On the latest episode of the New Title Drop, Angela and Melanie discuss what they love about the Winter Olympics before getting into their book recs for February 2026.
Note: This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability while preserving the original intent of the conversation. It is provided to improve accessibility and may not be a strictly verbatim record of the audio.
Transcript:
Angela: Entire four years that they have trained for comes down to the temperature of that day.
Melanie: And like whether the wind is blowing a certain way and.
Angela: Believe it or not, folks, this is a podcast about books.
[Music Intro]
Angela: Hello and welcome to OPL’s mini episode series, New Title Drop, where we share new titles coming out this month. I'm Angela and I'm here with Melanie, and we are both collection development librarians.
About the Winter Olympics
Melanie: It is February now. The Olympics are starting. Oh. What is your favorite Winter Olympic sport to watch?
Angela: I love them all. Like there's something there's something about the Winter Olympics that I find so fascinating. I feel like it gets less airtime and
Melanie: They’re so much more dangerous.
Angela: Yeah, it's very scary. There's so scary. I'm always worried about everyone. I'm always really impressed with the one where people ski. And then they do target practice afterwards. I'm like, how do you breathe? It's the biathlon. Yeah. So, yeah, I don't know the names. I do have to admit that I don't watch curling very much.
Melanie: I can get into curling. It's like, I can get in any of the sports as long as there's, like, a good piece about the background of the athlete. The story in front of it. Like, tell me, like why it's so important that the Lithuanian win this one or like, you know, like, give me, give me those stories in that drama.
Angela: Yeah. That's the best part of the Olympics is like, I've never heard of this sport or person before, but now I'm so invested. You have to win. This is going to change everything. It's going to make the world better
Melanie: Right? Like, yeah. This one minute that I now know about these people. Like, now my whole life depends on this. I like them all. I like the hockey, the figure skating, speed skating, you know, even some of the skiing. There’s some heartbreaking stories with the skiing, sometimes.
Angela: I love most of the skiing. It's just unfathomable to me the things that people can do while just sliding.
Melanie: Like the skeleton, and the luge. How do you practice that? I want to know.
Angela: Also, it's like the summer sports, I feel are not so impacted by the weather. Because there's always like, the snow is melting or they had to make fake snow last time. And it's like what? Their entire four years that they have trained for comes down to the temperature of that day.
Melianie: And like weather, the wind is blowing a certain way.
Angela: Believe it or not, folks, this is a podcast about books.
Skate It Til You Make It by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Melanie: It's true. And to kick us off, I have a book that is very related to that opening talk. We just had. So my first book is called Skate It Til You Make It by Rufaro Faith Mazarura because it's February and because it's Olympics month, I thought it fitting that I talk about this sports romance.
And what's even more exciting is that it's about one of my favorite sports to watch, women's hockey. Ari is Great Britain's women's hockey team captain, newly given that responsibility after a teammate's injury. And now she's leading the team into the Winter games while also trying to avoid her toxic ex. Drew is seeking a new start in life after a series of events that the description provides.
He's uncovering a family secret, breaking up with his ex-girlfriend, and dropping out of graduate school. So yeah, just a few things going on in his life there. He ends up back in London taking up professional photography, and the two meet on New Year's Eve and then again months later at the Games, where a set of circumstances led them to decide to fake date, thinking that it will somehow solvee each other's problems.
And you know, I'm thinking we might be able to guess where this goes, but that's kind of the fun of the romance books. This said in a few reviews to be a closed door romance, so it's light on the spice. And if you like this one, the author has another book that is set during the Summer Olympics called Let the Games Begin.
Author Aurora Palit said, I've never read a hockey romance like this before. It's vulnerable, gritty and emotional. Mazarura has skillfully weaved together a cast of authentic and lovable characters that kept me turning the pages. When you're not rooting for the heartwarming romance, you'll be cheering for Ari as she unexpectedly steps into the role of captain of her hockey team at the Olympics.
Skate it Til You Make It is a must read for fans of the Olympics sports romance, fake dating and love stories that are impossible to put down.
Angela: What is it with hockey romance?
Melanie: They're all the rage right now. Despite loving hockey so much, I have not really tried to read one yet, so I really need to. Maybe I'll start with this one.
