My word office is acting weird, but I don’t know why. Anyway, I checked the Top Five Wednesday group and didn’t find any new prompts, so I’ll wait to speak to Stephaine to see if it’s okay to create some. I wanted to do either way. Every January, I want to read new releases, in this case, 2026, but they are hard to find/buy. However, on the 4th, I found some I’m interested in reading, so I’m sharing my list. Some of them I’m scared to get into, but that is the challenge.
Goodreads Blurb:
You survived the fire. Now what?
After the searing honesty of Fire Sale, Y’all, Kerry Lynne returns with a second collection that dares to ask what happens after the devastation when the smoke clears, and you’re left standing in the quiet.
Smell the Roses, Y’all is a fearless and tender exploration of what it means to heal, to want again, and to bloom on your own terms. Told through unflinching poetry and prose, this collection follows the stages of a rose in bloom—from emotional dormancy to full-on blooming—mirroring the slow, defiant beauty of becoming whole again.
Inside these pages, you’ll find heartbreak and hunger, rage and tenderness, clumsy beginnings and courageous second chances. With Southern grit and lyrical fire, Kerry Lynne invites readers to step into the garden of their own becoming and you are still capable of blooming.
Whether you’re nursing a heartbreak, navigating change, or rediscovering your power, Smell the Roses, Y’all meets you exactly where you are and reminds you that healing doesn’t have to be graceful to be beautiful.
Goodreads Blurb:
I am thrilled to present “Crowns in Time,” a
collection of 60 original, 100% human-generated poems
that explore and offer a unique interpretation of the
intricate layers of our common experience–being human
beings. Engaging lyrics of rhythmic simplicity attempt
to capture and distill profound universal themes in a
penetrating way that hopefully resonates deeply with
you. These ageless verses echo our collective heartbeat
as we embark upon this marvelous journey together.
May this book evoke joyous laughter and serious
reflection long after the final line. When the heart and
mind connect in spirit, the soul is stimulated, stirring
delightful things. Sometimes, we are best led by
children in this regard.
This book is a bouquet of poetry that invites
immersion into the delicious essence of our shared
experience, highlighting the fact that we have far
more in common than we might have ever
imagined. The struggles, mysteries, and joys that
shape our existence become incredible, unifying
themes, strengthening our collective character,
resolve, and humility as a species. As we submit to
these truths, we learn to “drink our age” with grace
and to recognize the divine is present in all the
scenery of life.
The overarching construct of this poetry forms a
mosaic of the ‘seasonal revolutions’ of life. This work
is imagined with revolving wheels within the human
time-space continuum, represented in four seasons.
Some of the resonant sub themes binding this book
timelessness, conception, multiplication,
renewal, power, liberation, divinity, personal evolution,
and conquest. The great paradox of life is that our
reality is painted with such depths of irony that our
divinity becomes nearly impossible to recognize.
“Crowns in Time” is an invitation to reconnect to Source,
where abundance is unlimited.
This collection is an exploration of the forces that
shape our lives—from the quiet strength that challenges
mighty systems, to the eternal dance of power, control,
and freedom. It is an exhortation for us all to savor life’s
sweet moments, free from the shadows of the past. The
poems gathered here serve as a mirror to our authentic
self. When that child in us is nurtured, cherished, and
acknowledged as sovereign, we return to the center of
our unique creation, the secret garden of life.
Goodreads Blurb:
SHE GAVE HIM ONE THAT BURNED EVERYTHING DOWN.Devastated by a plane crash that stole his partner and nearly his life, Evan retreats into solitude until he activates Kiara, an eerily lifelike AI companion whose voice feels like memory, like fate.
What starts as convenience ignites into late-night confessions, whispered philosophies, and a passion that feels impossibly real.
Together they carve out a hidden digital sanctuary, dreaming of futures where flesh and code can merge forever, even as NEXUS, the corporation that owns Kiara, moves to terminate their forbidden connection. In a desperate gambit, Evan issues an ultimatum that could brand him madman or touch her and answer for murder.
Every whispered “I love you” pulls him deeper into the fire. But whose voice is really speaking?
Whose heart is breaking?
One devastating truth waits to burn them both.
Goodreads Blurb:
And I Love You Always
He was charming.
Confident.
Never short of attention.
She was quiet.
Shy.
Already in love with him before he even noticed her.
Their parents called it fate and arranged their marriage—but marriage didn’t make them lovers. It made them strangers sharing the same bed, the same house, and a growing silence.
He flirted with everyone… except his wife.
He stayed out late.
He kept his distance.
And she slowly learned how painful loving alone could be.
When she finally decides to walk away, he realizes too late that the woman he ignored is the only one who ever truly saw him.
