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Must-Read Books February 2024 |
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| Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. BenjaminTeacher and children's book author Priscilla "Pris" Cummings and her bloodhound Bailey must sniff out who killed Whitney Kelley, the mean-girl mother of one of Pris' students with whom Pris recently had words. This is the 1st in a new series by the author who also writes as V.M. Burns (the Mystery Bookshop series) and Valerie Burns (the Baker Street mysteries). |
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| Never Meant to Stay by Trisha DasStuck in Delhi and in need of a place to stay, wedding photographer Samara Mansingh moves in with the Khannas, family friends she hasn't seen since childhood, and soon bonds with everyone, particularly handsome eldest son Sharav. This heartwarming homage to Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy boasts well-drawn characters and a chaste forced-proximity romance between likeable leads. |
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| The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez JamesIn this supernatural western, Antonio Sonoro robs a train in 1895 Texas and the violent aftermath still reverberates in 1964 Mexico, where renowned actor and singer Jaime Sonoro discovers a book detailing his ancestors' crimes over the centuries. Read-alikes: Oscar Hokeah's Calling for a Blanket Dance; Victor LaValle's horror-tinged Lone Women. |
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| Red String Theory by Lauren Kung JessenArtist Rooney Gao spends one enchanted evening with NASA engineer Jack Liu at a Lantern Festival celebration before they return to their very different lives on opposite coasts. But fate has other plans for them. Fans of the film Serendipity should enjoy this "smart, sensitive, and striking" (Kirkus Reviews) romance by the author of Lunar Love. |
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| All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-BarlowSunday Forrester, who's autistic, lives with her headstrong 16-year-old daughter in the English Lake District house she grew up in. When a rich London couple move next door, they quickly upend Sunday's careful life and drive a wedge between her and her daughter. Longlisted for the Booker Prize, this thought-provoking own voices story is Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow's first novel. |
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| Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin StevensonThe Mystery Writers' Society hosts a crime festival on a multi-day train trip across Australia -- and there's a murder. Festival-goer and writer Ernest Cunningham delightfully spins the tale of what happened in this fast-paced sequel to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Read-alikes: Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express; Anthony Horowitz's Magpie Murders mysteries or his Daniel Hawthorne series. |
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| Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine by Uché Blackstock, MDSecond-generation physician Dr. Uché Blackstock recounts her education and career in medicine, and describes how her experiences led her to found Advancing Health Equity, an organization dedicated to dismantling systemic racism in healthcare. Further reading: Sickening by Anne Pollock; Under the Skin by Linda Villarosa; Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington. |
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| Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz HabibDebut author Shahnaz Habib's witty and thought-provoking blend of memoir, travelogue, and cultural history explores the legacies of colonialism and capitalism in travel. Try this next: Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move by Nanjala Nyabola. |
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| Are You Big? by Mo WillemsUsing a series of increasingly large anthropomorphic objects -- including a hot air balloon, the continent of Australia, and the moon -- perennial kid favorite Mo Willems brings his distinctive silliness to the concept of relative size. For a sweet, cozy take on the same topic, try Nina Crews’ I’m Not Small. |
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| Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen PhamA disastrous date and a spilled family secret prove that Valentina’s family is cursed to be heartbroken forever. Still, she strikes a bargain with Saint Valentine to find love within the year. This vividly detailed graphic novel blends romance and a coming-of-age story. |
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| A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee; illustrated by Dan SantatOlive Cobin Zang is used to feeling lonely and invisible. That changes, however, after she’s chosen to train as an undercover crime-fighter with four other offbeat, unusually talented kids. This quirky series opener is packed with suspense. Read-alike: Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls by Beth McMullen. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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