The death of reporter Dean Dawson’s estranged father in a boating accident leaves Dean and his brothers with mixed emotions. After all, the man abandoned his family and lived a life of inexplicable lies and broken promises. But four months after that fatal night cruise, their father is becoming a greater mystery than they imagined.
When a presidential candidate is assassinated in Austin, Dean is contacted by April North, his former girlfriend and an associate of Dean’s father at a powerhouse law firm. She’s stumbled upon a shocker. A cryptic text she wasn’t supposed to see on her boss’s phone not only implicates the firm in the assassination but also suggests that Dean’s father may still be very much alive.
As the brothers are pulled into a dark conspiracy, Dean and April are on the run as the next targets of a mysterious assassin—and one kill shot away from discovering the truth and a father’s dangerous secrets.
The Three Ws are: What are you currently reading?What did you recently finish reading?What do you think you’ll read next?
I borrowed The Shadow of What Was Lost from the library and so far I am enjoying the hell out of it. I read slow, and it’s a thicc boy of a book! I am currently 25% in at the time of writing up this post.
I am listening to Two Witches and A Whiskey by Annette Marie, the next book in the read-along I am participating in. I borrowed it through Libby.
I already pulled a mood reader move… I put down an ARC I wasn’t feeling and grabbed something random. A quick YA read with Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is what was calling to me.
I finished this ARC right before the new year.
Darby Kane, author of the #1 international bestseller Pretty Little Wife, returns with a gripping domestic thriller in which a family goes missing and a long-buried family mystery resurfaces.
This book publishes on the 20th of this month.
Gonna try to tackle some ARCs this month and hopefully get to my First Reads choice of this month. I’ll choose one of these above once I finish what I am currently into.
Title: We Were Never Friends Author: Kaira Rouda Format: eBook Length: 288 pages Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Sisters? Forever. Friends? NEVER. Who knew a reunion weekend could be so deadly?
Meet the sorority sisters of Theta Gamma Mu:
Roxy Callahan Gentry, the ruthless former sorority president and current hostess who has painstakingly choreographed every detail of this weekend—even matching the cocktails to her couture—to prove that she remains their undisputed queen
Amelia Dell, the widow drenched in old money and alcohol, with her big pot-stirring spoon and uninvited boy-toy in tow
Jamie Vale, the double-legacy pledge, straight-A student with no sparkle, now a top cardiologist with a picture-perfect family—and a well-guarded bad habit
Beth Harrison, the scholarship student who never quite fit in and was only admitted because her best friend Sunny insisted that the two were a package deal
Sunny Spencer, the carefree and beloved friend to all, or so it seemed—until she wasn’t
They’ve been summoned to Roxy’s luxurious Palm Springs vacation home to celebrate the engagement of her son to Beth’s daughter. But the refurbished 1920s estate is eerily reminiscent of the hotel where tragedy struck during Spring Break twenty-five years ago. Long-simmering tensions and shocking secrets begin bubbling to the surface like bodies—because while the weekend was supposed to be about celebrating the future, it’s not so easy to bury the past…
For fans of Shari Lapena, Mary Kubica, and B. A. Paris, We Were Never Friends is an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humor and bad behavior.
I received a complimentary e-copy through Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse.
I am 100% a mood reader. But this year I am trying to mostly-sort-of-kind-of plan my reading out. I am doing a little less yearly challenges this year and want to read what I want to read, so I am hoping to stick to the list I make. Of course I am not gonna hold myself to it strictly, because reading is supposed to be a fun hobby that I enjoy. Plus, I am a DNF Queen haha!
So for January I am gonna start off slow and with a small list to see how how it goes!
What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It’s also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. Hosted by Readerbuzz.
What is the Sunday Post? The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.
We were in North Carolina visiting my family for the holidays. We arrived on December 23 and stayed till January 1. We had a good time, but all good things must come to an end. It was definitely nice to see my family and get to spend a lot of quality time with them. We probably won’t see them again till the springtime (unless we Facetime lol).
Rollo and Dylan, Snapchat selfie of me, Rollo and Delaney, My parents with the kids, my husband
When we got to North Carolina the weather was crazy warm, then got super cold, then it got warm again… so guess who ended up with a head cold and cough? Ya girl Melissa! Been trying to fight it off the entire trip and this whole weekend too. Ugh!!!!
I straightened up the house all morning while the boys went to church (I didn’t go because I am still coughing like a champ). My daughter slept in, but I like cleaning while no one is under foot lol.
Tomorrow I have work *multiple crying emoji’s*. Definitely not looking forward to going back there.
Currently:
I am making good progress in The Shadow of What Was Lost. And I am really liking this book! It was not finished in 2025 but that is okay. I want to finish this trilogy this year too.
