Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well! It is almost Valentine’s Day and I am sure many people will be celebrating. Personally, I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. This year I wouldn’t anyway as the relationship I was in, ended in December but even if we were still together it’s not an event I usually celebrate, I think if you want to show you care for someone you should do it any day of the year not just a socially sanctioned day.
Anyway, today I am answering a Valentine’s Day Book Tag that I found on Booksare42.com, just for a bit of fun. Let me know some of your answers too!
Name a stand alone book that you love
Honestly, I don’t read that many standalone books. Most of what I read are series. As with many of these questions I am going to go with the first book that came to my head and that is Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson, it was one of my favourite books of last year and I still find myself thinking about it at random times throughout the day. It definitely captured a piece of my soul.
Name a dystopian book that you love
For this question, I’m quite predictable. I was there for all the Hunger Games and the Divergent era. I loved both of them. In terms of more recently what I have been reading, I only recently started reading the Shatter Me series by Taherah Mafi which I think counts as dystopian and I am really enjoying that, I am currently reading book four Restore Me.
A book that you love that no one else talks about
Lets see, I really enjoyed The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner and I never see anyone talking about that book. It was short but pulled me in from the very first page.
Your favourite book couple
This is probably the hardest question here. I love a lot of book couples: Feyre and Rhysand, Xaden and Violet, Thomas Cresswell and Audrey-Rose Wadsworth. The list could go on forever. I think my top choice though, has to be Julian and Scarlet from Caraval by Stephanie Garber, I adore this couple. They’re not perfect but I love them to pieces.
Name a book that other love but you haven’t read yet
Ah, there are a lot of these. I’ll go with an obvious one, Alchemised. I own it, thanks to my friend who bought it for me for Christmas. Fun Fact: I only had to pick it up in its wrapping paper and I knew what book it was from the weight of it. I am put off by it being fanfiction originally and being said to be so dark but I do want to give it a fair chance.
A book with red on the cover
It probably came to my mind first because it is on my February TBR but Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo has some red on the cover. I am excited to finally be finishing the series this month, I didn’t love the first book but I did love Six of Crows so I decided to continue with it and I did enjoy the second book, so now I will finish the series.
A book with pink on the cover
Probably not the best choice for a romantic, loving day but I suppose it is technically a romance? But Butcher and Blackbird was the book that came to mind first with pink on the cover. Honestly, I don’t have very any pink books so I’ll have to stick with this one. I haven’t read it yet, I’m a bit scared about the serial killer element but I have heard good things so I will eventually read it.
If you had a box of chocolates which fictional boy/girl would you give them to?
Ooh, tough question. Same as choosing a fictional couple, there are so many choices for me. I think I am always going to have to go with my favourite man though, Thomas Cresswell from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco. He wouldn’t appreciate the chocolates, he’d probably pull a face and walk away but I’d still try.
If you are single on Valentine’s Day which book will you read and which TV show/Film will you watch?
I will be reading one of my February TBR books, most likely A Death in Diamonds by S J Bennett, the fourth book in her Majesty the Queen investigates series. I am currently rewatching old Merlin episodes so that’s probably what I will be watching that day too.
Finally, if you were in a bookshop and shot by Cupid’s arrow, what new release will you love?
I already know the answer to this one! As I am writing this I am waiting for my pre-order of this book to arrive. I will read absolutely anything this author puts out. It is of course, Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco. This is the third book in the Princes of Sin series, the spin off to the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy. Each book in this series follows a different prince of sin, we have had envy and gluttony so far I think, but this one is Sloth! He has a castle full of libraries and books, I have been waiting not at all patiently for this book. I am literally going into hospital for a big operation two days after it releases so I will be taking that one with me to take my mind off everything.
Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well today. It is time to share some of the books that are coming out in February. As usual, this list is not long or inclusive of every title that is being released, it is just a selection of the books I have seen.
Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco – 10th February
A princewho prefers games of the head to those of the heart.
