Critics' Picks Out in Paperback in February 2025

"Beautiful, mournful... Carefully and engrossingly crafted... The good suffer equally with the bad. Phillips's artistic conscience won't let her flinch from this truth, but her generous heart won't let it be the last word. She leaves readers with a rueful yet doggedly hopeful maxim that could easily serve as an epigraph for Night Watch as a whole: 'Endurance was strength.'" – Wendy Smith, The Washington Post

"The characters in Long Island are constantly cautioning themselves not to say anything, for fear of upsetting that fine balance that exists in intimacy as much as in community. But not saying is an act with consequences, too — one that Tóibín, a master of his art, exploits to exquisite effect at the end, leaving us to wonder, yet again, what’s next." – Ellen Akins, Los Angeles Times

"An eloquent indictment of the devastating long-term effects of the massacre, dislocation and forced assimilation of Native Americans, [Wandering Stars] is also a heartfelt paean to the importance of family and of ancestors' stories in recovering a sense of belonging and identity... Wandering Stars more than fulfills the promise of There There." – Heller McAlpin, NPR

"A landmark, the kind of fantasy novel that has its own gravity and distorts the genre terrain around it. Set in a small town called Lovesend, it tells the story of teenagers who return from the dead and must compete to remain alive... 'The Book of Love' does justice to its name." – Amal El-Mohtar, The New York Times

"Great workplace novels are few and far between… and great workplace novels that deal with social and economic class in our country are even rarer. However, Waldman adds a rare entry to the workplace canon with this wise, funny story of an upstate New York big-box store." – Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times

"A smoky, brooding noir set in the 1920s, but not an entirely recognizable 1920s... Cahokia Jazz combines the intricate plot and burly action of an old-fashioned hardboiled detective novel with Spufford's dreamy, lustrous prose, summoning an irresistible city lost to time and chance." – Laura Milller, Slate

"Generous, tender... The novel is most lovable when the family’s dynamic is explored. You can’t help wanting to pull up a chair when they gather around the dinner table ... Greta & Valdin is so brimming with life it can feel almost dizzying." – Eleanor Dunn, The New York Times

"Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read." – Kirkus Reviews

"David Grann’s The Wager is the most relentlessly compelling book I’ve read in a very long time. Grann is a master storyteller, and he unfurls this tale of a disastrous sea voyage with almost unparalleled skill and subtlety." – Mark O'Connell, The Guardian

"An impactful memoir of an extraordinary woman [and] a human-centered take on an era that has largely been defined by a lack of humanity... Nguon reminds us all that even at their lowest, humans share a love for beauty, for pleasure, for bonding through shared meals." – Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle