Tag: Five Star Novels

March 2026–Part One:

March 15, 2026

Book #19:

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto (457 pages).  I own the gorgeous print version of this fantasy novel as the sprayed edges and gorgeous cover caught my eye at our local bookstore. This is set in Evermore, where 2 different worlds battle for power. Rose in chains refers to Briony Rosewood, the Princess of Evermore who is now imprisoned by Toven Hearst of the other kingdom. Mind and heart magic war here and play large roles in the plot. This is much more violent than many fantasy romances with rape occurring (off the page) and is very dark. However, none of it is exploitative and absolutely moves the plot forward. I absolutely want to read the next book of this trilogy (out December 2026) for sure as these characters are memorable and well-drawn. 4.5 stars.

Book #20:

The Sea Child by Linda Wilgus (Length: 291 pages). I picked this up because it was available at my local library and wow, am I glad I did! Set in the early 1800s in England, the young widow Isabel leaves London for a tiny shack on the coast in Cornwall, near where she was found as a 4-year-old orphan, dripping wet from the sea. With no memory of her parents or where she came from, Isabel was rescued by a wealthy couple and taken to London. After being newly married and losing her husband to the war, Isabel has no choice but to try to start over in a new community. This wonderful novel mixes bits of magical realism (think stories of mermaids/mermen) but the focus here is mostly on the smugglers who supply the community with the items that are heavily taxed to fund the war, and how those smugglers affect Isabel. This is very well-written, the plot is so much fun (although it takes a good 15% to get started) and is very memorable. 5 stars. LOVED!

Book #21:

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser (Length: 341 pages).  If this stunning novel isn’t in my favorite top 5 books of 2026 I will be very surprised. This fairy tale fantasy novel turns the Cinderella tale on its head and is told from the point of view of the “wicked” stepmother. There’s falconry, the royal court, apple orchards, decaying estates . . . the background is so interesting here. But the interpersonal dynamics among all of the major players (the 3 daughters, the stepmother, the Prince, the Queen, the Queen’s advisor) are the best part of this fantastic novel. The plot is propulsive, the prose is rich without being stuffy, and this gorgeous book is absolutely unforgettable. This is the perfect beach read, if you can wait that long. 5 glorious stars from me.

Book #22:

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (Length: 189 pages). This is an award-winning collection of nine short stories all about the lives of black women and girls from four different generations. The author explores the divide between the expectations of the church and their own real lives and desires. The stories vary from a mistress listing the various rules she has for her male visitors to a young woman who falls for a pastor’s son, the same pastor who has taken her own mother on as a mistress. This is so well-written, engaging and interesting. I listened to these stories on audio and the narrator is fantastic!

February 2026–Part Two:

March 1, 2026

Book #15:

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (501 pages).  I’ve seen this murder mystery on the tops of so many best of lists so I was excited to finally get into it. A book within a book concept that is expertly executed here. A 1955 murder mystery series starring Attitcus Pund is the series at the heart of the novel where the present-day editor of the series, Susan Ryeland, is dealing with the series’ author’s death as well as the missing end of his last book of the series. Both mysteries in this fantastic novel are cleverly-constructed (a true two-fer!), both are well-written and are a lot of fun! I give this a resounding five stars!

Book #16:

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman (Length: 386 pages). This is the second installment in a series of 8 books, and here, Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat Princess Donut are still fighting monsters in a video-game like reality TV dungeon, post-alien invasion of Earth. They are now on the 3rd floor below Earth and are encountering some crazy scenarios such as an old circus with killer clowns and skeleton lemurs. There are still lots of LOL lines, a lot of heart and found family moments. There’s not a lot of new here, but it’s a great escapist read that made me laugh when I really needed it. I’m not sure I’ll continuing reading on unless I’m able to listen to this on audio. (One of my staff members recommends audio as the way to go here as they’re fantastic). 4.5 stars.

Book #17:

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (Length: 419 pages).  I have had this title on my TBR for a while as it’s mentioned on quite a few backlist rom-com gems. I loved this read! April, a plus-size geologist who has a secret cosplay/fan fic writer life outside of work meets Marcus, the star/resident heart throb of the biggest TV show ever (and for which April has been writing fan fic). Marcus has some secrets of his own and I really enjoyed the pair’s chemistry as well as the author’s writing. Very well done!

Book #18:

Shady Hollow by Juneau Black (Length: 227 pages). This is Book 1 of 6 in the Shady Hollow Mysteries series, and is a cozy mystery with all of the typical cozy mystery components: cute village setting with coffee shop, no gore or violence on the page, lower stakes in the murders. The exception here is that all of the characters are woodland creatures. So Joe the moose owns the village coffee shop, Vera Vixen is a fox who is a journalist and is sniffing out who committed the murder, and the Beaverpelt family owns the sawmill which is the village’s main industry. I didn’t find the writing or the mystery to read as juvenile, and the central mystery is well-constructed for what it is. However, I’m not sure I’ll keep reading further in the series as cozy mysteries aren’t my favorite genre. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, give this one a shot! 4 stars from me.

