Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2026

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Here we go again!

I read a lot of thick fantasy books then I got distracted by romance novellas and rounded out a great month of reading.

  • [Reread] A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] Dragon Cursed (Dragon Cursed #1) by Elise Kova
  • We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood #1) by Stacia Stark
  • [ALC] The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
  • Tidespeaker by Sadie Turner
  • Blood of the Lost Gods (Dusk and Dawn #1) by Jessica J. Ayala
  • [ALC] Graceless Hearts by Isabel Ibanez
  • Drawn Together by Juliana Smith
  • Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
  • [Novella] Unwritten by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #0.5) by Caty Rogan
  • The Once and Future Queen (The Lives of Guinevere #1) by Paula Lafferty
  • Poisoned Ivy (Legacies #1) by Ava Rani
  • [ARC/ALC] Carnival Fantastico by Angelo Montoya
  • [ALC] Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean
  • Kissed by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #1) by Caty Rogan
  • [ALC] Lights Out by Jenni Fletcher
  • Conform (Conform #1) by Ariel Sullivan
  • Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
  • The War of Wings (Benevolence & Blood #3) by Lauren M. Leasure
  • [Novella] Accidentally Yours (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Christina Lauren
  • [Novella] Death to Valentine’s Day (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Catherine Cowles
  • [Novella] Valentine’s Slay (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Navessa Allen
  • [Novella] A Play for Love (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Trilina Pucci
  • [Novella] Second Act Romance (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Julie Soto
  • [Novella] Time Will Tell (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Hannah Bonam-Young
  • [Novella] It’s Only Love by Alexandra Grace
  • The Rules of Courtship (Hearts of Harewood #3) by Kasey Stockton
  • Night Meets the Elf Queen (Elf Queen #4) by J.M. Kearl
  • The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie
  • Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli
  • A Secret Correspondence (Hearts of Harewood #4) by Kasey Stockton
  • Mail-Order Duchess (Lords of the Rockies #1) by Misty M. Beller
  • When Sisters Collide (The Gifts of the Gods #2) by S.E. Bouvier
  • [ARC/ALC] Stolen Midnights (Stolen Midnights #1) by Katherine Quinn
  • [ARC] Love Catch (The Love Playbook) by Lauran Langa
  • [ARC/ALC] Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman
  • Love on the Sidelines (The Boys of Ann Arbor U #3) by Gracie Graham

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Book Review: Stolen Midnights by Katherine Quinn

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: New Adult Fantasy Romance
Length: 454 pages
Author: Katherine Quinn
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: February 3rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This magical new YA romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of To Kill a Shadow will steal your heart. Set in Andalay, a world where the ruling Fates bestow gifts among the favored, a thief must join forces with the palace darling after he unwittingly steals a necklace with the power to change everything.

When Damien, a cold and hardened thief, is hired to steal a gift from the powerful Fates meant for Andalay’s sweetheart, Wren Hayes, he finds himself entangled in a web of secrets.

The gift? A locket containing his own phototroph.

Once the locket is opened, hidden truths unravel, ones that shed light on the ruthless ways of the upper-class society. Yearning for the three Fates and the magical gifts they bestow, the lords of Andalay will go to any length to keep their power—including murder.

Brought together by destiny, and fighting a temptation that neither understand, Wren and Damien navigate a seedy world where the truth can destroy not only their lives, but the city itself.

Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

I WANT BOOK TWO.

I was kind of up and down with how this book went. The world building was a bit confusing and I’m still not sure how the gods vs. the setting vs. the gifts vs. everything else truly work. The romantic connection between Damien and Wren grew on me. I liked seeing them come from different sides of the track and start to work together to unravel the mysteries before them. The regency vibes were really good too though.

It lost me for a bit in the middle. Things kind of dragged out and I was losing steam. That last quarter though was really good. And on top of that cliffhanger ending I decided I have to pick up book two to see where it goes next. This was my first book by Katherine Quinn and I had an enjoyable time.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: one fade to black
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: kidnapping, loss of life

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Book Review: Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Ellie Palmer
Publisher: GP Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: August 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A tender, laugh-out-loud debut romance about a woman who ends up in over her head after a little white lie . . .

When thirty-year-old post-double-mastectomy BRCA 1 carrier and reluctant thrill-seeker Alison Mullally arrives at her ex-boyfriend Sam’s funeral to find that no one knows he dumped her, she agrees to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of the family and pack up Sam’s apartment with his prickly best friend, Adam Berg. After all, it’ll only take four weekends . . .

But Adam doesn’t want Alison anywhere near him. Forced to spend long hours with the grump, and his monosyllabic demeanor, Alison decides she must put her people-pleasing abilities to the test. She will make him like her. And after awkward family affairs and packing up dilemmas, the two form a tenuous friendship . . . if “friendship” means incredible chemistry and tension between them. Can Alison come clean and finally embrace the life and love she’s always wanted? Or will her little white lie get in the way of her new, unexpected romance?

NEW FAN.

I will officially be reading Ellie Palmer’s next book because this hit all the right notes for me. It was a well balanced romance and I loved the themes and story too.

It’s just a romantic read. I loved listening to the audio and was heavily invested in Alison and Adam’s story. The slow burn was incredible and I loved seeing these quiet moments they got together and the joy they found in each other’s company.

There’s good character growth in Alison’s story too. Her story line packed an emotional punch that had me teary eyed at the grocery store. The journey was beautiful and swoony and impactful on many levels.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Content Warnings: themes surrounding breast cancer (throughout), loss of a friend, grief depiction

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Book Review: The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 276 pages
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: November 1st, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

September 1400

King Richard II of England is dead. And after three years in His Majesty’s service, Rhys ap Tudor and his brother Gwilym are finally free to return to their ancestral home in North Wales. Their long- anticipated homecoming is overshadowed, however, by the harsh changes they encounter in their once peaceful land. The new king, Henry IV, rules with an iron fist, and the country is ripe for rebellion. Instantly thrust into the forefront of the conflict, the proud Tudor brothers enter the fight for their freedom.

Lady Catrin Buckley is alert to the unrest swirling around her. As the daughter of an English father and a Welsh mother, she knows too well the trouble her lineage poses. Her own battle, however, is one of the heart: she is to be married to a man she neither knows nor loves. Then an unexpected encounter with the enigmatic Rhys ap Tudor changes everything. Soon, Catrin finds herself swept into a rebellion that could not only change history but also rewrite her own future.

GOOD HISTORICAL.

I am trying to clear out my audible line up so it doesn’t make me anxious with how many books I want to get through and a libby lull allowed me to get some good back list books! I enjoyed this historical a lot. I loved the unique time period setting and the intensity of emotions between characters.

It’s a great audiobook and I loved the narrator. I love when historical feel well researched and I always walk away feeling like I learned more about the setting (even when the characters are fictional). The romance is sweet and passionate too. The draw between Rhys and Catrin can be felt through the pages. Filled with action and betrayals this was a fantastic listen.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high

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