I stopped reading an ARC I wasn’t vibing with, and decided on a whim to borrow the eBook of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard from Libby. I am doing a challenge in January that this book fits into, and since I wasn’t feeling another thriller ARC I changed it up. YA’s are easy reads and I think that’s what my brain needs right now…
Just Finished:
Nothing so far this year.
If you’d like to be friends with me on Storygraph, this is my profile page. I stopped using Goodreads and refuse to go back.
Nothing so far this year.
All of my 2026 main challenge posts launched
My January 2026 TBR Plans My Yearly Bookish Review 2025
I was looking over my reading stats since I started tracking them, and this will be my third year spending no money on books. While that sounds absolutely insane and not doable to most people, I assure you that it’s possible. I am not the type of person who HAS to read a book the second it’s published. I have been making use of my local library for most of all my reading needs, and just put myself on the wait list as books I want to read are coming out. I’ve also gotten a lot of newer reads with not a long wait time through Libby as well.
For those who care, or don’t believe that this is possible, my plan will be to share receipts of books I acquire this year when posting about the book.
Do you spend a lot of money on books in a year? Do you use your library at all?
Title: Dark Arts and A Daiquiri Author: Annette Marie Format: audiobook Length: 7 hours 39 minutes Rating: 4 stars Publication Date: November 16, 2018
This audiobook is a fast and funny urban-fantasy adventure. Tori’s snarky voice and fearless attitude make her a fantastic protagonist, and the chemistry with her mage roommates is as charming as ever. Annette Marie delivers sharp humor, great action, and surprisingly heartfelt moments, all wrapped in vivid world-building that’s impossible to resist. I cannot wait to listen to the next book in this series!
Good morning, readers! December started off strong and tanked around the holidays, which is expected since I was so busy with traveling and family things.
Excited for all these great plans I have for 2026!
If you’re not following me on Storygraph, you should! This is my page. I stopped using Goodreads last year.
Also, I am trying to get more people liking my posts on Instagram. If you could follow me there, and maybe like a photo or two, I would also appreciate that :) I also follow back anyone who follows me.
Good morning readers! These are all of the books that I acquired/received/borrowed onto my shelves, virtual and/or physical, for the entire month of December:
Screenshot
I borrowed all of these from Libby.
I borrowed this hefty paperback copy from my library as well. I knew I wouldn’t be able to read the e-copy within the time frame I was allowed to borrow it.
I borrowed these Christmas and Hanukkah themed eBooks from Prime Reading.
James Patterson’s Street Team sent me this paperback advanced reader copy of Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson.
My mom got me a Blind Date With A Book for Christmas.
I absolutely LOVE using my library for all my books and audiobook needs. I do not have a lot of money to blow on a hobby, so I found a good way to support my community, my library and my reading habit! The library has a ton of resources and I always check there first for audiobooks I want to listen to or books I want to read. Libby is my friend and I have multiple library branches hooked up to my account for maximum borrowing.
I am also doing two library challenges for this year, so I thought it’d be fun to post monthly updates about my library stats.
I checked out a total of 71 books (audiobook/physical/eBook), I read 43 of them (so 61% read) and saved $1,289.85 *using Amazon prices or the price on the receipt when I leave the library*.
What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It’s also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. Hosted by Readerbuzz.
What is the Sunday Post? The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.
My last day of work till the new year was on Monday. Then lots of packing and getting ready for holiday shenanigans happened. Went to North Carolina to visit family for Christmas. We are getting to spend lots of time with them also (since we are going back to New Jersey in January).
When we got to North Carolina the weather was crazy warm, then got cold, then got warm again… so guess who ended up with a dumb cold? Ya girl Melissa! Been trying to fight it off since Wednesday. Ugh!!!!
This is all I have in me for what little energy I currently have…
Currently:
I am making significant progress in The Shadow of What Was Lost. And I am really liking this book! It will not be finished in 2025 so that is what it is.
I am also reading an ARC of Such A Clever Girl. This may be finished by the new year….
Just Finished:
No update here until the new year comes.
If you’d like to be friends with me on Storygraph, this is my profile page. I stopped using Goodreads and refuse to go back.
These are the challenges I am signing up for next year.
Christmas movies, and football has been on the TV.
I am apart of James Patterson’s Street Team, since he’s the author who got me back into reading as an adult I cherish that they accepted me on the Street Team two years ago.
I was sent the new James Patterson Viola Davis collab titled Judge Stone, which comes out March 9, 2026.
The most respected citizen in Union Springs, Alabama (population 3,314), is Judge Mary Stone. She holds two responsibilities sacred: running her family farm and presiding over her courtroom. It’s there she draws the most controversial case in the history of the South.
Criminally, it’s open-and-shut.
Ethically, there is no middle ground. Essentially, it’s a choice between life and death.
No judge can satisfy everyone. It would be dangerous to try. But Judge Stone is willing to fight to bring justice to the people and place she loves.
What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It’s also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. Hosted by Readerbuzz.
What is the Sunday Post? The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.
My husband worked late almost every day this week, so after I got in from work I was mostly home with the dog.
Monday I did take my bests friend out to lunch for her birthday. Did I take a photo of the two of us eating our lunches like I had planned to do? OF COURSE NOT!
I took off of work on Wednesday to go pick up both kids from college, as it’s both of their winter break.
We are exhausted from the long car ride lol
Saturday we went to Lancaster, PA because my husband got us tickets to see Noah at Sight and Sound theater. We absolutely LOVE that place and haven’t missed a show since 2016.
Currently:
I am making significant progress in The Shadow of What Was Lost. And I am really liking this book! Once my library eBook is due back I borrowed the physical copy from the library too, so I can actually finish the book!
Just Finished:
This series doesn’t feel like one of those too cheesy Hallmark Christmas stories so it was a nice change of pace in between other books I was reading. Also, if you’re trying to read a book with Hanukkah in it this is a good choice.
If you’d like to be friends with me on Storygraph, this is my profile page. I stopped using Goodreads and refuse to go back.
These are the challenges I am signing up for next year.
The kids are home from college till the middle of January, so we threw on some Christmas movies a couple of times this week!
The Three Ws are: What are you currently reading?What did you recently finish reading?What do you think you’ll read next?
I borrowed The Shadow of What Was Lost from the library and so far I am enjoying the hell out of it. I am currently 20% in at the time of writing up this post.
I am listening to The Intruder by Freida McFadden. It was available on Hoopla as an instant borrow, and since it’s a new book I snagged it up.
It’s the end of the year and with all the holiday shenanigans coming up I am leaving my TBR open ended. I’ll read whatever I am in the mood for and just wing it till January. This will probably be my last WWW Wednesday until the new year as well.
What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It’s also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. Hosted by Readerbuzz.
What is the Sunday Post? The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.
I worked all week of course, and everyday at work was something…. someone calling out and leaving us short handed, someone not pulling their weight on a crazy menu day, etc. When I got home I didn’t want to do much because the work day totally did me in. I should be doing holiday stuff, but it did not happen.
I have been working on getting the blog set up for next years challenges. I always say I will only sign up for a few and then just end up rejoining all the ones I have a good time participating in.
Yesterday my husband started a new video game so I sat on the couch reading my library eBook and drinking lots of hot chocolate. I’m really liking it, but it’s a thick book and I sort of read slow (or so I think). I may need to figure out that “put it in airplane mode” trick so the library can’t take it back when it’s due in a week, haha!!
Currently:
Just Finished:
If you’d like to be friends with me on Storygraph, this is my profile page. I stopped using Goodreads and refuse to go back.
The husband and I love this random musical. I bought him the DVD for Christmas a few years ago because we like the movie so much and can never find it streaming anywhere. On Friday night we decided to put it on before bed.
Fifteen years ago, the Tanner family vanished without a trace, leaving behind a chilling scene: half-eaten meals, a bloodstain by the door, and a smoldering fire consuming their business across town.
The once-vibrant home stands untouched, a haunting relic of the past. As rumors fade into local folklore, the mystery of their disappearance seems destined to remain unsolved–until Aubrey Tanner returns.
Now a hardened thirty-year-old, Aubrey arrives in town with secrets etched in her silence. Why did she come back? Was she a victim of the night that changed everything, or does she hold the truth of what happened to her family? The town is rife with theories, but three women share a dangerous bond: they know more than they’ve ever confessed.
As the past resurfaces, old alliances fray. A teacher, a café owner, and a psychologist are drawn together by memories they’d rather forget. Each holds a piece of the puzzle–and a dark secret of their own. When a new disappearance sends shock waves through the town, blackmail begins, and the stakes climb higher.
In a race against time, these women must confront the truth or risk becoming the next victims of a past they cannot escape. With tension rising and danger lurking, one thing is clear: someone is destined to kill again.
I received a complimentary ARC through Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse.
The Three Ws are: What are you currently reading?What did you recently finish reading?What do you think you’ll read next?
I borrowed The Shadow of What Was Lost from the library and so far I am enjoying the hell out of it.
I am listening to The Woman On The Ledge thanks to Libby. This one is also really good and I am listening as much as possible.
I read and listened to Snow Place Like Home for the #HoHoHoRAT. A cute holiday read that wasn’t super cheesy!
It’s the end of the year and with all the holiday shenanigans coming up I am leaving my TBR open ended. I’ll read whatever I am in the mood for and just wing it till January.
Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.
With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.
With Will Dean’s signature “well-drawn characters and excellent prose” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Adrift is gripping exploration of the ties that bind when everything spirals out of control.
I own book 1 of this series (The Silent Watcher), thanks to Amazon First Reads. I had No-Rush Rewards that were going to expire in the middle of the month, so I got myself book 2 of the series. I have not read a bad Victor Methos book and I am excited to get into this series next year.
