Hi all. We’ve made it to February, which is usually a short but busy month. After a warm week here, it looks like winter will be returning and snowflakes are forecast. We could use the snow as the snowpack here has been so little this year.
I’m still working on my sky photos as can you tell. I like posting ones with different colors, though the content of our front area looks about the same. It’s been a quiet week and a bit somber with news of the terrible plane crash in D.C. and the looming tariffs against Canada of all places — how outrageous — among other things. I once lived in the Virginia/D.C. area for over 15 years, so it’s awful to see such a tragic disaster there. Heartbreaking.
In this month’s new releases, there’s a lot coming out. It seems everyone wants a piece of February. Such popular authors as Jojo Moyes, Linda Holmes, Curtis Sittenfeld, Anne Tyler, Eowyn Ivey, Nickolas Butler, Victoria Christopher Murray, and Marie Benedict all have fiction releasing.
And in nonfiction, memoirs by Bill Gates, Rick Steves, and particularly writer Geraldine Brooks’ book Memorial Days (due out Feb. 4) about the tragic loss of her husband writer Tony Horwitz and her bereavement looks moving and I hope to get to it, though I’ll be focusing here on some other novels that I’m adding to my TBR.
First off is Ali Smith’s dystopian novel Gliff (due out Feb. 4) about two siblings, ages 11 and 13, who get separated from their mother and end up squatting with others in an abandoned school trying to navigate the cruelties of a digitally advanced surveillance state.
You might recall I said I wouldn’t be reading dystopian post-election, but now that Scottish author Ali Smith has added her clever wordplay and humor to it, I’m unable to resist. I have not read her popular Seasonal Quartet books, so this is my chance to give her writing a go. Have you read any of her books?
Next up is Australian author Charlotte Wood’s novel Stone Yard Devotional (due out Feb. 11), which was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize and is finally coming out in this part of the world. It’s about a burned-out middle-aged woman who leaves Sydney to return to the place she grew up, joining a cloister of nuns in rural Australia, even though she’s an atheist.
Then a few things begin to interrupt the secluded life there, which plunges her back into the past. It’s said to be a meditative and finely observed story and one from a new-to-me Australian writer whose writing I’d love to try.
Much praise too has been heaped on Irish writer Roisin O’Donnell’s powerful debut novel Nesting (due out Feb. 18) about a Dublin-based mother of two young daughters (with a third child on the way) who decides to flee a violent household and try to start over.
According to Publishers Weekly, it examines the mother’s daily struggles and hard-won triumphs in a crystalline and lyrical prose. I’m usually not one for such domestic abuse kinds of tales but this one comes highly touted and appears to be mostly about the narrator’s efforts at rebuilding her life. So we will see.
For a different kind of action, there’s Jack Wang’s novel The Riveter (due out Feb. 11) about a Chinese Canadian who fights prejudice and falls in love during WWII, where he takes part in the invasion of Normandy and the inland fight to liberate France and Holland.
From the description, the novel seems a bit like a typical WWII love story — albeit from a minority’s viewpoint, but it’s received several starred reviews that say it’s particularly compelling, so I’m game for it, especially since the author grew up in Vancouver, B.C. (now works at Ithaca College in N.Y.), and I’m always looking to read more Canadian authors.
For more action reads, I’m looking at Callan Wink’s novel Beartooth (due out Feb. 11) about the struggles of two brothers living on the margins in the Beartooth mountains of Montana … who being desperate for money take on an outsider’s dangerous proposition that will change their lives forever. Uh-oh. But what more could you ask for in a Montana read? This is Callan Wink’s second novel set in Montana and I hope to read his earlier novel titled August too.
There’s also Allen Eskens’s latest crime mystery The Quiet Librarian (due out Feb. 18) about a middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who finds out when her best friend is murdered that her past from the mountains of war-torn Bosnia has returned and someone is out to get her. I mention the book as I know various bloggers have liked several of Eskens’ other novels as have I. He has a good ear for storytelling.
On the screen this month — in addition to the Grammys on Feb. 2 and a little game known as the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 — there might be some good escape viewing in crazy TV shows like The White Lotus (Season 3 on HBO Max, starting Feb. 16), Yellowjackets (Season 3, on Paramount+ with Showtime, Feb. 14), or Reacher (Season 3, on Prime, Feb. 20). We have seen the earlier seasons of The White Lotus, which get pretty crazy but have not watched Yellowjackets or Reacher — has anyone seen these? This time The White Lotus is set at a resort in Thailand so hopefully the show will have some great shots of the country.
