LibraryReads: February 2026

     

 It's LibraryReads day and that means four things here on RA for All

1. I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.
2. I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about LibraryReads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips through this archive OR the sortable master list allowing you to mix and match however you want.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any LibraryReads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.
4. Every upcoming book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.

So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.

Please remember to click here for everything you need to know about how to participate. 

And finally, here is LibraryReads' extremely helpful Resources page.

Now let's get to the February 2026 list.... 

Operation Bounce House

Matt Dinniman

(Ace)

The colonists of New Sonora have spent decades settling the land when the gate to Earth finally opens. Looking forward to a greater connection to the rest of the universe, they instead get an eviction action where bored Earthers use AI soldiers from the comfort of their homes. Oliver and his friends fight to protect the land they colonized with farm equipment and ingenuity.

—Jessi Leister, Enoch Pratt Free Library, MD

NoveList read-alike: Interstellar Mega Chefb y Lavanya Lakshiminarayan

Now the rest of the list...

Her Last Breath

Taylor Adams

(William Morrow)

Two friends get far more than they bargained for when they decide to explore a cave together in this fast-paced page turner. This unrelentingly tense read combines the heart-pounding, claustrophobic terror of navigating tight tunnels and turns with the added horrors of being stalked by a killer. Thriller fans, take note!

—Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: The Drift by C.J. Tudor

Cleopatra: A Novel

Saara El-Arifi

(Ballantine Books)

This absolutely stunning novel weaves historic facts into a love story. Readers will see Cleopatra's  life through her eyes as she ascends the throne of Egypt. They will watch the young Pharoah battle with siblings and see her fall for a love parallel to her love of country. This moving story set across time and a landscape of destruction will cut readers deep.

—Andrea Galvin, Mt. Pulaski Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff

This Is Not About Us: Fiction

Allegra Goodman

(The Dial Press)

In a series of linked stories, we follow three branches of one family as they maneuver their way around the pitfalls of living. This is a portrait of a group of people that come together, drift apart, and try to find a way back, as many families attempt to do.

—Donna Ballard, LibraryReads Ambassador, NY

NoveList read-alike: Strangers and Cousins by Leah Hager Cohen

Keep of Lost Children

Sadeqa Johnson

(Simon & Schuster: 37 Ink)

Inspired by true events, this story explores the reverberating impact of the actions of an Army wife who facilitated the adoption of mixed-race babies fathered by servicemen in Germany during WWII, finding them loving homes with Black families in the United States. Perfect for book clubs or readers who enjoy uncovering lesser-known historical events.

—Lori Hench, Baltimore County Public Library, MD

NoveList read-alike: Take My Hand

by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Kin: A Novel

Tayari Jones

(Knopf)

It's amazing the different roads two lives can take, even when growing up in very similar circumstances. While the story is set long ago, the situations seem as if they could happen today. The feelings, reactions, and things the characters long for—belonging, acceptance, and love—are all timeless. Readers will be thinking about these characters for a long time.

—Robin B., Pierce County Library, WA

NoveList read-alike: Sul a by Toni Morrison

 This Book Made Me Think of You

Libby Page

(Berkley)

After Tilly's husband dies, she discovers he had purchased a dozen books for her to pick up each month from a beloved bookshop owned by Alfie. Each book brings gradual healing, new friends, and a feeling of wholeness. The books (and Alfie!) make for a truly wonderful reader experience. Your to-read pile will surely grow from the recommendations!

—Crystal Faris, Kansas City Public Library, MO

NoveList read-alike: P ack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins

Trad Wife

Saratoga Schaefer

(Crooked Lane Books)

Influencer Camille has it all: a loving husband and a dream house, as long as she obeys his word. If only she had a baby, her husband wouldn't be pulling away. But nothing happens, until she makes a wish at a demonic well. Funny yet sad, this horror novel is a commentary on social media, conservative families, and the power men try to wield over women.

—Judy G. Sebastian, Eastham Public Library, MA

NoveList read-alike: Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton

The Red Winter 

Cameron Sullivan

(Tor Books)

A (nearly) immortal, his demon, and a succubus walk into a werewolf story. The right mix of humor, heat, history, religion, and mythology combine to make this a unique and compelling queer historical

fantasy debut. (The footnotes!) Here’s hoping that there are more adventures of Professor Sebastian Grave in our future.

—Ann Finstad, Glencoe Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

The Halifax Hellions

Alexandra Vasti

(St. Martin's Griffin)

These twin sisters are women of some infamy, purely because they shirk the rules and conventions of the day. Margo, a whirlwind of chaos and joy, and Matilda, the more staid and artistic of the two, are witty and wonderfully drawn. Readers who like spicy Regency romance will be delighted.

—Nicole Guerra-Coon, Morrill Memorial Library, MA

NoveList read-alike: A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Board Bonus picks:

Good People: A Novel

Patmeena Sabit

(Crown)

Notable Nonfiction: 

I'll Make Me A World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month

Jarvis R. Givens

(Harper)

See our social media for annotations of the bonus picks

Click here to see the entire Hall of Fame

The LibraryReads Hall of Fame designation honors authors who have had multiple titles appear on the monthly LibraryReads list since 2013. When their third title places on the list via library staff votes, the author moves into the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the Hall of Fame authors organized in alpha order. Please note, the current year's Hall of Fame lists are pulled out at the top of the page.

And Now, Back to You

B.K. Borison

(Berkley)

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

Heather Fawcett

(Del Rey)

Brawler: Stories

Lauren Groff

(Riverhead)

It's Not Her

Mary Kubica

(Park Row)

When I Kill You

B.A. Paris

(St. Martin's Press)

More Than Enough: A Novel 

Anna Quindlen

(Random House)

The Astral Library

Kate Quinn

(William Morrow)

Where The Wildflowers Grow

Terah Shelton Harris

(Sourcebooks Landmark)