Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new February 2021 book releases for you. I’ll let you know what I’ve read, what I can’t wait to read, and what’s getting all the attention this month.
In case you’re new to Booklist Queen, every month I cover all the hottest new book releases. I try to read as many new book releases as I can to give you an honest perspective on what to read and what to skip.
However, I realize that my to-read list might not exactly match yours. That’s why, this year, I’ve decided to also include some of the most popular February 2021 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the February 2021 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
The highlights of the month:
- Kristin Hannah’s Newest Book
- Two Gorgeous WWII Stories
- Two Highly-Anticipated Fantasy Books
Have I got you interested? Then keep scrolling to see our picks for the best of the February 2021 book releases.
New February 2021 Book Releases
The Four Winds
Kristin Hannah
In the Texas panhandle in 1934, severe drought plagues the land. With crops failing, dust storms whip up, leaving the farmers fighting for survival. In the perilous times of the Great Depression, Elsa Martinelli must decide whether to stay and fight for her land or head west to California which offers her family a better life.
With her characteristically gorgeous storytelling, Hannah’s The Four Winds is an updated Grapes of Wrath. You’ll find yourself caught up in the disastrous calamity of the Dust Bowl and emotionally caught up in Elsa’s impossible decision. Kristin Hannah’s fans will not be disappointed with her newest release, and I’m calling this the must-read book of February.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Survivors
Jane Harper
Coming home to help his parents move, Kieran Elliott is haunted by a reckless teenage decision that ended up costing the lives of three people during a storm. Now, a body is discovered on the beach of his hometown, and old memories are brought back to light. Harper’s character-driven mysteries are always on top of my to-read list. The Survivors is a slow atmospheric build that examines how guilt and loss shape our lives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Flatiron Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Echo Wife
Sarah Gailey
Renowned geneticist Evelyn Caldwell, a pioneer in cloning, is at the height of her career while her personal life lay in shambles. Her husband has been having an affair … with her clone, a product of Evelyn’s own research. A docile copy of Evelyn, Martine is everything Evelyn is not – the woman Nathan wishes she was. Until Martine kills him and Evelyn must cover it up or risk losing her entire life’s work.
Marketing as a sci fi thriller, The Echo Wife has a little too much science jargon and not enough thrills. A truly good science fiction book makes you contemplate the consequences of the what-if scenario, but The Echo Wife touches on some MAJOR ethical issues without doing any of them justice. In my opinion, although the book had some good twists, it didn’t live up to its potential.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tor Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Project
Courtney Summers
After witnessing a shocking suicide, Lo Denham decides to expose a high profile charitable organization as a cult. Lo is intimately connected to The Unity Project; her sister Bea joined years ago and Lo has not heard from her since. Their charismatic leader proposes a deal: she can have unheard-of access, and if she can prove any of it, she can expose them. Can Lo find the proof she needs and reconnect with her sister, or will she be pulled in as well?
I was expecting a fast-paced young adult style thriller, but for me, the storyline dragged. Although I enjoyed Bea’s past storyline, Lo didn’t captivate me at all. By the time the big twists come at the end, I had lost interest. Some reviewers are loving this book, so it might still be worth a try, but it just did not do enough for me to recommend it to anyone.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

February 2021 Book Of the Month
Receiving my blue box from Book of the Month Club is a highlight of every month.
Here’s how it works – each month, they pick 5 books and you get to choose one book or skip until the next month. If you want to add any extra books, then you get them at a discounted price.
Each month is usually a mix of new releases and advance copies of unreleased books. If you are interested in joining, you can use my Book of the Month Club affiliate link to get your first book for $5!
Here’s a look at the February Book of the Month selections.
Exciting February 2021 Book Releases
A Court of Silver Flames
Sarah J. Maas
Sarah J. Maas lands among the most-anticipated February 2021 book releases with the fifth book in her bestselling fantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. Haunted by the horrors of the previous war, Nesta’s temper is constantly on edge, and no one seems to bother her more than Cassian. When the human queens threaten the fragile peace, she must work with Cassian to save the kingdom.
The Removed
Brandon Hobson
Fifteen years after their teenage son, Ray-Ray, was killed in a police shooting, the Echota family still keenly feels his death. With the family’s annual bonfire approaching, a chance to celebrate the Cherokee National Holiday and remember Ray-Ray’s death, Maria wants to gather her family back together. Combining the real and the spiritual, The Removed highlights the deep scars trauma causes to a family.
Four Hundred Souls
Edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
Among the must-read February 2021 book releases is this one-volume “community” history of African-Americans edited by Ibram X. Kendi (author of How to Be an Antiracist) and Keisha N. Blain. From the year before the Mayflower to the present-day, over ninety of today’s Black authors explore history through various methods to give this book a unique feel.
The Paris Library
Janet Skeslien Charles
Life is good for Odile Souchet, a young woman with a handsome beau working at the American Library in Paris. When the Germans invade Paris, Odile and her fellow librarians join the Resistance to fight the Nazis with what they have – books. Based on a true story, The Paris Library is the perfect new releases for any historical fiction book lover.
Girl A
Abigail Dean
For years, Lex Gracie has been running from her past. Raised in a House of Horrors, infamously escaped and freed her older brother and four younger siblings. After her mother dies in prison, Lex and her siblings must return to the family home they have inherited. A gripping psychological thriller, Girl A grapples with what becomes of siblings who have jointly lived through unspeakable trauma.
The Girl From the Channel Islands
Jenny Lecoat
After fleeing Vienna as Nazis annexed Austria, Hedy Bercu, a young Jewish girl, settles on the island of Jersey. When Germany occupies the Channel Islands during WWII, Hedy decides to hide in plain sight. Working as a translator for the Germans, Hedy must navigate the suspicions of the German occupiers and the locals to avoid being sent to the concentration camps.
The Gilded Ones
Namina Forna
Already set apart by her unnatural intuition, sixteen-year-old Deka is considered an outcast when her blood runs gold. Instead of being an outcast, she decides to leave her village and join an elite band of powerfully magical girls to fight for the emperor. This new young adult fantasy has been the talk of the February 2021 book releases.
The Unwilling
John Hart
The Vietnam War has been hard on Gibby’s family. One brother never returned and the other returned only to spend three years in prison. When a day at the lake ends with a riot aboard a prison transport and the murder of a young woman, Gibby dives deep into his older brother’s war history to prove him innocent.
This Close to Okay
Leesa Cross-Smith
On a rainy October night, recently divorced Tallie Clark sees a man hovering on the edge of a bridge. Tallie convinces him not to jump and instead come home with her for a cup of coffee, not disclosing the fact that she’s a therapist. Over the weekend, Tallie makes a safe place for Emmett in this powerful story of strangers changing each other’s lives.
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster
Bill Gates
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates sets out a detailed practical guide to how the world can achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to prevent a climate disaster. Leaning on experts in physics, engineering, political science, and finance, Gates shares an analysis of the challenge we face and the potential solutions that, although difficult, are doable.
Think Again
Adam Grant
Grant reminds us that just like we refresh our wardrobe from time to time, we need to routinely reexamine our beliefs and ways of thinking. Often our beliefs become habits, and Grant argues that being too attached to one identity and thought process can kill our creativity. Instead, we need to start spending as much time rethinking as we do thinking.
Popular February Upcoming Releases
What February 2021 Book Releases are You Most Excited to Read?
What books can you not wait to get your hands on this month? Did I miss any February 2021 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases: