Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new February 2022 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 I’ve also included some of the most popular February 2022 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the February 2022 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
Top February 2022 Book Releases
The Paris Apartment
Lucy Foley
Looking for a fresh start, Jess moves into her half-brother’s Paris apartment only to find him missing. The longer Ben stays gone, the more Jess begins to question his living situation. Jess can tell the neighbor’s know more than they are telling, making each one a viable suspect in this new thriller from the author of The Guest List.
Black Cake
Charmaine Wilkerson
Read with Jenna Book Club Pick – Estranged siblings Byron and Benny are brought back together by their mother’s death. For their inheritance, they find a traditional Caribbean black cake and a voice recording from their mother. Eleanor’s message tells the turbulent story of her life, one full of secrets and a long-lost child that will leave the siblings questioning everything they thought they knew.
Black Cake is destined to be on all the Best of lists in 2022; it is that good. Wilkerson does an excellent job bringing to life the complicated family dynamics underlaid with the powerful story of Eleanor’s life. A great choice for a book club, Black Cake touches on a lot of hot issues that would make for a lively discussion.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 February 2022
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House of Sky and Breath
Sarah J. Maas
In the second book of her Crescent City series, Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar just want some rest after saving Crescent City. As the rebels continue to chip away at the Asteri’s powers, Bryce and Hunt are faced with a decision. Should they keep quiet while others are oppressed or join the rebels fighting the Asteri?
I Must Betray You
Ruta Sepetys
Although communist countries are falling all over Europe, in 1989, Romania is still ruled by the cruel dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. Blackmailed by the secret police, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is forced to become an informer, walking the edge between deceiving the Securitate while still protecting his family. I Must Betray You is exactly what you want from young adult historical fiction. Sepetys showcases the everyday teenage life in a unique setting with a narrative that is as compelling as it is informative.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 February 2022
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Mickey7
Edward Ashton
Mickey7 is an Expendable, a disposable human sent to perform jobs too dangerous for normal humans. On the ice planet Niflheim, Mickey7 is prematurely replaced by his clone and must hide his existence. As the native creatures grow curious about human settlers, Mickey7 is the only one who can bridge the gap between cultures, if he can just stay alive.
What My Bones Know
Stephanie Foo
On the outside, Stephanie Foo had a great life as a successful radio producer with a loving boyfriend, but behind closed doors, she had constant panic attacks. Eventually, Foo was diagnosed with complex PTSD, a little-understood condition caused by years of constant trauma. Her diagnosis sent her on a path to heal herself, researching complex PTSD and the roots of her and her family’s trauma.
Book of the Month – February 2022
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, right now you can use my Book of the Month Club affiliate link to get your first book for $5!
The February Book of the Month selections are:
See the Complete List of Upcoming Releases!
Reese’s Book Club Pick
The Christie Affair
Nina de Gramont
In Reese Witherspoon’s February book club pick, Nina de Gramont boldly reimagines the unsolved eleven-day disappearance of famous mystery writer Agatha Christie. In a glittery world of privilege in 1925, Nan O’Dea begins an affair with Archie Christie. Told from Nan’s perspective, The Christie Affair is a tale of a calculated plot to steal another woman’s husband, ending in betrayal and possibly murder.
Good Morning America’s February 2022 Pick
The Violin Conspiracy
Brendan Slocumb
Growing up in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian will not let his family’s doubts or inherent racism against Blacks stop him from becoming the world’s best classical musician. Which is why it’s a dream come true when he realizes his ancestor’s old fiddle is really a priceless Stradivarius. On the eve of the most prestigious music competition, his violin is stolen and replaced with a ransom note. Ray must do everything he can to get it back, all while the descendants of his ancestor’s former slave owner claim the violin is rightfully theirs.
Oprah’s Book Club February 2022
The Way of Integrity
Martha Beck
In her newest book, sociologist Martha Beck states that “integrity is the cure for psychological suffering.” Through a four-step process, Beck guides you through the hero’s journey and shows how you can find integrity and purpose to make your life feel whole.
The Most Anticipated February 2022 Book Releases
One Night on the Island
Josie Silver
On the cusp of turning thirty, dating columnist Cleo is sent on assignment to a remote Irish island to marry herself. Instead of solitude, a mistaken double booking forces Cleo to share the cabin with Mack, an American photographer mourning the end of his marriage, while they wait a week for the next ferry.
Romance isn’t generally my genre, but I found Josie Silver’s previous books, One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, to be sharp and nuanced in a way most romances are not. Sadly, One Night on the Island didn’t reach the same level. Although the characters are mature and the writing is easy to read, the romance felt tired and predictable.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 15 February 2022
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The Family Chao
Lan Samantha Chang
The Chao family has been running a delicious Chinese restaurant in Haven, Wisconsin, for decades, so the townspeople have mostly ignored the whispers about their unhappy marriage. When the three grown sons reunite in Haven and their father is found dead, the ensuing trial shows that each son has his own motives for murder.
The Power of Regret
Daniel H. Pink
Instead of living with “no regrets,” Pink teaches that regret is a natural part of our lives. By understanding how regrets work, you can make better decisions in the future and bring greater meaning into your life. Using true stories and showcasing practical takeaways, The Power of Regret builds off of Pink’s research into transforming regret into a positive experience.
White Lies
A. J. Baime
Born with mixed-race heritage to parents who were born as slaves, Walter F. White’s skin was light enough that he could easily “pass” as white. A leader of the Harlem Renaissance and an important member of the NAACP, White used his ability to lead a dual life, going undercover to investigate some of the worst racist murders in America, White used his access to shape public opinion, push forward the Civil Rights Movement, and alter the mission of the NAACP toward legal and political activism.
I absolutely loved A. J. Baime’s biography of Walter F. White, which I picked up only because I loved his previous book on auto racing, Go Like Hell. Unsurprisingly, I had never heard of the NAACP leader and activist who had a hand in almost every major civil rights advance from 1920 to 1950. Baime focuses on White’s life and details the race relations that wove through the decades of American history, making it a fascinating, albeit sobering, read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mariner Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 8 February 2022
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This Might Hurt
Stephanie Wrobel
Struggling with her mundane life and grieving her mother, Kit Collins decides to check into Wisewood. At a private island in Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to a six-month retreat, completely cut off from the outside world so they can find their “Maximized Selves.” After six months, Kit’s sister Natalie receives a threatening message from Wisewood and she sets off, desperate to free her sister from the cultish establishment and to protect her own startling secrets.
The Nineties
Chuck Klosterman
Chuck Klosterman takes you back to the decade between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the terror of 9/11. Klosterman shows the giant shifts in the decade in technology as the internet comes into full force, politics before 9/11, and the power of pop culture to shape opinions.
The Swimmers
Julie Otsuka
A group of daily swimmers is thrown for a loop when a crack appears in the swimming pool they frequent. Among them is Alice, who is slowly losing herself to dementia. With her daily routine broken, Alice feels thrust into chaos as her childhood memories of being in a Japanese internment camp surface, and her daughter struggles to help her.
First off, I don’t think you can actually call The Swimmers a novel because it is so extremely short. I guess you would categorize Otsuka’s novella as experimental fiction. The story is mostly told in an odd second-person format that takes some getting used to. I was set to give it a disappointing two stars, but Otsuka’s descriptions of Alice’s entrance into a memory care facility really struck home for me, especially when I realized that Alice is the author’s mother.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Knopf. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 22 February 2022
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A Taste for Poison
Neil Bradbury
Poison is one of the most popular methods chosen in murder mysteries, but how do they work? Bradbury blends science, history, and true crime with an exploration of eleven deadly poisons, how they affect the body and which infamous killers have used them.
Popular February Upcoming Releases
What February 2022 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 2022 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
Alison says
Girl who fell beneath the sea by Axie Oh. Premise of the book looks interesting.
Rachael says
Oh, I’ll have to check it out!
Steve says
DON’T CRY FOR ME sounds like a very interesting “study” on what it meant to grow up as a Black man. What changed the father’s ideas of masculinity is THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker, the very first book (in English) that absolutely captivated me.
I MUST BETRAY YOU comes after her abolsutely fantastic FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE and I’m reading it because one of my bosses was from Romania and his non-Romanian wife said that, when members of his family visited, their habits were rather strange.
I hope my on-line bookstore manages to get them to me soon. I’ll comment.
Rachael says
Oh, I’d love to hear what you think about the books once you read them! I’m going to be reading I Must Betray You this month as well.
Susan says
“The Lies We Tell” Author Julie Clark Because I really Liked “Flight” Apparently There is an alternative ending (Flight) if we pre-order TLWT.. ThankYou Rachael for all your BooklistQueen Suggestions
Rachael says
Oh, alternate endings are so fascinating!