There are so many great authors out there and I’m on a mission to read them all! Or at least I’m trying to, LOL 😂 In Quarter 2 of 2026, I read 44 books and of those, 25 were ‘new to me’ authors. I’ve rounded up my top 6 recommendations for you to check out. I hope you’ll add them to your TBRs this year!
My #1 of this quarter is for sure Ally Carter! I read 3 of her books in a week and I finished each one in just one day. (Each book is just shy of, or just around 300 pages.) She truly does such a good job of combining romance with mystery/thriller in a way that keeps you guessing, but also makes you laugh + smile. It feels like the genres are almost a 50/50 split which is something I enjoy!
This book, ‘The Blonde Identity,’ is the first of a duology about twin sisters- one is a spy and one isn’t. Hijinks ensue, as does lots of flirting, tension, and happily ever afters. In addition to these two, she also wrote a book last year called ‘The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.’ It was similar to the movie ‘Knives Out’ and I highly recommend all of them.
The award for most surprising read of the quarter goes to ‘Doomsdate‘ by Laura Piper Lee. This was an ARC (advanced reader copy) and it was absolutely 5 stars for me. Zombie apocalypse has never been something I’ve been drawn to in books, but this was done in a way that I really enjoyed. Yes, people are turning into zombies. However, the focus isn’t necessarily the ‘turning’ into zombies, but the romance between the characters as they try to survive it.
If you love a laugh out loud rom-com with a bit of paranormal (hence the zombies), I definitely recommend you preorder or put this on hold at the library. It publishes September 15, 2026.
At our Colorado book·cation, someone suggested ‘Metal Slinger‘ as a book all fantasy lovers should read. She was NOT WRONG! I read ~125 books a year and I can confidently say that this twist was maybe one of the best of all time. 😳 I know that’s a big statement, but once you read it you’ll get it!
This started as a duology -which means it just has two books total- and the second one just came out a few weeks ago. (Yay for those like me who hate starting unfinished series! 😉) However, the author just said she’s going to be writing more of this series. But have no fear, the first two books follow these main characters and the third will follow a different character. I’m giving you permission to start it now without fear of dealing with cliffhangers.
We had author Thea Weiss join us at our Colorado book·cation to discuss her debut novel, ‘The Second Chance Cinema‘ and we all loved it! The book centers around an engaged couple that stumbles upon a magical theater. The theater shows them little movies of their lives in 10 parts- each a separate showing. Over the course of these movies, they’re watching each other’s childhoods and teenage years while discovering things they didn’t know about the other.
What really stuck out to me about this book was how it made me want to talk to my husband about it! I was so eager to ask Eric what he thought would show up if we found a magical theater. It led to fun discussions of us reminiscing about our life together and beforehand. Any book that can create a meaningful conversation with my husband is a book worth noting!
I had the opportunity to read another ARC (advanced reader copy) this quarter from author Chelsea Curto. ‘In Stormy Weather‘ is her newest contemporary romance about two meteorologists that have a ‘rivals to lovers’ history. We also have a ‘best friends brother’ and ‘he falls first’ trope in there and I just ate it up. I felt like she did such a great job writing the intense weather scenes- I felt like I was there!
Chelsea is best known for her hockey romance series called ‘DC Stars‘ and after reading this ARC, I dove right into it. It has a cult following and is now being traditionally published which is super exciting! Highly recommend the series and this ARC which will be published July 14, 2026.
Okay, this one might surprise you. It’s a book of poetry! A friend gifted ‘A Bit Much‘ to me last year for my birthday and I’m mad it took me so long to pick it up. Lyndsay Rush is a millennial, new mom who writes the most authentic poems that really resonated with me. They’re each less than a page long and are categorized by how you’re feeling- genius! You can pick it up when you can or read it all in one sitting. I dogeared so many pages (which I never do) and look forward to going back to it when I’m in my feelings. It’s always so great to remember that you’re not alone!
If you love discovering new authors and sharing them with people who get it, you’d feel right at home at a book·cation weekend. It’s a reading retreat for people who want to get away for uninterrupted reading time + opportunities to connect with fellow book lovers. Come share your favorite authors and add more to your TBR 📚
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