January 2026 Wrap-Up

Happy February, or as I like to call it, happy hot chocolate month!

It’s officially my favorite month of the year where I get to try all these yummy hot chocolates and live on a sugar high for the entire month. It’s also the annual smutathon, so I’ll be sipping hot chocolate and reading all the romance books on my TBR. I have yet to make my list, but let’s be honest, I’ll end up choosing my next read based on my mood anyway. Anyhoo, I’m proud of how much reading I got done this month. I managed to finish 3 books and 2 audiobooks. I hope I can read that much or more in February, so wish me luck!

Editing Update: I’m having such a fun time being a judge for the Writing Battle competition! I’m learning so much and I’m loving how creative these stories are. I have a pretty light editing month for February, which I am grateful for because my March is going to be super packed. I have some exciting projects lined up! If you’re ever curious about working with me, please contact me. I love hearing about everyone’s creative manuscripts 😄

My Library

I am almost done Under the Oak Tree Vol. 1, and I think I’ll finish it within the next couple days. @instalovewithbooks recommended this series and I have to say, I’m loving it so far!

Netgalley eARCs

Hotel Limbo by Ben Harel

Review:

I almost DNF’d this book because the font in the beginning was super hard to read. I initially read this on my phone on the Netgalley app, but due to the font issue I switched to my computer which has a much bigger screen. I still had a hard time reading the font, but I decided to skim it instead and stick with the story because I loved the art. I’m so glad I stuck with it because the story is perfection. It also took me a while to realize that the art style changed every chapter or so 😅 The font did get more legible as the art styles got switched up too. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster because I was hating on the font in the beginning but was almost crying from all the emotional moments scattered throughout the plot. There were also so many funny moments filled with shenanigans and chaotic dialogue from the bellboy. They also broke the fourth wall at one point, pointing out how the artwork kept changing 🤣 Overall, I would love to check out any future volumes in this series because it was just so heartwarming, fun, and had so many beautiful art styles and well-written characters.

4.5/5⭐

Other (e)ARCs

From Tor + Bramble Romance

This Gilded Abyss by Rebecca Thorne

Review:

This was such an interesting story! I was hooked and could not stop reading it. I wasn’t too sure what genre this was because it had a little bit of everything sprinkled in: romance, sci-fi, fantasy. The world-building was very much sci-fi, but with how much Nix was obsessed with Kessandra, it really felt like a romance. Practically every page Nix was like “Kessandra this” and “Kessandra that.” While she did pine over Kessandra a ton, I did enjoy the plot and rooted for her to get over everything and have them get back together. There is also a very spicy chapter that I was not expecting, but I was totally here for 😅 I really loved Thorne’s unique take on zombies, though. This book was a bit like zombies meets the Titanic. I was a bit confused by the ending because there are some new character introductions that threw me off, but then I realized why ichoron was the way it was and everything made a whole lot more sense 😅 On that note, I did not see that betrayal at the end of the book coming. I loved the ending and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

4/5⭐

From Simon & Schuster Canada

The ADHD Field Guide for Adults by Cate Osborn and Erik Gude

Review:

This was such a useful and educational book about ADHD. It covers so many topics and lists many tips and tricks to help you in daily life. There are even sections accounting for trans, non-binary, and BIPOC experiences with ADHD, as well as sections about how to tell people you have ADHD and how neurotypical people can support the neurodivergent people in their life. I loved the format of this book as it writes important text and main ideas in bold font, and includes clear sections for things like interviews and educational blurbs. This is such a great way to format the book so all the information isn’t just in one long page of text. I loved how each section had headlines, and common questions were clearly identified so I could easily skip parts that were not relevant to me and my experience. I highly recommend checking this book out if you or any people in your life have or suspect that you or they have ADHD.

5/5⭐

Audiobooks

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis

Review:

I listened to Dreadful by this author last time and enjoyed it, but I freaking LOVED this book and think it was way better than Dreadful. This book did a great job portraying the struggles of parenthood and the toll it can take on a marriage. I loved the therapy representation and how Aria’s mom works through her struggles via therapy. There are so many great lessons shared in this story, especially about overcoming people-pleasing tendencies. The characters were so well written and had such unique and distinctive personalities. Aria was such a sweetheart. The world-building was spectacularly done as well. I could really imagine their magical world coexisting with our own. Regarding the plot, I did not see that ending coming at all. It was such a great ending, though. I would definitely recommend checking this book out, and I can’t wait to listen to the next book in the series!

5/5⭐

Linghun by Ai Jiang

Review:

I chose this because I wanted to listen to something spooky and this did not disappoint. It was definitely more on the disturbing end of the horror spectrum, though. The writing style was very beautiful and I was hooked. I also loved how subtly Mrs.’s backstory was revealed, and how you learn that her marriage was not as perfect as it initially seemed. The characters were all well written and I loved how the POV switched and how Mrs.’s identity was revealed. The people who lived in Home were scary. This book really does a great job exploring how people grieve and sometimes can’t let go of their departed loved ones, and how far they’re willing to go to see them again. The auction scene was a great example of this and it was horrifying and extremely disturbing. It also represents the housing crisis. The author includes 2 more short stories that are both great, and also includes a section explaining the themes of grief and death in Linghun. This audiobook version also includes an interview with the author. I definitely recommend checking out the audiobook!

4/5⭐

If you’re reading anything fun and smutty for February, let me know the titles in the comments below! And if you’re taking part in the YYC Hot Chocolate Festival, I’d love to know which ones are your favorites so far.

Happy reading . . . with hot chocolate 😄