Top Ten Tuesday - Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026

 

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026.

1.  The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas (September 29) - I've enjoyed this series from the beginning (though I've missed a couple that I need to catch up on) and this one looks really interesting.

2.  The Key to a Killer by Olivia Blacke (October 20) - This is the third book in the Ruby and Cordelia series and I've loved the previous books.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the series continues to develop.

3.  See You at the Sunset by Susan Lee (August 11) - I don't know much about this author but the blurb really caught my attention, and it looks like a really entertaining read.  

4.   Killing in the Countryside by Maria Malone (August 11) - I absolutely loved the first book in this mix of cozy and police procedural last year and am so excited to read this one.  

5.   Murder on the Sacred River by Tasha Alexander (September 22) - This series is on my series list for this year and I'm enjoying reading the early books but I've liked the most recent books even more.

6.  It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell (July 2) - I love Lisa Jewell's books and this one looks really good.  I haven't gotten to last year's book yet and I don't want to drag my feet as much with this one!

7.  The Unknown by Riley Sager (August 4) - I have only read one book by this author and I really want to read more.  This one sounds absolutely amazing!

8.  Queen of Lombard Street by Lisa Kleypas (October 20) - I was so excited when I saw a new book from Lisa Kleypas on the upcoming release list.  Kleypas is one of my absolute favorite authors and has been on a hiatus for several years.  I hope all is well with her and I'm so excited to pick this one up.

9.  Birth of the Witch by Nora Roberts (November 17) - I love Roberts' trilogies and this sounds like the beginning of a good one!

10. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley (September 22) - I'm cautiously really excited about this one.  This is a Miss Marple story written by Lucy Foley which makes me a bit nervous as Miss Marple is one of my favorite characters of all time.  However, I read a short story collection of Miss Marple stories written by contemporary authors and Foley's one of my favorites so I have hope. 

What upcoming releases are you looking forward to? 

Enter the Nightmare - Romantic Suspense Review

Goodreads: Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source: Publisher

Description:   Alice Radstone should have known not to return. Her life before the Hotel of Dreams had been the perfectly cloistered world of a teacher at the Ballantine Academy. When the death of her mentor forced her out, she was left to reinvent herself in the big city. Since then, things have not gone well. Ten months ago, after her first trip to the hotel, she woke up in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane, told that she had murdered her husband on their wedding night. She has no memory of the husband or the wedding but after escaping the asylum, one thing is certain—she is never going back.

Unfortunately, Alice’s second reinvented life is also deteriorating rapidly, which is why she finds herself once again at the Hotel of Dreams—this time hiding in the shadows of her room, a dead body in the shower, and two men wearing masks creeping toward the bed to kidnap her. Again.

When the enigmatic and decidedly dangerous Owen March shows up, claiming he’s there to rescue her, she has no choice but to accept his offer—and hope that he doesn’t intend to kidnap her, too.

With Alice and now Owen in the killer’s sights, time is running out. Alice and Owen must trust each other and the electric passion between them if they are to make it out of this hotel alive.

Genre: Romantic Suspense - Paranormal 

Why I Picked This Book: I've enjoyed previous books in this series and pretty much everything I've read by this author (and the other names she writes under)

My Impression: This series is such a fever dream of a good time and this book was no exception. I'm not sure I always understand the dynamics of Harmony but I always enjoy my time visiting the world that Castle has created here.  I'm fascinated by the dust bunnies, the Underworld, and all the different talents.  Alice's might be the most unique talent we've come across yet and I loved the addition of her principals that she learned at the school she lived at and eventually taught at.  Owen is also an interesting character.  It takes a bit longer to learn his backstory but he and Alice work well together from the very beginning.

There is a bit of insta-love (or at least soon after meeting love) but the characters are reasonably sensible about it.  They communicate well and try to understand each other.  The addition of dust bunny chaos in the hotel adds for some fun comic relief and I would love the see that final hotel bill.  The cat and mouse game keeps the tension up and the pacing stays strong from beginning to end.  

This was a fun bit of escapism with interesting characters, a bizarre world, and solid pacing.  If you need a fast read to keep you entertained this is a perfect choice.  The backstory of Harmony took me a little getting used to but for each book I read in the series the more I'm getting used to it.  I'm looking forward to the next book and reading the books I've missed in this series.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes, absolutely!  I'm looking forward to doing a big binge read of this series (and this author in general) sometime soon.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you're in the mood for some distraction and don't mind some urban fantasy/sci fi this is a great choice.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Rating: Loved It (5 Stars)
Source: Purchased

Description: The peaceful English village of King’s Abbot is stunned. The widow Ferrars dies from an overdose of Veronal. Not twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd—the man she had planned to marry—is murdered. It is a baffling case involving blackmail and death that taxes Hercule Poirot’s “little grey cells” before he reaches one of the most startling conclusions of his career.

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book: This was the June selection for the 2026 Read Christie Challenge under the category of "Best to Read in One Sitting"

My Impression: If you don't know anything about this mystery do your best to keep it that way and read it as soon as possible!  In many ways this is a typical Christie mystery - set in a small village with gossipy neighbors and characters trying to keep up appearances while hiding some significant secrets.  Dr. Sheppard is the narrator and has some very Hastings-like qualities which both amuses and exasperates Poirot.  Sheppard's sister, Caroline, is by far the biggest of the neighborhood gossips which adds quite a bit of information and some humorous moments.

This is the one of the few stories where we actually see Poirot enjoying the retirement he so often dreams about.  He has his out of the way house and spends his days growing vegetable marrows and everything else he's dreamed of - and he's bored silly.   He jumps at the chance to investigate the murder when Roger Ackroyd's niece, Flora, appeals to him.  The mystery is a good one with red herrings and misdirection all spearheaded by Poirot and his little grey cells.  

This is one of Christie's most controversial books and is one that probably brought her the earliest recognition.  I don't want to go into too much detail but it's worth reading to see if you think she cheated or not!  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely!  Next month's book is one published under her Mary Westmacott pseudonym which she used to publish romantic fiction.  I haven't read it so I'm excited about it.

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would!  It's a good mystery as well as an interesting piece of mystery fiction history.

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams - As soon as I finished the first book in the When in Rome Quartet I immediately put the audio of book 2 on hold through Libby.   I really liked Annie in the first book and I really enjoyed getting to know her better in this book.  Will is also a great character and the author does a great job with making them realistically complicated and keeping them likable and relatable.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how the relationship unfolded and getting to know all the side characters better as well.  I didn't like this book quite as much as I did the first book but I read that versus listening to this one so I'm wondering if the change in medium impacted my thoughts.  Regardless, this was a fun story about lovely people with enough depth to keep it from being silly.  I'm looking forward to picking up the next two books in the series.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

2.  A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey - I have been so excited to read this book since it first came out.  And I liked it.  I really enjoyed both Keaton and Becks Saint James' stories.  They're both likable and sympathetic characters.  I loved the side characters - all the ladies of Beaufort and especially Anderson.  I was hooked both because I enjoyed spending time with all the characters and because I wanted to find out just what happened that night long ago.  My main issue with this one is that I felt like I wanted more.  More character development, more heart, more plot development.  As well, there was one issue at the very end that I just had a hard time believing was never noticed.  I can't go into detail as it's a major spoiler but it definitely pulled me out of the story a bit.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

3.  All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie - I read this series in the late 90s/early 2000s and really enjoyed it.  I've been wanting to reread it for ages so I was really excited to pick this 2nd book in the series up.   It was okay.  The mystery itself was interesting and the conclusion was pretty shocking but there seemed to be a lot of plot lines and red herrings for a fairly short book.  As well, I wasn't sold on Duncan and Gemma's dynamic.  I don't know if it just feels a bit dated or if I just previously missed that Duncan is pretty oblivious to the people around him.  The mystery is solid and the series just keeps getting better so I'm looking forward to reading the next book.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

4.  An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen - This is my second book by this writer team and another winner.  This was a wild ride of a mystery/thriller.  I wasn't sure if I liked anyone involved, what was happening, and I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending.  I do know was completely hooked from start to finish and could not wait to keep reading when I had to put it down.  The audio was very well done and the pacing on the story as a whole was spot on.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this duo and the authors individually.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

5.  How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristin Perrin - The premise of this one hadn't really grabbed me but a later book in the series did so I decided to pick this one up.  Despite a slow start, I ended up really enjoying it.  Annie is a good main character and while she has her issues she's intelligent and doesn't land in TSTL territory too often.  I also enjoyed the 1960s timeline.  The solution was a surprise but made sense.  It did take me awhile to feel invested in the story but once I did, I was hooked.  I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Recipe Thursday: Disney's Baked Ravioli

One of my goals for 2026 is to sort through all the recipes I have laying around tucked into folders and notebooks as well as my gigantic Pinterest/food blog collection that hasn't been touched in years.  I've been having quite a good time with it.  I enjoy cooking but it can become a chore pretty easily and this has made it a lot more fun for me as I feel like I'm working on a project.   Around here we've taken to calling it Recipe Thunderdome as all recipes have to be auditioned before earning their place in the final recipe binder. 

