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February: e Month of Love "While it is February, one can taste the full joys of Anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her nger on the latch." - Patience Strong Those who are lovers of the written word, who anxiously await the excitement of reading a new book, or who anticipate the adventures and wisdom that lies within its pages, know the value of a library. They depend on it to bring them laughter, joy, and a broader view of their universe. It is from that basic need to seek worlds other than their own, and to walk in the shoes of characters they have never met, had it not been for a book that they had recently read. After spending a full year reading hundreds of books and meeting regularly to bicker and converse about a book's merits and f laws, the staff of e New York Times Book Review have chosen the Best Books of 2025. The five fiction choices are novels that transport its readers from the battlefield of World War I to contemporary Swedish dance clubs, and on to the halls of a convent in rural Australia. Others depict Nazi movie studios to the New York art galleries, where immigrants look for a sense of connection. These fiction picks offer timely and timeless topics with a sense of style. (e New York Times) You can hear the editors discuss these books on the latest episode of the Book Review Podcast. You can also read the New York Times Editor reviews of each book. New York Times Editors have chosen these books as the five Best Fiction selections of 2025: Angel Down by Daniel Kraus e Director by Daniel Kehlmann e Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai e Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood I find myself walking by the library at OHCC. I step inside the doors and search the shelves for new titles. Suddenly a book catches my eye. I stop in front of a shelf where the novel, is Dog Will Change Your Life by Ellias Friedman, begs my attention. I skim the information the author writes about in his novel. His words ring true for me. "Dogs make people's lives better by making people better. Dogs improve us. They save us. They teach us to become the best version of ourselves. They teach us patience and to foster deeper relationships with each other. They remind us of the concepts of purpose and commitment. We constantly seek those things in our human life, but so many of the answers are already right in front of us, in our dogs." Suddenly, I see the aging eyes of my Golden Retriever, Babs. Her face is white, and she struggles with her back leg. She is 12 now. I walk to the check-out desk and hand the librarian the book, realizing it is February, the month of Love. Written by Sally Benton and submitted by the Library Association | OHCC LIVING | FEBRUARY 2026 | 13 Library Association FEBRUARY BOOK BUYS Clive Cussler e Iron Storm ................................................ Jack Du Brul Clown Town............................................................................ Mic Herron e Devil's Daughter............................................................ Danielle Steel Direct Action..................................................................... W. E. B. Grin e Elements........................................................................... John Boyne End Game ............................................................................Jerey Archer False Witness................................................................... Phillip Margolin Fdr Drive.............................................................................. James Comey e Final Score ....................................................................Don Winslow Hostage.....................................................................................Eli Sharabi John Williams: A Composer's Life ....................................... Tim Greiving e List.................................................................................... Steve Berry Pendergast............................................ Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child People We Meet On Vacation ............................................... Emily Henry e Shop On Hidden Lane ........................................... Jayne Ann Krentz Smuggler's Cove .................................................................. Fern Michaels Spasm......................................................................................Robin Cook Tom Clancy Terminal Velocity ....................................... M. P. Woodward Wild Instinct ................................................................ T. Jeerson Parker Written by Jean Heer