2026 book 128

 Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material

Somehow I’d never read this before, even though many of my friends love it, and I liked it a lot! Fake dating is not a favorite trope of mine but it worked well here, as the messy son of a rock star has to find a respectable boyfriend to be seen with or risk losing his job, and only one friend of a friend will suit. The dudes were cute together and realistically messed up, in really enjoyed the protagonist’s work colleagues and his French mom (I did think his friend group was underdeveloped but there’s already a lot going on in this book). And it was all very engaging, I read this just about in one sitting. I’m kind of glad I never read this before, because now I get to read a whole trilogy! A/A-.

2026 book 127

 Julia Seales’ A Most Agreeable Murder 

This is a firmly tongue-in-cheek historical mystery, full of Austen references, involving a young woman who is obsessed with true crime (and a handsome detective with a newspaper column). When a very eligible bachelor (Mr Croaksworth) is murdered at a ball (at Stabmort Manor), she has to figure out who did it—while still being a proper lady. Luckily the detective’s disgraced former partner is on hand! Also, her youngest sister is definitely a werewolf, if  you suspected this book is a little bit silly. I liked this a lot, and will probably read the sequel at some point, but I need a break first. 😹 A-/B+.

2026 book 126

 Victoria Goddard’s Urbanite

I’m glad Goddard is writing again and I’ll read pretty much everything she does! This novella is a bit of a departure, since it’s not set in her Nine Worlds, but instead a magical version of Toronto. The main character is having a terrible day when she’s hired by two sorcerers to perform a task! Very entertaining story but I did wish there were more—maybe someday! A-.

2026 book 125

 Kate Elliott's The Law of Becoming

Elliott has a lot to balance in this final volume of the Jaran series--the whole rebelling against alien overlords thing has been simmering on the back-burner for the last couple books, and that comes into play, plus all the on-planet politics and battles we're invested in. Plus there's a whole thing with two sects of a religion that each think the other are heretics. But actually it’s pretty clear she meant to write at least one more book in this series—this does wrap up a lot of plot lines but it does feel like there’s so much more to tell! So obviously I loved this but am bummed it doesn’t seem like any more will be coming (since these came out over twenty years ago). Or maybe I’m just bummed that I can’t spend more time with these characters (even the minor ones get some awesome moments in this one, I especially would love to know what happens next with Sonia and the ke). A.

2026 book 124

 Kate Elliott’s His Conquering Sword

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!! Not much else to say about the third volume in an awesome epic sci-fi/fantasy series, just lots of friendship and love and acting and battles and different cultures starting to mix and some very funny parts and some very sad parts and so many characters to root for. Seriously, this series is now a fave. A. 

2026 book 123

 Kate Elliott’s An Earthly Crown

Elliott shakes things up in book two of the Jaran series by adding a bunch of new POVs and greatly expanding what’s going on, with politics and culture clashes and war and a troupe of Shakespearean actors all playing a part. I’m super into this series!!! Note that some of the culture clashes involve one group being totally cool with queerness and the other more of a don’t ask, don’t tell situation, so there are more openly queer characters but also some homophobia. Still, for a book written in the 90s, it’s pretty awesome. A.

2026 book 122

 Kate Elliott's Jaran

The SHEER DELIGHT of stumbling onto a series by an author you like that you somehow didn't know about, and it's everything you like in a series, and you can just SINK INTO IT! This is the start of a sci-fi series in which a young woman, whose brother is an important dude in the galaxy, isn't sure she's capable of being his heir--and then she stumbles onto political shenanigans on another planet involving their alien overlords. A planet her brother is supposed to control, in order to let the indigenous people thrive and not be taken over by all the STUFF in the galaxy (though he is absolutely and hilariously trickling in books on like Newtonian physics to their university). Anyway, she gets adopted by a group of nomads and I LOVE THEM, this is such good world-building, adventures and politics and romance ensue! A! 

2026 book 121

 Meg Charlton’s Voyagers

Really interesting novel about a dude who, when he was six, disappeared with his friend, and when they returned, they told a story that seemed like an alien abduction, and became somewhat famous as a result. Now he’s an adult, living under a different name, working as a lawyer, when the whole world starts getting a signal from space. Is this contact? This is all interspersed with flashbacks to his childhood and his friendship, and how they eventually became estranged, as well as pieces involving their imaginary alien friend. The writing is super engaging, I really loved reading this! A/A-.

2026 book 120

 Madeleine Gray’s Chosen Family

Honestly I wish this had a better title, it’s so generic when this book is SO GOOD and funny and heartbreaking and super queer! It centers on a woman, Eve, whose partner Nell has left her and their child and cut contact completely, and flashes back to how they met as twelve-year-olds, became best friends, and everything along the way. Just really engaging writing full of messy queer people, I resented having to put this down to go to sleep last night. A/A-.

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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on July 14th.

2026 book 119

 Grace Curtis’ Heaven’s Graveyard

I was psyched already for a new Grace Curtis novel, but then it turns out this is a sort of companion to her book Idolfire! See, the protagonist here is an archivist who’s determined to prove her favorite legendary heroine was a real person—but also, that heroine is one of the two main characters of Idolfire. I haven’t seen this mentioned in any of the marketing, I’m guessing because this works perfectly fine as a standalone? But I love connections like that! I seriously like sat straight up when I realized! This did feel a lot darker though (I don’t remember any animal sacrifices in the previous book), which wasn’t my fave. Anyway, our historian also has to solve the murder of her mentor—with her ex girlfriend’s help, of course—plus there’s a whole impending war she’s been ignoring. The second half is super entertaining and action-packed, really fun. Another great one from Curtis! A/A-.

2026 book 118

 T. Kingfisher’s The Wonder Engine

Satisfying follow-up to Clockwork Boys, as our merry band (well, band) tries to unravel the mustiness of the Clocktaurs. This is a very fun read, though perhaps not as well-developed as some of her more recent works. I’m not gonna complain about a fun read though. 

2026 book 117

 T. Kingfisher’s Clockwork Boys

Reading Daggerbound made me want to reread this duology, since both feature Learned Edmund! I forgot how good this is—lots of action and dark humor as our little band (featuring three criminals—a formerly demon-possessed paladin, an assassin, and the lady forger leading them all—plus an earnest and super sexist young scholar) goes on a suicide mission to investigate some mysterious war machines. And have some supernatural adventures along the way! Fun stuff!!!

2026 book 116

 Nina LaCour’s Meet Me in the Garden

I’ve loved all of LaCour’s novels, but this one really feels different, more ambitious (is this her first adult novel? I know it’s all marketing categories). It’s the story of a (deeply closeted) Creole woman and her family from 1944 through the 1960s, as they move from New Orleans to Los Angeles and raise their children. Just a really beautiful story about art and various kinds of love and families and friends and making a life. Maybe some bits were a little on the nose but I loved this. A.

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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on August 4th.

2026 book 115

 Sarah Orne Jewett’s A Country Doctor

This classic novel (originally published in 1884) is getting reissued in August, and I’ve never read it, and the premise sounded interesting, so here we are. It involves a country doctor who takes a young girl in as his ward, and she grows up to want to be a doctor too, but much of society is skeptical of a lady doctor. I see why this is a classic! A little too much Christianity for my personal taste but a really well-written story. 

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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This edition will be released in August.

2026 book 114

 Jaleigh Johnson’s The Reimagining of Thornwood House

Do you want to read a cozy fantasy novel? This is the quintessential example of a cozy fantasy novel circa 2026. Our protagonist is a land witch who takes a job as a caretaker of a magical sentient house, only the house has kicked out all its previous possible caretakers. And if the house doesn’t let her stay, she won’t be able to finalize the adoption of her daughter! Plus there’s a magical mystery to untangle! Luckily there are quirky townsfolk and a handy neighbor (the requisite love interest) on hand to help. I’m not trying to sound facetious. I liked the house and the relationship with the daughter. But a lot of this, especially the romance, felt very rote, and it really dragged for a lot of the story. I was pretty over it by the end. But if you want more cozy fantasy to read, this exists! B.

2026 book 113

 Camille Perri’s Social Animals

OBVIOUSLY I one hundred percent read this because of the cover, but it turned out to be a great story too! It involves a PI who’s hired to find out if a woman is cheating on her husband—and she has to adopt a dog and befriend her at the dog park to find out! But then it turns out someone ELSE at the dog park is ALSO watching this woman. But despite how that sounds, it’s not a thriller, it’s a really nice story about these three women and their adorable and goofy dogs (aside from the horrible husband). Sidebar to locals: an RDU airport hotel plays a role, lol. I really liked this—perfect summer read. A/A-.

2026 book 112

 Mollyhall Seeley’s We Hexed the Moon

I admit to being mildly distracted while reading this, trying to figure out if it was set in Hilton Head (verdict: yes). Anyway, it’s about four girls and their friendship and what happens when they drunkenly do a ritual involving the moon…and then the moon disappears from the sky and turns up to mess with them—and tells them she won’t return to the sky so they had better find a replacement. I liked everything with the girls and their friendship, but the way the moon replacement stuff played out was kind of silly? I’m not sure how else it could have gone, though, and I don’t want to be spoilery with my specific issues. Interesting read for sure. A-/B+.