We keep a list of every book I finish. Not because anyone asks for it. Just because I like looking back at the end of the year and remembering where I was when I read certain stories. The plane ride. The rainy weekend. The week I couldn’t sleep and finished three books in five days.
We’re a few months into 2026, and I’ve already discovered some real gems. Some made me cry. Some made me stay up too late. Some I almost gave up on, and then they surprised me.
Here’s everything I’ve read so far this year, with honest thoughts about what worked and what didn’t.
Where I Find My Books
| Platform | What I Use It For |
|---|---|
| Audiobooks | Commutes and chores |
| Libby | Free library books |
| Amazon Kindle | Late-night reading in bed |
| Local bookstore | New releases I’m excited about |
January: Starting the Year Strong
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
I started the year with this historical novel based on the true story of Martha Ballard, a midwife in 1780s Maine who kept a diary that documented 1,000 births. The book is part mystery, part courtroom drama, part quiet portrait of a woman’s life when women’s lives weren’t considered worth recording.
The audiobook narrator is excellent. Her voice has the right amount of warmth and steel. The story moves slowly at first, but by the middle, I was fully invested. The final hundred pages flew by.
What stayed with me: Martha’s diary entries are real. Lawhon used them as source material. Knowing that a woman actually wrote these words, actually delivered these babies, actually witnessed these events, made everything hit harder.
Who should read it: Fans of historical fiction, strong female protagonists, and slow-burn mysteries.
James by Percival Everett
This book is a retelling of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who travels with Huck. It’s brilliant. Devastating. Funny in ways that make you uncomfortable.
Everett doesn’t just retell the story. He reimagines it. Jim is not the simple, loyal figure from Twain’s novel. He’s intelligent, strategic, and hiding more than anyone knows. The way Everett handles language, the way Jim and other enslaved people code-switch depending on who’s listening, is genius.
I read this in two days. I couldn’t put it down. It made me angry and sad and hopeful all at once.
Who should read it: Anyone who loved Huck Finn and anyone who’s ready to see it differently.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
A civil servant gets recruited into a government program that brings historical figures to the present day. Her assignment? A Commander from an 1845 Arctic expedition who died, but now he’s here, confused, and she has to help him adjust.
The premise is fun. The execution is smart. The romance that develops is complicated in interesting ways. The audiobook narrator does a great job with the Commander’s voice, old-fashioned but not silly.
My only complaint is the ending. It gets a little weird. Metaphysical in ways I wasn’t prepared for. Still, a solid read.
Who should read it: Fans of time travel, slow-burn romance, and literary fiction with genre elements.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
This book follows a young woman who becomes an Army nurse in Vietnam. It’s about what happens during the war and, maybe more importantly, what happens after. The way Vietnam veterans were treated when they came home is a shameful chapter, and Hannah doesn’t look away.
I cried at least three times. The friendships between the nurses are beautiful. The romance is messy in realistic ways. The writing is straightforward but effective.
Who should read it: Fans of historical fiction, war stories told from women’s perspectives, and books that will make you emotional.
February: Cozy Mysteries and Big Feelings
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four retirees in a posh English village meet weekly to investigate cold cases. Then a real murder happens right in their backyard.
This book is pure joy. The characters are wonderful. Elizabeth, the former spy. Ibrahim, the psychiatrist. Ron, the former union organizer. Joyce, the former nurse who narrates parts of the story with perfect deadpan humor. They’re all in their seventies and eighties, and they’re sharper than anyone gives them credit for.
The audiobook narrator is perfect. Her voices for each character are distinct, and her Joyce is especially good.
Who should read it: Anyone who needs a comfort read. Fans of cozy mysteries. People who think old people are boring (you’re wrong).
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
A woman living a quiet life has a secret. She’s not who she says she is. She’s part of a criminal operation, and her latest assignment has her playing a long game that’s about to get complicated.
This is a fun, twisty thriller. Not groundbreaking, but well-executed. The main character is smart and resourceful, and watching her navigate impossible situations is entertaining. The ending surprised me, which doesn’t happen often.
Who should read it: Thriller fans who don’t need their books to be too dark.
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
This book is about a small town in Pennsylvania, a grocery store, and the Black and Jewish communities that lived alongside each other in the 1930s. A skeleton is discovered in a well, and the story spirals backward to explain how it got there.
McBride’s writing is stunning. His characters are unforgettable. The audiobook narrator captures the rhythms of their speech perfectly. The book is funny and sad and angry and hopeful. It’s about prejudice and community and the way people help each other when no one else will.