Prince Sloth hates leaving his enchanted library. But when a forgotten deity threatens the very fabric of the Underworld, he’s thrust into a race against time. He must find the Book of Nightmares – an ancient artifact that has the power to break worlds – before it unleashes a deadly game to free its master, the Goddess of Night. When a betrayal leaves him marked, and desperate, his path collides with a young woman who possesses the legendary Phoenix Tear – a portal stone unlike any other.
A librarian who is all sweet sunshine . . . until she burns.
Lore Brimstone has always loved getting lost in a book – but she never meant literally. Yet, after visiting a traveling caravan, she quickly finds herself transported to a terrifying but oddly familiar world – with a calculating prince at her side. Realizing they are living out her favourite novels one by one, they face off against an increasingly dark magic as they try to survive the story.
A twisted tale that means they can’t trust themselves – or their hearts.
As Lore and Sloth navigate the pages of her beloved novels gone wrong, she must channel her inner main character to defeat the Book of Nightmares before the wall between the gods and mortals comes crashing down, dooming them all.
A Dark Forgetting by Kristen Ciccerelli – 12th February
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Crimson Moth (published as Heartless Hunter in North America) weaves an epic love story of a magical girl, the boy she left behind, and a deadly curse.
‘Lush, dark, and romantic. I could have remained lost in the woods forever’ Isabel Ibañez, #1 New York Times bestselling author of What the River Knows
‘A tale comprised of deep emotion, sizzling romance, and a gripping mystery’ Tricia Levenseller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Shadows Between Us
Sing us a song of the forest, of the Wood King who rules there, and the tithe he demands…
No matter how far Emeline Lark runs, the song of the forest reaches her, luring her away from her dreams of the stage and back to her small town and its superstitions.
But every superstition is rooted in truth, and when her grandfather goes missing Emeline will be forced to return to Edgewood and the forest beyond.
There, even Hawthorne Fell, a brooding tithe collector, cannot dissuade her from her path – a path that will lead her into the court of the fabled Wood King himself – and into a bargain with the deadliest price.
A Stage Set for Villains – 13th February
The gods are dead. All that’s left are the Players . . .
The performers of the Playhouse are as worshipped as they are feared, their enchanting shows bending hearts, minds, and even reality itself. Vicious, godlike, lethal. Eighteen-year-old Riven Hesper knows the dangers better than anyone, after her own encounter with a Player resulted in a curse that is slowly killing her.
When the Playhouse announces the spectacle of a lifetime – a chance for one mortal to steal a Player’s immortality – Riven sees her last chance to live. Desperate for answers, she infiltrates the competition. There, she finds Jude, the Playhouse’s brilliant, merciless Lead Player, whose charm is as dangerous as his Craft, and strikes a deadly bargain to save her life.
But with time running out and the Playhouse’s secrets unraveling into a disturbing picture, Riven faces a grim possibility: she might not be the hero of her story after all. In fact, she may be the villain.
Because the Playhouse doesn’t just tell stories. It rewrites them.
And Riven’s might end in blood.
I’m Not the Only Murderer in my Retirement Home – 17th February
RETIREMENT WILL HAVE TO WAIT.
When former serial killer Carol takes her place in a luxury retirement home, she begins to find her feet with a small new group of friends. If she can only keep her past hidden, maybe she has a chance at happiness.
That’s when she discovers that, absurdly, every other one of Sheldon Oaks’ residents was involved in the law somehow. It’s not long before her true identity is leaked, and when a former police commissioner resident is murdered, naturally all eyes turn to her…
Now she must solve the case to prove her innocence – just as her new friends start their own investigations into whether there is more than one killer at Sheldon Oaks.
Murder at Sea by Helena Dixon – 23rd February
A glorious ocean liner setting sail, sunset on the horizon, and champagne on deck. All seems shipshape… until Kitty discovers a body on board. Time for some sleuthing!
Devon, 1938. Kitty Underhay is enjoying a well-deserved rest when her very upset cousin Hattie suddenly bursts in. She sobs that the gentleman she had been seeing, Richard Westonholme, seems to have vanished, taking all of her jewellery with him. As Hattie describes Richard, he sounds eerily familiar, and Kitty and her husband Matt board a ship in hot pursuit – only to find him lying in a lifeboat… dead.
