New year, new reading momentum—and wow, January did not come to play. 🎉

I somehow managed to read 18 books this month, which feels like starting the year on expert mode. Between fantasy epics, dark twists, emotional hits, and pure “just one more chapter” energy, this month had range.

Some reads absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Others surprised me. A few were solid vibes but not life-changing. Overall? This was a stacked reading month, and I’m honestly proud of the consistency more than anything. Starting the year with this kind of reading momentum makes me feel like the 2026 reading goals are already in motion.

Full breakdown of everything I read, what hit hardest, and which books I’m still thinking about long after turning the last page is up on the blog and podcast—so if you’re hunting for your next read, I’ve got you covered. 📖✨

Here’s to keeping this energy going all year long.

Wayward children #7-11

I absolutely love this series. Every book is short, sweet & transports you to a new realm filled with magic & their own consequences. But they still suit the children who find their way through the doors.  I love these books so much. Some are better than others, but I love the formula. I like how we go back 2 for the between a prequel & then a return to the main Storyline. Each book is a 5-star novel with such a great emotional range.

The Last Vampire

I have to say this was a very interesting read. I liked the play, Austen here. While I’m more of a Brontë fan, I think what I really liked about this novel was the way it almost blended Brontë and Austen together. The dynamic between the characters is definitely Austen-inspired, but the atmosphere, the gothic castle turned boarding school that held a trapped vampire, definitely gave me Brontë vibes. Thoroughly enjoyed it, even the scenes where it got a little steamy.

The Obsidian Blade

This was a reread for me. I read this novel years ago, probably a decade ago at least, so in order to finish the series, I had to reread this since I did not remember much of it.

This is definitely a trippy novel. It deals with time travel and is fairly easy to follow. You can tell that this novel is setting up the stage for various things because it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Its all about keeping you engaged. There were times I was a little unsure of what was happening, specifically with the worm near the end. I had a hard time visualizing what was going on, but for the most part, it was an interesting novel.

Not For the Faint of Heart

I love that this isn’t a retelling of Robin Hood but rather leans into the lore and builds off it, following Robin Hood’s granddaughter. I think the queerness in the novel is also very apt since the original tale, before Maid Marian’s introduction in the 16^th century, alluded to the Merry Men being queer. Anyway, this novel follows Mariel, our grumpy sunshine and captain of the Merry Men, and Clem, our ray of sunshine healer. It’s a dual pov and their dynamic is adorable, and the novel is filled with numerous humorous moments between them.

I will say the pacing lagged a little, but those moments were few and far between, thankfully.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

What can I say, I loved it. It has probably been over a decade since I last read this trilogy, and I was glad it was picked by the book club I host to read this over the course of 2 months. Of course, I waited until January to start this novel, when I had two months, so I audiobooked it. First, Andy Serkis is a great narrator as he is an actor, love him. Second, I had forgotten how much actually happened in the novel. The opening chapter will lay out all the lore and backstory, really painting a picture of the Shire and the world of Middle-earth. It’s amazing how much time passes in the novel. I loved the story and the lore that Tolkien built here, and it was great to revisit it and see what I missed by only watching the movies (extended cuts only).

Tidespeaker

This novel was okay. Huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book. I think my biggest issue with the novel is the lack of romance, ironically. There is this simmering, slow-burning tension between two characters, and nothing ever comes from it, which is annoying. I liked the story, and I respect the fact that Corith, our MC, chooses herself at the end. But I think the story would have been better if there had been no romantic subtext at all, or if he had chosen to follow her at the end. She could still choose herself and have the romance as she leaves to fight for a better future for her people. I just have this pet peeve when authors and publishers market a plot point to sell their novel, but then don’t actually do anything with that plot point in the novel. It makes me, personally, feel lied to, and I think it’s not a good sales tactic.

Other than that, the story was interesting, and it was well done. I think Corith’s characterization was lacking a bit, and she definitely needed more character growth, but the classism aspect, the magic and fantasy, I think those were well done and needed more focus.

Captain of Fates

This was such a fun novel. I love that Katherine Webber has decided to give some of the side characters from the previous novels and give them their own stories. Marino, our sailor, is definitely given more depth in this novel. He has more dimensions than just Celeste’s brother. He was quirky in the previous novels, but now he has dimension. I loved his romance arc and the way the novel just kept me engaged from beginning to end. On a journey to save his sister, he gets shipwrecked on an island surrounded by mermaids, cursed to keep anyone from leaving the land. It plays a twist on the tale of the Little Mermaid. I really enjoyed it, and I can’t wait to read the next standalone.

The Last Dragon on Mars

This was such a fun read. I read this novel to my son nightly, and it had space dragons! Basically, every planet has a dragon avatar, and that was the coolest thing in the world. Years ago, Earth tried to get Ares, the Mars dragon, to sacrifice himself to populate Mars. He refused, leading to his death as both of his moons’ dragons turned on him and killed him, leading him to curse Mars and make it uninhabitable. Lunar, born on Mars, an orphan now, stumbles upon a military unit that leads him to bind with Dread, a dragon kept in secret until he’s big enough to survive on his own.

It has great pacing, a great story, and is so unique. I loved it, and I’m excited to start the next one with my son.

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

This novel was perfect, no notes. I read this one for my virtual book club, Read with Cyn’s Workshop. I loved every moment of this novel. I loved Violet and her dynamic and budding romance with Nathaniel. I love her killer sentient plant. I love the found family element here.  It was just so much fun and such a delight to read. It was cozy, and romantic, and even the sex scene, I mean, that’s how you write a sex scene. It’s not cringy, it’s sweet and wholesome, and I loved every moment of it.

I want another novel set in this universe.

All That We See or Seem

This was my book club pick, and it was terrific. I loved every minute of it. Not only did it take place in Boston, my home, but it was also cyberpunk. But not as cyberpunk as Cyberpunk 2077. It was a little softer, but the techspeak and the sci-fi element were there. Honestly, I think the reason I really enjoyed this novel was that it reminded me of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Julia isn’t as rough around the edges. Still, she is as fierce, tech-savvy, and determined to bring the bad guy down, especially after a bit of soul-searching. There’s definitely a ton of character development, and the ending kept me on the edge of my seat. Can’t wait to see what Julia Z does next.

Bane of Asgard

This novel was okay. Not only was it long, it felt long. There was so much information going on that I honestly found myself bored here. I think I felt the same way when I read the first novel, and I had hoped this novel would be better. Full disclosure, this novel had been sent to me from the publisher, so I take solace in the fact that I didn’t pay for it.

It’s just a lot happens, and I feel like it would have worked better if this novel had been split into two novels. There was just too much going on, and it was hard to follow at times. And that was what made it feel long. I’m a girl who likes a chonky book, but this was, unfortunately, a let-down.

Fallen Gods

Okay, another ARC was sent to me. See, I’m making headway here on my arcs. Slowly but surely. Anyway, it was okay. I will say, as far as Red Tower Books is concerned, this is definitely one of the well-written ones.

My biggest issue here is that there wasn’t enough fantasy. This is more Dark Academia with Norse Mythology on the fringes. It just needed more fantasy. I didn’t mind the urban touch, the modern feel with the novel. But when I pick up a fantasy, I expect a little more fantasy than what I got.

So, yeah, this was just okay.

Cardcaptor Sakura Collector’s Edition Vol. 4

What can I say? I love Cardcaptor Sakura. It’s fun and sweet, and I love the art style, and I just think this is one of the best manga’s out there.

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