1.18.2026 - The Future Saints

  

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Ashley Winstead.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Record executive Theo is brought in to "fix" the Future Saints.  Since the tragic death of their manager and sister to lead singer and songwriter, Hannah, the band has been in a downward spiral.  Deep in her grief, Hannah writes songs with a whole new sound and the new music goes viral.  Theo puts his career on the line to give them one last shot at success.  But Hannah's grief is all encompassing, and her destructive actions become a deterrent.  

If you loved Daisy Jones & The Six, The Future Saints is the book for you.  A departure from Winstead's normal thrillers, this shows that she can write any genre, and do it exceptionally well.  This book about grief, friendship, and sisterhood set in the music industry will pull you in from the beginning.  With alternating POV between Hannah and Theo, it tackles tough subjects and messy characters, highlighting all of our messiness, especially when dealing with grief.  It's very character driven, and all (well, most!) of the characters will steal a piece of your heart.  I also liked the mixed media interjections to increase the tension and give an outside look into the group.  It's raw, real, and I couldn't put it down.  Bravo!

1.17.2026 - All the Little Houses

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by May Cobb.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Nellie Anderson is desperate to be the Queen Bee of her high school crowd, but there is a darkness in her that keeps people away.  Her mother, Charleigh, does everything she can to smooth the waters for Nellie, after a tough childhood.  But a new family moves into town, trad wife, woodworker dad, and three kids, including Jane, who Nellie hates on sight.  Who will be left when all the dust settles?

May Cobb has done it again – this was so much juicy fun!  Set in Texas in the 1980s, it reminded me of sitting at home, glued to the tv, watching Dallas in all its rich, over the top, conniving, fun.  Plus, there’s some Little House on the Prairie vibes too – how’s that for a fun combination?  I loved the short, addicting chapters, from all different POVs, with hints that someone is going to end up dead in between.  And just like in Dallas where we had to wait to see who shot JR, Cobb has left us with a cliffhanger awaiting a sequel.  Hurry please – I must know what happens next!

1.15.2026 - My Husband's Wife

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest (and best?) by a favorite, Alice Feeney.  The audiobook was fantastic, narrated by the cast of Bel Powley, Henry Rowley, and Richard Armitage, and complete with sound effects that will totally immerse you into the story.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 stars!

 

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 like her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.  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.

 

Oh my gosh – how many books have I read where I’ve said that there were twists and turns involved?  They had nothing on this book – it had twists and turns in spades until the very end.  Told from multiple perspectives and timelines, the secrets and lies will keep you guessing.  I had no clue where it was going most of the time, and that ending proved the fact that I was clueless.  I’m a big Alice Feeney fan, but I’ll go out on the limb and say this is my favorite.  Stop reading this review and read this book – you won’t regret it!  Bravo!

 

1.14.2026 - It Should Have Been You

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new thriller by Andrea Mara.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Dealing with the stress of a newborn baby, Susan mistakenly sends an email venting about another mother in the neighborhood who called her out on the neighborhood group chat.  Instead of sending it to her sisters, she sends it neighborhood-wide, and it quickly goes viral.  Just like the flap of a butterfly wings, lives are changed forever.  

This book will certainly make you doublecheck your texts and emails in the future!  I'm a huge fan of messy domestic suspense and this one has it in spades, with just so many secrets and lies.  Told from different POVs and timelines, I liked the short chapters that keep me flipping the pages way past when I should have stopped.  There are a lot of unlikeable characters here, but many are nonetheless relatable.  Susan was the most sympathetic, dealing with postpartum issues, scary thoughts, and even with support, feeling very much alone.  Plus, there are the themes of bullying and negative social media, enough to give any parent nightmares.   So twisty good - don't miss this one!

1.14.2026 - The Briars

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Sarah Crouch.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Annie is desperate to escape a relationship gone bad, so she takes a job as a game warden in Lake Lumin, a small town in the mountains of Washington.  A cougar has been spotted in the area and while searching, encounters a reclusive man, Daniel, who lives in the shadow of the mountain.  Annie feels chemistry from the beginning.  When the body of a young woman is found in the briars that border Daniel's property, she works with the local sheriff, Jake, on the investigation.  

I was totally engrossed with this atmospheric book, from the isolated feeling of the mountains to the luminescent lake to the small town gossipy feel.  The three main characters were realistic, and we hear from each of their point of view.  I especially liked Annie, determined to not back down from those who don't think she should be in her position, and I was rooting for her throughout the book.  The writing is wonderful, and the mysteries kept me guessing and changing my mind until the end.  After her acclaimed debut, Middletide, she shines in her sophomore book!

1.13.2026 - Is This A Cry For Help?

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Emily Austin.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Darcy is just returning to her librarian job after a mental health crisis, caused by learning of the death of her old boyfriend.  She has her wife, Joy, as a huge support, but Joy is currently helping her sister after the birth of her child.  So Darcy is left alone with their cats, her anxiety, and a growing protest movement against the library and its policies.  

I was anxious to read this book because I loved Austin's last book, Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead.  This book has similar dark humor, while much more serious themes swirled throughout.  I also loved that it's a love letter to and a deep dive into libraries, especially in today's politically charged environment.  Darcy was an interesting character, gutted by the death of her first real boyfriend and her anxiety over the way she ended the relationship.  We see her work through her issues with the help of a therapist and her wife.  Plus, the letters from Sammy added to the story, especially as it all wraps up.  

1.12.2026 - The Shark House

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse and Harper Muse for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this atmospheric book by Sara Ackerman, with the audiobook beautifully narrated by Jennifer Robideau.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars!

 

In 1998, biologist and shark expert Minnow Gray travels to Hawaii where a series of shark attacks have left the community on edge.  Determined to uncover the reason for the attacks before the mayor calls for a mass killing of sharks in the area, Minnow must rely on others.  With her own past marked by a tragic shark encounter, Minnow must face both her past and nature.

 

This is a beautifully atmospheric novel, as long as you aren’t scared just reading or thinking about sharks!  What I loved was how respectful Minnow was with the sharks, knowing that humans were much more deadly to sharks than the other way around.  Minnow must tackle the fact that she is typically the only woman in the room and in her field, as well as coming to grips with her past, so that she can move forward.  There’s beauty in this book on every page, from the creatures in the sea, to the scenery, to the connections between humans and animals.  Just lovely.