1) WELCOME TO MURDER WEEK BY KAREN DUKESS (Adult Cozy Mystery) (304 pages) (5⭐️) Prior to her death, Cath’s estranged mother purchased them tickets for a murder mystery simulation in a small British town. Cath decides to go and while there she learns more about her family’s connection to the town. This novel perfectly balances a fun murder mystery game, a sweet romance between Cath and a local bartender, and the heaviness of complex grief. It all culminates in a truly bitters

BEST BOOK I’VE READ IN 2026 TJ Klune is one of my favorite authors and his 2026 novella may just be his best release yet. It’s called We Burned So Bright. It follows an elderly gay couple who are going on a road trip to complete unfinished business before the world is swallowed by a black hole. In spite of its short length, this book manages to capture the spectrum of humanity and what makes us beautiful but also broken. BEST SEQUEL I’VE READ IN 2026 The Oleander Sword by T

1) THE LOTUS EMPIRE BY TASHA SURI (Adult Fantasy) (494 pages) (3.75⭐️) This is the conclusion to the Burning Kingdoms trilogy in which Malini and Priya, lovers turned enemies, must join forces to kill the yaksa – nature spirits/gods who are altering their world and sickening their people. This is the weakest link in the trilogy. It introduces new conflicts and plot devices so late into the story – and that leads to a lot of the conflicts being solved a little too conveniently

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE HOUSEMAID AND DO NOT DISTURB BY FREIDA MCFADDEN. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THESE BOOKS BUT INTEND TO THEN READ THIS REVIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK. GENRE: Adult Thriller LENGTH: 288 pages PLOT Quinn Alexander stabs her abusive husband to death and is forced to flee. When a snowstorm hits, she must take shelter at the remote, dilapidated Baxter Hotel that has a violent past. CHARACTERS The characters fall into two camps: Quinn and fa