I kicked off 2026 with a very “quality over quantity” reading month, battling a reading slump but finding some favorites along the way.

Stats

Total books read: 6

Physical books:

Short stories: 1

Romantasy: 2

Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily R. Austin (5 stars) – I related so much to the main character’s internal struggles in this book, and I thought the discussions about compulsory heterosexuality and the complexities of being a queer woman to be especially poignant. I don’t need to relate to a book’s main character in order to love it, but in this case, it was nice to have a story resonate in this way. This is definitely more character-focused than plot-driven, and the audiobook was performed beautifully. I love how for me, Emily R.  Austin’s books seem to get better with every new release, although this one is probably tied with We Could Be Rats for my favorite. It’s also great to have the first 2026 release that I pick up be a 5-star read.

“Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J. Kim (short story) (5 stars) – If you haven’t already read the classic science fiction short story from Ursula K. LeGuin (“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”), do it now. Give yourself time to reflect and digest it, and then read this response story. This is actually the second story I’ve read that was written in response to the original (it’s an extremely impactful work that I think about a lot) and by far the stronger. I’ll be interested to see what else this author comes out with!

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister (4.5 stars) – This was an absolutely fantastic romance by a new-to-me author, set in the world of Australian academia and featuring an academic rivals-to-lovers romance with a marriage of convenience and so much yearning. The romance between these two brilliant English professors was so sweet; Jonah fell for Sadie immediately, and their long-standing rivalry was explained so well that we could feel the history between these characters. I also loved all of the side characters and the emphasis on complex sibling relationships. Highly recommend.

Africa is Not a Country by Dipo Faloyin (4.5 stars) – This was a really interesting nonfiction book that was a survey of the history and present of Africa, providing lots of information while still barely scratching the surface and stimulating more curiosity. I thought it was really well-written, and I learned a lot, while also learning how much else I need to learn.

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn (4 stars) – This chunky romantasy was on my top 10 TBR for the year, and the glowing reviews lead me to really hope for a 5-star. Instead, I got a very enjoyable and sweet 4-star romantasy, set in the Afterlife and featuring a found family and friends-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed it a lot, but did feel that it could have been condensed down further to distill its power.

Bound by Ali Hazelwood (4 stars) – Ali Hazelwood, once again, gave me a really enjoyable romance read, this time featuring a forger and an immortal revenant. At times I wished this was available in print rather than exclusively in audio; at other times I really did like the narration aspect and accompanying artwork.