Goodreads

Release date: February 1, 2026

Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

In this claustrophobic psychological suspense from USA Today bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto, the line between victim and villain blurs with every chapter. Because in the end, everyone has their own version of the truth—but only one will make it onto the page.

Fern’s dream of becoming a published author is finally coming true. After years of rejection, her debut novel has sold, and she’s ready to join the supportive online community of fellow debuts. But when she discovers her high school bully, Haven, has landed a major book deal and will be debuting alongside her, old wounds reopen.

As the pandemic forces everyone online, tensions escalate in their writing community. While Haven seems to succeed effortlessly, Fern watches her own career crumble. Yet beneath their polished personas lies a darker truth about their shared past—one involving a lost friend, Dani, and secrets neither wants revealed.

Fern isn’t the same person Haven bullied all those years ago. She’s learned that the best revenge stories aren’t written—they’re lived. And she’s been plotting this one for years.

What begins as online rivalry escalates into dangerous obsession. Because neither woman is telling the whole truth about what really happened to Dani…or about who’s the real victim in this story.

Review:

Read Between the Lies by Jesse Q. Sutanto was immediately catnip for me thanks to its behind the scenes look at the publishing world. I always love novels about authors, debut culture, and the quieter anxieties that come with trying to break into a creative industry, and this delivered a sharp, often uncomfortable peek behind the curtain. Set largely during the pandemic, the story does occasionally transport you back to a very specific and claustrophobic time, but I was so invested in Fern’s unraveling that I didn’t mind lingering there longer than expected.

Fern is not an easy character to root for, and honestly, that’s part of what makes this book so compelling. She’s cringey, obsessive, and deeply flawed, but endlessly fascinating to watch as her unresolved trauma, grief, and jealousy begin to consume her. Her relationship with Haven is the definition of toxic, built on old wounds, power imbalances, and a shared past that neither of them has truly reckoned with. The novel does an excellent job exploring how obsession can warp memory and truth, blurring the line between victim and villain in ways that feel unsettling and intentional.

Fast paced, unhinged, and darkly entertaining, Read Between the Lies leans fully into the messiness of a woman spiraling, and I was absolutely there for it. Sutanto keeps the tension tight and the perspective slippery, making this a psychological suspense that’s as much about ambition and resentment as it is about revenge. If you enjoy morally gray characters, toxic dynamics, and stories that make you question every version of the truth you’re being told, this one is a wild, addictive ride.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 3, 2026

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

College rivals become workplace frenemies-turned-lovers in this warm, sexy contemporary romance from New York Times bestseller Jill Shalvis. First, they were rivals… Now they’re stuck with each other…

Retired hockey player Caleb Colburn needs this construction project to prove himself in the family business, but he also needs to recover from the injury that ended his pro career. Too bad Emma Sumner, architect liaison and Caleb’s college nemesis, is back in town and assigned to the project. They’re going to have to see each other almost every day. Which means once again she’ll make his life a living hell.

As for Emma, her job is on the line with this big project, made all the more challenging by the project manager. Caleb was the one who had snagged the scholarship she’d desperately needed to stay in college. She’s been living hand to mouth ever since and has no intention of ever forgiving the man.

But the beautiful historic building they’re renovating is exactly the kind of project that they both love best. Their surprising common ground and a burning mutual attraction start bringing them closer and closer to a potentially explosive mistake. And that’s even before the secrets come out…

Review:

Free Falling is the second book in Jill Shalvis’s Colburn brothers series, and while it can be read alone, you’ll absolutely want to start with book one because these brothers are swoony, imperfect disasters in the very best way. This installment follows Caleb Colburn, a retired hockey player trying to prove himself in the family construction business, and Emma Sumner, the architect liaison he’s forced to work with despite their deeply unpleasant college history. From the moment they’re back in each other’s orbit, the tension is palpable, layered with unresolved hurt, sharp banter, and the kind of chemistry that crackles beneath every interaction.

One thing Jill Shalvis does exceptionally well is writing characters who carry real mess—emotional baggage, complicated pasts, and wounds that haven’t healed neatly—and then letting readers watch that healing unfold in real time. Emma, in particular, tugged hard at my heart. She’s been through it, and I spent a good chunk of this book wanting to give her a hug, tell her to unclench her jaw, and gently encourage her to give Caleb a chance. Their enemies to lovers dynamic is rooted in misunderstanding and pain rather than petty drama, which makes their emotional journey feel grounded and deeply satisfying.

Add in Shalvis’s signature wit, it’s sharp, warm, and laugh out loud funny, and you’ve got a romance that delivers both heart and heat. Emma and Caleb’s banter is top tier, their chemistry undeniable, and their slow earned trust makes the payoff feel earned. Free Falling is comforting, funny, emotionally gratifying romance with depth, and it left me fully invested in this family and counting down the days until the next Colburn brother gets his story.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher and the author for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 27, 2026

Publisher: Harper Audio

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Narrator: Helen Laser

Synopsis:

A compelling suspense debut about a woman infamous for escaping a cult as a teenager, whose future is threatened when dangerous secrets come back to haunt her—perfect for fans of Jessica Knoll and The Girls .

Lucy Golden is a true-crime icon, infamous for the murder she committed while escaping a California cult twenty years ago. But as everyone in Los Angeles knows, fame is fleeting, and Lucy and her story are always just one news cycle away from obscurity. Not to mention, she’s fending off a stalker and moderating an icy feud between her acclaimed photographer mother and her scandalous rock star sister. Worst of all, online trolls are asking increasingly threatening questions about the legendary crime. Questions that could tear her life apart.

So when a hotshot documentarian makes her case the subject of his next film, Lucy sees a chance to silence any doubters once and for all. But as filming begins, she must return to the California desert and come face-to-face with a cast of players from her torrid history. Of course, the past is never what it seems, and long-buried secrets soon collide with present-day threats. Can Lucy stop her doubters from digging up the truth before it’s too late? And how far will she go to protect the story she’s been telling—and selling—all along?

Told in a narrative split between the present day and Lucy’s hit memoir about her fated summer in the cult, Paper Cut combines psychological suspense with coming-of-age Californian cult noir and a sharp examination of the true-crime phenomenon. As incisive as it is propulsive, this mesmerizing debut will keep readers hooked until the last page.

Review:

Paper Cut immediately had my attention with its irresistible mix of cult thriller energy and a book within a book structure. Lucy Golden is infamous for escaping a California cult as a teenager( after committing a murder😮) and decades later she’s still living in the shadow of that story. As the novel toggles between Lucy’s present day life and excerpts from her memoir, Taft explores how truth becomes commodified, reshaped, and weaponized, especially in the age of true crime obsession. The commentary on how toxic and invasive true crime culture can be felt smart, timely, and quietly biting without ever overpowering the story itself.

This is a character driven psychological suspense at its core, and Lucy is a fascinatingly complex protagonist. She’s flawed, messy, guarded, and shaped by deeply complicated family dynamics that add another layer of tension to the narrative. The unraveling is a true slow burn—steady, unsettling, and increasingly ominous—pulling you forward as buried secrets resurface and familiar narratives begin to crack. When the twists arrive, they feel earned rather than flashy, landing with a satisfying sense of inevitability.

The audiobook experience elevates the story even further. Helen Laser’s narration is incredibly engaging and well calibrated, capturing Lucy’s sharp edges, vulnerability, and emotional fatigue with nuance and control. Her performance adds depth to the dual timelines and keeps the tension simmering throughout. Paper Cut is a solid, confident debut, it’s smart, unsettling, and quietly surprising, and a must for readers who love cult stories, psychological suspense, and books that interrogate the stories we choose to tell… and sell.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

If you know me, you know I’m a reality TV connoisseur. Big Brother, Survivor, Housewives — if there’s strategy, social manipulation, and chaos, I’m in.So when The Traitors comes back, I’m fully obsessed.

These books deliver the same energy: secrets, betrayal, inheritance drama, power plays, and the constant feeling that no one is telling the full truth. If you need something to read while we wait for new episodes to drop I’ve got you.

He Started It — Samantha Downing

Family road trip. Inheritance on the line. Everyone keeping secrets.

👉 check it out

Trust Issues — Elizabeth McCullough Keenan & Greg Wands

Estranged siblings, a missing inheritance, and a con artist who can’t be trusted.

👉 check it out

The Inheritance — Trisha Sakhlecha

A luxury island, a wealthy family, and secrets worth killing for.

👉 check it out

The Escape Room — Megan Goldin

Corporate rivals trapped together — and only one way out.

👉 check it out

Society of Lies — Lauren Ling Brown

Elite college circles, secret societies, and the cost of belonging.

👉 check it out

Stone Cold Fox — Rachel Koller Croft

A con artist infiltrates an ultra wealthy family — until the game turns deadly.

👉 check it out

If you’re watching The Traitors or just love thrillers where trust is a liability, these are for you.

Let me know which one you’re picking up first — and remember: trust no one. Full list can be found here.

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Siblings return to the house they fled eighteen years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request to come home.

Strange things happen in Fell, New York: A mysterious drowning at the town’s roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie the final straw was their little brother’s shocking disappearance, which started as a normal game of hide-and-seek. 

As their parents grew increasingly distant, the sisters were each haunted by visions and frightening events, leading them to leave town and never look back. Violet still sees dead people—spirits who remind her of Sister, the menacing presence that terrorized her for years. Now after nearly two decades it’s time for a homecoming—because Ben is back, and he’s ready to lead them to the answers they’ve longed for and long feared.

Review:

Simone St. James once again proves she is unmatched when it comes to blending chilling supernatural elements with deeply emotional storytelling. A Box Full of Darkness is a slow burn, eerie thriller soaked in atmosphere and dread, set in the unsettling town of Fell, New York—where tragedy seems to linger just beneath the surface. Told from the perspectives of three siblings, Violet, Vail, and Dodie, the story centers on the long ago disappearance of their little brother Ben during a childhood game of hide and seek. Decades later, something is calling them back home, forcing them to confront the past they’ve spent their lives running from.

What makes this story hit so hard is not just the ghosts—though they are plentiful and genuinely unsettling—but the deeply flawed, wounded characters at its core. Each sibling carries painful histories and unresolved trauma, haunted both literally and emotionally by what happened in Fell. St. James excels at crafting complex relationships and layered backstories, making the tension feel personal as well as paranormal. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the dread to build steadily until it becomes almost unbearable.

Fans of the author will appreciate the subtle nods to past books (hello The Sundown Motel 👀), while newcomers will be pulled in by the chilling atmosphere and emotional weight. Creepy, unsettling, and quietly devastating, A Box Full of Darkness is a perfect example of why Simone St. James remains a go to author for supernatural thrillers that linger long after the final page.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads Amazon

Release date: February 3, 2026

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller

A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray’s tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.

A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.

A truth no one could have imagined …
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…

Review:

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica is the kind of thriller that pulls you in immediately and never loosens its grip. Told through dual POVs—Courtney in the present aftermath of a brutal crime and Reese in the days leading up to it—the story balances two timelines that are equally compelling. I was fully invested in both narrators, which doesn’t always happen, and the way their perspectives slowly circle the same chilling event kept the pages flying.

Kubica excels at tension here. The pacing is fast, the twists are solid, and the sense of unease never lets up. Set in a secluded, wooded lake resort dotted with cabins, the atmosphere is claustrophobic and creepy in the best way. This is a story where trust is a liability, I suspected everyone, then doubted myself, then suspected them all over again. The author does an excellent job of planting seeds of doubt and constantly forcing you to reassess what you think you know.

Beyond the mystery itself, the family and domestic drama adds real weight to the story. Secrets unravel, relationships fracture, and the emotional stakes feel just as intense as the physical danger. With a strong opening, addictive momentum, and a finale that rewards all that second guessing, It’s Not Her is a highly satisfying, unputdownable thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

11 Books I Loved This Month

January reading always sets the tone for my year, and this month I leaned into a mix of romance, mystery, and thrillers — the kinds of books that are easy to sink into and hard to put down.

Below are the 11 books I’m recommending that are releasing this month. If you’re looking to refresh your TBR or just want something solid to pick up next, these are all worth checking out.

💕 Only for Love — Natasha Madison

A heartfelt romance that leans emotional, comforting, and perfect if you’re in the mood for something relationship driven.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🌪️Anatomy of an Alibi — Ashley Elston

Fast paced and twisty, this one keeps you guessing and is great if you want a mystery that moves.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

👗 Meet the Newmans — Jennifer Niven

A character driven story with emotional depth and layered relationships that linger after you finish.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

💘 The Odds of You — Kate Dramis

A charming romance with great banter and an easy, feel good reading experience.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🖤 Such a Clever Girl — Darby Kane

Dark, tense, and psychologically sharp — a thriller that pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🛥️ Sunk in Love — Heather McBreen

A cozy, romantic escape that’s perfect when you want something light and uplifting.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🗝️ My Husband’s Wife — Alice Feeney

Twisty and unsettling in the best way — classic Feeney vibes with plenty of surprises.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🕵️‍♀️ Definitely Maybe Not a Detective — Sarah Fox

A fun, cozy mystery with humor and heart — great if you love lighter mysteries.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🌀 The Storm — Rachel Hawkins

Atmospheric and tense, with a setting that adds to the suspense and mood.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

☔️ The Fair Weather Friend — Jessie Garcia

A twisty, fast moving thriller set in a local newsroom where secrets pile up fast and everyone feels suspicious.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🎤 The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

Rock star vibes with depth and intrigue — one of those books that stays with you.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

Prefer to view everything at once? View the full Amazon list here.

If you’re building your reading list for the start of the year, I hope this gives you a few good options to choose from. I’ll be sharing more monthly reading recs as the year goes on — no pressure, just good books.

Happy reading 📚

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Adults can behave badly too…

It’s the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can’t get for herself… well, that’s what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she’d so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh’s entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble. Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses. 

Review:

All the Little Houses by May Cobb is sinfully fun, wickedly delicious, and completely unhinged in the best way. Set in the sweltering heat of 1980s East Texas, this story drops you into a small town where everyone is watching everyone else—and absolutely no one is behaving well. Told through multiple POVs in short, addictive chapters, the book reads like whispered gossip passed across a backyard fence, except every secret is darker, messier, and more scandalous than the last. It opens with a body floating in the water and keeps you deliciously unsettled by refusing to tell you who’s dead until the very end.

At the center of it all is Charleigh Anderson: beautiful, ruthless, and determined to protect the social empire she clawed her way into. When a seemingly wholesome, prairie kissed family arrives in town—trad wife vibes, woodworking dad, perfect daughter—the carefully curated hierarchy of Longview starts to crack. What follows is a soapy, twisty spiral of jealousy, power plays, sexual tension, and morally gray decisions, where mothers and daughters alike prove that adults can behave very badly. Everyone is messy. Everyone has secrets. And watching it all implode is pure reading pleasure.

This book is juicy, gossipy, and wildly addictive, equal parts scandal and suspense. The 1980s setting adds a sticky, sunburned intensity that amplifies every bad decision, and the pacing never lets up. And that final sentence? Absolute perfection. The kind that makes you stare at the wall afterward and immediately demand more. I would happily read ten sequels about these terrible, fascinating people and their beautifully disastrous lives. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A propulsive and wickedly entertaining debut thriller for fans of Laura Dave and Ashley Elston that explores the dark underside of the American dream, about a couple whose financial problems are seemingly answered when they begin receiving growing sums of money from an unknown source . . . a windfall that will carry an unthinkable price.

Mack and Hailey Evans have worked hard to achieve their upper-middle-class life: promising careers, two beautiful children, and a brand-new house in the exclusive lakefront village of Bratenahl, Ohio. Not that everything’s perfect—aging parents, problems at work, and even the upkeep on that gorgeous house have been causing these two increasing amounts of worry.

When a small check appears in the mailbox from a mysterious company named Sunshine Enterprises, Mack assumes it’s from his wealthy, estranged father, trying to buy his way back into their lives. Though he’d rather rip it up, Mack deposits the needed funds. To his surprise the checks keep coming—each for a larger amount larger than the last. When Hailey finds out what’s going on, she has her own suspicions about the provenance of the payments. Despite growing uncertainty over the identity of their benefactor Mack and Hailey keep taking the money. After all, there are bills to pay.

It is a choice with dark repercussions, as the couple soon learn the hard way that nothing in life is free. Suddenly, the Evans find themselves in a harrowing arrangement with someone who will stop at nothing to get a return on their investment.

Review:

Very Slowly, All at Once by Lauren Schott is the kind of thriller that settles into your bones rather than relying on shock value. From the first pages, there’s a quiet, unsettling sense of dread that never fully lifts—one that mirrors the slow unraveling of Mack and Hailey Evans’ carefully curated life. Their version of the American dream feels attainable, even enviable at first, which makes its gradual corrosion feel both satirical and disturbingly real. Schott taps into a very modern anxiety: what it costs to maintain the life you worked so hard to build.

The novel unfolds through alternating perspectives from Mack and Hailey, alongside a chilling anonymous point of view that adds momentum and tension. Both protagonists are deeply relatable in their desperation—financial pressure, aging parents, career uncertainty—and that relatability is what makes their choices feel so dangerous. This isn’t a thriller driven by constant twists, but by escalation: each decision builds naturally on the last, tightening the vise until the consequences feel inevitable. The slow burn works beautifully here, allowing the tension to mount in a way that feels earned rather than sensational.

While the ending doesn’t wrap everything up neatly, it feels intentional rather than frustrating. The lack of clean resolution reinforces the book’s central themes about compromise, greed, and the stories we tell ourselves to justify survival. Darkly clever, sharp, and laced with wicked humor, Very Slowly, All at Once is a smart debut that exposes just how thin the line can be between comfort and catastrophe, and how quickly “enough” is never really enough. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.