February 2026–Part One:

February 14, 2026

Book #10:

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall (294 pages).  I hesitate to read thrillers sometimes because often you have to suspend your disbelief A LOT and that’s the case here, but it’s still a worthwhile read if you’re in the mood for escapist fiction. This novel is set in a snowy estate high on a mountain. Theo joins her new fiance Connor at his billionaire family’s compound for Christmas. She starts to recognize a few things about this place, and as pieces of the puzzle slowly start to come together for Theo, the tension ratches up. The author’s writing is solid here as she deftly increases the reader’s sense of dread by constructing a cold, isolated and dark environment that doesn’t relieve Theo’s increasing suspicions that things will not end well for her. Again, you will have to suspend your disbelief over one HUGE coincidence but if you are able to do that, it’s a fun ride overall. 4 stars from me.

Book #11:

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (Length: 447 pages). I listened to this and it’s the PERFECT novel to listen to as it’s so much fun. Anna is a data science wonk whose spreadsheets are a dream, and she works for a temp agency where she supports villains. Villains need office workers too. Anna’s talents are recognized by one villain in particular, and she starts to expand her talents in clever and gory ways. There are laugh out loud lines here, and the details (such as the bodyguards being called the “Meat”) make this such a fun time. This is such a unique premise that’s executed masterfully. Anna’s voice is so well-crafted here, and I was excited to keep listening each time I had the opportunity to. The sequel is out this year and I will absolutely be grabbing this one. 5 stars. Obviously.

Book #12:

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang (Length: 422 pages).  I was in the mood for fantasy/sci fi and picked up this dark academia novel set in a domed city of Tiran. Outside the dome, the Blight is slowly destroying all of the plants, animals and remaining tribes of people. Inside, the city is fueled by magic, with magicians generating spells to extract power from the OtherRealm to spark electricity to run all of the city’s functions. Sciona Freyman is the first female high mage (magician) and is tasked with finding a spell to expand the dome. There is fantastic world-building here (but it’s not too complicated), the character development is beautifully drawn, and the plot is well-constructed. The premise is unique as well, which will make this one stand out in my memory of this novel. 5 solid stars from me!

Book #13:

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (Length: 344 pages). This is a historical fiction novel about Anna Anderson, a young woman in 1920s Europe who claimed to be Anastasia Romanov, who was believed to be executed along with her entire royal family in 1918 Russia. This is well-written and is a fascinating story about true events. The author does an excellent job of weaving in historical facts while still making the plot propulsive, resulting in a strong historical fiction novel. There are clues sprinkled throughout as to the what the truth is but these are only there if you are looking for them; if the reader prefers to be surprised by the ending, that can happen here as well. I am deducting a half star for its organization. The author mentions in the Author’s Note that she styled the diminishing present to past narrative style a la the movie Memento. This was a bit confusing and frustrating at times. 4.5 stars from me.

Book #14:

Heart the Lover by Lily King (188 pages).  I adore this author and I really enjoyed Writers & Lovers (which I reviewed in November of last year). This slim novel is not considered to be a sequel but there is a tie of sorts to her previous work. In this novel, Jordan is in college with two male best friends: Sam and Yash. She dates one and is good friends with the other, and then the novel flashes forward to Jordan married with two young kids. The majority of this novel is about Jordan’s relationship with one of the two best friends. This is SO well-written, is mostly character driven given not much happens. I truly love the narrator’s voice here as it’s so authentic and real. 5 stars!

January 2026–Part Two:

February 1, 2026

Book #5:

One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford (352 pages).  I learned about this science fiction novel from the Currently Reading podcast. (If you’re not already listening this amazing podcast, you need to start!) This is a horror/sci-fi novel about a zombie apocalypse that is geographically limited to London. Kesta is a scientist/histologist whose husband was one of the infected earlier in the apocalypse, so Kesta has a vested interest in finding a cure. This is very well-written, the plot is obviously propulsive (ie, will Kesta find a cure in time to save her husband?) and is a very stressful read. This novel was a bit slow to start for me, but I’m glad I hung in there as the rest of the ride was a lot of fun. 4 stars from me.

Book #6:

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (Length: 370 pages). My daughter, who is a big fan of Shakespeare, loves this novel and urged me to pick it up. This is a coming-of-age mystery novel set in a small liberal arts private college and features seven Shakespearean actors in their senior year. Something dramatic happens to one of them and the majority of the novel deals with the aftermath of one violent act. This is told partially in flashbacks, is really beautifully written with a LOT of Shakespeare references. It’s been over 30 years since I studied Shakespeare in college so some of these went over my head, but I did appreciate this literary fiction angle, as it stands out from the run of the mill mysteries I typically read. This darkly atmospheric novel is memorable, and while none of the characters are likeable, their interactions with one another and their journeys through this traumatic act are fascinating and I’m glad I read it. 4.5 stars from me.