*For context I'm a reasonably capable home cook but one who is often trying to multitask and who is pretty much completely self-taught. *

Today I'm Sharing: Disney's Baked Ravioli from Plain Chicken

Changes:  I ended up cooking it about 5 minutes or so less than the called for time as the cheese was heading past golden and in 5 more minutes would have been burnt.  If I make it again, I'll cover it with foil.  Also, I used a full pound of ground beef instead of a beef and sausage mix as I don't love the flavor of sausage in this kind of dish.  I drained the beef before adding the additional sauce ingredients.  

Thoughts of Recipe Difficult: Not particularly difficult but it is time consuming as the sauce has to simmer for an hour and needed frequently stirring.  

Cook Time:  Prep time is maybe 10 minutes to get the sauce ready to simmer and another 5 or 10 to get the ravioli to cook.  After than it bakes for about 20 minutes.

Served With: Green salad and garlic bread

Results:  Pretty good and plenty of leftovers.  I have another baked ravioli that I think I like a little better so I may need to do a head-to-head on these two.

Verdict: Survived!  Pending the results of the head-to-head of course.

Authors I've Been Meaning to Read - Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

At the beginning of the year, I made a list of authors that I've been saying I need to read and commit to reading at least one book by each of the authors in 2026.  Here's my thoughts on one of those books/authors.

Goodreads:  Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

Blurb:  Dolly Brick has never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Not when her mom left when she was twelve, and not at thirty-nine when she moves with her son back to Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to keep her dad and brother from losing the family home.

So when she comes across Stewart Whitfield—annoyingly handsome scion of the Whitfield family—with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it’s in her nature to help. But Stewart’s proposed arrangement ends up being more than either of them bargained for, because as public dinners and high-society benefits turn into sunset boat rides and kisses that hit her bloodstream like a ghost pepper, Dolly starts to feel something more than helpful. She’s never relied on anyone besides herself—can she really start now?

My Thoughts:  Oh I loved this one.  This was my first book by this author and it was an absolute delight from start to finish.  I loved all the characters and their relationships and how they evolved over time.  Dolly is a fantastic character who isn't perfect though she tries hard to be and I loved her relationship with Stewart, her family, (especially Gus) and her friends (especially Naomi).   I knew there was going to be a conflict as was kind of dreading it because I liked Dolly and Stewart so much but it really enhanced the book and the characters.  The audiobook version is narrated by Julia Whalen who as always does a phenomenal job.  This was a fantastic summer read (or listen) that made me smile and sometimes tear up a bit.  I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.  My Rating: Loved It (5 Stars)

Top Ten Tuesday - Summer TBR

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Summer TBR.  I love making seasonal TBRs!  Am I best about sticking to them? Not in the slightest but I like pretending I will.

1.  The Secret Thread by Eve Chase - This looks creepy and eerie and like quite the page turner.  I read another book by this author years ago and really enjoyed it so I'm excited to pick this one up.

2.  Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle - The books in this series are always just a fever dream of a good time and I'm looking forward revisiting the world Castle has created.

3.  The Woman in White by Sarah Pekkanen - I've read several books by this author written with another author and always really enjoyed them so I'm excited to read this one.  Plus, it sounds like an exciting read.

4.  The Moonsingers by Robin J. Pritzker - This is listed as a cozy fairytale which sounds absolutely perfect right now.  

5.  Probably Caws by Donna Andrews - I can't make a TBR list without a cozy on it!  This is one of my favorite chaotic mystery series and I'm looking forward to seeing what craziness Meg gets up to next.

6.  Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen - I love this author and her books make for perfect summer reading so I'm so excited about this newest one!

7.  Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett - This is on my priority list this year and involves ghosts and romantic suspense so it sounds perfect for summer reading!

8.  The Third to Die by Allison Brennan - Allison Brennan is on my Authors to Read list and I'm really looking forward to this mystery.

9.  The Luck Runs Out by Charlotte Macleod - I'm pulling this mystery off my classics list for the summer.  I really enjoyed the first book in this series and Macleod always delivers a solid mystery.

10. Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst - I'm so excited for this one.  I've loved the previous two books in the series and I loved the main character in this one when I met her in book 2.  

What are you planning to read this summer?