Suspects, Swooning, & Stardust: 39 New Reads for February

We took a couple months off from staff picks, and boy howdy are our booksellers itching to share their favorite new reads with you! We have 39 books to highlight, so we won’t keep you any longer. Scroll on down and have a browse!

FICTIONRecommended by Lindsay Martyr!

By Kaveh Akbar

Y’all, the way that Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! permanently altered my brain chemistry! This debut is such a stunning portrayal of the twinned darkness and hilarity of contemporary life in America, covering everything from addiction, to geopolitical history, queer love, performance art, and casually also the meaning of the life. At turns profound and comic, Martyr! is unlike anything I’ve read before.

Also loved by Jake, Maddie, Paige, and Sarah!

Recommended by Kathy The Storm We Made: A Novel

By Vanessa Chan

Malaysia 1938/1945 – A woman compromises her family to fulfill her own needs when she becomes a spy for a handsome Japanese official in wartime. Such interesting characters in a twisty story, from a piece of history we know little about.

Recommended by Sarah Interesting Facts about Space

By Emily Austin

A list of things I thought this book was about while reading it: neurodivergence, bald men, space, sexuality, mental health, family, true crime, friendship. Turns out, it’s about all those things and much more. The quirky structure and unique protagonist drew me in, and Austin’s keen insights about life and love had me savoring each page.

Recommended by Elyse The Waters: A Novel

By Bonnie Jo Campbell

A story about Herself, an herbal healer, her three daughters, and granddaughter as they navigate through their own world on (and off) a marshy island in Northern Michigan where they try to preserve their family, and ways of life. Told in a language that flows like the waters that surround the island, the story celebrates nature, and the strength and resilience of women, family, and community.

Recommended by Lindsay Come and Get It

By Kiley Reid

No one writes class and social hierarchies like Kiley Reid. In her latest, Come & Get It, Reid turns her eye to a college campus in Arkansas, digging into all the petty drama, hushed side conversations, backhanded compliments, and codeswitching among the students and faculty. The result is an engrossing and explosive story, told with Reid’s signature wit–I loved it.

Recommended by Cheryl Family Family: A Novel

By Laurie Frankel

Once again Frankel uses young characters who break the mold to show adoption from all perspectives. It can be happy! Without giving away the plot, it builds the story of the birth mother and the families who adopt. It is not a search for love because it is love in all aspects. With humor facing real issues it becomes a new example of an extended family.

Recommended by Aly Good Material

By Dolly Alderton

I genuinely laughed so hard reading this heartfelt and supremely messy comedy about the fallout from a breakup nobody ever saw coming. Well, at least the narrator didn’t. A very fresh take on a realistic romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

Recommended by Ashby Queens of London: A Novel

By Heather Webb

“Diamond Annie”, Alice, runs an all-girl gang trying to stay ahead of detective Lilian. A brilliant mastermind up against one of the best at Scotland Yard. Both want to prove themselves, women in 1925 London. Full of coppers and thieves.

Recommended by Jennifer The City of Stardust

By Georgia Summers

An exciting debut, The City of Stardust is an atmospheric dark academia fantasy that feels like a Grimm’s fairy tale. Violet is the next in line for a fated curse. She goes on an adventure to break the curse and finds love, betrayal, and herself along the way. I really enjoyed how completely immersive the story was, and I would recommend for anyone who likes their fairy tales a little dark.

Recommended by Cheryl The Women: A Novel

By Kristin Hannah

This historical novel follows the journey of a nurse who served in the Vietnam War. The loss of her soldier brother prompts her to leave her easy life. It has heartache plus non-acceptance with her return as a veteran by both the VA and her community. The only people who understand are the two women who served with her. Hannah’s thorough research shows. Harsh and authentic, but you want to cheer at the end.

Also loved by Rae Ann!

Recommended by Tara The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels: A Novel

By Janice Hallett

Janice Hallett is the undisputed queen of mystery. Told through emails, texts, and transcripts, this book attempts to solve a cold case involving a cult called the Alperton Angels. From start to finish this book was utterly unputdownable.