I finished this and immediately wanted to read it again.
Who should read it: Anyone who loves character-driven fiction, American history told from the margins, and beautiful writing.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Two people whose exes ran off together end up as roommates. You can guess where this is going, but the journey is fun.
Emily Henry is the queen of rom-coms for a reason. Her dialogue crackles. Her characters feel real. The small-town setting is charming without being cloying. This isn’t her best (that’s Book Lovers), but it’s a solid entry.
Who should read it: Romance fans. Anyone who needs a light read after something heavy.
March: Thrillers and Surprises
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
A woman meets her exact double at a pub on her birthday. They become friends. Then things get very, very strange.
This book is told in multiple formats. Podcast transcripts. Documentary footage. Traditional narration. The audiobook uses a full cast, and it’s incredibly effective. You feel like you’re listening to a true crime podcast that slowly reveals itself to be something much darker.
The ending is disturbing and perfect. I thought about it for days.
Who should read it: Thriller fans who like unreliable narrators and unconventional formats.
The Guest by B.A. Paris
A woman shows up at her friends’ house and refuses to leave. The hosts are too polite to kick her out. Tension builds.
The premise is good. The execution is fine. The problem is the main character is so unlikeable that I stopped caring what happened to her. Some readers love that. I found it exhausting.
Who should read it: Fans of domestic suspense who don’t need to like the protagonist.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
An elderly woman works the night shift at an aquarium. A giant Pacific octopus lives in one of the tanks. The octopus narrates some chapters.
I know how that sounds. It shouldn’t work. It does.
The octopus, Marcellus, is one of the most memorable narrators I’ve ever encountered. He’s smart and curious and has his own agenda. The human characters are grieving and lonely and slowly finding their way toward each other.
This book made me cry happy tears at the end. It’s about connection, about the families we make, about the wisdom of paying attention.
Who should read it: Everyone. Seriously. Just read it.
April (So Far): What’s Currently on My Nightstand
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Status: Halfway through
A family of Mi’kmaq berry pickers in Maine. A young girl goes missing. Decades later, the truth starts to surface.
The writing is gorgeous. The sense of place is strong. I’m only halfway, but I can tell this one is going to stay with me.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Status: 75% done
I finally caved and started this. Dragons, war college, enemies-to-lovers. It’s pure entertainment. The pacing is relentless. The action scenes are exciting. I understand why it’s everywhere.
Will I read the sequel? Probably. Will I remember it in a year? Probably not.
Table for Two by Amor Towles
Status: Just started
A collection of short stories and a novella from the author of A Gentleman in Moscow. Towles writes with elegance and warmth. His characters are always charming. Perfect for when I only have twenty minutes to read.
The Best Books So Far
If I had to recommend three books from this list:
- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
- James by Percival Everett
These are the ones that stuck with me. The ones I’ve already bought as gifts for friends. The ones I’ll reread someday.
The Ones I Gave Up On
Not every book works out. Here are two I set aside this year.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides. I loved The Silent Patient. This one felt like a retread. The narrator was annoying. I made it 100 pages and stopped.
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. The premise is incredible. An island, a murder, a fog that will destroy humanity if the killer isn’t found in 24 hours. But the execution was too confusing. Too many characters. Too much explaining. I wanted to love it. I didn’t.
What I’m Planning to Read Next
My to-read pile is out of control. Here’s what’s coming up.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. Over 700 pages. A family saga spanning generations in India. I’m intimidated but excited.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. A satire about the publishing industry. Everyone I trust loved it. I’m late to the party.
The Fraud by Zadie Smith. Historical fiction based on a real Victorian court case. Smith’s prose is always worth the effort.
Holly by Stephen King. I take a break from King sometimes, but I always come back.
How I Track My Reading
I use a simple spreadsheet. Title, author, format, rating, date finished, and a one-sentence summary. That’s it.
Some people use Goodreads. Some use StoryGraph. I just need a place to remember what I’ve read. When I’m old, I want to look back at these lists and remember the stories that filled my years.
My Reading Goals for 2026
I don’t set number goals. Reading 50 books or 100 books doesn’t matter if I’m not paying attention.
My goal this year is to read more slowly. To stop rushing to finish. To sit with books after I close them. To let them settle.
I also want to read more books in translation. More books by authors from places I’ve never visited. More books that challenge what I think I know.
And I want to keep sharing what I find, because talking about books is almost as good as reading them.
Your Turn
What are you reading this year? Found any gems I should add to my list? Drop a comment and let me know.
I’m always looking for my next favorite book.
Find your next read: