Chica 8 BIPOC Book Releases You Need to Know About This February Books are powerful. They can serve as portals to another universe and time, in the same way they can help deepen our understanding about things we may never experience. People Chica has compiled eight books to help guide you on your literary journey this month. Por Mirtle Peña-Calderon Publicado en Febrero 3, 2022 02:50PM EST Foto: Getty Images / Westend61 01 of 08 Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi With Bitter, Akwaeke Emezi pens a novel about what happens when your heart and mind are torn between what feels right and what is right. The story follows the teen protagonist, Bitter, as she learns to navigate her passion for art with the tumultuous world outside the safe walls of her school Eucalyptus. Release Date: February 15, 2022 $18, www.amazon.com 02 of 08 This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi Bestselling author Tahereh Mafi wants to transport readers to a fantastical world deeply rooted in Persian mythology. This Woven Kingdom is the first book in Mafi's new trilogy, which follows the story of Alizeh—a servant girl with an explosive hidden identity. Release Date: February 1, 2022 $16, www.barnesandnoble.com 03 of 08 Nobody's Magic by Destiny Birdsong Nobody's Magic is a novel that dives deep into the power that women hold, despite all the forces that may seek to keep them from shining. Destiny Birdsong breaks the story into three parts and provides three equally gripping narratives from friends Suzette, Maple and Agnes (three Black women with albinism from Louisiana). Release Date: February 8, 2022 $28, www.target.com 04 of 08 Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson Ramón and Julieta is a contemporary take on the famed Shakespearean novel Romeo and Juliet that takes place in the beautiful, sunny San Diego. Ramón and Julieta find themselves on the opposite side of two taco empires, and after a chance meeting on Día de los Muertos, now find themselves drawn to one another in the most delicious of ways. Release Date: February 1, 2022 $16, www.walmart.com 05 of 08 Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black Daniel Black eloquently captures the need for empathy and forgiveness with an elegance that many would love to achieve. Don't Cry for Me follows the story of an estranged father-son duo as the father works to fight his way towards the absolution only his son can provide him. Release Date: February 1, 2022 $25, www.amazon.com 06 of 08 No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado Crystal Maldonado strikes again with her latest novel, No Filter and Other Lies. In her new book, she pens the story of the unassuming 16 year old, Kat Sanchez, who is living an internet double life as Max Monroe (a sophisticated and worldly 21 year old). But one day, Kat's picture-perfect online life comes crashing down on her, and she's left having to pick up all the pieces. Release Date: February 8, 2022 $19, www.barnesandnoble.com 07 of 08 Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson Charmaine Wilkerson dives into the lives of two estranged siblings who are brought together by the passing of their mother—something that brings to life her hidden past and their legacy. Black Cake analyzes the effect of the things we inherit and the power of choices. Release Date: February 1, 2022 $30, www.target.com 08 of 08 The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang Family and intrigue take center stage in Lan Samantha Chang's The Family Chao. Three brothers—Dagou, Ming, and James—unknowingly find themselves at the center of their late father's murder trial (and town gossip), taking place in the small Wisconsin town of Haven. Chang's novel is filled with tons of comedy, heartbreak and thrilling suspense. Release Date: February 1, 2022 $21, www.amazon.com