Recommended by Sydney The Fury

By Alex Michaelides

The Fury is for readers who still aren’t over The Silent Patient (and please, don’t read this if you have not read its predecessor—spoilers!). Alex Michaelides has kept his signature jaw-dropping twists with this Greek island thriller, accompanied by a mildly infuriating (pun intended) narrator.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Frozen River: A Novel

By Ariel Lawhon

The Frozen River is a story of early America, also relevant for today. A midwife knows the secrets of the women in her community. When a dead man is retrieved from the river’s ice, she is  determined to learn his secret, too, while protecting the ones he hurt.

Recommended by Ashby The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder: A Novel

By C.L. Miller

This is not Antiques Roadshow! This hunt is a series of mysteries, one inside another, like treasures in an antique store. Freya distanced herself from her mentor, blaming him for the death of the man she loved. After his death, Freya gets pulled back into his world. With each mystery she solves there is another, but solving them allows her to regain her sense of self.

Recommended by Katie Red String Theory

By Lauren Kung Jessen

Fair warning – I am the President, Vice President and Publicist for the LKJ Fan Club. And I am so excited for Red String Theory!! Equal parts a swoony love story and a deep meditation on the role that fate and choice play in our own love story, Lauren Kung Jessen’s sophomore romance sparkles like the night sky.

Also loved by Tara!

Recommended by Rae Ann Unsinkable

By Jenni L. Walsh

Violet Jessup survives the Titanic and two other maritime disasters. Her true story is paired with the story of a WWII spy. Each woman faces unthinkable challenges with resilience in this captivating novel.

Recommended by Natalie Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect: A Novel

By Benjamin Stevenson

Ernest Cunningham finds himself caught up in the midst of yet another murder mystery. Full of twists and turns this novel is great for fans of Agatha Christie or The Thursday Murder Club. Told with the same humor and wit that made the debut such a magnificent read, this book is perfect for the amateur sleuth who wants to see if they can spot the culprit before the narrator or if they are a page too late…

Also loved by Heath and Tara!

Recommended by Rachel The Atlas Complex (Atlas Series #3)

By Olivie Blake

I *almost* wish this book hadn’t come out, because then I could go on living as if its contents had never happened, lost in the world of the Atlas Six trilogy. But Blake knows the characters like her deepest friends. Trust her to carry you where the story must end.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Heiress: A Novel

By Rachel Hawkins

The death of an infamous heiress, who was kidnapped as a child, divides her descendants at their family estate in this gothic novel. Once you start reading, it’s hard to put down.

Also loved by Tara!

Recommended by Kathy The Madstone: A Novel

By Elizabeth Crook

This is News of the World with sass! A journey across South Texas after the Civil War becomes a harrowing adventure for a young pregnant mother, her 4 year old son, and the men who will try to save them from potential kidnappers. Narrated by her “savior” Benjamin, it’s laugh-out-loud funny, clever and touching.

Recommended by Jenness The Parliament

By Aimee Pokwatka

A quiet Thursday evening at the library turns into a nightmare as dozens of adults and kids realize they are trapped inside by the mesmerizing, ever-growing flock – parliament – of owls surrounding them. An engaging and surprisingly deep story about internalized trauma, resilience, and the power of community. And murder owls.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Magic All Around

By Jennifer Moorman

A woman returns to her family home after her mother’s death. As she works through an assigned list of tasks with the help of a magical house, she may find where she truly belongs.

Recommended by Katie That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon (Mead Mishaps #1)

By Kimberly Lemming

I lost my dang mind when I saw that Kimberly Lemming’s beloved Mead Mishaps series was taking the leap from indie to a trad-pub deal. Because as far as I am concerned, the more people reading Lemming the better. This series is a delicious romp through the world of monstery-romances. Campy and sexy with a cover so HOT you might actually faint. I am a HUGE fan of hers. I know you will be too!

