Books of the Month February 2020

Although 2020 has gotten off to a rather rocky start there was at least no shortage of great books to read. These books all offered a brief escape from the stress and dramas of daily life. From romance to fantasy, science fiction and everything in between, here are the best books across all genres that kept our readers occupied during February.

Best Romance

Navy SEALs of Chance Creek, Vol 1 & 2

by Cora Seton

Navy SEALs are always a hit with romance fans and this collection by Cora Seton features not just one, but two great novels to dive into. In the first book in the SEALS of Chance Creek series, A SEAL's Oath, readers are introduced to Boon Rudman. He is a Navy SEAL with six months to find a wife and get her pregnant if he wants 1500 acres of prime Montana ranch land. Then in the second book, A SEAL's Vow, the story follows Clay Pickett who has to find a wife if he doesn't want to lose the model sustainable community he has helped build. Clay knows exactly who he would like to marry, but the only problem is that she has a stalker he would need to deal with first.

Best Action & Adventure

Dark Forces in the Wilderness

by John Gerbide

John Gerbide weaves a tale of suspense in Dark Forces in the Wilderness as he pits scientists against dangerous terrorists. The protagonists are John Ibersson, a world-renowned scientist and Jeanette Richmond, a beautiful socialite who becomes lost in a vast mountainous wilderness. It is here where the inadvertently stumble across a terrorist group working on cutting-edge nanotechnologies. John and Jeanette know that the fate of the world is at stake, but what chance do they have against well-financed and well-connected terrorists?

Best Mystery & Thriller

Southern Spirits

by Angie Fox

Angie Fox whips up a modern-day mystery with plenty of thrills in Southern Spirits. It follows Verity Long, an out of work graphic designer who just so happens to accidentally trap a ghost on her property. Now with the ability to see spirits and supernatural sidekick in two Verity takes on a new job, which involves putting an end to ghostly disturbances at an old property. The only problem is that her new employer is not just the town's bad boy, but also the brother of her ex. Nevertheless, Verity knows a good mystery when she sees one, but things become even more complicated when a decades-old murder makes her the target of a killer.

Best Children's Book

The Dog Gang Collection

by Yael Roseman

Children will fall in love with Bowie, Cleo, and Zaza, the cutest gang of dogs in The Dong Gang Collection by Yael Roseman. This wonderful series of books not only teach children about the loyalty of dogs but is also filled with important lessons. From gratitude to kindness and consideration, there's a lot that children can learn from the Dog Gang. All of the books are also filled with wonderful, colorful illustrations that are sure to delight kids.

Best Young Adult

Losing Charley

by Casey Peeler

Charley Rice was once a confident swimmer, but this all changed when she broke up with the bad boy of the Dixon High Swim team, Dylan Sloan. This prompts Charley to leave the small town of Grassy Pond in an effort to put the past behind her, but it also means leaving behind her best friend, Cash Montgomery. Cash has been a constant source of strength for Charley, so she finds herself missing his help and support when she falls head over heels in love while attending college. Then, one letter changes everything and Charley finds herself with a very difficult decision to make.

Best Fantasy

Shadow Magic

by Various Authors

Shadow Magic collects the works of Aimee Easterling, Annie Bellet, Jen Stark and many others to offer readers six full-length urban fantasy novels. If you are a fan of strong heroines, then you can't go wrong with this compelling compilation. The novels include Huntress Born, Beyond the Veil, Justice Calling, Getting Wilde, Wolves, and Empowered: Agent, so readers can expect plenty of sorceresses, shifters, demons, artifact hunters and more in this collection.

Best Historical Fiction

Mercenary

by David M. Gaughran

Mercenary by David M. Gaughran is the story of a man named Lee Christmas. Lee loses everything when he gets drunk and falls asleep at the throttle of his locomotive, which crashes straight into another train. With his career on the railroad over and his marriage in tatters, Lee leaves behind New Orleans on a steamer bound for the tropics where he begins a quiet new life in Honduras. Unfortunately, this doesn't last long and he ends up getting kidnapped by bandits when unrest sweeps the countryside. This results in Lee forced to take sides in an all-out-civil war where he becomes the leader of the rebellion.

Best Horror

The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl

by Martin Lastrapes

Vampire versus vampire hunter is nothing new, however, what if they are not just rivals but are also competing for the affections of the same girl? This is the premise for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl by Martin Lastrapes. It's the story of Adam, the vampire, Jesus, the vampire hunter, and Oliva, who is an aspiring vampire novelist. This already precarious situation is made even worse when all three of them are kidnapped by Dracula and given a sinister ultimatum that could spell doom for all of them.

Best Literary Fiction

The Wrong Side of the Bed

by Ela M. Shmuely

The Wrong Side of the Bed by Ela M. Shmuely is about Emily, a mother of two who runs a small neighborhood cafe together with her husband. Emily is a firm believer in standing behind the choices you make in life, which is not easy when everything around her starts to spiral out of control. From her dying father begging her to put him out of his agony to her business treading water and her marriage falling apart, there are a lot of things testing her resolve. Then, the love of her youth makes a sudden appearance and Emily has to choose between sticking to her life choices or taking a new beginning.

Best Science Fiction

The Dead Room

by Stephanie Erickson

The Dead Room by Stephanie Erikcson is a science fiction novel set 322 years after the apocalypse. Although the world has changed, the remaining people have not, so even amongst a small group of survivors life is rife with secrets, lies, and manipulations. The nine elders who govern the island in the Northern Pacific where everyone has taken refuge guard their secrets jealously. It is only the protagonist of the tale, Ashley Wortham, who is curious about what it was that called so many people more than three centuries ago. This leads Ashley along with her best friend Mason on a quest for the truth, but nothing could prepare them for what they discover.

Best Non-Fiction

Setting Sail for Golden Harbor

by John Vance

Setting Sail for Golden Harbor by John Vance is a humorous memoir about the final years of life. Many people have experienced the challenges that come with having aging parents, but while it can be depressing there are also plenty of humorous moments. John writes about his mother and chronicles all of the moments, events, and utterances that have made her the remarkable person she was. It is filled with humor but written in a way that doesn't take away anything from the affection and respect he had for his mother.

Best Paranormal

Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic

by Meghan Ciana Doidge

Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Dodge is the first book in her Dowser series and introduces readers to Jade Godfrey. After the appearance of a vampire at her bakery Jade discovers that she has more talents than just baking cupcakes and making pretty trinkets. Armed with a sarcastic wit and substantial chocolate stash, Jade finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation that involves witches, werewolves, and vampires.