Books I Read & Enjoyed in 2026 Part 1

Since we are halfway through the year and I am almost all the way done with the 12 books I had set to read this year, I decided I should share which ones I thoroughly enjoyed.

I started the year off with Midwinter Wiles & Valerian Tales by Jo Holloway. This was a cute cozy fantasy that I highly recommend. It has great winter vibes and is a fun mashup of Snow White and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If you like the fake engagement trope, this should be on your TBR.

For April, I read Shadow Dance by C.K. Andersson. This fantasy isn’t a typical subgenre I read as it was RPG Lit. But I fell in love with the characters. This is a duology and I recommend you pick up both because you are going to want to have the second one handy. The first one surprised me with its ending.

I read what were supposed to be my May and June books both in May. The Prince of the Fallen by M.H. Woodscourt and The First Spark by Mallory Moss. I had read another book by M.H. Woodscourt before and it was not my cup of tea. However, I was glad I gave another book in a different series by her a try. Prince of the Fallen kept me hooked with the political intrigue and the worldbuilding. In some sense, The First Spark was the same. It is a space fantasy and definitely reminded me of Star Wars, but in all the best ways. The author kept the feelings of Star Wars while creating her own worlds and plot. I think the sequel to this just came out, so definitely pick this book up and the sequel.

Now in June, I read my August, September, October, and November books. I started with Calor by J.J. Fischer and then read the Foiled Stars series by Jennifer Ascienzo. Calor was amazing. The worldbuilding and characters were top-notch. I immediately went and bought the rest of the series after I finished it. In some respects, it reminded me of my book Tarnished Relics. There are a group of gifted individuals seeking out an ancient Reliquary. I think if you liked the immersive worldbuilding of Tarnished Relics, you would enjoy Calor. The Foiled Stars series is another space fantasy, but completely different from The First Spark. Also, the series isn’t complete yet so if you don’t like waiting for the next book, I would hold off on reading. The FMC in Foiled Stars bothered me a little, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the series. They are fast-paced and entertaining. I did not expect the first one to end the way it did and was glad I had the second to start right away. The second book in the series, The Midnight Prince, was just as good as the first. We are introduced to the cutest baby tiger-like creature. However, the third book, The Lost Empress, fell a little flat for me. It kind of dragged like the middle book in a series sometimes has a tendency to do.