In March 2025, I posted about StoryGraph rolling out monthly reading stats… and then forgot all about it 🙃.
As I’ve been thinking about new ways to jazz up my blog for 2026, I realised I don’t actually post a monthly reading update. I track my stats, I obsess over them and then nothing ever makes it onto my blog!!!!
So I thought that, alongside my Sunday Post updates, I’d post my stats.
Reading slumps, end-of-year exhaustion, and festive stuffs made my December reading…..well…dismal!
1,715 pages. Four books. All fiction — fantasy-heavy 50/50 split evenly between eBooks and physical reads.
For January I made it a goal to read some of my arc’s so will see how I do in my next update!
Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Topic: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026
For the first time in a lot of years, I haven’t noted down what books are releasing that I want so I had to go and find lists!
It looks as though 2026 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year for book lovers – lucky us!
These are the upcoming book releases in early 2026 that I am most anticipating!
Agnes AubertEnchanting the Fae QueenErase MeInnamorata Heir of Twisted Lies
Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis – 29 January Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett – 17 February Erase Me Josh Silver – 10 March Innamorata by Ava Reid – 17 March Heir of Twisted Lies by LJ Andrews – 26 March
How to Fake it in SocietyTricky Business of Faerie BargainsWe Burned so BrightFury BoundBlood Bound
The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty – 7 April We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune – 30 April How to Fake it in Society by KJ Charles – 30 April Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen – 5 May Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter – 7 May
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.
Hope you’ve had a good week!
Back to reality….a full week back at work, school runs, a hacked phone and an emotional audiobook! I survived. Barely!
So something unexpected happened….my phone was hacked? Or at least, that’s the only way I can describe it. The operating system was somehow changed, and my only option was to restore the phone to factory settings. I still can’t access Facebook or Instagram and I was locked out of Outlook. Thankfully, my son worked his magic and managed to get me back in to email. I was so happy as there are 9 years worth of photos of my son stored in that email. Lesson learned, I immediately backed everything up in two additional places!
I did manage to conquer one major goal this week. After a full month, I finally finished a 35-hour audiobook. Thirty-five hours. Completed.
Empire of the Dawn
🎧 Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review soon!
Review – Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree Review – Forged in Blood by Sadie Kincaid
Feature – February Releases Feature – Dismal December Reading
Every few millennia, a child is born. Some say they’re marked with a curse. Others claim they possess the power of the ages.
Meet Ophelia Hart. Lover of classic literature and unicorns. An orphan with nobody in her corner—no family, no friends. But it’s her loneliness that fuels her life’s ambition to become a social worker and help the forgotten children just like her. For a foster kid with only slightly above-average grades, it feels like a pipe dream.
Except it seems that someone is looking out for Ophelia after all. When an unexpected opportunity to attend Montridge University arises, she thinks her life is finally taking a turn for the better.
Too bad she comes to the attention of the three ruthless, arrogant commanders of the Ruby Dragon Society. Three of the most feared and powerful vampires on campus.
But Ophelia doesn’t believe in vampires. Or in witches, or magic, or ancient prophecies.
Until she has no choice. Little does she know, she’s about to have her whole world turned upside down. Because there is something about Ophelia Hart. Something that captures not only the attention of the Ruby Dragon commanders, but also their powerful, enigmatic sire—Professor Alexandros Drakos.
With no idea of the power running through her veins, Ophelia must learn to trust the very men whom all others fear. And she needs to do it fast, for there are darker forces at work than those at Montridge University. Forces that were long ago Forged in Blood.
I was in the mood for pure escapism — I wanted drama, spice, and vampires. Then this popped up on TikTok and I thought… why not?
You get a weak female lead, a dark and brooding professor, three vampy bad-boy boyfriends, and a long-buried secret.
It was okay. The dialogue felt quite juvenile at times, and I honestly couldn’t remember how old Ophelia was meant to be. I even went looking for her age and couldn’t find it, which didn’t help.
Unfortunately, I also found her pretty annoying. Malachi, however, completely saved the book for me — he was by far the standout character.
The ending also felt a bit odd, like it stopped. No cliffhanger, no drama, just stopped after some (hot) nookie!!!!
That said, I did get exactly what I wanted (see my opening paragraph!), even if it didn’t fully win me over and I’m not sure I’ll continue with the rest of the series.
Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!
If only things were so simple…
It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.
A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.
As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.
Back with Viv and Tandri in Thrune and who should arrive but Fern, who seems to be having an existential life crisis!
So what’s one to do when having an internal crisis? Get drunk. Sneak into a wagon to sleep. Wake up in a strange place with people you don’t know. We’ve all been there!!!!
Fern decides to hang out for a bit with Astryx the Legendary Blademistress elf, her captive, Zyll the crazy chaos goblin and a talking sword called Nigel! It ALL goes off and Fern learns a lot about herself and also finds a life companion!
It’s not my favourite of the Legends and Lattes series but Ferns expletives made my life!
‘Fern’s deep well of profanity temporarily ran dry.’
Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Topic: Most Recent Books Added To My Shelf
Today I wanted to share the most recent books added to my shelf which is a swerve from the picked topic of favourite books read in 2025 because I already did that with Blogmas!
So here are the books I got in December!
Books I Bought Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer Your Knife My Heart by KM Moronova The Ascended by Parker Lennox A Curse of Ashes by Sariah Wilson
Advanced Reader Copies Sparking Fire Out of Fate by Brigid Kemmerer How to Fake it in Society by KJ Charles
Presents The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer (special paperback!)
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.
Welcome to 2026!
2026 started with a couple of days off to recharge… but somehow I feel even more tired than usual!!!!
One satisfying highlight was a pedicure and one lowlight was having to work on Friday!!!!
I’m also trying to get back my love for audiobooks, so I figured I’d start listening to one this week, start as I mean to go on and all that!!!
🎧 The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
See my review soon!
Calendar – Happy New Year Review – Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
Review – Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree Review – Forged in Blood by Sadie Kincaid
Brynn has spent the better part of her life waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta, the very same people who exiled the Alaha to live a life over the sea. A rite of passage for all young guards, she’s not sure what to expect from it, but breaking a century- long peace treaty certainly isn’t on her map.
Neither is the encounter with an enemy soldier.
Returning home to Alaha, she’s confronted with the aftermath of the day’s events. The future is uncertain as the threat of hunger looms over the people. With rumors of a growing rebellion, Brynn and her closest friends promise to stick together.
When an unexpected visitor arrives, Brynn’s loyalty will be tested as she learns of a world of magic and treachery. Once her enemy, always her enemy, right? But the dark, knowing eyes of a stranger make her question everything…
…including her heart.
I mean… what the heck?!
I absolutely loved this book. It was sitting in my top reads of the year… right up until the 95% mark. And now? Now I’m in a full state of confusion. Read on for the thoughts currently pinging in my brain!
Up to that point, this book has everything you want in a romantasy:
• Morally grey characters • Political intrigue • Magic • Enemies to lovers • “Touch her and you know what” energy • A main love interest who is EVERYTHING • Delish romance • Mates • A fast-paced plot
But here’s the tricky part, without spoilers, the twist completely threw me. A character’s inner monologue feels totally at odds with what actually happens, and I’m left with more questions than answers.
It was definitely a twist I didn’t see coming. At first, I was honestly disappointed. But then I remembered how much I adored the rest of the book and thought… maybe it’s not that bad? Maybe? Was it? #conflicted
I think I need to read book 2 to decide once and for all!
CJRTB Books 