The February Birthday Blog

Schedule e-Gift Cards and peruse the month's best gift books

Got any February-born friends or family? Treat your loved ones to a bookish birthday! Did you know you can now schedule ThriftBooks e-Gift Cards? Purchase today and schedule for delivery on your recipient's special day. This is a great feature for getting all your monthly birthday shopping done in one fell swoop! The process is quick and easy. Plus, check out our new month-specific birthday designs!

If you'd rather choose something specific for your February friends, read on to peruse some of the hottest titles of the moment. Plus, learn about the literary luminaries born this month.

This month's best gifting books

Here are some of the reads that are currently getting rave reviews from a variety of readers.

Fiction finds

• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden—This propulsive page-turner is the first in an addictive series!
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros—A fragile, bookish young woman defies the odds in this sexy, dragon-riding romantasy.
• James by Percival Everett—This 2024 National Book Award winner reimagines Twain's Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim.
• The Women by Kristin Hannah—An intimate coming-of-age drama set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War.
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore—A teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp in this rich, expertly-paced mystery.

Non-fiction gems

• The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer—The author of Braiding Sweetgrass returns with another resonant paean to the natural world.
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk—A pioneering analysis of trauma, offering a bold new paradigm for healing.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear—Learn now to build good habits and break bad ones.
• The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan—Complement this gift for your bird watching besties with a collection of postcards featuring the author's charming avian illustrations.
• Cher: The Memoir, Part One by Cher—"Snap out of it!"

Feel-good picture books

• Little Blue Truck's Valentine by Alice Schertle—Join Little Blue Truck as he delivers Valentine's Day cards to all his friends.
• Love From Bluey by Suzy Brumm—Celebrate love with Bluey and Bingo.
• How to Catch a Loveosaurus by Alice Walstead—The How to Catch Kids are on the chase again, this time to trap a doting dinosaur.
• Love From the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle—This cherished classic gives all the feels.
• Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman—The Tiny (yet mighty) T. Rex shows that with enough love in your heart, anything is possible.

Middle-grade faves

• Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell—Two kids race to save the world's last magical place
• The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen—A boy living on Mars unexpectedly becomes a dragon rider in this rip-roaring sci-fi adventure.
• The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin—Two gutsy siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II.
• Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes—A boy and his father defy the odds on an audacious quest to win land in the Oklahoma Land Rush.
• The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon—From the SNL legend comes a madcap adventure about three sisters, a ravenous worm, and a mysterious mad scientist.

YA winners

• If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin—A heartbreaking, complex teen romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han.
• Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter—The highly anticipated sequel to Better Than the Movies finds Wes and Liz struggling to find their way back to each other amidst tragedy and transition.
• The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold—Two teen girls fall in love and fight for survival in an abandoned bookstore in this dystopian debut.
• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid—A bestselling author makes her YA debut in this dark academic fantasy for fans of Melissa Albert and Elana K. Arnold.
• Murtagh by Christopher Paolini—This return to the world of Eragon stars a fan favorite and his dragon as they confront a perilous new enemy. This one is also available in a stunning deluxe edition!

Culinary treats

• Half Baked Harvest: Quick and Cozy by Tieghan Gerard—120+ recipes for delicious, soul-warming comfort food.
• Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple by Jamie Oliver—Full of delicious, achievable recipes you'll love to make.
• Turkuaz Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Dough Recipes for Sweet and Savory Bakes by Betül Tunç—85 recipes for sweet and savory doughs and the dishes to make with them.
• Martha's 100 Favorite Recipes by Martha Stewart—Like a scrapbook of the domestic icon's life in cookbook form.
• The Rebel Diet: Cook Healthy by Benji Xavier—Cook lighter, leaner, and happier with recipes from the TikTok and Instagram star.

Deluxe special editions

• Under the Same Stars: Deluxe First Edition by Libba Bray—Gorgeous sprayed edges and more in the first edition of this propulsive historical mystery.
• The Nightingale: Deluxe Edition by Kristin Hannah—A stunning 10th Anniversary Edition of this unforgettable novel of love and strength in the face of war.
• Truth or Beard: Deluxe Edition by Penny Reid—Features an alternate cover, sprayed edges, multiple illustrations, a Green Valley map, bonus scenes, and more.
• A Tempest of Tea: Deluxe Paperback Edition by Hafsah Faizal—with gorgeous stenciled edges, this vampire-fantasy teems with slow-burn romance.
• Babylonia: Deluxe Hardcover Edition by Constanza Casati—Featuring stunning printed edges, luxe gold foil, and full color endpapers giving you a peek into the gripping world of Ancient Assyria.

Famous authors born in February

This month produced some of history's most celebrated literary luminaries. Here are some of these distinguished authors along with one of their highly rated titles.

• Langston Hughes, February 1, 1902—Selected Poems of Langston Hughes
• James Joyce, February 2, 1882—Dubliners
• Gertrude Stein, February 3, 1874—The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
• Charles Dickens, February 7, 1812—David Copperfield
• Laura Ingalls Wilder, February 7, 1867—Little House in the Big Woods
• Kate Chopin, February 8, 1850—The Awakening
• John Grisham, February 8, 1955—Camino Island
• Alice Walker, February 9, 1944—The Color Purple
• Judy Blume, February 12, 1938—Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
• Frederick Douglass, February 14, 1818—Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
• Toni Morrison, February 18, 1931—Beloved
• Amy Tan, February 19, 1952—The Bonesetter's Daughter
• Edward Gorey, February 22, 1925—Amphigorey
• Anthony Burgess, February 25, 1917—A Clockwork Orange
• Victor Hugo, February 26, 1802—Les Misérables
• John Steinbeck, February 27, 1902—East of Eden

Happy, happy birthday to all the February babies. Whether you're celebrating a loved one or yourself, we hope you can find something perfect here at ThriftBooks to bookify your special day!

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon