All of Her Things

I started 2026 pretty strong, already reading 6 books (half of my yearly reading goal). I suspect I’ll be slowing down a bit since I’m working on a few other things for myself. It’s a good thing. I have a lot of hobbies, but here’s what I’ve read in 2026 so far:

January

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Agatha Christie

7/10

Mystery

Quick Review: I’ve read a few of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot stories over the years, and I love a good “whodunit, but I’ll admit this one was not my favorite. It wasn’t bad, though. It took a while to introduce all the characters, and the twist was a little underwhelming. Overall, this was fun to read as I tried to figure out who the murderer/thief was.

Will I continue reading from this author? Yes.

Is this a reread? Maybe

The Reformatory

Tananarive Due

9.5/10

Historical Fiction / Paranormal

Quick Review: I loved this story. It takes place in 1950s Florida at a reformatory school based on the Dozier School for Boys, so be aware that there are some vile characters and “haints.” A few times, I found myself getting nervous for the protagonist, so I had to skip some details to ease my anxiety. Overall, this story read like a movie, and I can see it being produced for the big screen in the future (if it’s not already in production). I only took half a point off because I would have liked to know what happened with some of the secondary characters at the end.

Will I continue reading from this author? Yes!

Is this a reread? Yes!

The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger

7/10

Coming-of-age / Literary Fiction

Quick Review: This was a high school read. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book, honestly. I found it hard to get into. Part of me hated the narrator/main character, Holden. He was very unlikable. He’s a liar, rude, and arrogant. He’s just a privileged white teenager complaining and ranting about people. But within those rants, there were moments I related to him and empathized with him, even as a 30-something Black woman. He’s a lost, depressed, and alienated character. He’s grieving and searching for something outside of himself to give his life meaning while coming to terms with growing up. It’s sad. Although it’s not my favorite book, I think it was worth rereading.

Will I continue reading from this author? Maybe.

Is this a reread? Maybe. One day.

February

The Wedding People

Alison Espach

8/10

Dark Comedy

Quick Overview: I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book. It wasn’t on my reading list, but I needed a book at the moment. I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t want to spoil too much. There are themes about depression and suicide; however, we see the main character becoming a more authentic version of herself, all because she meets a bride who needs her at the right time. 

Will I continue reading from this author? Yes.

Is this a reread? Yes.

Washington Black

Esi Edugyan

9/10

Adventure/Historical Fiction

Quick Review: I love this story. I first saw the show based on this book on Disney+ and fell in love with it. I knew I had to read the book. The story is about a field slave from Barbados in the 1830s who ends up traveling all over the world under the wing of an inventor after a white man is killed. We follow Wash as he tries to find safety and his identity in his freedom. This story is beautifully written and heartbreaking.

Will I continue reading from this author? Yes.

Is this a reread? Yes

March

Wuthering Heights

Emily Brontë

8/10

Tragedy

Quick Review: I never read this, so I thought it was a tragic romance novel (probably because of the movie posters), but it was not that. This story is really about generational trauma and obsession. I thought it was boring at first, but once I got into it, I felt invested. Just a few random thoughts. Every single character kept making terrible decisions, which actually made me angry. Heathcliff isn’t some anti-hero; he’s literally an abuser, but the families brought his wickedness onto themselves by the way they treated him as a child. They called him a villain before he even became one, so it only makes sense that he’d return and act accordingly. Nelly Dean is an unreliable narrator, but I also see her as a villain. She was manipulative and tried to act like she was just doing her job, but she had a hand in several events throughout the story and knew exactly what she was doing.

I read the synopsis of the recently released movie, and I have no intention of watching it.

Is this a reread? Yes