Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new February 2024 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 2024 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the February 2024 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
Top February 2024 Book Releases
The Women
Kristin Hannah
When her brother ships off to Vietnam, nursing student Frankie McGrath impulsively decides to leave her sheltered life on Coronado Island and join the Army Nurse Corps. In Vietnam, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos of war. Yet, even more unsettling is the shock of coming home to a country that has been divided by war and disillusioned by politics.
With a similar feel to The Four Winds, The Women is immersive historical fiction with a more serious tone. I took a little longer to attach to Frankie than usual but, by the time I did, I was desperate for Frankie to get her happily-ever-after. Yet, The Women reminds us that life isn’t like a fairytale. War is a messy, traumatizing business even when veterans are fully-supported. And Vietnam was messier than any other war in American history, leaving unheard of struggles for returning soldiers, especially for the women who were often overlooked and forgotten.
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.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 February 2024
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Wandering Stars
Tommy Orange
Tommy Orange returns with a new book release that is both a prequel and a sequel to his bestselling novel, There There. In 2018, Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield struggles to hold her family together in the aftermath of her grandson Orvil’s shooting at the Oakland Powwow. In Wandering Stars, Tommy Orange takes you through Opal’s family history, as each generation faces discrimination and addiction.
Although I enjoyed There There, I had a difficult time reading Tommy Orange’s sequel/prequel, Wandering Stars. The first third of the novel showcased disjointed snippets of Opal’s ancestors which are told as reflections on their memories. Then the novel settles into the present day, following Opal and her grandchildren in the aftermath of the shooting at the end of There There. Overall, Wandering Stars was too disjointed and high brow for my taste, mainly focusing on each character’s internal thoughts.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Knopf through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 27 February 2024
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End of Story
A. J. Finn
Nicky Hunter has corresponded with reclusive mystery writer Sebastian Trapp for years but is shocked when he invites her to his mansion to help him write his life story. Twenty years earlier on New Year’s Eve, Sebastian’s first wife and son disappeared from different locations. Did Sebastian commit the perfect crime? Why is he willing to start talking about it now?
The Fox Wife
Yangsze Choo
Fox spirits are known to to be cunning and clever creatures who lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful humans. In 1908, Snow leaves her den in the grasslands to seeking vengeance for her lost child, a trail that will lead her from China to Japan. Meanwhile Bao, a detective, investigates the death of an unknown courtesan found frozen in the snow. As Bao follows Snow’s trail, they both meet friends and foes and navigate the truths and myths about fox spirits.
Yangsze Choo presents an enchanting premise with gorgeous magical realism rooted in Chinese mythology regarding foxes. Yet, the story itself was felt lacking. Choo’s narrative is slow to develop, which would be fine except the plot is also anticlimactic. The combo leaves you wanting more: more development, more emotional connection, and more resolution.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Henry Holt and Co. through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 13 February 2024
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The Teacher
Freida McFadden
Last year, Caseman High School was rocked by a scandal. Everyone says that Addie, a troubled student, is a liar determined to ruin lives and hurt others. A math teacher with a great life, Eve is dismayed to learn that Addie will be in her class this year. For Addie has secrets that she will do anything in her power to keep from coming out.
Brooklyn
Tracy Brown
During her dying moments, Brooklyn Melody James contemplates what led her to become the cold calculating manipulator that everyone wanted dead. Learning the art of the hustle from her parents, Brooklyn burns her bridges with her family before fleeing to New York City. In the city, she falls in love with a player in the drug game and becomes ruthless in her ambition, creating a reign of terror that one person decides must end.
Normal Women
Philippa Gregory
For centuries, history has been written for men and about men. In a new nonfiction book, Philippa Gregory rewrites British history with ordinary women at the forefront. Extensively researched, Normal Women showcases the contributions of women during periods of social transition and reminds us that the persistence of normal women can change history.
The Phoenix Crown
Kate Quinn and Janie Chang
In 1906 San Francisco, Gemma desperately needs a refresh of her singing career, and Suling, a Chinese embroideress, needs to escape an arranged marriage. Soon, they are both caught up with charming railroad magnate Henry Thornton, owner of the fabled Phoenix Crown, an ancient Chinese relic. After an earthquake tears the town apart, Henry disappears. When the crown reappears at a Paris ball five years later, Gemma and Suling are determined to solve the mystery.
Book of the Month – February 2024
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!
Read With Jenna February 2024 Book Club Pick
Good Material
Dolly Alderton
Andy loves Jen but he can’t figure out why she stopped loving him. While waiting for his stand-up career to take off, Andy looks around and realizes that everyone else seems to be growing up. Maybe if he can figure out why Jen broke up with him then they’ll get back together. Even more than why his ex-girlfriend broke up with him, Andy has a lot more to learn about life.
