AUTHOR: Sadeqa Johnson

RATING: ★★★

RELEASE DATE: February 10th, 2026 

REVIEW: I've been a fan of Sadeqa Johnson ever since I read her amazing novel Yellow Wife, so I knew going into her new book, Keeper of Lost Children, that it would be full of emotion, and I wasn't wrong. I've read a ton of historical books centered around World War II, with numerous different plots, but this subject matter was brand new to me. I've read countless stories about the Jewish children who were sent to live elsewhere during the war for their own safety, but this book details the struggles of the mixed race children during that time period, and this topic was a first for me. Sadeqa explains the real historical facts that inspired this book, and (as always) she did such a beautiful job with Ozzie, Sophia, and Ethel, the book characters whose lives were intertwined by such events. I have to say that Sophia was my favorite character because of her tenacity and strength, but I greatly admired Ethel too. I finished this book in just a couple of days because I didn't want to put it down, and I highly recommend it to everyone. 

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own).

AUTHOR: Jenny Colgan

NARRATOR: Eilidh Beaton

RATING: ★★★

REVIEW: I can only speak for myself, but being a former freelance writer I've discovered there are certain pitfalls when it comes to reading. At the very top of the list is when the editing side of my brain kicks in, and that was the case with this book. Now, I’m no editor by any stretch of the imagination, but the repetitive words and phrases and "head jumping" were painstakingly obvious. (The story is told by the main character, Mirren, but there are instances where the author suddenly jumps to a secondary character's point of view - aka "head jumping" - which can be confusing). Is this being nitpicky of me? Yes, I'm sure it is, but unfortunately I can't turn that part of my brain off while I'm reading. The story as a whole is okay, and it would be good Hallmark channel material if it weren't for the cursing and sex. (This doesn't bother me, but I'm just throwing it out there in case it isn't someone else's cup of tea). Also, the pretty cover and title are misleading because the story has nothing to do with a secret Christmas library. The highlight of this audiobook for me was the narrator, Eilidh Beaton. It was my first time listening to her, and she did a fantastic job with the different characters and their accents. I probably would have stopped reading halfway through if I'd chosen the digital version, but Eilidh was so entertaining I kept listening to the very end. 

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own).

RATING: ★★★

RELEASE DATE: January 6th, 2026

REVIEW: I read a review on NetGalley where the reviewer remarked that The Charmed Library reminded them of the movie Night in the Museum, and I thought how that was a perfect way to describe this book. There is a magical element to the plot, which I’m normally not interested in, but this was a cute story. (Note: I started with the audiobook version, but the narrator had a childlike voice that kept distracting me, so about 1/4 of the way through I switched to reading the digital book). I believe every devoted reader has wished to meet a fictional book character at least once or twice in their lifetime, but I don’t think most of us consider the repercussions that may come from it when you bring a character from their fictional world into this chaotic real world we live in. The main character, Stella, found out what happens when you take the risk, and it makes for an interesting story. There were a few instances that seemed a little too far-fetched, and the ending felt rushed and too easy (if that makes sense), but that wouldn’t keep me from recommending it. If you enjoy reading stories with magical elements, then you’ll probably love it. 

Toppings: 

DIRECTIONS: Heat a large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef to the pan and break the meat up into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the browned meat, refried beans, salsa, and taco seasoning to a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Stir to evenly combine. Top with cheese then cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, until the dip is bubbly and the cheese is melted (You can also add the cheese the last 10 minutes before serving so it's melty and doesn't harden as it sits). Serve warm directly from the slow cooker. When ready to serve, add your toppings. Top with tomato, avocado, scallions and chopped cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips and crudités.

NUTRITION INFO: 1/3 cup dip and toppings, Calories: 176.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 10.5 g, Protein: 13.5 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 4.5 g, Cholesterol: 39 mg, Sodium: 681.5 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 2 g

(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste)

1. “Unlike people, books will never let you down.” - The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

2. “The kindred joy of having discovered someone who read the same book was immediate, a friend whose mind had resided once in the same fictional world.” - The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin

3. “I never knew my mother. She died the night that I was born, and so we passed each other in the dark.” - Isola by Allegra Goodman

4. “Perhaps that is the draw of books. To show us the way even when we think the path is too dark to see.”  - The Secret Librarian by Soraya M. Lane

5. “God is good even when the world is not.” - These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas

6. “Beauty is mysterious, as well as terrible. God and devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.” - When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

7. “Broken is still beautiful, still works, still wakes me in the morning, and at the end of every day past and those to come, I can love broken.” - When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

8. “Love heals the shattered places.” - When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

9. “Sometimes I think that hell is two places: it's a place you end up, but it's also a place that you live before you get there.” - When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin 

10. “Then you came, and whenever I saw you, you had a book within reach. And I thought...this girl is never alone.” - The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh

AUTHOR: Leanne Morgan

NARRATOR: Leanne Morgan

RATING: ★★★★

REVIEW: I love Leanne Morgan. From the first time I stumbled upon one of her stand up comedy clips on Facebook and heard that sweet southern accent, I knew this was a woman I would be able to relate to, and I was right. Listening to her tell her story feels like sitting and chatting with a dear friend. I lost count of the many times I laughed out loud, and when her voice trembled with emotion while talking about her precious momma and her faith in God, I sobbed. I truly enjoyed learning more about Leanne’s life, and I would highly recommend her book to everyone. 

Hello, dear readers! This week’s prompt from Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl is all about books I’d love to read again for the first time. As you can see, I had a hard time narrowing this list down to just ten. LOL. Are any of these books on your list too? Happy Tuesday!

DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chicken on the parchment paper and lay it flat. Spray generously with the olive oil spray and season with the ¾ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and black pepper, to taste, on both sides. Halve then quarter the sweet potatoes so you have 8 pieces each. Add them to a bowl with shallots or red onion. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary. Add the mixture to the baking sheet surrounding the chicken and nestle in the rosemary. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to roast for 50-60 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh is 165 degrees F. Flip the vegetables after 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. 

NOTES: To spatchcock a chicken at home: Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken and discard them. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on a clean work surface. Using kitchen shears, carefully cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up, then press firmly on the breastbone with your hands until you hear a crack. This will help the chicken lay flat for even cooking. You can also ask your butcher to remove the backbone from the chicken. The nutrition will vary depending on if you eat dark meat or white, skin or no skin. This is calculated with 8 ounces skin-on chicken breast. 

NUTRITION INFO: 1/4 chicken, 6 pieces potatoes, Calories: 506 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 50 g, Fat: 25 g, Saturated Fat: 6.5 g, Cholesterol: 145 mg, Sodium: 628 mg, Fiber: 5.5 g, Sugar: 11 g

(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste)