Hello, dear readers, and Happy New Year.

My TBR is very ARC centric right now. I usually only read ARC books during the month they are released, but a couple of publishers advised me to read them earlier. Because of that, I’ll be reading some books published in March and May from my most anticipated list of 2026.

I am going to do a carry over protocol for my TBR. Basically, if a book is on my TBR and I do not get it, it carries over to the next month. I have so many books I plan to bring back when I don’t get to them. I carried 4 books over from the holidays.

I hit my reading goal last year of 75 books by finishing 77, so my goal for 2026 is 80 books.

My goal this month is 11 books. I have books in horror, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and media-tie-in fiction (Marvel).I have two new authors to me in H. Lee Justine and Chuck Tingle. Nat cassidy I have only read his short stories so far. 

I don’t have any book signing events this month, but I do have a massive 150 author book event at the end of February already booked.

ARC Books:

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart is the start of a series about a space shuttle crew returning to Earth. When they get back to the Earth. They soon discover this is not the home they know. Detour sounds like a compelling science fiction novel. Author Jeff Rake was the creator of the TV series Manifest. I loved the first season of Manifest and the idea behind it. Co-author Rob Hart is the author of The Paradox Hotel, a book I quite liked. I’m reading Detour early thanks to Netgalley and Random House Worlds. Detour is to be published on January 13, 2026 by Del Rey, Random House Worlds. 

A Blackened Heart, A Blackened Soul by John Ward is a supernatural horror about a lifelong battle with a dark entity for a soul. John Tinsley loses his mother in a tragic car accident and is marked by a dark entity. The entity’s goal is to destroy everything and everyone John loves. The entity hunts and haunts John from childhood to adult where he is forced to fight the entity for his soul. I’m reading A Blackened Heart, A Blackened Soul early thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing. I am a member of the Crystal Lake Street Team. A Blackened Heart, A Blackened Soul is to be published on January 16, 2026, by Crystal Lake Publishing.

Enemy of My Enemy by Alex Segura is the second book in the Marvel Crime series focusing on Daredevil. In the book Matt Murdock must defend the Punisher for the murder of the Kingpin in the courts. In the streets, Daredevil has to fight the gangs wanting to take over the Kingpin’s territory.  I got to meet Alex at the Chattanooga Comic Con and we talked about this book and his love for Daredevil. He wrote a book on the illustrated history of Daredevil that came out in November 2025. I enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s Jessica Jones novel Breaking the Dark, the first book in the Marvel Crime series. It does not connect to Enemy of My Enemy. I am reading Enemy of my Enemy early thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion. Enemy of My Enemy will be published on March 24, 2026, by Disney Hyperion Avenue.

Platform Decay by Martha Wells is Murderbot book 8. Murderbot is one of the handful of series I have kept up with. The series is cozy science fiction and I love it. Platform Decay will have Murderbot leading a rescue mission which requires him to spend time with human children. I love this series, and have only had one disappointing read. I’m reading Platform Decay early thanks to Netgalley and Tor Publishing / Tor Books. Platform Decay is to be published on May 5, 2026, by Tor Publishing / Tor Books.

Library Book:

Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle is a satirical horror comedy. Vera is a statistician who is publishing her first book. On publication day countless people are killed in horrific way. The event is labeled the Low Probability Event. Years later Vera is approached to research the event to discover what happened and it could happen again. Lucky Day was first published on August 12, 2025, by Tor Nightfire.

Owned Books Kindle and Physical:

Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane is the sixth and final book in the Kenzie and Gennaro detective series. In this book they return to their most famous case from the book Gone, Baby Gone. Amanda McReady, age 4, was kidnapped and returned. The case almost broke up the partnership with the choices they made. Now 12 year later they are back in Amanda’s life as she goes missing again. Moonlight Mile is a reread for me. Moonlight Mile was first published on November 2, 2010, by William Morrow. 

Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman is about Erin who is grieving the death of a reckless ex-boyfriend, Silas. He asked her to bail him out of rehab days before he was found dead. Grief and regret get her to turn to a new drug called Ghost. The drug allows users to see the dead but the drug has some side effects. Clay McLeod Chapman was my find of last year. I’m trying to go through his backlog before meeting him at Authorcon VI. Ghost Eaters was first published on September 20, 2022 by Quirk Books.

You Watched in Silence by H. Lee Justine is about Caitlyn, whose life is a bit of a mess since her best friend cut off all communication. She gets a lifesaving call to nanny the twins of a famous family lifestyle blogger. The blogger is facing a scandal after her number one fan commits suicide and shows indifference. The nanny gig is going great, but she starts flirting with the personal chef. Then, she sees a mysterious girl that only she can seem to see. She starts finding pentagrams in the yard. Someone has it out for her employer, or maybe her.  This book is from Blackstone Publishing, one of my favorites through Netgalley. H. Lee Justine reached out to me on TikTok and asked me to read it. This book is already out and released on November 18, 2025 by Blackstone Publishing.

When The Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy is about a struggling actress finding a young boy roughed up and alone in the woods. She decided to take the kid in when he described his father. What he fails to mention is that his dad is a werewolf and is hunting for him. I have heard only excellent things about this book. When the Wolf Comes Home was nominated in the Goodreads Choice Awards in Horror for 2025. I read Nat Cassidy’s short story in The Stand Anthology, which was released this year, and was blown away. When the Wolf Comes Home was first published on April 22, 2025, by Tor Books.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is about lesbian vampires in different timelines. I know the book is loosely connected to Addie LaRue. I have read 7 V.E. Schwab books, and they are all great. She is one of my favorite authors. I got my wife hooked on her, and she has read 3 books and bought the signed copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is up for The Goodreads Choice Awards in Fantasy for 2025. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was first published on June 10, 2025, by Tor Nightfire.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow is about a lady-knight whose legend built a nation and a time-traveling historian who has fallen in love with her. Are they destined to meet and fall in love? Or will this damage history? I love Alix E. Harrow’s writing. I was floored by Ten Thousand Doors of January. I got to meet her at a book event and get The Everlasting signed. The Everlasting has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards in Fantasy for 2025. The Everlasting was first published on October 28, 2025 by Tor Books.