Book #7:

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (Length: 385pages).  I really enjoyed this women’s fiction/mystery novel! I do wish I had read it in the summer as it’s a quintessential summer read. Featuring the uber-wealthy and very dysfunctional Storm family, this is like the TV series Succession with an Elin Hilderbrand atmospheric island romance mixed in. The protagonist is Alice Storm, the black sheep returning home to Storm Island after her father dies. Post-death, there’s one last family game to “win” their inheritance, which is how the family patriarch liked to run the family. This had entirely more depth than I expected, with a sidebar romance that is well-drawn with believable chemistry. I enjoyed every minute of this fun book and couldn’t wait to pick it up each time. 5 stars from me.

Book #8:

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (Length: 359 pages). I really enjoyed this author’s previous mystery (The Last Flight–reviewed here) so I was excited to pick up this suspense thriller. The protagonist, Olivia Dumont, is hired to ghostwrite her estranged father’s memoir as he’s dying of dementia. He tells her he will finally reveal what really happened when his brother and sister were murdered in the 1970s. This plot is so well-constructed and very propulsive, the writing quality is strong and there are a few twists that really make this one stand out from the pack. The author’s ability to put the reader into another era is pretty masterful here and makes for an unforgettable read, which is difficult to achieve in this packed genre space. 5 solid stars from me.

Book #9:

Version 1.0.0

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (306 pages).  I have had this backlist title on my shelves for YEARS, and in the spirit of clearing out my bookshelves this year (one of my New Year’s resolutions), I finally picked it up. This is magical realism, so if you’re not willing to suspend your disbelief and go along with the ride, you will NOT enjoy this book. I knew this going in and I was able to appreciate this novel for what the author was going for. This is about a young girl, Rose Edelstein, who realizes at a young age that she can taste the emotions of the people who grow, harvest and cook the food she eats. Her brother Joseph also has an odd gift (revealed much later in the book) that causes him a similar stress. This novel features strange characters, many family secrets and strong and lyrical writing. I ultimately enjoyed reading this and it’s absolutely memorable. I see it referenced here and there and I’m glad I can finally be a part of this novel’s audience. 4 stars from me.

January 2026–Part One:

January 15, 2026

Book #1:

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (307 pages).  WOW. This is an amazing book! Set on an island near Antartica which contains the world’s last seed bank sometime in the future, this climate-fiction novel is about a woman who washes ashore, half dead from the cold, and meets the island caretaker and his three children. The mystery at the heart of this slim novel is where did this woman come from (as no boats would just be traveling by this remote area), and who and what is the caretaker hiding. The plot is absolutely propulsive, the writing is spare and beautiful, and I could not put this down. I cried at the end and I rarely cry, so the writing is perfectly executed in this perfect novel. A must read. 5 stars.

Book #2:

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol 8 by Beth Brower (Length: 353 pages). I’m not sure how, but this series just gets better and better with each volume. This is the last volume that’s been published in this series so far and I was so sad to finish it because I know it may be a while before we get more Emma Lion in our lives. In this volume, Emma and her three male friends visit Stonecrop, the Duke of Islington’s family estate just a few hours outside London (by horse and carriage of course). For the entire month of June, Emma is free of societal constraints and is able to roam the countryside (often in a ridiculous pith helmet she purchased in London) as well as to further bond with her friends. This is laugh-out-loud funny, just like the other volumes, with beautifully drawn characters and the entire reading experience is a total delight. Remember, all of these are currently available on Kindle Unlimited, and your local bookstore is sure to have these in stock now given the series’ popularity. 5 full stars.

Book #3:

In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams (Length: 358 pages).  This rom-com is #4 and the last book in the Rome, Kentucky series. I listened to this one and the audio production is fantastic, with dual narrators-male and female-for the featured romantic couple in the novel. Maddie who believes her identity to now be a “failed chef” from New York City, returns to Rome (and her siblings–all of whom are featured in books #1-3) to help her childhood friend James open a farm to table restaurant on his family farm. Of course, James only created this restaurant idea to lure Maddie back to Rome, as he’s long had a crush on her. I enjoyed the restaurant aspect and all of the ancillary characters (from previous books) but I found Maddie to be too insecure and whiny for what the reader actually sees here. A fun reading experience overall, but it’s definitely time for this series to be put to bed. 3 stars.

Book #4:

Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo (Length: 324 pages). This literary fiction novel was on many Best of lists from 2025 so I couldn’t wait to pick this one up. The story is about Gabriel Fisher, a “giant” raised by his Amish grandparents after his birth family is unable to raise him. Set in a small town, Lakota, Wisconsin, the story is told from four POVs, separated by chapter–we have the local bar owner, the local football coach, the local vet, and Gabriel’s grandmother. I could not WAIT to go back to this book if I was interrupted by reading it, which is always a sign to me that this is a special book. There are a few chapters involving sportsball (what I call any sport as I’m not a person who is into football, etc) and even those chapters are riveting in this writer’s hands. The characters are so richly drawn, and the reader gets to know Gabriel from the viewpoints of others in his community, even though we don’t ever hear from Gabriel himself. This is a one-of-a-kind novel that I will remember forever. (Think Owen Meany vibes–if you know, you know). FIVE SOLID STARS from me. I love being a reader!