But maybe a calmer bet is the 10-part nature documentary series The Americas narrated by Tom Hanks (on NBC & Peacock, Feb. 25). Apparently it was filmed over the course of five years and 180 expeditions across North and South America. The Americas takes viewers from pole to pole on an 8,700-mile journey looking at landscapes and encountering the plants, animals, and people who live there. It’s said to be an unprecedented series, so we’ll be checking it out and hoping that it can induce those on the planet to save nature instead of decimating it.
In movies this month, it’s best just to catch up on all the Oscar nominated films that are becoming available for streaming, but if you need something totally silly or mindless there’s the Amy Schumer movie Kinda Pregnant (on Netflix starting Feb. 5) about a woman (Schumer) who being envious of a friend’s pregnancy starts wearing around a fake pregnancy belly, and also Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (on Peacock, starting Feb. 13) which finds Bridget trying to manage as a widow and single mom. I guess that’s about the fourth movie in the Bridget Jones series — I have not seen them all … but the first one made me laugh.
Lastly in music releases for February, there’s new albums by Sharon Van Etten, Inhaler, The Lumineers, Sam Fender, and Basia Bulat among others. These all seem decent, but I’ll pick the self-titled moody album by Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, which you can hear the song Afterlife from here and the song Trouble here. I first heard her on SiriusXM.
Speaking of which I’ve just watched snippets so far of the FireAid L.A. benefit concert on YouTube and it’s pretty awesome — touching with some great performances from a wide variety of wonderful artists that’s still raising money for wildfire relief. It’s been a happy plus given the events this week.
That’s all for now. What about you — what releases are you looking forward to this month? Happy February everyone.
The horrors in Washington are definitely hard to read about, both plane crashes and the assassination of our traditional governance. Interesting book list.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, thanks there’s so many books coming for February. And I agree with you about the horrors in Washington. He intends to threaten the U.S. allies for no reason which is crazy. We are waiting to see. Wishing you a nice week.
Beautiful sky picture! I love it! And I’m glad that February is here and spring is just around the corner. Supposedly, our area will be warmer and my hope is that the cedar pollen will fly, fly away…ha! Hope you have a good week in reading, etc.
Hi Kay, thanks. The sky photo is one of the better ones I have taken over the years. February is often our coldest month — but now you have me hopeful for spring around the corner. Hope you have a great week too.
Wow. You are right, Susan…there are a lot of new books coming out soon. I’ve heard some good things about Stone Yard Devotional and Nesting. I’ve just requested Gliff from my library.
And who knew that Rick Steves was on the hippy trail?! I hope I am able to read that one.
Hi Deb, thanks. Yes so many good books this month … and the hippy photos of Rick Steves are funny to see, ha. We still watch his travel show on PBS sometimes and love those European destinations. Meanwhile I’m on the library wait list for most of these titles. I hope you get a couple. Cheers.
I hadn’t heard about any of these except the Geraldine Brooks (too depressing for me, although I have enjoyed several of her books). However, I put The Riveter and Nesting on reserve at the library. I don’t think reading will help those losing their jobs or being deported or just frightened (I wish it could) but I know it will be a needed distraction for me.
That sunset picture is amazing!
Thanks Constance, the sunset sort of blew me away and I ran out there and took a photo. I’m not sure I will see colors that good again.
I hope these books are going to be good — I put my name in for these at library. The Riveter looks good. Perhaps you’ll get to it before me. Enjoy your reading!
Agree the tariffs on Canada and Mexico make no sense and both countries rightfully are going to respond by placing g tariffs on US goods. Increasingly I don’t want to read the news.
Quite a list of authors that are publishing new books in February. I am interested in Geraldine Brooks’ memoir about her husband Tony Horwitz. He was such a great writer of history and Geraldine Brooks is also an excellent writer and it sounds like it will be a very moving memoir.
Hi Kathy, I guess Canada dodged a bullet today and that the U.S. tariffs will be paused for a month. It’s crazy, right? Ugh. Threatening Allies is so bad.
Yeah the Brooks memoir is going to be sad. Tony’s death was so sudden & unexpected that it wasn’t fair at all. Must have been a terrible shock to her.
Enjoy your week.
Happy February!
