January Reading Wrap-Up – My Favorite Reads of January 2026

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We are now at the beginning of March. January lasted 400 days and then February skirted by in about 15 minutes. Did anyone else feel like January was the longest month in the history of ALL the world? In an effort to share some of my favorite books from each month, I have decided to start a little blog series that focuses on my favorite books from each month. Naturally I discovered this idea in March instead of January, but I suppose it isn’t too late to start now! So, let’s chat a little bit about books, shall we? Here are my favorite reads of January 2026!

January Wrap Up

January was not the most stellar reading month. Stella could not find her groove, y’all. I managed to finish 5 books, which isn’t terrible at all…but it was a little behind where I wanted to be. It was also a struggle. I just couldn’t get into a good reading rhythm until the end of the month. But, having said ALL of this…I did read some really great books! For the sake of this post I think I am going to focus on my 5 star reads…and I had 2 of those! So…let’s chat!

This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud

First up we have This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud. WOW, this book was spectacular. This is all things Gothic Horror…but with Historical Fiction, Folklore, and Paranormal/Supernatural themes worked in. I was immediately interested in this book based on the haunting cover, but all I had to do was read the first line of the book to realize that I was going to be on the ride of my life. This House Will Feed is set in Ireland against the backdrop of the deadly Irish Potato Famine. There are some extremely difficult themes at play such as Genocide, death of infants and children, starvation, and brief mentions of cannibalism. This was a page-turner and was so unbelievably atmospheric. This was an easy 5 star read for me. Here is a quick synopsis!

Goodreads Synopsis

County Clare, 1848: In the scant few years since the potato blight first cast its foul shadow over Ireland, Maggie O’Shaughnessy has lost everything—her entire family and the man she trusted with her heart. Toiling in the Ennis Workhouse for paltry rations, she can see no future either within or outside its walls—until the mysterious Lady Catherine arrives to whisk her away to an old mansion in the stark limestone landscape of the Burren.

Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina, and hoodwink solicitors into releasing Wilhelmina’s widow pension so that Lady Catherine can continue to provide for the villagers in her care. In exchange, Maggie will receive freedom from the workhouse, land of her own, and the one thing she wants more than a chance to fulfill the promise she made to her brother on his deathbed—to live to spite them all.

Launching herself into the daunting task, Maggie plays the role of Wilhelmina as best she can while ignoring the villagers’ tales of ghostly figures and curses. But more worrying are the whispers that come from within. Something in Lady Catherine’s house is reawakening long-buried memories in Maggie—of a foe more terrifying than hunger or greed, of a power that calls for blood and vengeance, and of her own role in a nightmare that demands the darkest sacrifice . . .

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

I am the hugest Alice Feeney fan. Whenever she has a new title coming I know that it is going to be an auto buy. Well, I was ecstatic to see that My Husband’s Wife was included as part of Book of the Month for the month of January. I added it to my cart so fast!

While this wasn’t my favorite Alice Feeney novel, it was still a 5 star read. She is the QUEEN of the twisty and unexpected plot twist. I had figured out a couple of things along the way during the reading of My Husband’s Wife…but the last twist left me with my mouth open. I was wondering yet again…how I missed it. This happens to me every time I read one of Alice’s books. The mystery within a mystery that just keeps unraveling until their are no pages left to unravel! This was such an atmospheric read as well…Alice always nails the isolated setting and this book was no different. Definitely recommend this to a lover of twisty thrillers.

Goodreads Synopsis

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

All Eyes on February

Ok. As I mentioned above, I just wasn’t able to get into my reading groove in January. Well, February more than made up for it. I found my groove and it just kept grooving ALL month. I finished 13 books in February and so many of them were 5 stars. I am excited to share the books with you in my next post. I think I even have at least one contender for my favorite book of the year. I know, I know…its only March…but when I tell you that one of these books I am still thinking about every single day since I finished…it is definitely going to be a fave of the year!

How did your January reading go? Off to a good start? What books are you excited about this year?