As they’ve set sail, the murderer has to be on board too, but there are suspects as far as the eye can see. Could Richard’s wife have something to do with the murder? What about the rich heiress and her guardian? And is the steward hiding something fishy?
Kitty and Matt are all too aware that the clock is ticking while the suspects are trapped with no escape. Can they net the killer before the ship docks? Or will one of them be dead in the water before they reach dry land?
Cleopatra by Saara El Arifi – 26th February
YOU KNOW MY NAME.
BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.
Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love’s thrall.
Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.
Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children.
How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, divinely blessed to rule.
Death will silence me no longer.
This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett – 17th February
From Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Heather Fawcett comes a healing and heart-warming fantasy with magic shops, rescue cats and a second chance at love.
Agnes Aubert is very fond of making lists. These lists kept her afloat when she lost her husband two years ago. And now, as the founder of a cat rescue charity, her meticulous organization skills feel like the only thing standing between her beloved cats – His Majesty, Banshee and sweet elderly Thoreau, to name a few – and utter disaster.
But when Agnes is forced to move the charity, she soon discovers that her new shop is being used as a front; right under her feet is the lair of the decidedly disorganised – not to mention self-absorbed and infuriatingly handsome – Havelock Renard.
Havelock is everything Agnes doesn’t want in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue, perhaps even romance. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats. .
Books and Bewitchment by Isla Jewell – 3rd February
In this warm-hearted, witchy rom-com a young woman works to create the bookstore of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist. Perfect for readers of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic.
Rhea Wolfe lives a simple, if mundane, life in small-town Alabama with her pet cockatoo, Doris. But when her estranged grandmother dies, leaving everything to her—including a magical heritage Rhea never knew she carried—she finds herself in Arcadia Falls, the quaint mountain town her mother made her swear never to set foot in. When she plans to turn the defunct video store she’s also inherited into a bookstore, Rhea’s lucky that resident handyman Hunter Blakely is more than happy to help—and more than easy on the eyes. It’s just too bad he’s the grandson of her grandmother’s sworn rival in witchcraft.
Yet as Rhea makes plans for the bookstore of her dreams, she learns that her grandmother made a terrible choice, one that could ruin her own chance at happiness. As she gets ever closer to solving the mystery of what exactly is happening, each clue points to Arcadia Falls’ magic hanging in the balance. To keep her new home safe, Rhea must step into her enchanted birthright and harness her newfound powers… before it’s too late.
The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin – 17th February
There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world… and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.
Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she’s ever known.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.
Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. It is February and that means it is time to think about my TBR for this month.
February is only a short month so I have made my TBR a bit shorter too, if I finish it then I get the fun of choosing any books I like from my shelves.
One thing I wanted to achieve this year was to continue (and finish!) the series’ that I have already started so this month I am making some progress with this plan.
Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. It is February and that means it is time to discuss what I read in January. I had my Phd Viva exam in the middle of January (which I passed!), so I was worried that I wouldn’t get much reading done this month but I was happily surprised that I had a good month of reading, sprinkled with some disappointing reads too.
From my TBR:
Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber – I am currently reading this, I am only a few chapters in so far but I am curious to see where the story will go next.
Restore Me by Taherah Mafi – I have not yet read this, but I still have a week until the end of January as I am writing this so I should have plenty of time to get this one read also.
A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey – technically, I did read this. Unfortunately it was a DNF for me quite quickly as the main character was too unlikeable for me to become invested in the story.
A Matter of Murder by Tirzah Price – I did read this, it was my first full read of January and I very much enjoyed the conclusion to the Lizzie and Darcy duology.
A Season for Scandal by Laura Wood – I loved this book, it is my first and so far only five star read of this year and I am excited to continue with the rest of this series.
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead – I did read this, it was a nice, quick reread for me.
Book of Night by Holly Black – Again, technically, I did read this. This was another DNF for me, it was taking too long to get into the story and I was losing any enthusiasm for it.
The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood – One of my most anticipated reads of the year, it did not disappoint, it was a strong read for me this month.
The Mythmakers by Tamzin Merchant – I read this.
