Book Talk, Etc. – "February Books on the Radar (2026)"

Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) & Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)
Date: February 3, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Tina and Hannah share their most anticipated February 2026 book releases, balancing buzzy new titles with lesser-known gems that deserve a bigger spotlight. The episode features engaging conversations about their reading community, recent favorites, thoughtful "Loving Lately" picks, a deep-dive discussion of the community read Skylark by Paula McLean, and a lively rundown of "books on the radar" for the coming month—across genres, from literary fiction to horror and thrillers. The tone is cozy, conversational, and slightly irreverent, peppered with anecdotal tangents and honest reader reactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Community Vibes & Reading Life

• The hosts open with praise for their Patreon community, celebrating its warmth, engagement, and the ongoing readathon.

  • “[Our Patreon Group] just always makes the reading experience that much richer… I just feel so close to them this month.” – Tina (03:17)

• Both reflect on the gifts of having a group to not only read together but to share the ups and downs of life, especially during long Midwest winters.

  • “It’s just been wonderful and has given me an excuse to even hop in Discord more and chat about not only what we're reading but also what we're doing.” – Hannah (03:44)

2. February's Bookish Riches

• Hanna and Tina agree February is packed with an abundance of exciting releases, making it difficult to narrow down choices.

  • “There is a plethora to choose from ... so many riches in February.” – Hannah (04:36)
  • “I wanted to go with ones that are a little bit more, I don’t know, not under the radar, but maybe I wanted to spotlight a bit more.” – Tina (05:00)

• Brief shoutouts to high-profile non-featured titles:

  • Keeper of Lost Children by Sudeika Johnson (predicted Reese Book Club pick)
  • So Old, So Young by Grant Gender
  • Adrift by Will Dean
  • If Only You Knew by Ellie K. Wilde (Oakwood Bay series)
  • Ken by Tayari Jones (long-awaited release)
  • “Now's the time. It's February. It's pub month, so let's get cracking.” – Tina on finally reading highly anticipated books (06:46)

"Loving Lately" Picks

(Lifestyle picks the hosts are enjoying)

• Tina – Skylight Calendar (07:38)

  • Digital family scheduling solution with a user-friendly app, integrates with photos, meal planning, and grocery lists.
  • “You can take the ingredients from the recipe and put them in a shopping list… that's a game changer.” (10:41)
  • Immersed in family life, she values how it combines digital organization with daily photo memories.

• Hannah – Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad (11:03)

  • Gift for her children, a screen-free, calming pre-bedtime activity that builds fine motor skills and creativity.
  • “It is exactly what the title implies... the gentle light makes it really easy to follow the lines and this honestly helps also with fine motor skills and handwriting.” (11:03)
  • Appreciates bedtime routines that mix reading with hands-on creative winding down.

Deep Dive: Community Read – Skylark by Paula McLean

Segment begins: 14:26

(Joint discussion of the latest Patreon community pick)

• Quick synopsis by Tina: Dual timeline historical fiction in Paris (1664 and 1939), featuring a master dyer’s daughter and a young Dutch doctor during WWII.

• Honest expectations and surprises:

  • “The synopsis wasn’t giving for me because it’s about a master dyer… But I will say there's not a ton of that. It's about much more than, you know, sort of the dying process.” – Tina (15:06)

• Both awarded five stars and were deeply moved:

  • “I gave this five stars. I absolutely loved it. I thought that each point of view was great… such a timely read.” – Hannah (16:35)
  • “Now here's the thing. When times are tough in real life, I tend to like to read heavier things… I loved this book. There are so many passages that I highlighted and underlined and annotated.” – Tina (17:12)

• Praise for historical resonance and structure:

  • “The beauty of this book is that you’re getting these two very different time periods… and you're being reminded that history is familiar.” – Tina (17:12)
  • “I like the way she connected these timelines… an important reminder always, but especially right now, it just felt really good to read that.” – Hannah (20:11)

• Notable quotes:

  • “History tends to have a pattern. It tends to repeat itself… the author put to word so many things I was feeling.” – Tina (17:12)
  • “Did she, like, have some weird foreshadowing of what was gonna be going on because the parallels were jarringly familiar.” – Hannah (21:51)

