5 books released in Brazil in February to keep an eye on

February arrives with a wave of stories capable of pleasing different reader profiles. From light and fun romances to dense and reflective plots, passing through engaging thrillers and provocative philosophical essays, the new books of the month show how literature continues to offer multiple and surprising experiences.

This selection brings together five recent releases that have caught attention both for their international success and for the originality of their proposals. They are ideal readings for those who want to start the year renewing their literary wish list.

1. Skating on love — Lynn Painter

Known for the success of Better than in the movies, Lynn Painter returns with a new romantic comedy set in the sports universe. In Skating on love, we follow the reunion of Dani and Alec, childhood best friends who drifted apart after her family moved. Years later, in her senior year of high school, Dani returns to Minnesota and finds a completely different Alec: now he is the star of the hockey team and lives surrounded by fans. What starts as discomfort between the two ends up turning into an unexpected situation when they need to pretend to be a couple. Between secrets from the past, family tensions, and unresolved feelings, the romance combines lightness, humor, and emotion in just the right measure, showing how old connections can resurface in surprising ways.

2. The risk — S.T. Abby

An international phenomenon and success on social media, the series Mindfck* finally arrives in Brazil in Portuguese with The risk. The plot follows Lana Meyers, a woman who has lost everything and dedicates her life to executing a meticulous plan of revenge against those who destroyed her family. However, her plans start to complicate when she crosses paths with Logan Bennett, an FBI agent specialized in serial killers. Intelligent and perceptive, Logan realizes there’s something enigmatic about Lana, while the attraction between the two grows dangerously. The romance balances psychological tension, suspense, and chemistry between the protagonists, placing them on opposite sides of the law in a narrative that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end.

3. We will be data — Marcus Bruzzo

In a completely different record, We will be data presents an intriguing philosophical essay on artificial intelligence and the impacts of technology on human experience. Marcus Bruzzo proposes an urgent reflection on how machines, initially created as tools, have begun to operate in increasingly profound realms of human life, influencing our imagination, creativity, and perception of the world. For the author, generative AI does not project the future, but reorganizes the past, threatening what is most singular in human creation: the capacity to imagine the impossible. With a preface by Leandro Karnal, the book invites the reader to question the promise of technological liberation and to value what still distinguishes us from machines, such as art, leisure, and creation without practical purpose.

4. Six months to marry — Kosuke Ohashi

An instant best-seller in Japan, Six months to marry, by Kosuke Ohashi, is a light, witty, and culturally rich romance. The protagonist, Sayaka Kuroki, sees her life crumble upon discovering her fiancé's betrayal just before the wedding. Unemployed and single, she tries to regain her job at the magazine where she worked, but ends up being directed to a new department run by an eccentric boss who imposes a curious condition: she must get married in six months while writing reports on konkatsu, the active search for a partner for marriage. Amid embarrassing situations, unusual advice based on luxury brands, and reflections on social expectations, the narrative mixes humor and social criticism, offering an interesting look at contemporary customs in Japan.

5. Forest echoes — Liz Moore

[caption id="697d2ee236c2c45528cbcfaf" width="736" data-alt="Forest echoes — Liz Moore. An engaging literary thriller about disappearances, family secrets, and tensions between a powerful family and their community." data-caption="Forest echoes — Liz Moore. An engaging literary thriller about disappearances, family secrets, and tensions between a powerful family and their community." data-credit="HarperCollins Brasil" data-source-id="" data-source-name=""][/caption>

Chosen by the New York Times as the best thriller and police romance of 2024, Forest echoes, by Liz Moore, presents an engaging story about disappearances, family secrets, and social tensions. Set in 1975, the book begins with the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar, daughter of the owners of a camp that employs a large part of the local community. The disappearance echoes a similar case that occurred fourteen years earlier, when the girl's brother vanished without a trace. From multiple points of view and different timelines, Liz Moore constructs a dense and multifaceted narrative that explores the conflicts between a powerful family and the surrounding community. The work, which already has a Netflix adaptation planned, is a literary thriller that masterfully combines mystery, family drama, and social criticism.