Angela: Yeah, I think also the whole like this would be a really smart. Well, if fiction worked like real life, like if you wanted to date someone, you could tell them you had to pretend to date them. And then you always fall in love.
Melanie: There you go. Exactly.
Angela: That's the formula. Be like, oh, I told my parents that we're a couple. You have to pretend with me. And then all of a sudden,
Melanie: Yeah, I am reading another. I am reading a fake dating, I guess he does play hockey, so it's a little bit of a hockey romance, I guess. Fake skating by Lynn Painter, who's a local author, and she's written a lot of lies and adult books. I'm reading that one right now because I thought that would get me in the Olympics mood to.
Bloodfire, Baby by Eirinie Carson
Angela: Oh, yeah, well that's lovely. My book is not related to the Olympics or anything sweet at all. My first book is Bloodfire, Baby. I love that title. By Eirinie Carson, out on February 17th. So it's a creepy horror story, which you can probably tell by the title. I've been noticing a lot of horror written around mothers in the past few years.
Which makes a lot of sense because it is such an existential part of our story. In this tale, we have Sophia, living far from where she is from, in a nice suburb, imagining her wonderful life as a mom. The way Instagram showed her it would be. But after her baby is born, she finds that reality is very different.
When her husband leaves on a work trip, she is left utterly alone with a baby she hasn't even named yet. She starts to feel completely isolated. Why does she have to parent alone? Her husband is gone. Her best friend is not helping. Her zealot of a mother would only make things worse. What seems like postpartum depression soon becomes something more sinister. Between sleep deprivation and a strange internal darkness that is taking over, Sophia learns that there are generations of a curse on the eldest daughters of her family.
She has to go back to her roots to figure out how she can fix this before her baby meets this ominous danger.
S.A. Cosby says Carson's Bloodfire Baby arrives kicking and screaming with flames in its hair and lightning in its hands as it heralds a new, powerful literary voice being born raw, honest, mysterious and ultimately courageous, blood Fire Baby is the book that will peel away your misconceptions, misconceptions, and lay bare the power and the beauty of the feminine mystique. Not to be missed.
And Margaret Wilkerson Sexton adds the most nuanced examination and postpartum I have ever read, Blood Fire, Baby spans continents and generations in its kaleidoscopic portrayal of motherhood, race, and class. Rarely is a novel as propulsive as it is illuminating, but this is uncannily infused with a heavy, knowing dread that intensifies with each turning page.
That expert pacing, along with the novel's exquisite language, depth and scope, announces Carson as a refreshing and essential new voice in contemporary fiction.
Crown City by Naomi Hirahara
Melanie: All right. My next book is also very different from either of those first two. Crown City by Naomi Naomi Hirahara comes out February 17th. I don't tend to read a lot of mystery, but Hirahara’s 2021 book Clark and Division had me captivated with its historical Chicago setting that was inspired by real events in World War Two.
I realized I'm a little behind because apparently she wrote a second book called Evergreen, which is a continuation of that family story, so I need to check that out. But now she's written a third book in this series, but Crown City appears to be a separate story altogether.
This one is set in 1903 Pasadena, following an 18 year old Ryui, who has arrived from Japan after the death of his parents and starts working as an arts dealer's apprentice. While trying to settle into the city among racial tension and violence, a studio's painting is stolen and the artist, Pasadena's most successful Japanese artist, hires Ryui and his roommate Jack to investigate, but they soon find themselves in danger.
Reviews on Storygraph indicate this could appeal not to just mystery fans, but to historical fiction fans, as well, as it's a well-researched book and is said to include cameos of real life historical figures. Forward review says the language is evocative and immersive, lending weight to rise. Observations and real people and events add historical credence and narrative depth to the mystery.
Crown City is a measured coming of age novel in which a man ponders what must be preserved for the sake of one's cultural identity.
Autobiography of Cotton: A Novel by Cristina Rivera Garza
Angela: Okay, now, different from all of those. Let's see if we can keep it going. Eventually my books will get similar again. So, Cristina Rivera Garza wrote Liliana's Invincible Summer that won the Pulitzer Prize. It is a story of her sister who went missing in the 90s and her desire to get justice.
Her writing is so good. I have to take breaks because I'm afraid it will affect me too much. So I was really excited to see that she has a new book coming out in English on February 3rd, called The Autobiography of Cotton. It is metafiction which we all know I love. Through archival research, Rivera Garza talks about the transformation of the borderlands after the 1934 strike of cotton workers in Tamaulipas, Mexico.
She chronicles generations of deprivation that have shaped both the ecosystem and the people who have lived and work there. Using her own story interspersed with this historical background, the result is a compelling fictionalized story about labor, the environment, and the social impacts of this industry. Vanessa Angélica Villarreal says Rivera Garza is a mythmaker, archivist, historiographer, etymologist, and philosopher—reveals the blood-soaked blossom between parallel histories. Rooted in careful research, Autobiography of Cotton is a triumph of the critical and speculative imagination.
Time called it one of the most anticipated books of 2026, adding that it is a sumptuous work of autofiction that plumbs the mirage like landscapes of the border region and the frictions that simmer between neighboring nations in dense, lyrical prose. Rivera, Garza weaves in an array of political and historical allusions, highlighting the human costs and environmental degradation caused by the cash crop that created our modern world.
Melanie: Great. Some very important ones. When does that come out? Sometime in February?
Angela: February 3rd.
Where the Wildflowers Grow: A Novel by Terah Shelton Harris
Melanie: All right. Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris comes out February 17th. We've talked about this author before on the podcast. She's also a collection development librarian, which we think is very cool. So Where the Wildflowers Grow is, as the publisher says, a story of survival and redemption that questions what it means to stop existing and start living. The description goes on to say the main character, Leigh is the last of the wild, and she watched them all die.
It then says that the transport bus taking her to prison gets in an accident, killing everyone but her. I have so many questions. What happened to the wild and why did she watch? Why was she going to prison? What does she do next? According to the description, while on the search for a place to hide, she finds herself at a flower farm that unexpectedly holds a farm owner, Jackson, who helps and encourages her to face her tragedies.
But the past can only say the past for so long, and eventually her secrets catch up to her. Author Rhonda McKnight said raw, tender and utterly compelling, this vividly written novel is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. I lived inside the story, walking alongside Leigh through every shadow and every fragile bloom of hope. Immersive and powerful, it's a unique work of storytelling that reminds us that healing can be found in nature, in community, in love, and in facing the past.
One Bad Mother: In Praise of Psycho Housewives, Stage Parents, Momfluencers, and Other Women We Love to Hate by Ej Dickson
Angela: Okay, so since I brought in a mother horror story, maybe I should give a lighter alternative. So Bad Mom by Ej Dickson is at is the societal concept of what it means to be a quote unquote bad mom from mom influencers, stage moms, and more. Each chapter talks about common bad mom tropes such as the MILF, the MLM hun and then challenges the ideas around those stereotypes using humor and pop cultural references as a background.
An eye opening, thoughtful and generous look at all kinds of motherhood, this book invites us to let go of the impossible standards associated with unattainable perfection, and look into the true joy and magic of just moms. Sarah Peterson, author of Mom-fluenced Inside the Maddening Picture, Picture Perfect World of Influencer Culture, says in One Bad Mother, EJ Dickson bravely dares to suggest that mothers are people people who, despite undergoing the identity shifts that attends motherhood, do not will and do not willingly go gentle into the good night of nonsensical binaries and maternal mandates.
The notion that there's such a thing as a good mother or a bad mother is hilarious indeed, and Dickson underscores her razor sharp critiques of various forms of mommy propaganda with wit, nuance, and vulnerability. I am a good, bad mom, and I love this book. And Taylor Lorenz calls it brilliant, razor sharp and hilarious. It will completely transform your views of motherhood.
It's deeply researched and insightful, and expertly dismantles the idea of the perfect mom. Dixon mixes real stories, pop culture, and smart commentary in a word in a way that reveals that's revealing and totally relatable. She writes with heart, wit and the kind of honesty that feels like talking to your smartest, funniest, most insightful friend. This book is perfect for any mother, father, soon to be parent or reader with an interest in our cultural views on motherhood.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and it is out on February 10th.