• Emotional impact:

  • “It was heavy, but also respectfully heavy... I didn't leave the book feeling depressed.” – Hannah (23:13)
  • “This is a standout read, man. I love it so much… This one is going to for sure be on my favorites of the year list.” – Tina (23:51)

• Fun banter:

  • Tina: “I love when the inside… when the inside of the hard cover, not the dust jacket, but the actual hardcover pages… have a design.” (25:01)
  • “We are going to dive in and give you some more February releases that'll hopefully also give you this sense of happiness when you finish them or sadness or whatever…” – Tina (25:15)

February 2026 Books on the Radar

Segment begins: 25:42

Tina's Picks

1. Good People by Patmina Sabit (Crown Publishing, Feb 3)

   • Highly praised by Khaled Hosseini; immigrant success, family tragedy, and public scrutiny. Kaleidoscopic perspectives.
   • “This is the Afghan novel I’ve been eagerly waiting for.” – Khaled Hosseini (quoted at 25:45)
   • “If you’re a Book of the Month member, go ahead and get you a copy.” (27:34)

2. Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novak (Avid Reader Press, Feb 10)

   • Satirical literary thriller with comps to Gone Girl, Yellowface, and My Sister the Serial Killer. Sex worker recruited by government to assassinate a politician; told in mixed media (emails, etc).
   • “Murder Bimbo is the gone girl for the Luigi Mangione era… constructed in three increasingly unhinged acts.” (32:00)
   • “I think you're getting a lot of mixed media in this one... I'll vet it for us and bring it back to the show.” (33:04)

3. The Good Girl by Michelle Dunn (Date unclear; UK release mentioned)

   • Thriller about Grace Murphy, seemingly normal woman hiding dark secrets, with detective piecing together missing men linked to her past.
   • “Would you know a serial killer if you met one?” (35:19)
   • “I think this is going to strike the right balance of being a popcorn thriller… wildly entertaining.” (36:47)

4. Family Drama by Rebecca Fallon (Simon & Schuster, Feb 3)

   • Literary debut about a soap opera actress hidden from her children's knowledge, grief, and family legacy.
   • “It's a debut that's said to be a powerful meditation on family, motherhood and the cost of holding on to your dreams.” (39:28)
   • “I love the idea of it, and again, I love a good debut.” (41:07)

5. The Shape of Dreams by April Reynolds (Feb 3)

   • 1980s East Harlem, found family, community’s struggle with loss and justice after a child is murdered.
   • “The neighborhood is a character in itself… everyone is struggling.” (44:38)
   • “It's about how this community comes together or doesn't come together to fight for a better life.” (44:38)

Hannah's Picks

1. The Secret of Snow by Tina Harnesk (Translated from Swedish)

   • Quiet, tender novel about an elderly woman facing grief, legacy, and connections across generations.
   • “Books where there are these two seemingly totally different journeys… storylines connect.” (30:54)
   • “This sounds like a really quiet, soft and meaningful read.” (30:54)

2. The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang (William Morrow, Feb 10)

   • Gothic historical set in 1911 Shanghai; mysterious house, haunting visions, long-buried secrets.
   • “Leans fully into a lush Gothic historical atmosphere… a house that may have a will of its own.” (33:32)

3. Strange Animals by Jared K. Anderson (Ballantine Books, Feb 10)

   • Magical realist fantasy with cryptids, found family, and Appalachian setting. Cozy, despite bizarre creatures.
   • “Time stopping giant moths, Cyclops squirrels, and doorways to other places... magical fantasy filled with strange creatures, found family…” (36:47)

4. She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovacheva (Mariner, Feb 10)

   • Folkloric horror: women inventing monsters in 19th c. Bulgaria to fight for freedom, upending local belief and power.
   • “We create monsters so we have something to blame and something to destroy.” (41:07)
   • “Dark and a feminist fable about power, fear, and what happens when women decide to take their fate into their own hands.” (41:07)

5. How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Phillipson (St. Martin’s Press, Feb 24)

   • Debut thriller: Scotland Yard investigates a viral self-help book that may have inspired a murder.
   • “Detective Inspector Samantha Hansen... the biggest lead is a copy of 'How to Get Away with Murder' found in the victim's backpack.” (44:38)
   • “Sounds messy and good. I don’t always love following detectives, but this sounds different.” (46:13)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Book Club Picks:

  • “[GMA] is actually the one I have the most success with... I thought it was Jenna, but I think it's actually GMA.” – Tina on Skylark as a successful GMA pick (24:09)

• On Epic Covers and Book Aesthetics:

  • “The cover's gorgeous. The colors… definitely worth making a little noise for…” – Tina (24:50)
  • (Discussion devolves playfully into chaos over describing colors.) “I've never seen color in my life… Listen, we are doing our best. We're here to talk about books, not color schemes.” (28:23)

• On Genre Patterns:

  • “In case anybody was worried about me, I did in fact bring a horror book today.” – Hannah (41:07)
  • Closing meta moment: “That's like a lot of serial killer books.” – Hannah (51:00)

Current Reads

Segment begins: 46:26

• Tina: My Darkest Prayer by S.A. Cosby

  • Last unread Cosby book—gritty, character-driven, and delivered with Cosby’s trademark punch. Delights in making connections to his later works.
  • “It’s my last S.A. Cosby book… now, after I read this, no more until he writes his next one, which made me a tiny bit sad.” (47:54)

• Hannah: Every Day I Read by Huang Bo Room

  • “Cozy” nonfiction about what it means to read and how to find deeper meaning in your reading life; reflective and perfect for book lovers.
  • “If you are a really avid reader… It’s just so cozy and really sweet.” (48:28)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:17 — Community chat & reading group reflections
• 07:38 — Loving Lately: Skylight Calendar (Tina)
• 11:03 — Loving Lately: Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad (Hannah)
• 14:26 — Community read deep-dive: Skylark by Paula McLean
• 25:42 — February Books on the Radar (main segment)
• 46:26 — Current Reads

Episode Tone & Style

This episode is warm, lively, and candid, steeped in the hosts' deep affection for both books and their bookish community. The tone oscillates from playful and irreverent (color scheme debates, serial killer overkill) to genuinely heartfelt, especially when discussing books that move, challenge, or heal. Tina and Hannah balance detailed summaries with side commentary and approachable critiques; notable quotes and readerly “confessions” are frequent. The mood overall is “book club meets late-night chat”—engaging for dedicated and new listeners alike.

Quick Book List (Featured Titles)

| Title | Author | Release Date | Genre/Notes | |------------------------------------|---------------------|--------------------|---------------------------------------| | Good People | Patmina Sabit | Feb 3, 2026 | Family drama, immigrant experience | | The Secret of Snow | Tina Harnesk | Feb 2026 | Translated, grief, legacy | | Murder Bimbo | Rebecca Novak | Feb 10, 2026 | Satirical thriller, mixed media | | The Fourth Princess | Janie Chang | Feb 10, 2026 | Gothic historical | | The Good Girl | Michelle Dunn | Feb 2026 (UK out) | Thriller, secrets, detective | | Strange Animals | Jared K. Anderson | Feb 10, 2026 | Fantastical, cozy, Appalachian | | Family Drama | Rebecca Fallon | Feb 3, 2026 | Literary, family, debut | | She Made Herself a Monster | Anna Kovacheva | Feb 10, 2026 | Horror, folklore, feminist | | The Shape of Dreams | April Reynolds | Feb 3, 2026 | Community, 1980s, literary | | How to Get Away with Murder | Rebecca Phillipson | Feb 24, 2026 | Debut thriller, Scotland Yard |

Final Thoughts

February 2026 is shaping up to be an exceptional reading month across genres and moods. Tina and Hannah’s blend of mainstream and under-the-radar picks ensure listeners discover not just the most anticipated but also those hidden gems that belong on everyone’s TBR. With genuine enthusiasm and nuanced critique, the episode both brightens the current literary landscape and invites deeper reading community connections.

“Everything’s better with books.” – Book Talk, Etc.