With winter still in full swing — thanks a lot, Phil — there’s no better time to curl up with a cozy book and escape the chilling winter wind and short, dreary days.
February has something to offer readers of any genre, from a hilarious sci-fi about a televised space wargame to a cozy romance inspired by a classic 90s rom com, a fantastical retelling of a real-world werewolf origin story, and a series of essays that may change the way we view the American literary canon. Dive into the most highly anticipated books of February to find out what new stories you won’t want to miss.
Heap Earth Upon It by Chloe Michelle Howarth
Release Date: February 3
Irish author Chloe Michelle Howarth is back with another sapphic historical fiction after her heavily lauded debut, Sunburn. Set in 1960s rural Ireland, her latest novel follows four orphaned siblings and their arrival to the small village of Ballycrea.
Ostracized from the tight-knit community and reeling from a troubled past they’re more than reluctant to discuss, the O’Leary siblings find solace in neighbors Bill and Betty Nelson. The four begin to find a place in Ballycrea, but for one of the siblings, this new friendship begins to verge on obsession, leading to an intense, tangled relationship.
The book has been compared to critically acclaimed novels, such as Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield, Mrs. S by K. Patrick, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Described as a gothic story of sapphic obsession, Heap Earth Upon It promises to be an intriguing, chilling literary fiction novel — perfect for dark winter days.
It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica
Release Date: February 3
Courtney Gray is enjoying a peaceful vacation with her brother and sister-in-law at their lakeside cabin when a terrifying scream awakens her in the middle of the night
Finding the two dead and her niece mysteriously vanished while her nephew is sound asleep, Courtney discovers dark secrets about the family and the town at large. Suspicions circulate around the children, especially her niece, as Courtney and the police start to question if she could have been responsible for the murder of her parents.
In this twity, winding novel, everyone is a potential suspect — perfect for fans of locked room mysteries. Readers have consistently praised Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling thriller author, for her suspenseful true-crime novels, and It’s Not Her seems to be no exception.
Language as Liberation: Reflections on the American Canon by Toni Morrison
Release Date: February 3
Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of an array of literary masterpieces — including Beloved, Song of Solomon, and The Bluest Eye — Toni Morrison’s newest book takes a closer look at prominent Black characters within the American literary canon in a posthumous collection of exploratory essays.
Language of Liberation consists of a series of lectures that Morrison gave during her tenure at Princeton University from 1989 to 2006. She delves into the portrayal of Black characters by some of the country’s most notable authors. The essays examine how the archetypes created by their characterization were then imposed upon Black communities, shaping racial identity in America.
Morrison’s son and her Princeton colleague contributed to the collection’s foreword and introduction, respectively. An deeply relevant book said to “redefine the American canon,” this is a new release that simply cannot be missed.
A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter
Release Date: February 10
Part witchy folklore, part gothic horror, A Forest Darkly is an immersive adult fantasy novel. The book follows Mehrab, a grumpy witch with a dark past, living deep within a magical forest. She leads a lonely existence until a girl appears at her doorstep, seeking refuge from witch hunters.
As Mehrab protects the girl and teaches her how to control her powers, the two grow closer, forming a familial bond. While contending with the hunters, Mehrab must also solve a mystery in the local village. Children are going missing and returning changed, and the suspicion has fallen on her.
To help the forest and her newfound family, Mehrab must solve the mystery of the missing children and confront the religious zealot leading the hunters. Taking place in the same fantasy world as A.G. Slatter’s other award-winning fantasy novels, A Forest Darkly has already garnered positive reviews.
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
Release Date: February 10
Matt Dinniman is the author of the beloved Dungeon Crawler Carl sci-fi series. Readers revere his action-packed, incredibly funny adventure stories, and his latest addition to the genre is no exception.
Oliver Lewis resides on a small colony planet, New Sorona, where Earth’s government has promised the settlers peace. Instead, they task Apex Corporation with “evicting” the planet’s inhabitants. To maximize profits, the conglomerate decides to turn this genocide into a televised game for bored Earthers. Called Operation Bounce House, the game allows players to design their own remotely controlled war machines to wipe out the settlers.
