Sure, last month might not have started on the best note, but 2021 is a year full of promises, and a lot of self-motivation. I wouldn’t have it any other way. As we enter February, of course, Valentine’s Day is on my mind. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to throw yourself into classical, romance novels.

I love that so many new books are constantly debuting. The allure of new voices and ideas keeps me on my toes. I really like to read the books that I love multiple times and reawaken those initial feelings.

The Four Winds: A Novel by Kristin Hannah: There’s a traditional similarity in Hannah’s work, chaotic times and such, but this novel takes place during the Great Depression; the title refers to the troubles faced during the infamous Dust Bowl. We follow the protagonist, Elsa, who is caught between the devastating times and the harsh realities faced during the phenomenon.

One Day You’ll Thank Me: Essays on Dating, Motherhood, and Everything In Between by Cameran Eubanks Wimberly: One of my favorite Bravo-leberties and Southern Charm alumna, Cameran Eubanks is finally letting us into her private world of growing up as a Southern socialite, and her attempts of leading a life of her own making.

Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima: You may recognize Lima as the founder of cult-favorite beauty brand, IT Cosmetics. She takes us through her journey of formulating her own makeup and skincare to help cure her skin woes, and bringing to life a skincare-based makeup line.

Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.: 10 Questions to Take Your Friendships to the Next Level by Laura Tremaine: As we live through a pandemic that shows no signs of dissipating anytime soon, we face a common issue: how do we communicate with the ones we love? Nothing will ever be the same again, but you can always work to repair and elevate your relationships.

Unfinished: A Memoir by Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Hollywood darling, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, takes us through her childhood in India, her teenage years in the U.S., and her rise to fame.

Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler: Our lives online are more relevant now than ever before. Oyler makes the bizarre and twisted world of the internet comical, alarming and relatable. What if the shady on-goings online finally found their way to light?

Kink: Stories by R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell: Love, desire and sex come in all shapes, sizes and voices. Talented writers combined fictional short stories on all kinds of topics in the sexual spectrum. You’ll recognize stories from Callum Angus, Alexander Chee, Vanessa Clark, Melissa Febos, Kim Fu, Roxane Gay, Cara Hoffman, Zeyn Joukhadar, Chris Kraus, Carmen Maria Machado, Peter Mountford, Larissa Pham and Brandon Taylor.

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson: This debut novel offers an unflinching view of motherhood in contemporary America and the never-ending quest to achieve the American Dream by examining the heartbreaking divide between black and white communities and plumbs the emotional depths of the struggles faced by ordinary Americans in the wake of the financial crisis.