My husband has a fascination with aviation. Plane crashes are hard days — even ones that don’t cause wall-to-wall news coverage. The last few days have been tough.
Hi Joy, thanks. Yeah the two plane crashes DC and Philly have been really heartbreaking. So many kids and skaters onboard. It seems so preventable … there’s too many helicopters in DC near the airport …. they should ban those from the flight paths. Wishing you a good week.
Oh gosh, there is so much going on this month in the literary/movie worlds. So many of those books sound good.
And I love your sky photos; keep them coming!
Hi Helen, thanks. I keep taking the same sunset photos but they seem to be getting better, lol. There are many books & movies this month which hopefully will distract us some from this news. Have a great week.
The Riveter is the one that called my name!
There are lots of conversations here about tariffs being added to Australian goods too!
Hi Marg, oh no I didn’t hear about Australia being threatened with tariffs too. Ugh it’s just awful. People in Canada are really on edge now and now more anti-U.S. which is a shame.
I hope The Riveter will be great! On the library wait list for it. I hope you can get it there. Cheers.
Lots of emotionally charged books on your upcoming list! I’m looking forward to the return of White Lotus. And don’t get me started on our felon-in-chief….. Grrr.
Hi Olivia — yep some of these books sounds a bit intense — we will see. The White Lotus should distract us some. But the felon-in-chief … is really pulling bogus things this week. Canada is not happy.
Wishing you a good week.
I had such trouble with my tablet yesterday and left you a long comment. Ok, here’s the condensed version of what I must have deleted (head slap)
Love that stunning photo of the sky. Such beautiful colors.
I have added to my Goodreads (and had a few of the titles) for Memorial Days, Gliff, Stone Yard Devotionals and Nesting. Yes, yes yes to anything Tom Hanks narrates!
Looking forward to our next book together. My reading has increased as I stay informed but not too much dwelling on that orange piece of crap and what he is doing to our country, Soon I will start a nonfiction.
Hi Tina, thanks. I don’t see a sunset with those vivid colors too often. I was really pleased to get a picture of it.
I hope my site doesn’t give you any further probs commenting — let me know.
I’m impressed with all the reading you’re getting done — big books too. I have been sort of piddly but other things got in the way. Hopefully I can get back to the reading soon. I have much at the library to pick up, lol.
I hope you have a great week.
That plane crash was terrible. They were almost at the runway!!!! And so many children. Whole families.And the figure skating community had already gone through losing an entire plane full of skaters in the 60s!
The Democrats have proposed a bill that would restrict Trump’s tariffs, but I don’t know if that will do any good.
That sky photo is gorgeous! Wow! So beautiful.
I need to make a note of the Feb nonfiction releases you mentioned because #1. they sound good and #2. I think there is a “published in 2025” category on the Nonfiction Reader challenge!
Dystopian is my cup of tea so I hope Gliff is good.
I loved S1 of White Lotus but couldn’t get into S2. Might’ve been in the wrong headspace at the time so I might try to watch it again.S1 of Yellowjackets was really good. S2 not as good but good enough to continue with S3.
Hi Jinjer, good to hear from you and thanks about the photo. And oh that crash is so sad. I can barely dwell on the sad stories about the people onboard. Man it could’ve been avoided.
If someone can restrict the tariffs the WH will inflict around the globe, that will be a real blessing.
So many books & shows this month — it sort of spins my head but I hope it will be a good distraction. Thx for telling me about Yellowjackets. Might try S1.
Have a good week.
The tariffs on Canada were surprising, but I guess nothing should surprise me from him. The plane crash was sad and disturbing. Makes me nervous to fly. We’re on little jets like that as a connector to Montana all the time since there’s no direct flights from here. I have the Jojo Moyes book and I hope to start it soon. Your new photo is beautiful! What a perfect sky! Have a wonderful week, Susan!
Thanks Rachel, appreciate it — that sky (in photo) was just bonkers that night — in a good way, lol. And yeah I think the tariffs and hardness against Canada has really surprised folks here. But now we’re all game on! crazy. Not good news with crashes and all. ugh.
But I’m glad you have the new Moyes novel — some are saying it’s one of her best, so let us know what you think. Enjoy your week.
I want to read Nesting, it sounds really good. I love your sky photo! I hope you have a great week!
Thanks Vicki, glad to hear from you. Many reviews have said Nesting is really good — though I had to send my library a note to purchase it. See if your library has it. Enjoy your week too.
