Whoa, it’s February! That came on quickly and we’re already halfway through it (good news for the many February-haters out there). Time for me to tell you what’s coming out this month that’s earned starred reviews in my sections of PW. There’s quite a list, so I hope you’re all taking notes.

First, a belated January entry: Fly Into Fire by Susan Jane Bigelow, the sequel to last year’s Broken. That review came in late and has just gone up in our online annex.

Now, February proper, in SF/F/H:

• Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed (I’ve read this, it’s superb, and I expect to see it lighting up the switchboard at Hugo-Recommend next year)
• Pure by Julianna Baggott (for which we also did a Q&A)
• Lightspeed: Year One edited by John Joseph Adams
• The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett
• Hitchers by Will McIntosh
• The Ritual by Adam Nevill

I think we already have more starred horror-ish titles than we had all last year, but that might just be my perception.

And in romance:

• The Lord of Illusion by Kathryne Kennedy
• Sweet Stuff by Donna Kauffman
• Before She Dies by Mary Burton (definitely check this out if you’re a thriller fan)
• Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel by Samantha Grace
• Firelight by Kristen Callihan (a paranormal that gothic fantasy fans will love)
• A Secret in Her Kiss by Anna Randol

Happy reading!

The popular monthly starred review feature is back! Here are the January SF/F stars:

• Taft 2012 by Jason Heller
  
• In the Lion’s Mouth by Michael Flynn
• Somewhere Beneath Those Waves by Sarah Monette

And for romance:

• Don’t Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble
  
• Best Erotic Romance edited by Kristina Wright
• Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman

This year I’m going to do my damnedest to read every book that gets a star in one of my sections. So far I’ve read… one. But it’s a start!

A little late this month, but at least you know all these books are out and available right now!

These March fantasy and SF titles received starred reviews in PW:

• Paradise Tales by Geoff Ryman (Small Beer)
• The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (DAW)
• Pale Demon by Kim Harrison (Eos a.k.a. Harper Voyager)
• The Way of the Wizard edited by John Joseph Adams (Prime)
• The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells (Night Shade)
• Up Against It by M.J. Locke (Tor)

Each title links to the book’s review, so you can see why we felt these were worthy of special acclaim.

No paranormal romance or horror on this month’s list, but a very varied group nonetheless: sword & sorcery, hard SF, urban fantasy, indie presses, big imprints, series books, standalones, anthologies. Good times.

February’s a short month, so you’ll want to apportion your reading time wisely. Fortunately, Genreville is here to help you pick and choose! Here’s a roundup of the February titles that received starred reviews in PW‘s SF/F/H section:

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit)
Brave New Worlds edited by John Joseph Adams (Night Shade)
Pack of Lies: Paranormal Scene Investigations, Book 2 by Laura Anne Gilman (Luna)
Fire the Sky: Book 2 of Contact: The Battle for America by Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear (Gallery)
Harbinger of the Storm by Aliette de Bodard (Angry Robot)

And as a bonus, some late January SF/F/H titles that got starred reviews online:

Enchanted No More: Mystic Circle, Book 1 by Robin D. Owens (Luna)
Agatha H and the Starship City by Phil and Kaja Foglio (Night Shade)
The Hammer by K.J. Parker (Orbit)

If you’re broke after buying holiday presents–or just plain broke–you might be trying to decide which new books are worth your money. To help you out, here’s a list of the January titles that got starred reviews in PW‘s SF/F/H section:

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (Angry Robot)
The Universe of Things by Gwyneth Jones (Aqueduct)
Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor)
The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg (Roc)
Dark Griffin: The Fallen Moon, Book 1 by K.J. Taylor (Ace)

I’ve read Zoo City and Among Others and greatly enjoyed them both.

You may also wish to consider In Too Deep: Book 1 of the Looking Glass Trilogy by Jayne Ann Krentz (Putnam), a romance with fantasy elements that got a starred review in our romance section.

Is this useful to you? Should I make it a monthly Genreville feature?