Oliver and his friends must fight to defend their planet in this violent, yet somehow also humorous, novel from a refreshing voice in the science fiction genre.
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Release Date: February 17
Set in 1920s Montreal, Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter is a cozy romantic fantasy following the type-A manager of a cat rescue charity as she attempts to save her shelter.
When Agnes finds out that her new landlord is using her charity as a front for a notoriously disreputable magic shop, she is understandably upset. Even worse, the owner of the shop, Havelock Renard, is an unorganized, irritating man who also happens to be a failed Dark Lord.
Agnes’s shelter offers the perfect cover for his illegal activity with shady international clientele. Agnes has no interest in getting mixed up with Havelock or his magic shop. That is, until an enemy from his past returns, endangering his business and, in turn, her charity. Agnes will have to put aside her morals and team up with the annoyingly handsome magician to save the shelter.
Heather Fawcett became a staple in the cozy fantasy genre with her widely loved Emily Wilde series. This book is arriving at the perfect time, as readers of her previous series have been eagerly anticipating another cute and quirky release from the author.
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
Release Date: February 17
Kate Quinn is a New York Times bestselling author of several popular historical fiction novels, including The Alice Network and The Rose Code. Her latest novel, The Astral Library, is her first foray into magical realism.
Alix Watson is struggling to make ends meet. She finds solace in the Boston Public Library, where she can lose herself in other worlds. And one day, she literally does just that, stumbling upon a hidden library run by the enigmatic Librarian.
The Librarian helps the lost escape into literary worlds. However, before Alix can experience this new life, an enemy threatens the existence of the library. Alix must traverse pages full of Regency drawing rooms, mysterious back alleys, and Gatsby-esque parties in order to decipher the mystery of this shadowy figure and the danger they pose to the library.
Kin by Tayari Jones
Release Date: February 24
Kin is a historical fiction novel that follows Vernice and Annie, two young Black girls and lifelong friends raised in Louisiana, who share the experience of being motherless daughters. Though they are inseparable in childhood, their family relationships set them on different life paths.
Vernice is raised in a stable home by her aunt and leaves for Spelman College, where she connects with a group of powerfully connected Black women and marries into a wealthy family. Annie, however, was never able to move past her mother’s abandonment and is determined to find her. Ultimately, a tragedy forces them together once again after many years apart.
In this novel about mother-daughter relationships, sisterhood, and the complicated experience of being a woman in the American South, award-winning author Tayari Jones tells another profoundly resonant story.
The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan
Release Date: February 24
The Red Winter is a debut queer historical fantasy novel by Cameron Sullivan set in France in 1785. The story follows monster-slayer and professor, Sebastian Grave, who brought down the beast 20 years prior and nearly ended his life in the process.
Now, the beast has returned, and Sebastian is summoned to rejoin the hunt by Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne, his estranged lover, who has a mysterious history with the beast. Meanwhile, France is hovering on the precipice of revolution as the people grow increasingly desperate. Sebastian must contend with this looming revolt, the threat from the beast, and the ever-watching French clergy, who are suspicious of him and his arcane methods.
This reimagining of European history is inspired by the Beast of Gévaudan, the real-life mysterious creature that terrorized the Gévaudan region of France between 1764 and 1767 and killed over 100 people in its attacks. The true nature of this creature is still unknown although widely speculated, making the legend, and this story,all the more intriguing.
And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison
Release Date: February 24
The newest release from B.K. Borison continues the Heartstrings series. She published the first book in the series, First-Time Caller, last year to widespread acclaim.
Inspired by When Harry Met Sally, And Now, Back to You follows meteorologists Jackson and Delilah. Though they often clash, they strike up a deal that turns into a surprising friendship when they’re forced to team up and cover an impending record-breaking snowstorm.
But as Jackson and Delilah spend more time together, their feelings begin to snowball, culminating in the perfect storm. This cozy book will help warm you up through the last frigid days of winter.
Fresh New February Stories
No matter what kind of reader you are, you’ll find something worth adding to your TBR among the February releases. From gothic sapphic obsession and locked-room suspense to cozy magical romance and sweeping historical fiction, this month proves that winter might just be one of the best seasons for reading. If you’ve been waiting for your next five-star read, chances are it’s arriving in February.
