange legacy of a traditional Caribbean black cake recipe. It goes like this: When family matriarch Eleanor Bennett dies, she bequeaths the recipe to her two children, Byron and Benny, along with a voice recording. Piecing together their mother’s secrets, the siblings learn of an amazing journey from the Caribbean to London to California. Their instructions are to “share the black cake when the time is right.�
Nobel Prize–winning author first published her historical fiction magnum opus, , in 2014. Now the long-awaited U.S. publication of the English translation has finally arrived. ’s 900-page epic chronicles the life and times of 18th-century religious leader Jacob Frank and has been compared to other historical epics like Tolstoy’s War and Peace or Milton’s Paradise Lost. is one of the most critically acclaimed authors currently in residence on planet Earth. Mark your calendars.
From the author of When the Emperor Was Divine and The Buddha in the Attic, ’s The Swimmers is another of the year’s big literary releases. The premise is deceptively simple: A crack in the bottom of a public pool disrupts the routine of local recreational swimmers. But ’s metaphor is there for a reason, and readers can expect her usual intricate storytelling, intimate characterizations, and incandescent prose.
British author (The Guest List) has staked out a nice little corner in the mystery genre with her stories set in exotic locales—the Italian Riviera, say, or the remote Scottish Highlands. We’re off to Paris this time around as young traveler Jess arrives in the City of Lights to search for her missing brother by infiltrating his strange new circle of friends. They’re plenty interesting, and not very friendly, and clearly hiding something. Several things, actually. Ѳéܲ!
Author ’s debut mystery-thriller invites readers into the refined and surprisingly dangerous world of prestigious classical music competitions. As a Black man, Ray McMillian has spent his life overcoming cruel prejudices and long odds to achieve his dream of working as a professional classical musician. When someone steals his priceless Stradivarius before the international Tchaikovsky Competition, Ray finds himself confronting the descendants of the man who enslaved his great-grandfather.
In House of Earth and Blood, unveiled the notional metropolis of Crescent City and a gritty new fantasy-noir world of angels and demons. Book two in the series finds Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar back in the city they saved. But there is unrest in the streets, and the ruling class Asteri are growing increasingly fearful of the rebel element. You know what happens when the ruling class gets spooked. Troubletown.
In August 1926, the world’s greatest mystery writer Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. No one could find her, the family was desperate, and the rumors were grim. Even to this day, the incident remains something of a, well, mystery. Novelist provides some interesting possibilities in , a fictionalized retelling of a real-world crisis. is historical kinda-fiction, a thriller wrapped in romance, suspense, and some fascinating conjecture.
Recommended for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and Valentine, ’s debut novel begins in 1970s Texas, where 13-year-old Kit Walker has just been abducted by petty criminal Manny Romero. A twisted relationship develops, and the two become locally famous criminals. Fast-forward 20 years, and Kit is raising her daughters in the small town of Pecan Hollow. When Manny shows up at her door, Kit must reckon with her past and her future. This guy seems like trouble, frankly.
For several stretches of time in the 20th century, Marjorie Merriweather Post was the wealthiest woman in the world. Owner (eventually) of the General Foods empire, Post was a towering figure in her time, known for her beauty, grandeur, and regular flights of reckless philanthropy. Author (The Accidental Empress) delivers a deep-focus meditation on a woman who was waaaay ahead of her time. Bonus trivia: Post built the Florida resort known as Mar-a-Lago.
Author � Dark Star Trilogy has been called the African Game of Thrones, with admirers praising the first book for its heady blend of history, African mythology, and classic fantasy. (That first volume, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, was a finalist for a National Book Award.) James� second installation, Moon Witch, Spider King, gives center stage to the adversary figure from the first book, 177-year-old Sogolon the Moon Witch. Bonus trivia: James won the coveted Man Booker Prize for his 2014 novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings.
Fans of sci-fi horror should definitely look into this one. Author —also known as Stacey Kade—taps into the old “haunted spaceship� template of scary SF with this tale of a derelict luxury space-liner that’s gone missing for 20 years. When a salvage crew boards the wreck, they make some extremely unpleasant discoveries. Recommended for fans of The Shining or the very underrated 1997 film Event Horizon.
Once upon a time, after the Berlin Wall fell and before the Twin Towers collapsed, there was a time called the �90s. The decade marked by grunge, Seinfeld, and, I dunno, Zima??, is getting the Klosterman treatment in this new essay collection. Expect his signature, pop culture-saturated take on the time's film, music, sports, TV,politics, and the changes regarding race and class and sexuality.
Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more recent articles, including:
February's Hottest New Romances
February's Most Anticipated New YA Novels
The Most Anticipated Books of 2021
Check out more recent articles, including:
February's Hottest New Romances
February's Most Anticipated New YA Novels
The Most Anticipated Books of 2021
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Beth
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Feb 01, 2022 07:57AM
How could you not list Chris Bohjalian’s upcoming Book,THE LIONESS?
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As usual, whoever creates these lists completely misses the mark.I've got 24 books across a decent swath of genres and interests on my ARC Calendar this month (some I've finished and reviewed, others I haven't), and of the 24 only *one* is on the list above.
Here is my list:
Collective Illusions by Todd Rose
Loserville by Clayton Turner
Deconstructed by Liz Talley
Catch Her When She Falls by Allison Buccola
The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz
A Lullaby For Witches by Hester Fox
Woman Last Seen by Adele Parks
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
The Country Cottage by Elizabeth Bromke
Am I Allergic To Men by Kristen Bailey
Free Speech by Jacob Mchangama
The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen
Gucci Girls Don't Date Cowboys by Sophia Quinn
Unmissing by Minka Kent
The Paris Network by Siobhan Curham
The Treeline by Ben Rawlence
Vital Lies by Daniel Pyne
Wildflower Wedding by Grace Greene
The Language Game by Morten H Christiansen and Nick Chater
This Earthly Frame by David Sehat
Sink Or Swim by Annabeth Albert
The Cicada Tree by Robert Gwaltney
Oceans Of Grain by Scott Reynolds Nelson
The Girl With The Scarlet Ribbon by Suzanne Goldring
Manhunt looks wild! Comes out the 22, I believe.
Jeff wrote: "As usual, whoever creates these lists completely misses the mark.I've got 24 books across a decent swath of genres and interests on my ARC Calendar this month (some I've finished and reviewed, ot..."
Whoever creates this list is going off of engagement and number of people interested, dude
Thanks for the additional recommendations! I can never get enough reading. I think that's why I'm still alive at 81. I can't die til I've read everything on my reading list lol
Agave Blues by Ruthie Marlenée will be published February 15 and is currently available to enter for a ŷ Giveaway. It's great!
I would also add Angels of Ashes and Ivory by Raye Wagner
Kay Rowland I love this! Keep that TBR going!
Beth wrote: "How could you not list Chris Bohjalian’s upcoming Book,THE LIONESS?"These are all books being released in February. I am super excited about The Lioness as well but its release date is in May :)
claire wrote: "love to see sjm!!"Sarah J. Maas, LETS GOO!!
So glad to see it up there!
This is clearly based on the percentage of people interested
Charm wrote: "Any romance in any of these?"House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas is from a heavy romance author (it's the second book in a series though so definitely read the first one.)
Totally agree about the underratedness of Event Horizon. That was one badass movie.
