Are you looking for some great reading recommendations to kick off your year? Look no further than Amazon’s First Reads program! Every month, Amazon editors select six hidden gems from various genres and offer them to readers at an exclusive price. This February, the editors have curated a diverse selection of titles that are sure to captivate and inspire.
Amazon First Reads for February 2024
A Friend in the Dark by Samantha M. Bailey
Genre: Suspense
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
In this gripping domestic thriller, Eden Miller’s life is turned upside down when her online relationship with her college crush, Justin Ward, takes a dark turn. What starts as a harmless flirtation quickly escalates into a dangerous obsession, threatening Eden and her family’s safety. As she searches for answers about Justin’s true identity and motives, Eden must confront the secrets of her past and face the consequences of her choices. Will she be able to break free from Justin’s grasp and protect her loved ones before it’s too late?
Hypnotized by Love by Sariah Wilson
Genre: Romance (Clean and Wholesome Romance)
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
Savannah Sinclair, a hypnotherapist, is used to helping her clients overcome their deepest fears and insecurities. But when her high school nemesis, Mason Beckett, shows up at her doorstep asking for her help, she’s caught off guard. Mason’s latest novel bombed, and he’s desperate to write a hit piece on Savannah to revive his career.
They begin their sessions, but something unexpected happens – Mason becomes hypnotized and transforms into a completely different person. He’s fearless, open, and charming, and Savannah can’t help but fall for him. But can she keep him under her spell long enough to make him realize his true feelings, or will he snap out of it and return to his old ways?
The Rule of Threes: A novella by Jeffery Deaver
Genre: Thriller, mystery, suspense
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
In this gripping novella by Jeffery Deaver, Special Agent Constant Marlowe is tasked with tracking down a serial killer terrorizing a small town in the Midwest. With two victims already claimed and a third predicted to be mere days away, Constant must race against time to stop the killer before it’s too late.
As she plunges deeper into the case, she realizes that nothing in the seemingly idyllic town of Clark Valley is as it appears. The locals are tight-lipped and secretive, and Constant suspects that they may be hiding something sinister. With her own life on the line, Constant will stop at nothing to protect the innocent and bring the killer to justice. But can she uncover the truth behind the town’s eerie facade before it’s too late?
When the World Goes Quiet by Gian Sardar
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
Amid World War I, Evelien finds herself caught between her duty to her employer and her desire to survive. With the promise of a valuable painting in exchange for safeguarding her employer’s possessions, Evelien must navigate the treacherous landscape of occupied Bruges, Belgium. But when a member of the resistance approaches her with a proposal – steal a list of names hidden in her employer’s home in exchange for a letter from her long-missing husband – Evelien’s loyalties are tested.
As she embarks on her mission, she forms an unlikely friendship with a soldier struggling with the horrors of war, and grapples with a difficult truth: she longs for her husband’s safe return, but not necessarily to her. With the final days of the war looming closer, Evelien faces unimaginable danger and must make impossible choices for a life beyond liberation.
The Canopy Keepers (The Scorched Earth Book 1) by Veronica G. Henry
Genre: Fantasy (Black and African American Fantasy)
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
Syrah Carthan, the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, is forced to confront her past and an ancient secret hidden beneath the forest floor when a devastating wildfire breaks out. She discovers a secret society built around the forest’s complex root system, divided into two factions: one ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker, and the other by a mysterious undoer determined to wage war on humanity.
Caught between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice that will change her destiny and the fate of the world above and below forever.
The Waltham Murders by Susan Clare Zalkind
Genre: True Crime
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
In this gripping true-crime memoir, investigative journalist Susan Zalkind embarks on a personal and intense investigation into the unsolved triple homicide of her friend Erik Weissman and two others in Waltham, Massachusetts.
With a decade of reporting and a determination to uncover the truth, Susan follows a tangled web of conspiracy theories, corruption, and crime to expose a shocking act of domestic terrorism. The Waltham Murders is a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of grief, trauma, and the search for justice.
Hurt Mountain by Angela Crook
Genre: Family Drama (Marriage and Divorce fiction)
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
In this haunting novel, a former couple reunites to investigate the mystery surrounding their missing daughter, who vanished four years ago. When a young girl is found injured and unable to speak except for the word ‘hurt,’ they recognize a connection to their own tragedy.
As they delve into the past, they uncover a series of disturbing disappearances across the country, leading them closer to the truth about their daughter’s fate. But will the revelations bring healing or reopen old wounds? A poignant exploration of trauma, loss, family, and hope.
Don’t Forget Me by Rea Frey
Genre: March 1, 2024
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
Ruby’s fresh start takes a dark turn when her husband and daughter disappear without a trace. Grief-stricken, she turns to her neighborhood friends for support, including a murder club where they solve cold cases. But when a body surfaces in the nearby lake, everyone assumes it’s her husband – everyone except Ruby.
Determined to uncover the truth, Ruby investigates her neighbors’ secrets and her own past, only to discover shocking revelations that raise more questions than answers. Will she be able to put her conscience to rest and find out what really happened to her family?
Blank by Zibby Owens
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher date: March 1, 2024
In this hilarious debut novel, a former literary sensation named Pippa Jones is facing a daunting deadline: she has just five days to finish a book she hasn’t even started or risk losing everything. Desperate and lacking inspiration, Pippa resorts to a bold and unconventional plan, enlisting the help of her teenage daughter and twelve-year-old son.
As she races against time, Pippa navigates a series of unexpected plot twists and discovers surprising truths about her career, marriage, family, and herself. Set in the glamorous world of Los Angeles’ wealthy elite, this book is a heartwarming and laugh-out-loud tale of self-discovery and second chances.
