Monday, 9 February 2026
There’s something deliciously analog about disappearing into a book. Whether it’s a slow Sunday afternoon or those quiet moments as night sets in, my reading stack has become a bit of a sanctuary lately. My list is often a bit of a mixed bag, psychological thrillers that kept me up way too late, history and biographies, as well as faith based non-fiction to feed my mind and soul. While I love a good thriller or novel when I’m looking to switch off, there are the times I crave something deeper. From suburban secrets to natural disasters to the King, here is a look, in no particular order, at what’s been occupying me lately.
The Secret of Secrets | Dan Brown
The Blurb: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is back, this time in the cobblestone streets of Prague. He attends a lecture by noetic scientist Katherine Solomon, who is on the verge of revealing a discovery about human consciousness that could upend centuries of religious and scientific belief. But when Katherine disappears and a chilling assailant inspired by the ancient Golem of Prague appears, Langdon must decipher a trail that leads from futuristic science to mystical lore.
Thoughts: To start with, this is classic Dan Brown. It’s a story that dives deeply into the heavy question of life after death and the power of the human mind, paired with his ubiquitous high speed pace. While the setting of old town Prague became a fascinating and integral character all on its own, being so steeped in history, shadows, and old-world magic, the subject matter itself was too deep of a dive for me. I finished it because I stubbornly refuse to not finish any book, but skipped pages and pages and pages of noetic science stuff.
Score: 6/10
Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can’t Be Fused with Christianity | Carrie Gress
The Blurb: In this provocative follow-up to The Anti-Mary Exposed, Carrie Gress explores the unsettling rise of a “dark feminine” archetype in modern culture. She traces how the differing waves of feminism not only moved away from traditional values, but actually embraced a darker, more destructive path. Through a blend of history, theology, and cultural analysis, Gress examines how these influences have become mainstream, from the entertainment we consume to the way we define womanhood itself.
Thought: As a former loud-and-proud feminist and cradle Catholic, I’ve read almost all of Gress’s books with great interest. I was initially really excited for this, and hoped it might help me unpick the strands of my own thoughts that have led me far from my previous feminist beliefs, but it was ultimately a little bit of a let down. In fairness, it could simply be that after reading almost all of her work I’m over-saturated on the subject. Gress does have a way of connecting the dots between our seemingly harmless cultural interests and the deeper spiritual realities, while often being criticised for her poor research methods. And while the premise of “Wicked…” is boldly counter-cultural in that feminism is pretty much demanded of women these days, for me it lacked the revelation I hoped for.
Score: 6/10
Last One Out | Jane Harper
The Blurb: Set against the backdrop of a remote, dwindling town on the edge of the Australian desert, Ro Crowley waits for her son on the evening of his 21st birthday. But Sam never comes home. His footprints in the dust of three abandoned houses offer the only clue to his final movements. Five years later, the skeletal community is now an echo of itself, having fractured under the pressure of the coal mine operating on its outskirts. But Ro still wants answers. Only a few people remain. If the truth is to be found in that town, does it lie among them?
Thoughts: What I LOVE about Jane Harper: nobody captures the atmosphere of the Australian landscape quite like she does, you can practically feel the grit of the red dust and the oppressive weight of the heat seared onto each page. What I don’t love about her novels is the interminable slow burn as the story builds, until you’re suddenly a few pages from the end and suddenly it’s all happening. I enjoyed this book well enough, but it probably won’t be joining my list of favourite re-reads.
Score: 6/10
What She Saw | Mary Burton
The Blurb: Cold case reporter Sloane Grayson has spent her career hunting for other people’s truths, but this time, the mystery is her own. Thirty years ago, her mother was one of four women who vanished without a trace during a mountain music festival in Virginia. While a promoter was long ago convicted of their murders, the bodies were never found, and the killer has always maintained his innocence. Returning to the small town, Sloane begins to dig through the secrets of a community that would rather forget. But as she uncovers unmarked graves and long-hidden lies, she realises the real killer might still be watching – and they’ll do anything to keep the past buried.
The Review: I loved this, and as a longtime thriller-and-true-crime buff, any time I don’t guess who actually did it is the absolute best. It’s a dual-timeline story that balances the grittiness of a police procedural with the emotional weight of a daughter looking for her mother. The atmosphere of the small mountain town is so thick you can almost feel the tension in the air. It’s a perfect read for anyone who loves a good old fashioned “whodunit.”
Score: 8/10
From Here to the Great Unknown | Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough
The Blurb: A deeply intimate, posthumous memoir composed from hours of tapes Lisa Marie Presley left behind, completed and woven together by her daughter, Riley Keough. It moves from the gilded, chaotic halls of Graceland to the devastating heights of personal loss, offering a raw look at the woman who was both the “Princess of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and a mother trying to find her own way through the shadows of fame.
Thoughts: As someone who grew up the daughter of an Elvis superfan, this was an emotional journey. To be invited behind the veil of the mother-daughter conversation felt like an incredible privilege. Seeing Lisa Marie through Riley’s eyes, and hearing her own voice through the transcriptions gives a sense of closure to a story that was left tragically unfinished. It ultimately left me with a profound sense of the enduring strength of family, amidst our all-too-human vulnerability.
Score: 8/10
She Didn’t See It Coming | Shari Lapena
The Blurb: Bryden and Sam have it all – the perfect life for the perfect couple.
Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden has failed to collect their daughter from nursery. Arriving home, Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.
With every minute that passes – and as questions swirl around their community – Bryden and Sam’s past seems a little less perfect, their apartment building less safe, their friends and relatives no longer quite so reliable . . .
Thoughts: Loved this high-octane page turner. Lapena’s strength is in the domestic thriller genre: taking a normal street and peeling back the layers of deception. It’s a quick, gripping read that keeps you guessing until the final page.
Score: 9/10
Katrina: After the Flood | Gary Rivlin
The Blurb: Rivlin provides a sweeping, meticulously researched account of New Orleans in the decade following the most devastating storm in American history. It isn’t just a story of a natural disaster, but a complex narrative of politics, race, and the grueling, uneven process of rebuilding a city that was almost washed away.
Thoughts: Let’s not sugarcoat it, this is heavy reading. It’s also insightful, moving, frustrating, and passionate. Rivlin doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of the recovery process, but he also manages to highlight the incredible resilience of the human spirit. It’s a powerful reminder of what it looks like to stay, to rebuild when everything you know has been shattered, a true testament to the meaning of home. I did struggle with some of the lengthy details, but with it’s richly woven stories of struggle and triumph, I loved this book.
Score: 8/10
The Widow | John Grisham
The Blurb: Lawyer Simon Latch is struggling with debt, gambling issues and an impending divorce. But when an 85-year-old widow visits his office to secure a new will, it seems his luck has finally changed: she claims she’s sitting on a $20 million fortune and no one else knows about it. Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar, but it’s a terrible mistake. Hidden secrets have a way of being found out, and Simon realises that nothing is as it seems.
The Review: John Grisham sat firmly atop the pile of the legal thriller genre for a long time, but this one lost me. This story started off strong, then meandered around the place so much that it lost its way. Unlikable characters are a struggle for me, and there was just nobody left here to cheer for.
Score: 5/10
I’m always looking to expand my reading list, and would love to hear from you: what have you been reading lately that you just couldn’t put down? Let me know in the comments below!
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