This month, Book of the Month chose five main selections and two add-ons.

Main Picks | Add-Ons | Predictions | My Choices

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Predictions & Thoughts

There are five main Book of the Month (BOTM) selections for February, including three debut novels and one novel from a repeat author. Of the seven total February selections, four were published in January. Really Good, Actually came out on January 17. Georgie, All Along was released on January 24. Maame and River Sing Me Home came out today, January 31st.

Everyone who wishes that BOTM would feature romance in February for Valentine’s Day and Black authors for Black History Month should be please with these selections. BOTM checked both boxes.

I predicted 6 out of 7 books correctly between my January and February predictions. The one book I did not include in my predictions, Georgie, All Along, was a book I debated including in my January predictions, but ultimately, I left it off because BOTM has not historically featured books from its publisher. All of the selections this month are what I think of classic BOTM books. I also love that there is such a good mixture of genres. No matter what your favorite genre is you should be able to find a book this month that appeals to you.

I predicted at the beginning of the year that Maame would be one of the biggest books of the year. I maintain that. It looks like it will also be the February Read with Jenna book. I have a hunch we will see it as a BOTY nominee.

It is a refreshing change of pace to see BOTM choose a non-WWII historical fiction novel. River Sing Me Home has stellar reviews and should be a powerful read. It will also be the February Good Morning America Book Club novel.

The Writing Retreat is supposed to be amazing. I have only heard the utmost praise for it. I am excited to read it after being a little disappointed with last month’s pick, What Lies in the Dark.

To my understanding, there are a lot of Jojo Moyes fans. The premise of Someone Else’s Shoes sounds unique, and BOTM has labeled it as quirky. It sounds like it will feature female friendship, right on time for Galentine’s Day.

I have seen a lot of mixed reviews for Really Good, Actually. In fact, it does not have a very high Goodreads rating thus far. It seems it is a depressing read. However, it will be the Read with Marie Claire February pick.

There were a few books by repeat authors I was hoping to see as February BOTM selections. However, I am not upset that they are not. I prefer that BOTM showcase debut authors over having books from the same others repeatedly.

My Choices

I am actually going to skip this month but not because none of the books appeal to me. Instead, I am trying hard to stick to my goals this year, which include not getting more BOTM picks unless I have read all of my picks from the previous month. Technically, I did choose the January picks in December so it does not fall into this calendar year. However, I am dedicated to reducing the number of books I own, which requires me to read them. I will be adding several of this month’s selections to my BOTM TBR to get in future months. Or possibly waiting until I have read January’s picks later this month to order February selections.

I was lucky enough to receive an e-galley for The Writing Retreat, which I will be reading next week. I have heard it is amazing from multiple friends whose book opinions I swear by. I may still purchase it in the future if it is a 5 star read for me.

I will definitely will be picking up Maame and River Sing Me Home. I love seeing BOTM get back to its roots and feature debut novels, especially those by BIPOC authors. Both of these books sound fantastic and have received a lot of advanced praise.

I read The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes and really enjoyed it. So I am debating whether to get Someone Else’s Shoes. I am intrigued by the premise, but I think this is a book I will wait to see reviews for prior to making a final decision.

I am also curious about Georgie, All Along. The storyline of taking a break professionally and figuring out how to return to your original work intentions really appeals to me currently. Since I am waiting until at least next month to get any of February’s picks, I will be keeping my eye out for reviews of this book.

Since I am not much of a fantasy reader, I will be skipping The Last Tale of the Flower Bride.

I am undecided when it comes to Really Good, Actually. I have heard it is supposed to be funny, which appeals to me. However, I have also seen reviews saying it is a tear-jerker, which I try to avoid. I will likely end up passing on this novel.

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What books did you choose for your February BOTM selections? Let me know in the comments!