One of my 2026 book goals is to visit and support 12 new-to-me independent bookstores in different cities. In this post, I share my picks for January and February.
Author: Flash Mama
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
★★★★☆ In this psychological thriller, author Grady Green has writer’s block after his wife mysteriously disappears. To help him get his writing groove back, his agent arranges for him to use a cabin on a remote island in Scotland, where he runs into a woman who looks exactly like his disappeared wife.
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
★★★☆☆ How wild would your dating life be if you knew precisely how long each relationship would last before your first date? That’s Daphne's situation in this novel.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
★★★☆☆ Yours Truly was my first read by contemporary romance writer Abby Jimenez. Featuring lovable characters, this novel was an endearing story about embracing the messiness of life.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
★★★★★ I was familiar with Ina Garten from watching a few episodes of Barefoot Contessa on The Food Network with my mom. While I found her show pleasant, I wouldn’t have called myself a huge fan. After listening to Be Ready When the Luck Happens, I'm officially a fan.
Other Birds by Sarah Allen
★★★★☆ I was introduced Other Birds, Sarah Addison Allen’s quirky, magical realist novel, through my book club, which reads books by women authors and/or that feature strong female characters. I was thrilled to be introduced to a new author for me, especially one from my home state of North Carolina. Other Birds by Sarah Addison … Continue reading Other Birds by Sarah Allen
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
★★★★☆ I kept seeing Carley Fortune books, with their dreamy pastel watercolor covers, on the front table of my local bookstore. After the cover and the blurb on the back caught my eye several times, I decided to give the Canadian author’s debut novel, Every Summer After, a try.
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
★★★☆☆ This gripping thriller by Gillian McAllister delves into the complexities of a missing person investigation. Detective Julia Day is assigned to the missing person case of Olivia Johnson, a young woman who mysteriously vanished after being seen on CCTV entering a dead-end alley.
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
★★★★☆ Named after the number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine, this drama centers on a family that owns a winery in Sonoma County. The drama primarily comes from complexities in the romantic relationships of everyone in the family.
Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander
★★★☆☆ Meredith Maggs hasn't left her home in Glasgow in over three years. Her isolation results from a trauma that’s caused her to build a fortress to protect herself from the overwhelming world outside. Her carefully constructed world is complete with a remote job, online friendships, challenging jigsaws, and the company of her cat.