Outside of my TBR I also read: In the Market for Murder and Death Around the Bend, books 2 and 3 in the Lady Hardcastle Mystery series by T E Kinsey. This means I managed to read 9 or hopefully if I can read Restore me in time, 10 books this month.
What books have you read in January? Which ones did you enjoy?
Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well. Today I will be doing a full rundown of all the books I read in 2025, starting with my least favourite book that I read and ending with my number one book of the year. What are some of your favourite and least favourite books of 2025?
The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee A Novel Murder by E C Nevin The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid The Village Library Demon Hunting Society The Creeping Hand Murder by Maureen Johnson The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie To Sway A Bard The White Queen by Philippa Gregory Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonje Odette The Ripper of Whitechapel by Yvette Fielding The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman This is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen Traitors Legacy by S J Parris Graveyard Shift by M L Rio Phantasma by Kaylie Smith The Murder Hypothesis by Sarah Wishart The Coven by Harper L Woods I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrews The Painted Dragon The Austen Christmas Murders by Jessica Bull Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson Pages and Co 3 by Anna James A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore Us In Ruins by Rachel Moore A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas Murder at Christmas The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson Grimstone Close to Death by Antony Horowitz Fearful by Lauren Roberts The Agency of Scandal by Laura Wood Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man The Guest List by Lucy Foley Murder at the Wedding Murder in First Class Murder at Midwinter Farm Murder at the Country Club Murder on Board Murder at the Charity Ball Murder at the Beauty Pageant Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood Murder at the Village Fair Murder at the Highland Castle Murder at the Island Hotel Murder on the French Riviera Murder in the Countryside Murder in New York Murder on the Cornish Coast Murder in Paris Murder at the English Manor Murder at Traitor’s Gate by Irina Shapiro A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey Murder at the Foundlings Hospital by Irina Shapiro The Dog Sitter Detective Christmas Tail by Antony Johnston The Highgate Cemetary Murder by Irina Shapiro In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price Powerful by Lauren Roberts The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead by Antony Johnston The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristin Perrin Reckless by Lauren Roberts Fearless by Lauren Roberts The Mythmakers by Tamzin Merchant A Deadly Night at the Theatre by Katy Watson A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry Murder at the Orpheus Theatre by Irina Shapiro Unravel Me by Taherah Mafi Ignite Me by Taherah Mafi The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis A Gift of Poison by Bella Ellis Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco The Killer Question by Janice Hallett Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera Fate of the Argosi Fall of the Argosi Way of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell The Protest by Rob Rinder Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano A Dangerous Train of Thought by Faith Martin Seige and Storm by Leigh Bardugo Crown of Midnight Heir of Fire Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson The Last Word is Death by Faith Martin Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?
Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well today.
Today, I am sharing with you my book review for the first novel in the Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett.
Blurb/Synopsis:
Enter the world of the hidden folk – and discover the most whimsical, enchanting and heart-warming tale you’ll read this year, featuring the intrepid Emily Wilde. . .
Emily Wilde is good at many things: she is the foremost expert on the study of faeries; she is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encylopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby
But as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones – the most elusive of all faeries – she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all – her own heart.
My Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I was unsure what I would think of this book going into it. I bought it because I love everything fairies and whimsical, I just love it. However, I then read some other cosy fantasy books and I think I have decided that cosy fantasy is not something I will usually enjoy. This book is an exception, perhaps because I read it in the car on the way to Scotland for a funeral and the light heartedness of this book was exactly what I needed at the time.
I loved the rival academics thread that underly this story, it gave their relationship an enjoyable tension which I am looking forward to seeing where it goes from here with Emily and Wendell – as you can probably guess I will definitely be continuing this series, I actually got the second book for christmas. The isolated, wintry feeling landscape gave me the same feelings I had while reading the Bear and the Nightingale and I loved that book too. It is hard to talk about this book without giving any spoilers but I loved its whimsical writing style and the way the plot is presented as ‘cosy’ but actually surrounds darker, higher stakes.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Happy Friday bookish People! I hope you are all having a wonderful day today. It is 2026 and that means I can finally do a big wrap up of 2025.
Best book of the year: Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco – the final book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.
