The Fellowship of the Ring AND The Two Towers by J RR Tolkein
I've always wanted to read the LOTR books, but they are incredibly intense - especially for someone who's not usually a fantasy reader. I opted for the audiobook versions, read by Andy Serkis, and honestly I've been having the time of my life. He embodies every single character so well, really bringing out the emotions of each situation and the humour sprinkled throughout the books. The books themselves are of course mindblowing in terms of plot, world building and the incredibly well written characters. It's mesmerising honestly and I'm loving it - I'm just waiting for my Spotify audiobook hours to renew so I can listen to The Return of the King!
The Right Move by Liz Tomforde
I read the first book in the Windy City series last year after I bought it with one of my birthday book vouchers, and I absolutely devoured it - so my wife got book 2 in the series for me and again, I read it in a day! It's a series of sports romances and this one follows the brother of the FMC from book one; Ryan is a big basketball star who likes his own space, and when his sister's best friend Indy moves in to his apartment with nowhere else to go things are tense. Super fun and spicy fake dating let's go. 5 stars.
Caught Up by Liz Tomforde
As soon as I finished book 2, I noticed the whole series was on KU so I immediately downloaded the rest and started on Caught Up, book number 3. This one follows superstar baseball player and single dad (!!) Kai, as he struggles to manage work and caring for his son; the field manager's daughter, Miller, is in town after quitting her job and ends up nannying... but of course, things get spicy and all loved up. Look, the books follow a formula but it's a GOOD one. And the banter in this one is amazing! Another 5 stars.
Play Along by Liz Tomforde
Anddddd book number 4, following Kai's brother Isaiah and the only woman on the medical staff, Kennedy, who he's been hopelessly in love with for years. They accidentally get married in Vegas and honestly, the rest is history. This one is the sweetest of the series, in my opinion, but still with plenty of spice. I loved the arc of their relationship and how they both really grew as characters individually. Love love love, and no surprises it's a 5 star from me.
Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde
The last book in the Windy City series and I wasn't ready for it to be over, honestly. In this one we get Rio, one of the most lovable characters who we've seen in every other book so far - when his childhood sweetheart moves in next door AND gets hired to renovate his house, there are a lot of mixed feelings but it's honestly overall just so sweet. Yes there's spice but more than anything this one was just so LOVELY. I adored this entire series and I can't wait for the spin-off. 5 stars!!!!
That's Not My Name by Megan Lally
I quite often listen to audiobooks while I'm working, especially if I seem to be having an admin-heavy day, and I got through this one in the space of two work days. It's a YA thriller, written as a dual POV between a boy who's searching for his missing girlfriend (who he's been accused of murdering) and a girl who has no memory of who she is. Twists, turns, botched investigations and plenty of pace. This was good! 4 stars.
The Weekend by T M Logan
I always enjoy a T M Logan book, and while this wasn't my favourite of his I still really liked it; I read this as a Netgalley ARC and it's due to release Feb 26th. It follows three couples on a walking holiday who find a backpack full of cash and go through all sorts of turmoil trying to decide what to do with - which, of course, leads to a whole heap of tension, violence and drama. The twist was quite obvious, in my opinion, but still an enjoyable read. I gave it 4 stars.
So that's everything I read in January 2026 with some quickfire book reviews; as always let me know if you've also read any of these books and what you thought of them...
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