Winter Reading Round-Up

From historical sagas to hockey romance: my January–February reads.

2026 started off as a slow reading year for me. And you know what? That’s okay! It felt weird, but refreshing. I actually planned to read less this year so I could get out more and experience life outside of pages. Because of that I’ve combined my January and February round-up. The list is a bit all over the place with historical fiction, fantasy, philosophy, and the hottest romantic fiction to hit the shelves and screens. Let me know what on this list you’ve read, and what you’ll be adding to your TBR pile!

All the Forgivenesses by Elizabeth Hardinger

All the Forgivenesses is a sweeping, intimate family saga set in rural Kentucky, the Midwest, and the oil fields of Kansas at the turn of the 20th century. After her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Bertie Winslow is forced into adulthood, raising her younger siblings and managing an unreliable father until the weight of survival leads her to make an unthinkable choice: breaking apart the family to save it. Marrying young and carrying her sisters west, Bertie builds a practical life shaped by duty, resilience, and buried grief, even as unresolved guilt and long-held secrets continue to haunt her. Inspired by the author’s family lore, the novel is a lyrical portrait of sacrifice, love, and the long road toward forgiveness and healing.

My grandmother, who I share a deep love for historical fiction with, gifted me this book for Christmas so it was my first read in 2026. It is a lesser known book, but one I highly recommend. It has everything you want in a historical fiction: deep emotional relationships, struggles that teach you about a moment in history, and bits and pieces of happy moments in a dark world.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

The Tattooist of Auschwitz tells the true-inspired story of Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew imprisoned at Auschwitz during World War II who is forced to tattoo identification numbers onto fellow prisoners. While witnessing the brutality of the camp, Lale secretly uses his position to help other prisoners survive by trading valuables for food. Amid the horror, he meets a young woman named Gita while tattooing her number, and the two form a bond that gives them hope and a reason to survive. The novel is both a heartbreaking account of life inside the concentration camps and a powerful story of love, resilience, and humanity in the darkest of circumstances.

I had actually watched the mini-series based on this book (can be found on Amazon Prime) before reading and it is one of those rare instances where I enjoyed the show more than the book. There was such a deep, emotional portrayal by the two lead actors that didn’t quite make it to the pages of the book. However, it was still a phenomenal book and one you should add to your list. And, of course, make sure to watch the show as well.

Brimstone by Callie Hart

After being crowned queen of the Blood Court, Saeris Fane finds herself burdened by power she never wanted. While her brother and ward need her back in her homeland, the magical changes that strengthened her now make the journey through the deadly Quicksilver impossible. Instead, she sends Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate on a dangerous mission to return to Zilvaren alongside the talkative smuggler Carrion Swift. As secrets unfold and a growing darkness threatens the realm of Yvelia, Saeris and Fisher must face rising dangers and fight to protect their friends and their world.

I was so excited to read this 2nd book in the series as I absolutely adored Quicksilver. Well, excited, but nervous as sometimes fantasy series can go downhill for me after the first book (I’m looking at you Iron Flame). However, the 2nd book hit the mark for me. In romantasy, you’ll never have the initial giddiness and wonder while discovering a new world and the push and pull from the enemies to lovers relationship dynamic. However, Hart does such a good job making me really care for the two leads and the side characters, that I happily followed them into book number 2 and wanted to devour every bit of what was happening in their world. The other thing I really appreciated was the fact that the two romantic leads mostly got to enjoy each other. There wasn’t much separation of the two and their relationship stayed strong. I really hate when two romantic leads just constantly go through hardship after hardship and constant tension. Can we not just let them be happy? Anyway, now that book 2 is out- I highly suggest you try out the first two in the series.

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

A rival NHL captain’s secret relationship unfolds between two competing hockey stars, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. Publicly they are fierce enemies on the ice, but privately their intense rivalry turns into a hidden romance that becomes harder and harder to keep secret.

Okay, okay, okay. Has anyone on this planet not heard of this book/show? I was a wee bit late to the game, maybe? I definitely hadn’t heard of Reid’s hockey book series before and back in December one of my good friends kept going on and on and on about this new HBO show with two hot hockey player guys. At the time, I didn’t take her too seriously. I was like I’ll get to the smutty, hot guy show when I get to it. Then in January, when the month was wintering hard, I decided to watch the show and oh man. If you haven’t seen it…why? Can I just say that it might just be the most perfect show with the two most perfect humans as the leads. It’s so much more than spicy romance. It is such a beautiful story. Then you top that with the entire rabbit hole fandom of two actors who are just the most amazing people and you just fall in love with the story over and over again.

Because the show was so beautifully and well-acted, I didn’t quite love the book as much as the show. There were definitely some new scenes (especially at the cottage) that we didn’t get in the show. However, I thought the boys did such a good job bringing more depth to the story. Had I read the book first, I probably would have found it to be a cute, romantic book with two male leads that I really cared for. However, the show really elevated the emotional impact and took it to a whole new level. Regardless, read the book and watch the show. I’m not sure in what order. Just get it done.

The Long Game by Rachel Reid

After ten years of secretly dating, rival hockey captains Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are forced to confront the strain of hiding their relationship from the world. While Shane fears that going public could jeopardize his career, Ilya is tired of living in secrecy and wants their love acknowledged. As the pressure builds, they must decide whether protecting their place in professional hockey matters more than finally being honest about their relationship.

I love, love, loved this book…and for multiple reasons. I think the fact that this book hasn’t come to the screen yet gave me the opportunity to read it with fresh eyes. I had nothing to compare the scenes to (unlike the first book). I also entered the book caring so much for the character (and actors) and having such vivid visual images of Connor and Hudson in these new scenes, that I devoured it with glee. There are some darker moments, but there are some really amazing moments too. It also heavily focuses on Ilya and you just fall in love with his character more and more. He truly is so funny and romantic! It will be another year before part 2 of the show comes out and I might just go crazy waiting.

The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer

The Untethered Soul explores how people can free themselves from limiting thoughts and emotional patterns in order to experience greater peace and self-awareness. Drawing on ideas from mindfulness and meditation, Michael A. Singer explains how observing the mind rather than being controlled by it can help readers let go of past pain, live more fully in the present moment, and cultivate a deeper sense of inner freedom and happiness.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a couple of years now, and I thought it was time to finally dig into it. Part philosophy, part self-help, it serves as a good reminder of how to disconnect from our thoughts and live in a way that is freeing. These types of books aren’t going to be for everyone, however, if you are interested in more philosophical reads..it’s a quick one that I think will bring some value to your life.

The Salt Bind by Rebecca Ferrier

In a storm-battered Cornish village, Kensa, the daughter of a notorious smuggler, begins training as an apprentice to the local wise woman and learns the ancient magic that connects land and sea. When her mentor falls gravely ill, Kensa turns in desperation to the Bucka, a dangerous sea god, and makes a risky pact that could save Isolde but threaten everything she holds dear.

This is definitely one of those books that is either going to work for you, or it won’t. I wanted to read it to support a new author and her debut novel. However, it just wasn’t for me. The writing was beautiful, but written in a more old-school way that made it hard for me to stay immersed in the story. I had a hard time connecting to the plot and caring for the characters. That being said, it is lovely and the scenery and fantasy parts are very vivid. And while it wasn’t for me, based on other reviews I’ve read, many readers did enjoy it. So if you like this sort of thing- go for it!

I hope you got up to some good reading to start your year and marinate in the cold, cozy, couch season. Drop what you read or recommend in the comments below!