Books Read in 2026’s First Quarter

Wow. I can’t believe we’re already nearing the end of the first quarter of the year—it’s gone by quickly! Alas, I haven’t been able to read as much as I’d hoped, though audiobooks have definitely helped me read more than I would have done otherwise.

I am hoping the reading will pick up in the next quarter, but we’ll see.
Click on the title of the book or the cover image to learn more!

30 Days to Understanding the Bible: Unlock the Scriptures in 15 Minutes a Day

I went through this with a study group, and it was an excellent read. It’s one I’ll be revisiting over the rest of the year, moving through it a bit slower and reading sections of the Bible as I go. It’s always nice to deepen my knowledge and understanding. 💙

What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball

Guys, this book was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it, and I cannot wait to get my hands on more of Brown’s books. The humor, the fairytale-esque vibes, and the practicality of cheese-loving Hester are all wonderfully woven together. Read a more detailed review here.

A Steeping of Blood (Blood & Tea | Book 2)

What a wonderful conclusion to the first book. It was an absolutely wild ride, and I’ll definitely be revisiting White Roaring in the future. I listened to both books via audio, and the gorgeous imagery painted the exact right pictures throughout.

The Final Empire (Mistborn Era 1 | Book 1)

A wonderful auditory revisit to an old favorite. I’m on a mission to read the entirety of the cosmere (maybe this year?), and I’m beginning in the same place I began any of Sanderson’s works—with Mistborn Era 1. I love Vin and Elend and Kelsier, and it’s been wonderful to begin a revisit to their stories and the world they inhabit. (I’m definitely noticing and understanding things in a new light now that I’ve read the Stormlight Archive. 😂)

Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor | Book 4)

Another revisit (theme for the quarter, perhaps?) and a wrapping up of a fun foray back into these books with an impromptu book club full of friends. Again, I listened via audio, partly to get through it faster, and partly because I absolutely love Gema Whelan’s narration of these books. 💙

The Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter | Book 1)
The Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter | Book 2)
The Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter | Book 3)

These books have and will always hold a place in my heart. I grew up with them and, in a way, they’re a safe space. The characters are good friends, and the stories have spawned many fanfiction ideas (though none published, sorry friends!). I always love a revisit, whether through the pages or Jim Dale’s animated narration.

Currently Reading

Glass Across the Sea (Realms of Allumeria | Book 1)

I’m absolutely adoring this book. Although my reading is ridiculously slow on physical books right now, I’m always thinking about this one and hoping I’ll have some time to settle down and read another chunk of it. I’m really hoping I’ll get that chance this weekend, so I can finish it before the month is out. 😄

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn Era 1 | Book 2)

I’m barely into this one (I may have gotten distracted with other audiobooks 😅), but I’m super excited to get back to it and deeper into Vin and Elend’s story. Honestly, after listening through the first book again, I’m wondering what nuggets of information I’ll discover or better understand this time around.

Well, that’s a wrap for this first quarter of the year. Let’s chat books—what have you been reading this year?

Looking for something new of your own to read? Check out my short stories—Mired in Despair, Sands of Memory, and (Un)Ideal Partners. Three stories set in different worlds. Characters battling unexplainable forces or unfair odds. Available via my newsletter!

Mired in Despair & Other Short Stories

Mired in Despair
A dangerous miasma. An enemy who’s an enigma. Two friends whose lives are turned upside down—twice. Through it all, Rikka and Genji must stand together to face the one threatening to tear them apart—all while battling their own demons.

Sands of Memory
In a world nearly consumed by the encroaching desert, Jack works for the infamous Sandman—self-proclaimed king of the “utopia” Jack doesn’t believe in. When lost memories return, he discovers a well-hidden secret that could collapse everything—but save the suffering people.

(Un)Ideal Partners
Willa stands on the cusp of becoming a professional ballerina. Though she doesn’t fit the “mold” of current ballerinas on the stage, she must ignore cutting remarks and work with an unusual partner in the final dance of the competition. Either they must win, or she will lose her one shot at helping a new friend—and her own long-held dreams.

This anthology was so fun to be a part of—52 amazing authors crafting stories around a singular theme, becoming a blend of voices, genres, and intrigue. Kinship in Shambles is a story of shattered peace, siblings growing apart, and bonds broken, set in the world of Project Pokemon.

All the Promises We Cannot Keep: An R.H.S. Anthology

In the quiet corners of forgotten attics and the echoing halls of ancestral homes, family secrets lie dormant, waiting to be unearthed. In distant realms beyond our own, intrigue weaves its web, ensnaring unsuspecting souls. And amidst the shards of shattered lives, beauty blooms unexpectedly, like wildflowers pushing through the cracks in old stone walls.

In this enchanting anthology, discover stories that span generations and traverse worlds. From the crumbling manor where a hidden diary reveals long-buried truths to the starlit forest where a lost love reawakens, each tale invites you to explore the delicate balance between what is concealed and what yearns to be revealed.

Whether you seek solace in secrets or find hope in brokenness, “All The Promises We Cannot Keep” invites you to explore the delicate dance between darkness and light, where beauty blooms even in the most unexpected places.

Want to read more? Check out this anthology of amazing authors, including my story Shifting Vapors—a tale of unattainable dreams, taboo talents, and true friends.

What Hides in the Shadows: An R.H.S. Anthology

Some secrets stay hidden because we're afraid to look. Others stay hidden because they're waiting.

In this collection from The Red Herrings Society, you'll find stories that reach into the dark corners we usually walk past. A teenage girl accepts a ride from a killer. A old woman can no longer hold back the ghosts that haunt her home. A property manager disappears, and the only one qualified to search for her is a vampire who doesn't want to get involved.

These stories span genres and styles, from literary fiction to thriller, paranormal to fantasy, romance to mystery. But every one of them lives in the same territory: the space just beyond what we can see. The things we bury. The things we ignore. The things that wait quietly until we have no choice but to turn around and face them.

Some of these shadows are supernatural. Some are deeply, unsettlingly human. All of them will follow you home.

What Hides in the Shadows is a multi-genre anthology featuring voices from The Red Herrings Society, a community of writers who believe the best stories are the ones that refuse to let you look away.