Worst book of the year: The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee
Most Read Author: Helena Dixon (The Miss Underhay mystery series) – 16 books!
Amount read in each genre: Crime – 54/Fantasy – 45
Average star rating: 3.9 stars
How many books by male authors: 11
How many books by female authors: 88
Reading goal: originally it was 50, but I managed to pass that in July so I upped it to 75, which I also passed.
How many books did you read: 99
How many pages did you read: 33,970
Longest book: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Shortest book: Graveyard Shift by M L Rio
Best book covers of 2025: Us In Ruins, An Enchantment of Ravens, In Want of A Suspect, Fate of the Argosi, The Mythmakers
New book boyfriends: Rook from an enchantment of ravens – a Fae Prince of course, Inspector Sebastien Bell from Irina Shapiro’s Tate and Bell mysteries – a man who is not cowed by a woman’s intelligence, Gluttony from Throne of Secrets, Arbuthnot Swift from Murder by Candlelight – a bit lazy and sometimes careless but excellent at solving mysteries, Duke Max from The Agency for Scandal, and of course, the one and only Xaden Riorson from Fourth Wing. He is up there with the best.
Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today.
Today, I am sharing with you my thoughts on the most recent S J Parris novel – Traitors Legacy. Funny enough, my Dad wanted to read this book also and he put it on his Christmas list for my Sister and I to choose his presents from, and he had no clue I already owned it – so, after I finished reading it I gave this book over to my Dad to read also.
Blurb/Synopsis:
England, 1598. Queen Elizabeth’s successor remains unnamed. The country teeters on a knife edge.
When a young heiress is found murdered at the theatre, the Queen’s spymaster Robert Cecil calls upon former agent Sophia de Wolfe to investigate.
A cryptic note found on the dead girl’s body connects to Sophia’s previous life as a spy, and her quest soon takes her into dangerous waters. Powerful enemies emerge, among them the Earl of Essex: the Queen’s favourite courtier and a man of ruthless ambition.
This is a murder that reaches directly into the heart of the court. And Sophia is concealing a deep-buried secret of her own. She must uncover the truth before her past threatens to destroy her.
My Review:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
I often enjoy historical mysteries, and I adore anything from the period of Edward IV to the end of Elizabeth I’s reign, so I thought this book would be a good one no matter what, it had all the makings of a new favourite. However, that is not what happened. First, the good things: I did enjoy the mystery elements – working out who could be suspects, all the normal good parts of a mystery plot. Parris did well to keep your mind always turning in new directions, honestly the ending could have said anyone was the killer – they all had their suspicious activities. This, I liked. I liked not being able to guess where the mystery would go next and, though the beginning half is slow, the mystery picks up in the second half and this is what earned this book a three star rating.
Now, the not so good bits. I found this book to be boring – as I have just said, not because of the mystery, because of the characters and the writing. Let us talk the writing first: there was too much information given in large chunks for a start, there was no space for the reader to try and work things out themselves, it was all spelled out to them in backstory and it took a lot of the tension away which I did not enjoy. Also, there was a lot of repetition – this overlaps with character – the main character we follow, Sophia, has only one driving force it seems and this is what forms her entire personality and all her choices, but the reason was repeated so often I had to keep physically putting the book down and read something else before going back to it. So, character. I like that the lead character is female, and the novel touches on how that would have been viewed in this time period and it did not skirt around the topic. However, I needed more substance to her character to be invested and actually want her to succeed. Alongside this, there were many characters introduced in this novel but they also often lacked the page space to give them substance and to actually feel any connection to any of them.
Overall, I am glad I read this book and I did keep reading until the end to find out the answers to the mystery but I do not think I will continue the series or read any other books by this author.
Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a wonderful day today. Today, I will be sharing some of the book releases in January. Are there any books you are excited for their release this month?
The Storm by Rachel Hawkins – 6th
St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.
When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.
As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…
The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi – 8th
In this lush and romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.
To find love is a curse …
Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.
Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.
Until he meets Demelza.
As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.
While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.
Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez – 15th
In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent–a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.
There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family’s enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.
Meanwhile, Ravenna’s forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.
As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.
Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston – 20th
Everyone at Chantilly’s Bar noticed out-of-towner Camille Bayliss. Red lips, designer heels, sipping a Negroni. But that woman wasn’t Camille Bayliss. It was Aubrey Price.
Camille Bayliss appears to have the picture-perfect life; she’s married to hotshot lawyer Ben and is the daughter of a wealthy Louisiana family. Only nothing is as it seems: Camille believes Ben has been hiding dirty secrets for years, but she can’t find proof because he tracks her every move.
Aubrey Price has been haunted by the terrible night that changed her life a decade ago, and she’s convinced Benjamin Bayliss knows something about it. Living in a house full of criminals, Aubrey understands there’s more than one way to get to the truth—and she may have found the best way in.
Aubrey and Camille hatch a plan. It sounds simple: For twelve hours, Aubrey will take Camille’s place. Camille will spy on Ben, and the two women will get the answers they desperately seek.
Except the next morning, Ben is found murdered. Both women need an airtight alibi, but only one of them has it. And one false step is all it takes for everything to come undone.
Half His Age by Jeannette McCurdy – 20th
Waldo is ravenous. Horny. Blunt. Naive. Wise. Impulsive. Lonely. Angry. Forceful. Hurting. Perceptive. Endlessly wanting. And the thing she wants most of all: Mr. Korgy, her creative writing teacher with the wife and the kid and the mortgage and the bills, with the dead dreams and the atrophied looks and the growing paunch. She doesn’t know why she wants him. Is it his passion? His life experience? The fact that he knows books and films and things that she doesn’t? Or is it purer than that, rooted in their unlikely connection, their kindred spirits, the similar filter with which they each take in the world around them? Or, perhaps, it’s just enough that he sees her when no one else does.
Startlingly perceptive, mordantly funny, and keenly poignant, Half His Age is a rich character study of a yearning seventeen-year-old who disregards all obstacles—or attempts to overcome them—in her effort to be seen, to be desired, to be loved.
A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St James – 22nd
Siblings return to the house they fled eighteen years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request to come home.
Strange things happen in Fell, New York: A mysterious drowning at the town’s roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie the final straw was their little brother’s shocking disappearance, which started as a normal game of hide-and-seek.
As their parents grew increasingly distant, the sisters were each haunted by visions and frightening events, leading them to leave town and never look back. Violet still sees dead people—spirits who remind her of Sister, the menacing presence that terrorized her for years. Now after nearly two decades it’s time for a homecoming—because Ben is back, and he’s ready to lead them to the answers they’ve longed for and long feared.
Dear Debbie by Frieda McFadden -27th
Sometimes, enough is enough…
Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction.
Or at least, she did.
These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person. She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice.
And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney – 27th
Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.
One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.
Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.
My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.
Dragon Cursed by Elise Kova – 29th
The moment you see a dragon is usually your last…
Since the dragons emerged–along with the scourge that ravaged our lands and people–there’s only one human city that remains standing: Vingard.
But the hellfire from above is nothing compared to the threat from within. For there is no worse fate than being dragon cursed. Slowly and excruciatingly, you’ll be transformed into a mindless beast who destroys everything–and everyone–you love.
Any of us could be tainted. Any of us could be lying. Any of us could be caught and killed by the authorities.
And I’m terrified that I might be next.
There’s only one other person who might suspect my secret. He’s like my shadow, following me wherever I go. Part protector, part tormentor, fully annoying. Sometimes I think I am just one of the million unfathomable secrets he keeps hidden.
Because Lucan definitely knows something.
And if I’m dragon cursed, death might be the only mercy I get.
Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a wonderful day today. Can you believe it is already time to be sharing my TBR for January 2026?! This year, in my reading journal, I have a 100 book challenge so I tried to fill it with books I am really excited to read and I will be trying to choose from that sheet when I am building my monthly TBR’s.
What I will be reading in January:
Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
A Season of Scandal by Laura Wood
Book of Night by Holly Black
A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey
Restore Me by Taherah Mafi
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
A Matter of Murder by Tirzah Price
The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood
What’s on your January TBR? What are you excited about reading?