Recommended by Natalie First Lie Wins: Reese’s Book Club Pick (A Novel)

By Ashley Elston

A devious spy vs. spy con game where you don’t know who you can trust till the very end. If you love to see a smart female spy outmaneuvering her opponents, this one is for you. Fans of Alias or Oceans 8 will enjoy this novel full of morally grey characters and espionage.

Recommended by Jennifer The Tainted Cup

By Robert Jackson Bennett

A true blend of mystery and fantasy, The Tainted Cup follows Din, the eye-rolling assistant to a rather unhinged investigator. In a world where humans can be genetically altered in order to protect the realm, Din must help Ana help solve a murder involving an exploding flower before its too late. If you liked Knives Out and also crave a well-crafted fantasy world, look no further!

Recommended by Katie Time to Shine

By Rachel Reid

I’ve read many hockey romances this past year. So when I tell you that Reid is the best, I say so as someone who considers themselves an actual expert on the topic. (Not on hockey itself because gross but gay hockey romance – totally.) Time to Shine is her latest addition to the m/m hockey romance canon and I beg of you to pick up every last one of her books right now. Reid is actual perfection and my newest obsession.

Recommended by RJ Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart: And Other Stories

By GennaRose Nethercott

This short story collection is a lush mix of fairytale, fantasy, and horror that I devoured in one night. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a collection where I loved every story so consistently. With some unique formats (one story is told through illustrated bestiary entries, others through lists or dictionary definitions) and beautiful prose, this is a spectacular read.

Recommended by Tara Last Call at the Local

By Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Not only is this a lovely romance set in a small town in Ireland, but it also has the most realistic representation of OCD I have ever read in a book.

NONFICTIONRecommended by Rachel Alphabetical Diaries

By Sheila Heti

Sheila Heti took a knife, carved open my chest, and carefully lifted out my heart to preserve it in the pages of this book. The crazy part? It is in alphabetical order, down to the very last letter of the last word. Utterly genius and one of a kind.

Recommended by Jennifer Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human

By Cole Arthur Riley

A powerful adage to the Instagram phenomenon, Black Liturgies walks us through all parts of life, from love, to loss, to Lent, and gives us poetry, meditations, prayers, and reflections on how to navigate. Written in a similar style to the Book of Common Prayer but with Black voices, Cole Arthur Riley revives the human in all of us. This is a truly magnificent book for all seekers looking for meaning.

Recommended by Jordan Everyone But Myself: A Memoir

By Julie Chavez

This memoir about mental health and panic attacks reads like a conversation over lunch with a best friend. Full of humor and hope, readers are sure to see themselves in this relatable story.

Recommended by Rachel Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials

By Marion Gibson

A reminder that history is the most brutal and devastating of all stories. This book made me at times desperately sad and then bursting with fiery hot rage. Gibson takes you through the evolution of demonology and the persecution of women through patriarchal and Christian beliefs.

Recommended by Patsy Cashing Out: The Flight of Nazi Treasure, 1945–1948

By Neill Lochery

Fascinating tale of Nazi attempts to secure their plunder by sending it out of the war zone via neutral countries Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland. This prompts the Allies to launch Operation Safehaven in efforts to thwart the theft of national and personal treasures. Reads like fiction! For fans of The Monuments Men and Operation Mincemeat.

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Jennifer The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy #1)

By Katherine Arden

A dark winter classic, cuddle up with a hot drink and enjoy this magical story infused with Russian folklore. One of my all-time favorites!

We’re so excited to host Katherine Arden for her new book, The Warm Hands of Ghosts, on February 15 at 6:30pm! Register to attend the event for free HERE.

Recommended by Maddie One’s Company: A Novel

By Ashley Hutson

What happens when the only thing keeping you going in life is your obsession with a ’70s sitcom and then you just happen to win the lottery? Obviously you use your winnings to recreate that show’s set and then spend the rest of your days in isolation acting out your own delusion-fueled one-woman show. (Yes, the premise of this book is actually that insane, and yes, it is just as weird and fun as you hope it will be.)

