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Reading Edit: My 4 Star and Up Shelf. Books I Read and Listened to in 2026.
17
items Books I’ve read or listened to this year that I gave 4 stars or higher with my honest notes as I go. A few page-turners, a few that made me cry, and the occasional book that sent me straight to Google.
Sections
9
September Reads/Listens
August Reads/Listens
July Reads/Listens
June Reads/Listens
May Reads/Listens
April Reads/Listens
September Reads/Listens
A quick, interesting read about marriage, privilege and how little many women are taught about their own finances. It had me thinking about how easily those conversations get missed.
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage – NYT Bestseller
August Reads/Listens
So enthralling. The story is hard to believe, and I kept wanting to Google everyone as I listened. I did after I finished listening!
London Falling: Sunday Times Bestseller
Some of the stories are very out there, but I found them fascinating. The audiobook really brought the characters and their stories to life.
Rejection: The Addictive Literary Sensation
Oh, this one. I cried, laughed and rooted for them the whole way through. It also made me want to visit Alaska.
The Great Alone by Bestselling Author
July Reads/Listens
Another good one. Strout has a way of making you care about the ordinary details and the things people keep to themselves.
The Things We Never Say: Booker Prize 2026
So good. Funny, clever and really well written. I was completely pulled into Mabel’s story.
Mad Mabel: Twisty, Darkly Humorous Novel
A fun, quick summer read. I loved the Canadian references, and it was exactly the kind of book I wanted to keep turning pages
Every Summer After: PHENOMENAL ROMANCE
June Reads/Listens
Amazing. Five very different people, with their stories gradually intertwining. Such a clever, gripping story that kept me guessing right until the end!
Five: Intense Psychological Suspense Thriller
Practical advice that gave me a push to get out there and try things.
How to Not Die Alone: Science to Find Love
A small-town thriller that starts when David saves a stranger from drowning and becomes a local hero. His wife Marcie soon has reason to question how well she really knows him. Page turner!
Lies He Told Me: Sunday Times Bestseller
This one stayed with me. The Vietnam setting drew me in, but it was the characters who made it so affecting. By the end, they felt like people I really cared about.
The Women: Bestselling Unforgettable Novel
May Reads/Listens
So well done. I loved learning about people through their letters. It made me think about how much we’ve lost in the way we communicate, and what it means to really connect with someone.
The Correspondent: Women's Prize for Fiction 2026
Hearing Hayden tell her own story made it feel raw and emotional. She had been through so much. I finished feeling like I wanted to give her a hug, and am still so sad that she’s gone.
This Is Me: A Reckoning - NYT Bestselling Memoir
April Reads/Listens
A really interesting read, and in some ways what I expected. I was struck by how much seemed to be handed to Gwyneth, and how completely she believed in herself. That kind of confidence is something many of us could use more of.
Gwyneth: The Sensational New Biography
February Reads/Listens
So good. A page-turner that I finished in a day and made me think about what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes.
Someone Else’s Shoes: No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller
January Reads/Listens
This needs to be a movie if it isn’t already. So twisty, and it gave me The Talented Mr. Ripley vibes. Very good.
Who is Maud Dixon?: A Twist Thriller
October Reads/Listens
90210, but messier, funnier and considerably more dysfunctional. The chaos within this group was wild, and I couldn't stop listening. The audiobook narration was excellent and really brought the characters to life. Completely entertaining and an easy...
The Shampoo Effect: Witty NYT Bestseller