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Must-Read Books February 2026 |
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| The Bookbinder's Secret by A.D. BellIn this "stellar debut" (Publishers Weekly), Lilian Delaney is an apprentice bookbinder in 1901 Oxford working at her widowed father's failing bookshop. When she's given a burned book by a customer, she finds a cryptic 50-year-old love letter hidden beneath the binding that speaks of murder. Drawn into the story, Lily looks for other books by the obscure author, discovering she's not the only one after them. Read-alikes: Jess Armstrong's Ruby Vaughn mysteries, starting with The Curse of Penryth Hall. |
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The Land in Winter
by Andrew Miller
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 BOOKER PRIZENEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICENPR BEST BOOK OF 2025NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF 2025SHELF AWARENESS BEST BOOK OF 2025WINNER2025 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction2025 Winston Graham Historical Prize for FictionTender, elegant, soulful and perfect...Superb.--Samantha Harvey, Booker Prize-winning author of OrbitalDecember 1962: In a village deep in the English countryside, two neighboring couples begin the day. Local doctor Eric Parry commences his rounds in the village while his pregnant wife, Irene, wanders the rooms of their old house, mulling over the space that has grown between the two of them.On the farm nearby lives Irene's mirror image: witty but troubled Rita Simmons is also expecting. She spends her days trying on the idea of being a farmer's wife, but her head still swims with images of a raucous past that her husband, Bill, prefers to forget.When Rita and Irene meet across the bare field between their houses, a clock starts. There is still affection in both their homes; neither marriage has yet to be abandoned. But when the ordinary cold of December gives way--ushering in violent blizzards of the harshest winter in living memory--so do the secret resentments harbored in all four lives.An exquisite, page-turning examination of relationships, The Land in Winter is a masterclass in storytelling--proof yet again that Andrew Miller is one of the most dazzling chroniclers of the human heart.Andrew Miller's writing is a source of wonder and delight.--Hilary MantelThis book is really special.--Sarah Jessica Parker, 2025 Booker Prize Judge
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Huguette
by Cara Black
August 1945. Seventeen-year-old Huguette Faure is a survivor. The war has taken everything from her--both her parents and her sense of safety. Now, pregnant and on the lam, she cannot return to her childhood home in Paris. Forced to reinvent herself, she must outrun her father's enemies, who want her dead. After narrowly avoiding jail time--thanks to the help of a kind-hearted police officer named Claude Leduc--Huguette lands a job assisting a legendary film director. As her role develops from helping him with chores to cooking his books, she sees an opportunity to break free from the ghosts of her past once and for all--
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The Fault Between Us
by Stephanie Landsem
In this gripping new work of historical fiction from the award-winning author of Code Name Edelweiss, three sisters fight for their lives and for each other amid the danger of a cataclysmic earthquake that rips Yellowstone National Park asunder.1959. Claire, Bridget, and Frannie Reilly were once as close as sisters can be. Though their mother left when they were young, their loving father raised them with everything they could want. But when Claire marries a handsome cowboy and settles out west, a thousand miles away, the sisters' strong bond begins to unravel.Claire struggles to adjust to a life utterly unlike her upbringing, and surprising revelations about her husband's past make her wonder if she's made a terrible mistake. With a new baby and a shoestring budget, the last thing she needs is her family's interference.Sensing something isn't right, Bridget takes a temporary nursing assignment in Yellowstone, promising her father she'll bring Claire home--with or without her husband. When Frannie, the rebellious youngest sister, is sent along in hopes it will corral her behavior, the Reilly sisters reunite on the eve of a seismic event that rips Yellowstone apart, tests their survival, and exposes the ever-widening rift in their relationship.Based on real events of the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake and inspired by true stories, The Fault Between Us is a suspenseful exploration of the bonds of sisterhood, the depths of family drama, and how hidden wounds can only heal when they're brought into the light.Christian historical fiction based on fascinating historical eventsPerfect for fans of Cathy Gohlke or Susan MeissnerIncludes discussion questions for book clubs
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| Dark Sisters by Kristi DemeesterUnfolding across three timelines, Kristi DeMeester's fast-paced latest centers on the "Dark Sisters," a pair of vengeful witches whose hold on the women of small-town Hawthorne Springs spans centuries. For fans of: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth.
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May Contain Murder
by Orlando Murrin
While his flooded house undergoes repairs, chef-turned-writer Paul Delamare has been offered an accommodation upgrade: an all-expenses-paid trip aboard a private superyacht in the company of Xâera, one of his dearest friends. Paul will help Xâera work on her memoirs as Maldemer glides its sumptuous way to the Caribbean. The scenery is stunning, the luxury is unparalleled, and the food--well, at least the dishes that Paul is roped into preparing--are delicious. The hired chef, meanwhile, seems completely out of her depth. ... When Xâera's priceless new necklace goes missing, Paul falls under suspicion. But there's far worse in store, as one of the passengers is found dead in mysterious and grisly circumstances. The stormy weather matches the threatening mood onboard, and as Maldemer veers off course, every semblance of order goes with it--
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| Simultaneous by Eric HeissererGrant Lukather, agent of the elusive federal department known as Predictive Analytics, teams up with Sarah Newcomb, a past-life hypnosis therapist, to embark on an investigation into a bizarre killer who crosses time, space, and consciousness. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Arrival brings a mind-bending science fiction thriller that will draw in fans of The Glass Woman by Alice McIlroy and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer.
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| Snake-Eater by T. KingfisherIn search of a fresh start after leaving her emotionally abusive fiancé, cash-strapped Selena heads to the small desert town of Quartz Creek, Arizona to stay at her late aunt's abandoned home. But not all is as it seems in Quartz Creek, as she soon discovers she's being watched by the same malevolent creature who targeted her aunt. Fans of dark fantasy/horror hybrids will want to check out this suspenseful and atmospheric latest from bestselling author T. Kingfisher.
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| The Hitch by Sara LevineOpinionated Rose Cutler is excited to watch her six-year-old nephew Nathan and feed him vegan food while his parents vacation in Mexico. But things go bad when Rose's Newfoundland dog kills a corgi at the park, leading Nathan to proclaim the corgi is actually alive, its soul melded to his own. As Nathan acts strangely, Rose wonders if he might be right in this darkly humorous, offbeat tale. For fans of: the author's Treasure Island!!!; Melissa Broder.
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| It Should Have Been You by Andrea MaraWhen a new mother mistakenly shares a private complaint with her whole neighborhood, tensions escalate into violence and shocking deaths. What begins as a minor misstep spirals into a web of betrayal and fear, exposing the fragility of trust and showing how quickly social media can upend seemingly ordinary lives. For fans: of Lisa Jewell and B.A. Paris.
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Love in Plane Sight
by Lauren Connolly
Mayday. Mayday. Engine failure. ... When her first ride-along becomes a crash course in aviation after her perpetually stoic flight instructor is forced to execute an emergency landing, Beth is horrified to find herself with an adrenaline-fueled crush on George Bunsen. She's dumbstruck when George offers her discounted flight lessons--possibly out of guilt for almost killing them. And despite George's annoying habit of departing any room the moment Beth enters, she really wants to accept. No matter that it's an egregiously expensive hobby, or that her waitressing wages go right toward her mother's medical bills, or that she's already in debt to her eyebrows. Flying is Beth's dream, and she could use her private license to earn real money. The more time they spend navigating the sky, the turbulence between George and Beth dissipates. But Beth has seen the burning wreckage that comes from mixing business with pleasure--plus, she's been keeping a secret that, once revealed, will send all her relationships into a tailspin. Can she really take that risk when her pilot career isn't even off the ground?--Provided by publisher.
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| The Summer War by Naomi NovikFurious at her beloved brother for leaving home, musically gifted Celia had no way of knowing her childish curses at him would doom him to a life without love. Celia desperately searches for a way to undo her mistake, until she uncovers a centuries-old secret about the immortal beings known as the summerlings. For fans of: magical curses, suspense, and in-depth worldbuilding as found in The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara.
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Woman Down
by Colleen Hoover
In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations...and reality.Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she's been uninspired to write ever since.Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It's Petra's last-ditch attempt to save her career--and herself.Then he shows up.Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra's words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who's becoming her muse.Their research sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she'd never lose herself in again. She's never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra's forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she's been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her--the reputation only she can reclaim.
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The Things We Leave Unfinished
by Rebecca Yarros
Told in alternating timelines, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED examines the risks we take for love, the scars too deep to heal, and the endings we can't bring ourselves to see coming. Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce--the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother's estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He's just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she'll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he's the one to finish her grandmother's final novel...even if the publisher swears he's the perfect fit. Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn't much the golden boy of modern fiction hasn't accomplished. But he can't walk away from what might be the best book of the century--the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another. But as they read Scarlett's words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book--it's based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn't a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she's as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother's mistakes--even if it means destroying Noah's career.
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| The Great Resistance: The 400-Year Fight to End Slavery in the Americas by Carrie GibsonHistorian Carrie Gibson's (El Norte: The Epic and Forgotten Story of Hispanic North America) sweeping history illuminates four centuries of enslaved people's resistance to the Atlantic slave trade and "insists on the primacy of the enslaved themselves as agents of their own liberation" (Kirkus Reviews). Further reading: Daring to Be Free: Rebellion and Resistance of the Enslaved in the Atlantic World by Sudhir Hazareesingh. |
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A Short History of the Gaza Strip
by Anne Irfan
One of BBC History Magazine's Books of the Year From a leading scholar of Palestine-Israel, a brief, essential history of the besieged strip of land, revealing the long-term roots of Israel's destruction of Gaza.
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When You Trap a Tiger: (Newbery Medal Winner)
by Tae Keller
WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL - WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME - A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST MIDDLE GRADE BOOK OF THE CENTURY Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother. Some stories refuse to stay bottled up... When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal--return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice...and the courage to face a tiger. Tae Keller, the award-winning author of The Science of Breakable Things, shares a sparkling tale about the power of stories and the magic of family. If stories were written in the stars ... this wondrous tale would be one of the brightest. --Booklist, Starred Review
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Firefox Moon: A Juniper Lane Adventure
by Eoin Colfer
Acclaimed, mega-bestselling Eoin Colfer, named a master storyteller by School Library Journal, returns to the world of Juniper Lane for a lively new adventure! This time, Juniper takes off on a summertime quest in a story sure to delight young readers all year round.
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| Basket Ball: The Story of the All-American Game by Kadir NelsonHit the court with award-winning author/illustrator Kadir Nelson in Basket Ball, a history of the game from its humble beginnings to the high-profile sport of today. Combining vivid full-color paintings with fascinating facts and a focus on Black excellence, this overview is a must-read for sports fans. For fans of: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, also by Kadir Nelson.
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Holding on for Dear Life
by Dusti Bowling
Acclaimed author Dusti Bowling takes the bull by the horns in this moving novel about a boy struggling to keep his family together while facing the side effects of bull riding.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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New Carlisle-Olive Township Public Library
408 S. Bray St.
New Carlisle, Indiana 46552
(574) 654-3046ncpl.lib.in.us |
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