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For a month often associated with love, the most anticipated book releases for February are surprisingly light on romance.
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ICYMI, we’re teaming up with the literary experts at Goodreads to bring you each month’s most anticipated books of the year. This month’s hottest new reads are packed with mysteries and heartfelt explorations of the human condition.
Check out the fantastical “Things In Jars” by Jess Kidd and the wrenching “Apeirogon” by Colum McCann. You’ll find debut authors, such as Alena Dillon, and literary giants, such as Erik Larson of “Devil In The White City” fame.
Romantics need not despair, however: “The Gravity Of Us” and “Postscript” — the follow-up to “PS, I Love You” — wrap up our list with hearty servings of love and heartbreak just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Keep reading for February’s most anticipated books, and be sure to check out our guide to January 2020’s most anticipated new-reads while you’re at it.
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1
"The Splendid And The Vile" by Erik Larson
Amazon
“Devil in the White City” and “Dead Wake” author Erik Larson is back at it with another narrative nonfiction novel — this time with a focus on Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz. Larson has built this window into the past using recently declassified files, intelligence reports and personal diaries. The result? He’s painted a picture of Churchill during one of London’s darkest hours. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 25
Expected release date: Feb. 25
2
"The Other Mrs." by Mary Kubica
Amazon
Sadie and Will Foust move their family from Chicago to small town Maine. The family is barely settled in when their neighbor turns up dead. “The Other Mrs.” follows Sadie as she dives into the mystery of what really happened that night. Thriller and mystery fans should add this twisting tale to their list. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 18
Expected release date: Feb. 18
3
"Things In Jars" by Jess Kidd
Amazon
Bridie Devine is a detective extraordinaire. When a child with reputed supernatural powers goes missing, Bridie must slink into the dark underbelly of Victorian London to crack the case. She finds help along the way from a 7-foot tall housemaid, a tattooed ghost and an avuncular apothecary. But is this team enough to find the child? “Things in Jars” is an enchanting mix of fact and fairytale for those looking for an out of the ordinary mystery. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 4
Expected release date: Feb. 4
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4
"Apeirogon" by Colum McCann
Amazon
Bassam (a Palestinian) and Rami (an Israeli) both lose their daughters to violence. When they learn of each other’s stories, they form a connection and attempt to use their grief as a weapon for peace. Goodreads describes National Book Award-winning Colum McCann’s novel “Apeirogon” as “musical, cinematic, muscular, delicate and soaring.” Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 25
Expected release date: Feb. 25
5
"The Antidote For Everything" by Kimmery Martin
Amazon
Just after Georgia Brown leaves the country for a medical conference, she learns that her hospital has ordered doctors to stop treating transgender patients. Georgia is then stunned when her closest friend Jonah, a gay man, is fired for not complying. “The Antidote For Everything” follows the journey Georgia and Jonah take when they are forced to choose between their jobs and their patients. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 20
Expected release date: Feb. 20
6
"Oona Out of Order" by Margarita Montimore
Amazon
What does it really mean to “live in the moment?” For Oona Lockhart, that’s a good question. On her nineteenth birthday, she wakes up as a fifty-one-year-old in a beautiful house. And each following birthday, she finds herself leaping to a different stage of her life. Goodreads calls “Oona Out of Order” “an unforgettable story about the burdens of time, the endurance of love, and the power of family.”Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 25
Expected release date: Feb. 25
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7
"Here For It: Or, How To Save Your Soul In America" by R. Eric Thomas
Amazon
Fans of Samantha Irby, Michael Arceneaux and David Sedaris should add “Here for It” to their lists. In this memoir of hysterical and heartfelt essays, R. Eric Thomas looks through the lens of his childhood to redefine what it means to be “normal” and “other” in the modern shifting world. Goodreads says: “‘Here for It’ will resonate deeply and joyfully with everyone who has ever felt pushed to the margins, struggled with self-acceptance, or wished to shine more brightly in a dark world.” Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 18
Expected release date: Feb. 18
8
"Mercy House" by Alena Dillon
Amazon
“In the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn stands a century-old row house presided over by renegade, silver-haired Sister Evelyn. Gruff and indomitable on the surface, warm and wry underneath, Evelyn and her fellow sisters makes Mercy House a safe haven for the abused and abandoned.” Read Alena Dillon’s powerful debut novel to discover how far Evelyn will go to protect Mercy House — and its occupants — when they’re threatened. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 11
Expected release date: Feb. 11
9
"Postscript" by Cecelia Ahern
Amazon
It’s time to cry: The long anticipated sequel to “PS, I Love You” is here. “Postscript” picks up the story of Holly Kennedy seven years after her husband’s death. After reluctantly sharing her story on a podcast, she’s overwhelmed with notes from terminally ill patients that want to leave notes behind for their own loved ones. Fans of the first book in this series are sure to enjoy this funny and bittersweet tale. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb. 11
Expected release date: Feb. 11
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10
"The Gravity Of Us" by Phil Stamper
Amazon
When Cal’s dad is selected for a NASA mission to Mars, the whole family is thrust into the limelight. They move to Houston, where Cal meets Leon, another “Astrokid.” As the two teens grow closer — and Cal falls harder for Leon — secrets about the NASA program start to come to light. This young adult romance tale is an ode to first loves and the self-doubt of teenage years. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: Feb 4
Expected release date: Feb 4