Wowzers! That’s another incredible photo of your sky! Very nice. Our weather has returned to normal with rain this week and even possible snow in the next day or two. It won’t amount to much, but I’m glad I got my grocery shopping done yesterday so I can stay inside for a few days. Yes, the news is just awful I’ve been feeling very anxious all morning since reading about Musk’s involvement in the Treasure Dept. If we lose Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, I think we’ll wind up in a civil war. This is really insane. And the tarrifs are going to really hurt so many people. And, of course, the two recent aviation crashes. Sigh.
I had not heard about Geraldine Brooks’ memoir. I’ll bet that’s a good, albeit sad read. And hooray for a new Allen Esken’s mystery, which looks to be a standalone. I’ve enjoyed his books and will definitely look for this one.
We’re big Reacher fans and are anxiously awaiting Season 3. We’ve been watching a good (short) series called Maigret. It’s quite good, but only two seasons with two episodes each.
Have a good week, Susan. And thanks for all the previews!
Hi Lesley, thanks, getting a sky photo that night was fortunate. It was like bonkers lighting up the sky, yay. We are back to seasonal (cold) here too — and I heard Vancouver might get 20+ centimeters of snow, which is rare for the coast! I wonder if you will get some more of the white stuff.
The news has been really crazy this week … Canada doesn’t deserve this aggression against it. And people are not happy, for good reason.
I thought you’d like the Allen Eskens’s book — it does seem like a standalone without the characters of his others. I’m on the wait list for it.
Glad you let me know about the Reacher series (keep us posted) … I haven’t heard of Maigret. Enjoy your week at the Cove.
What a gorgeous sky photo – wow!! This has been another tough week of news… I really need to come up with better coping strategies. As for the books, it’s been a long time since I read Ali Smith – The Accidental and, I think, How to be Both. I’d like to try her Seasonal Quartet, too. Stone Yard Devotional is on my radar. Will try to get a copy from the library. Have a good week, Susan.
Thanks JoAnn, I can’t compete with your lovely beach photos, but this one’s colors made me happy. I agree we need better coping strategies for what’s coming out of the White House. So far I have not come up with any.
Good to know you’ve read Ali Smith — I’m a newbie. Charlotte Wood’s book seems up my alley but we will see. Keep reading & walking!
That is such a beautiful photo, Susan. Just as you are getting colder, we are getting warmer here. It was a very nice day out today. There really are a lot of great sounding books coming out this month. The Riveter sounds like something I would like. And The Quiet Librarian is one I am looking forward to as well. I won’t blame Canada when prices from products we get from there go up. I know whose fault it will be. I hope you have a good week, Susan.
Thanks Wendy, glad to know you won’t be against Canada for whatever price increases. It’s already expensive here without the tariffs — so we don’t want or need them.
I think The Riveter and The Quiet Librarian could be good bets. I need something now that will take me away & be a good distraction. You are reading lots these days so enjoy & have a great week. I think SoCal might get rain later in the week, right? Cheers.
You: Wonderful, informative post.
Me: Adding books to my TBR, Checking to make sure I am in line for books Meditations, and Stone Yard Devotional at the library. Adding to my to-do list to listen/watch the LA Benefit. And, loving the colorful photo from your yard!
Thanks Anne, kind of you to say. I packed a lot of preview info here, lol. Now we just have a flood more on our TBRs. Oh well.
That LA Benefit concert was fun to watch … Joni Mitchell … Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, and others. I’m only halfway through … but it’s worth seeing.
Have a great week.
Charlotte Wood is a fine literary writer, I hope you enjoy Stone Yard Devotion.
And you are right – no need to read dystopian fiction when we are living through it.
Wishing you a happy reading week
Hi Shelleyrae, yeah we are living through it for sure. And Canada doesn’t deserve this treatment. bahh!
I’m glad you let me know about Charlotte Wood — I’m excited to read her book. I’m a lit fiction kind of reader. Have a great week as well.
We’re getting warmer weather this week and lots of wind…I guess that’s blowing in our next few storms. But it was nice not needing my winter coat this morning on my drive to work. And I like your sky photo! Haven’t read any of the books you listed, though both Glif and The Quiet Librarian appeal to me. Happy reading! And I hope you have a good week. 😀
Thanks Lark, while you are warming in SLC, we are cooling up here … we went from like 50 degrees last week to -10F today … yikes. Crazy change. But these are our usual winter temps now. I think you’d like some of Allen Eskens’s crime books — they are typically quite good. A few of them have the same characters but this new one appears to be a standalone. Have a great week too.