Also loved by RJ and Jordan!

Recommended by Jake Gloria (Tcg Edition)

By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

A Pulitzer Prize finalist, Gloria is just one of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ many excellent dramas. Seamlessly intertwining comedy and tragedy, this play follows half a dozen employees at a large magazine in Manhattan. Brilliantly incorporating commentary on journalistic values, social norms, and the modern workplace, Gloria also manages to include the single most shocking end to a first act I’ve ever encountered.

Recommended by Tara Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon

By Bronwen Dickey

This book covers the history of pit bulls in America and the ever-changing perception and treatment of them. I consider this book a must-read for every dog owner.

Also loved by Natalie!

Recommended by Sarah Boulder

By Eva Baltasar, Julia Sanches (Translator)

One of my goals for 2024 is to read more translated literature, and Boulder was a fantastic place to start! Baltasar explores love, queer motherhood, and restlessness in a fantastically honest and straightforward way while still managing to be poetic and lyrical. Short and intense, Boulder doesn’t leave a word out of place.

First Editions Club: February Selection Come and Get It

By Kiley Reid

I almost missed this one.

Lindsay Lynch, Parnassus fiction buyer and wonderful novelist, read it first and loved it. I started it and thought, this is too much fun. This is maybe too delightful. I thought, I need something heavier for the First Editions Club, and so I put it down. I read some more books for February, all of them heavier and less delightful. I kept thinking about Millie, the heroine of Come and Get It. I wondered what she was up to, wondered how college was treating her. I went back to Come and Get It. As soon as I started reading again I felt relieved. I knew there were other books I should be reading but this was the one I wanted. I put it
down again. Picked it up again. College girls, dorm life, money worries, love. Was it enough?

Then I noticed the Washington Post quote on the cover of the advanced reader’s edition. It said, “Reid constructs a plot so beautifully intricate and real and fascinating that readers will forget it’s also full of tough questions about race, class, and identity.”

That was it exactly. Reid was doing the novelist’s job so well I was overlooking the complexity in favor of the story. The same had been true with her celebrated, best selling first novel Such a Fun Age, which was about babysitting, and so much more than babysitting. It was a finalist for the Booker Prize.

Give yourself over to the enjoyment of this novel. Let it sneak up on you. I’m still thinking about Millie, her dear, singular, sensible self. I love her.

Enjoy.

Ann Patchett

More about our First Editions Club: Every member receives a first edition of the selected book of the month, signed by the author. Books are carefully chosen by our staff of readers, and our picks have gone on to earn major recognition including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Plus, there’s no membership fee or premium charge for these books. Build a treasured library of signed first editions and always have something great to read! Makes a FABULOUS gift, too.

Love, Parnassus: February Selection Sex, Lies and Sensibility

By Nikki Payne

Sex, Lies & Sensibility by Nikki Payne is February’s Love, Parnassus pick, and I cannot wait for folks to crack this book open. When two sisters inherit a crumbling inn in rural Maine the two must figure out how to work with the local community (and one very sexy local in particular) in order to make their project work.  We love an Austen retelling, and Payne’s Sex Lies and Sensibility is a deliciously steamy addition to the canon. —Katie Garaby, bookseller and founder of Love, Parnassus

Praise for the book:

“In Sex, Lies and Sensibility, Nikki Payne skillfully spins the tale of a well-known Jane Austen classic and makes it entirely her own. Thoughtful, hilarious, and smolderingly steamy, I stayed up late into the night reading Nora and Bear’s story, rooting for their well-deserved HEA. I can’t wait to read what Nikki Payne writes next!”—Kristina Forest, author of The Neighbor Favor

The Love, Parnassus box is a monthly subscription box for romance readers curated by the experts at Parnassus Books. Each month you will receive a first edition book (which is sometimes signed), a letter from the author, a custom sticker, and a bookmark to track your reading. The Love, Parnassus selection will focus on debut and new-to-you romance authors. Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite romance reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.