Happy New Year! It’s snowing here in Central Minnesota. I’m at my kitchen table with my COFFEE looking out the glass sliding door to the deck.
This morning, I have spent time putting together this annual post. Thank you, friends, fellow book lovers, and Authors who sent me what book you are starting the New Year with. It’s so fun to see the variety – both new and old titles… hopefully some will get added to your TBR pile (mountain).
Be sure to watch for the authors – Thank you to PJ Tracy, Cary Griffith, William Kent Krueger, Jill Hannah Anderson, Allen Eskens, Randy Sue Meyers, Lorna Landvik, Kao Kalia Yang, Barbara Claypole White, Heather Gudenkauf, Joshilyn Jackson, Adriana Trigiana, Julie Schumacher, Laurie Frankel, Nadia Hashimi, Erin Soderberg Downing, and Jenna Blum. So fun to see you in the mix and what you are reading 😀
If I missed anyone, please let me know.. pictures come to me by text, email, Facebook, PMs…. I can easily miss someone, so please resend, and I will get you added.
And with no further babbling from me – here are this year’s wide variety of First Books (titles linked below for easy access.
The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian
Secrets You Can’t Keep by Debra Webb
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 2 picked this!
The Secret Library by Hanna Reeves
The Bravest Battle by Dan Kurzman
The Water Keeper by Charles Martin
State of Retribution by Marie Force
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
We Did OK, Kid by Anthony Hopkins
The First Witch Of Boston by Andrea Catalano
Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z Danielewski
The Miracle Among Us by Marci Siegel
Nightshade by Michael Connelly
Daughters Of The Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi 2 picked this!
Women of Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart
Heartbreak Hollow by Frank Weber
The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore
The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glaser
This is Happiness by Niall Williams
A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
The Onion Came First by Elinor Wilder
This American Woman by Zarna Garg
The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell
The Home For Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger
What The River Knows by Isabel Ibanez
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Good Intentions by Marisa Walz
We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda
Wisdom Corner by David Heska and Wanbli Weiden
The Book of Kin by Jennifer Eli Bowen
The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin
Murder at Holly House by Denzil Meyrick
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger
Death of The Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Ghosts of Fourth Street by Laurie Hertzel
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Next of Kin by Gabrielle Hamilton
You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
That’s A Great Question, I’d Love To Tell You by Elyse Myers
The Book Of Daniel by EL Doctorow
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden
Something To Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree
Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg
The Moonshiner’s Daughter by Donna Everhart
The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad
Note about my pick: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. As usual, I was back and forth on my choice… for a while there I felt certain I was going to go with a re-read (#comfort read) and then I recently was reunited with a book that I thought was a standalone and found out there are more and that this would be a great time to dig back in ( more about this later), there was also one I am intrigued by that a friend is also reading and I could not decide if it was for me now- or better to read once we travel to Florida when I can be all in when I have nothing but time over that three days of travel… – and then finally, Theo Of Golden caught my attention. This book was already in my peripheral vision as a “I need to read this,” and a recent post by a friend sharing her experience with this book sealed the deal.
If you missed this year’s participation deadline, feel free to send it today. I almost always have a few trickling in on New Years and I am happy to update to include your First Read.
Happy Happy New Year to you all! May 2026 bring JOY and Peace.
Love,
Sheila
Book Journey 