GMA Book Club February 2024 Pick
Come & Get It
Kiley Reid
Following the success of her debut novel, Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid returns with another look at class and race. Agatha Paul arrives at the University of Arkansas as a visiting professor. Looking to interview women for her research about weddings, Agatha meets Millie Cousins, a resident advisor. But as Agatha interviews the residents in Millie’s hall, she wonders how she can use what she finds about their views on class and race to her advantage. To be honest, I thought Come & Get It was a hot mess. Kiley Reid had all the right pieces to create a masterpiece but meandered aimlessly until the very end and then just fizzled out unsatisfactorily.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from G. P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 30 January 2024
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Reese’s Book Club February 2024 Pick
Redwood Court
DéLana R. A. Dameron
Growing up in a Black working class South Carolina neighborhood, Mika Tabor has become a repository for the stories of her loved ones. Told through a series of vignettes, Redwood Court showcases Mika’s coming of age as well as her family history: her grandparents who survived Jim Crow to settle on Redwood Court; her parents working two jobs to provide a better life, and her older sister, finding her own footing.
Oprah’s Book Club February 2024 Pick
The Many Lives of Mama Love
Lara Love Hardin
In a stunning memoir, Lara Love Hardin writes of her unexpected life and her hard journey toward redemption. Suburban soccer mom Lara Love Hardin was the last person you’d expect to be arrested, but she was secretly funding her heroin addiction by stealing her neighbor’s credit cards. Using her PTA skills, Love Hardin quickly rises in the prison ranks. After being released, she manages to establish herself as a successful ghostwriter. Yet, the shame and guilt are harder to let go of, forcing her to figure out a way to forgive herself.
The Most Anticipated February 2024 Book Releases
The Resort
Sara Ochs
Hiding from her past, Cass has made a home for herself among the expats at Koh Sang Resort in Thailand. When Cass starts getting threatening notes, she fears her past is coming back to haunt her. A recently arrived travel influencer, Brooke has gotten close to Cass and her friends but she has her own secret agenda for being on the island. After two accidental deaths on the island, Cass and Brooke begin to wonder if the two cases are connected.
Ochs’ debut novel is a run-of-the-mill vacation thriller, a slow-burn mystery that ends with plenty of action and some unexpected twists. Although Cass and Brooke were decent narrators with an intriguing connection between them, neither were particularly likeable. The other expats, on the other hand, felt underdeveloped and forced. However, the hot topic of conversation about The Resort is the controversial epilogue. You’ll either love it or hate it. Personally, I thought it detracted from the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 February 2024
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Fourteen Days
Margaret Atwood
When the COVID-19 pandemic shuts down Manhattan, the residents of a Lower East Side apartment building in Manhattan begin gathering together on their rooftop. Slowly, the residents become actual neighbors, establishing a sense of community through shared stories. However, each character is narrated by a different literary voice. Margaret Atwood, Celeste Ng, John Grisham, Dave Eggers, Tommy Orange, Louise Erdrich, and Neil Gaiman are just a few of the major authors of the day contributing to this unique work.
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead
Jenny Hollander
Nine years ago, Charlie Colbert was a survivor of a brutal Christmas Eve massacre at her small private grad school. Recently engaged, Charlie is careful to never let her guard down in her new life. When one of the other survivors announces they are creating a movie about that night, everything Charlie has built is threatened and she is determined to save it.
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
Tia Williams
Ricki Wilde has never felt like she has fit in with her socialite sisters in their powerful Atlanta family. When she’s invited to rent the bottom floor of a Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance to start anew. After Ricki meets a mysterious stranger, her world is thrown off balance as the two artists begin a romance full of magic that will link them together forever.
Bride
Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood switched from STEM Romance to paranormal with her newest February book release. Misery Lark’s days of living in obscurity among humans are over. As the daughter of the most powerful councilman of the Vampyres, she is promised in marriage to their mortal enemies, the Weres, as a peacekeeping measure. Lowe Moreland, the Weres alpha, is suspicious of Misery from the start. And he should be, because Misery has her own hidden agenda, and she will do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers.
Supercommunicators
Charles Duhigg
We all know that person who is able to connect deeply with anyone they meet. All conversations can be categorized as practical, emotional, or social. Charles Duhigg argues that these supercommunicators can identify and match each type of conversation while also hearing complex emotions, subtle negotiations, and understanding possible biases. Using the power of storytelling, Duhigg promises to help you become more adept at recognizing and navigating any conversation you find yourself in.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts
Katherine Arden
A revered field nurse, Laurie is recovering from her war injuries in Canada when she receives word of her brother Freddie’s death in the trenches. Months earlier, Freddie survives an explosion and befriends a German soldier. Not wanting to return to the battlefield, they take refuge with a man who seems to make the hell of battle disappear. Searching for answers and the brother she doesn’t think is dead, Laurie volunteers at a private hospital in Belgium, where she hears whispers of a man who can make soldiers forget.
After Annie
Anna Quindlen
When Annie Brown dies, her husband, four children, and best friend are all left reeling. Bill finds himself overwhelmed as a widower, Annamarie falls back into bad habits without her best friend to guide her, and Ali is forced to step up to care for her younger siblings. A study in grief, After Annie follows each of them as they eventually learn to grow stronger and more sure of themselves, while still mourning Annie.
Popular February Upcoming Releases
What February 2024 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 2024 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
Erin says
I’m most excited for Even If It Breaks Your Heart by Erin Hahn