Pope Francis lends advice for better living; Gary Chapman applies his bestselling book The 5 Love Languages to a new title for caregivers of adopted children, and more new religion books publishing in February, below.
Nonfiction
Feb. 6
Loving Adopted Children Well: A 5 Love Languages Approach by Gary Chapman and Laurel Shaler (Northfield, $14.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8024-3187-5) applies lessons from Chapman’s bestselling The 5 Love Languages to the adoptive parent-child relationship.
The Kindness of God: Beholding His Goodness in a Cruel World by Nate Pickowicz (Moody, $14.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8024-3180-6) seeks to motivate the faithful to celebrate and emulate God’s kindness even in seemingly hopeless times.
The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross by Brian Zahnd (IVP, $24, ISBN 978-1-5140-0562-0) fashions an “illuminating reappraisal of the central Christian symbol” of the cross, per PW’s review, as a reminder of both Jesus’s crucifixion and the hope for a better world.
Life Is Messy, God Is Good: Sanity for the Chaos of Everyday Life by Cynthia Yanof (Esther Press, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8307-8533-9) assures believers that daily challenges, messes, and slipups can spur spiritual growth.
Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being by Cornelius Plantinga (Brazos, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-58743-622-2) supplies, per PW’s review, “an astute response to the perennial question, ‘How can I seriously thank God when the world seems so awful?’ ”
Feb. 7
The End of the World as You Know It: What the Bible Really Says About the End Times (and Why It’s Good News) by Matthew L. Halsted (Lexham, $24.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-68359-712-4) challenges common end-times assumptions and looks to scripture for answers.
Feb. 13
Untangle Your Emotions: Naming What You Feel and Knowing What to Do About It by Jennie Allen (WaterBrook, $27, ISBN 978-0-593-19341-9) promises that processing uncomfortable feelings fosters personal growth and a closer relationship with God.
Paths on the Tree of Wisdom: A Course in 21st Century Kabbalah by Mike Bais (Watkins, $22.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-78678-792-7) surveys the school of Jewish mysticism, its links to ancient Egyptian religious traditions, and how it brings science and spirituality into conversation.
Lifting as They Climb: Black Women Buddhists and Collective Liberation by Toni Pressley-Sanon (Shambhala, $24.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64547-076-2) delves into the life and work of prominent Black Buddhist thinkers Faith Adiele, bell hooks, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, Spring Washam, Rev. angel Kyodo Williams, and Jan Willis.
Praying Personalities: Finding Your Natural Prayer Style by Janet McHenry (Kregel, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8254-4818-8) seeks to guide believers in how to best connect with God based on their individual spiritual gifts, enneagram type, and more.
Do the New You: 6 Mindsets to Become Who You Were Created to Be by Steven Furtick (Faithwords, $28, ISBN 978-1-5460-0682-4) implores the faithful to stop chasing a perfect and unattainable version of themselves and embrace their God-given identity.
Feb. 20
Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey (Convergent, $26, ISBN 978-0-593-59367-7) offers “down-to-earth guidance to those ‘deconstructing’ their conservative Christian pasts,” according to PW’s review.
A Good Life: 15 Essential Habits for Living with Hope and Joy by Pope Francis (Worthy, $28, ISBN 978-1-5460-0702-9). Gratitude, social justice, and unconditional love for others are among the values spotlit in this gathering of life lessons from the Pope.
Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere by Savannah Guthrie (Thomas Nelson, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-4003-4112-2). Drawing on a childhood in a strict Baptist church and marital and career hurdles, Today show co-anchor Guthrie traces the evolution of her faith and its embrace of imperfections.
Deconstructing Your Faith Without Losing Yourself by Angela J. Herrington (Eerdmans, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8028-8328-5) promises that readers can reshape their religious beliefs while practicing self-compassion.
How Ableism Fuels Racism: Dismantling the Hierarchy of Bodies in the Church by Lamar Hardwick (Brazos, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-58743-612-3) delivers a “searing indictment of the ableist theology that has fueled racial bias in the American church and society,” according to PW’s starred review.
Feb. 27
The Life of the Qur’an: From Eternal Roots to Enduring Legacy by Mohamad Jebara (St. Martin’s Essentials, $30, ISBN 978-1-250-28236-1). Philologist Jebara chronicles the Quran’s origins and heritage, exploring interpretations across history and the holy text’s place in modern Islam.
Defiant Joy: Find the Hope to Light Your Way, Even in the Darkness by Jennifer Michelle Greenberg (Multnomah, $17 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-593-44542-6) debunks toxic positivity and prosperity gospel beliefs, and argues that God’s joy can coexist with suffering, disappointment, and anxiety.
Fiction
Feb. 6
All My Secrets by Lynn Austin (Tyndale Fiction, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-4964-3744-0). After a business magnate dies and unexpectedly leaves his fortune to an uncle, the women of his high-society family consider what they’re willing to sacrifice to remain among Gilded Age New York City’s upper crust.
Feb. 13
Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy (Bethany House, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7642-4265-6). After Beth Rutledge discovers that her father plans to commit her to an asylum, she and her mother escape westward on a pioneer wagon, dodging bad actors who believe Beth matches the description of a wanted criminal.
Feb. 20
8 Down by Kimberley Woodhouse (Kregel, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8254-4773-0). Investigator Carrie Kintz teams up with security specialist Scott Patteson to hunt down a crossword-obsessed serial killer.