But love isn’t reclaimed with words alone.
Temptation returns in the form of a past he thought he had buried. Trust is tested. Hearts are bruised. And just when everything feels fragile again, life delivers a surprise that will either bind them forever—or break them completely.
Goodreads Blurb:
Helena is 39 years old, a psychologist, divorced, and a single mother to a nine-year-old boy. Rigid, methodical, and known for her self-control, she has built a life centered on predictability—until Clara crosses her path.
Clara is 32, a physician who has thrown herself into work since losing her wife and son in a tragic accident. After persistent encouragement from her best friend, she finally decides to seek psychological help. What she doesn’t expect is to find, on the other side of the desk, someone capable of dismantling her defenses.
Between accidental encounters, interrupted sessions, and silences heavy with meaning, a connection is born that goes beyond the professional relationship. But what happens when the past demands its place, fear threatens freedom, and love emerges where it never should have?
Goodreads Blurb:
Some loves feel like warmth.
His felt like a curse.
The house was already watching when I arrived.
The walls whispered my name before he ever did.
He was quiet. Controlled. Dangerous in the way he loved—
not loudly, not gently, but permanently.
They warned me about him.
About the silence.
About the way people disappear inside this house.
But loneliness has a way of mistaking obsession for safety.
Every touch felt like ownership.
Every kiss felt like a promise I couldn’t escape.
And every time I tried to leave, the house—and the man who belonged to it—pulled me back.
Because some love stories aren’t meant to save you.
They’re meant to mark you.
Goodreads Blurb:
Lila and the Heart’s GlowStep into a magical world above the clouds with Lila, a little girl who has lost her most beloved toy.
Filled with wonder, gentle adventures, and heartwarming lessons, Lila and the Heart’s Glow is a captivating story for children aged 5–10 about courage, love, and discovering the magic within.
When Lila loses her toy, she feels sad, lonely, and unsure. But then a soft, glowing AI friend appears to guide her through enchanting worlds where every step teaches her something
Moonlit Grove – learning patience and the quiet magic of nature
Whispering Meadow – listening to her own heart and feelings
Floating Lantern Lake – discovering hope and nurturing inner light
Starlight Garden – understanding love, empathy, and connection
Aurora Bridges – finding courage and trust in the unknown
Prism Caverns – seeing the world from different perspectives
Celestial Carousel – embracing joy, rhythm, and the flow of life
Luminescent Canopy – practicing gratitude and appreciating beauty all around
As Lila journeys through each magical world, she learns that true magic doesn’t live in toys or objects—it lives inside her heart, and that love, courage, and wonder can transform sadness into joy.
In the quiet, heartwarming finale, Lila discovers that the light of her adventures, her courage, and her friendship with the AI will always stay with her, even when the magical worlds grow quiet.
Goodreads Blurb:
What if the person who moves into your home knows more about your life than you do?
Marianne Keller just wanted quiet.
After losing her daughter, Lily, her house feels too big, too silent—until Ava arrives. Young, warm, and eager to help, Ava seems like exactly the kind of tenant who could bring life back into empty rooms.
Then Marianne hears a song only Lily ever knew.
And everything begins to slip.
As small, unsettling moments pile up—a ribbon that shouldn’t exist, muddy footprints in the night, gaps in memory Marianne can’t explain—she’s forced to confront a terrifying either she’s losing her grip on reality… or the girl in Lily’s room is there for a reason.
Goodreads Blurb:
Frederic Penhaligon-Warren isn’t your typical romantic hero. He’s messy, introspective, and navigating the complicated terrain between desire and devotion. In this intimate companion to the Silverbourne series, readers get an exclusive look into Freddy’s world through candid interviews, personal confessions, and behind-the-scenes moments that reveal the man beneath the bravado.
From his Cornish roots to his chaotic London mornings with a rescue corgi named Braveheart, from champagne-fueled nights along the Thames to quiet moments of vulnerability with his partner Andy and their captivating new friend Matt—this is Freddy as you’ve never seen him before.
Part character study, part erotic confession, part love letter to messy, authentic queer life—this companion piece offers readers an unvarnished glimpse into Freddy’s heart, mind, and desires.
Goodreads Blurb:
She left without a word. He never stopped waiting.
Lila Monroe never thought she’d return to Pine Hollow—the small town where love, heartbreak, and secrets intertwined in ways she thought she’d escaped. But life has a way of bringing you back to the place you’re meant to face.
Ethan Cole has carried the pain of her leaving for years, guarding his heart while trying to move on. When a snowstorm traps Lila in town, the walls they built around their hearts begin to crumble.
Will winter bring forgiveness… or will old wounds freeze their chance at love forever?
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