Hi, Susan! It’s been hectic the last few days so I didn’t realize there’s a new post from you. Great pic! You’re getting lucky with those sunrises/sunsets shots. They’re beautiful! I’m intrigued by Gliff and Stone Yard Devotional; the latter was the only shortlisted Booker title I couldn’t read last year. I saw White Lotus S1 and S2, but I preferred the first season. The Americas docuseries is calling my name; hopefully I’ll watch it. I’ve hit a snag with reading. Wishing you a great week!
Hi Carmen, sorry for my delayed response and thanks — glad you like the photo. How are you doing and what’s been happening? We had a cold patch come through, ouch. And I think I’ve been on the wait list for Stone Yard D. for a long while – still don’t have it. But I finally got a copy of The Safekeep from the library. I have a couple books going but things are moving slowly. Hope your reading comes back. Enjoy the week.
Wow, that sunset picture is gorgeous! I can never get my pictures to look as good as what’s really there. You’ve gotten me really excited about all the new releases to look forward to this month. And also Yellowjackets and Reacher! It’s been really cold the last couple of days, I hope it warms up soon, but if not at least I’ll have lots of books and movies to cuddle up with. I hope you’re keeping warm too!
Hi Haze, thanks. It might be the best pic I’ve ever gotten of the sunset, Lol. Things here have been freezing the last few days. So cold. I have to take our dogs for walks but I don’t want to. I hope you enjoy these new releases …. Yellowjackets seems wild and different. Stay indoors! But happy reading.
I didn’t realize the new book by Brooks was about her bereavement–much as I like her writing, that sounds like it might be too much for me. I remember reading Joan Didion’s Year of Magical Thinking and it wreaked me emotionally for awhile.
I loved Bridget Jones Diary (book and movie), but not so much the sequels, and I definitely don’t want to read about life after Mark Darcy’s passing 🙁
Really looking forward to The Americas–I love stuff like that!
Thanks for a great post–I love your previews of stuff.
Thanks Jane. Glad you like these preview posts. Yeah the Brooks book looks pretty sad …. so hold off on it if needed. The Didion one was one of the saddest ever, argh. And I agree a Bridget Jones movie without Mark Darcy is like whhhhaat? There’s probably no point to it really. Hmm.
But I’m hoping too The Americas might do the trick this month. Have a great month.
First off, the DC crash all on its own was just horrible. To think those folks were so close to being home, too. And all the young people. Some families entirely wiped out. And then you have the orange pop tart laying blame on the female heli pilot and chalks it up to DEI even though she was highly decorated. People makes mistakes.
Oh, the tariffs. He really has no clue how they work. I mean, how many times has he been bankrupt? And his sweeping tariff threats now messed up deals for both Ivanka and Jared. Oh well.
Do I even mention Elon and his band of child hackers?
Ok. Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Books. I need more books. I just requested Gliff from the library based on your mention. I have a book that was sent to me for review. It’s a memoir about travel and a house and I think it will be good as a distraction. Oh, and Butter is so good!! The book and the dairy item.
Hi Ti — I agree with you. These are all so troubling and dangerous – what the new regime is doing. And the crash was a terrible accident – preventable … I just wish there weren’t military helicopters flying near the airport so much — that makes me nervous. When I lived there — they were in & around there … too much congestion in that narrow strip.
I hope the scourge in office doesn’t mess with Canada … people are fearful and pulling away from the U.S. and its products. Enjoy your books.
I love the colours of your sky photo, such a vibrant winter picture. There certainly seems to be a lot of new releases coming out. Ali Smith is a bit hit-and-miss for me. She can be a bit heavy-handed with her political messages, but her creative play with language is second to none. If you want to give the Seasonal Quartet a go, I would recommend Winter, which is my favourite in the series and the only five star. Will see what the reviews say about her new one before deciding.
Hi Stargazer, thx I don’t think I will be able to top that sky photo. It’s my fav so far. And I’m glad to hear your thoughts on Ali Smith’s books … her Winter book would be good to get to during this very cold season here. I just got the library audio of her novel Gliff, so I will try it out. It seems pretty short … 5 hrs on audio. I’m a complete newbie to Smith so I will go in blind, lol. The language and wordplay she uses might outweigh some other things. We’ll see. Cheers.