Bad Asians by Lillian Li
Melanie: All right, my next one is Bad Asians by Lillian Li. It comes out February 17th. This is a story of four friends Diana, Justin, Ariel and Vivian who followed what they believed was the checklist to success. A good university, straight A's hard work.
But then they graduated in the 2008 recession and found themselves unemployed and living back at their parents’ houses in what the publisher calls a hyper competitive Chinese-American community. Along comes Grace, a now Harvard Law School dropout who asked if she could make a documentary out of them. They agree, thinking, you know, no one will ever see this one.
Behold, the video goes on YouTube and soon their personalities are out there with millions watching/ Author Susan Choi says the ugly underbelly of internet notoriety and whether or not it's survivable is the riveting question that Asians explores. And author Angie Kim said, Bad Asians is a richly drawn and emotionally honest novel that explores the complex entanglements between friendship and family, ambition and happiness, and childhood and adulthood.
Lillian Li's writing is poignant, funny and filled with keen observations. In short, a perfect read for anyone trying to make sense of our unsettled times. A beautiful novel that made me think, gasp and laugh.
The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster by Shelley Puhak
Angela: How many novels make you go, I know, right? Yeah, I love that. Any like book that makes me like, viscerally react in any way is wonderful. Okay, so now we're going to tie it all together. We're continuing my theme of reevaluating women's stories and doing something kind of horor-y at the same time, it's nonfiction. It all comes together. Okay, so let's talk about Elizabeth Bathory, allegedly the most prolific female serial killer of all time. This book is The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster by Shelley Puhak.
This is out on February 17th. In this nonfiction true crime work Puhak explores new information about the woman who allegedly tortured and killed over 650 girls with morbid stories about her bathing in their blood. The legend has been retold for generations, and may be an exaggerated game of telephone that may unveil a monster, a victim, or both. Booklist states Puhak sifts through the confusing, often contradictory historical record to present what could be the most complete, most accurate portrait of Bathory we've ever seen.
The research is impeccable and the writing is richly textured, and most important, the author's empathy shines through. There is no remote historical figure. She's writing about this living, breathing woman who was not who we thought she was, a splendid exploration of one of history's most enduring enigmas, and Nancy Goldstone calls it a brilliant reappraisal of the life and legend of Elizabeth, Countess of Bathory, employing an engaging style and meticulous research who slices through 400 years of superstition and smears with the ease of a Renaissance knight on a noble quest for truth and justice.
Both an invaluable contribution to scholarship and compelling true crime mystery, The Blood Countess makes for a fascinating read.
Kin: A Novel Tayari Jones
Melanie: My last book, I'm Very Excited for Kin Tayari Jones comes out February 24th. First, if you haven't read Jones’ American Marriage yet, please go read that. It's an incredible read about love, forgiveness, and wrongful conviction. And I was so excited when I heard Jones had a new book out.
The publisher calls this one an unforgettable novel that sparkles with wit and intelligence and deep feeling about two lifelong friends whose worlds converge after many years apart in the face of a devastating tragedy. Vernice and Annie are best friends and neighbors growing up in honeysuckle, Louisiana, both motherless for nieces, raised by a fierce aunt after her mother died while Annie's mother abandoned her as a child, Vernice heads off to Spelman College when Annie’s story is a bit less clear, the description saying she sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, culminating in a battle for her life.
Publisher Jordan Devlin says this is a story of friendship, sisterhood, haunted hearts, the inequities and injustices of a fractured, indifferent nation. While author Ann Patchett says, Kin is the kind of all encompassing reading experience I'm always hoping to find smart and funny and deftly profound. This is true. Jones's very best work, and a Kirkus (starred review) says, beautifully written and powerfully compelling, Tayari Jones in interrogates social injustice through the lens of personal relationships while exploring the ways in which it shapes those relationships.
And she does this in language that is intimate, conversational and musical all at once.
All the titles mentioned can be found in the list in our episode description. Stop by on the first Tuesday every month to hear about new books coming out dropping that month. That's our episode. Thanks for joining us for our new title drop, February 2026.
[Music]
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