Starting off 2026 with some good books, at least, even though the rest of the thing is hot garbage.

16 Forever by Lance Rubin
Beth Is Dead by Kate Bernet
The Night Ship by Alex Woodroe
A Hole in the Sky by Peter F. Hamilton
Detour by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart

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16 Forever by Lance Rubin
Published by HarperCollins on January 6, 2026
Pages: 368
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.

Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.

With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?
Filled with tender moments, silly banter, and lots of teenage angst, 16 Forever is the latest YA page-turner from New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Lance Rubin.

This book is just… how do I explain? It warmed my heart in a time when I really needed some good vibes, you know? World’s on fire, but books are there for us, right? In this case, 16 Forever brought me so much joy, was so very heartfelt, and was absolutely just downright entertaining. The premise itself was so unique- like can you even imagine having to relive one year over and over? Only, everyone else just grows up regularly, leaving you behind? I felt so bad for poor Carter, talk about a gut punch (and a gut punch on repeat, at that). But even beyond the cool story, I loved other things about it too! Carter’s family bonds were awesome, his character growth was great, and it was just funny, while still tackling some more serious stuff. And look, did I maybe hope for a little more explanation about some stuff? Sure, but the whole rest of the book was so great that I wasn’t even mad.

Bottom Line: Made me remember exactly all the things that I adore about YA.

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Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
Published by Sarah Barley Books on January 6, 2026
Pages: 400
Format:ARC, Hardcover
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

I think I read Little Women once, like over 30 years ago, but I don’t remember a ton about it, which worried me a wee bit, because what if I needed to? Well, don’t worry, because you definitely don’t have to be a LW expert to enjoy the heck out of this spin on the story! As the title suggests, well, Beth is in fact dead. And honestly, that sucks! She’s a young woman who is killed, and had so much life to life, so obviously it is sad from the start. Add to it that her sisters are grieving terribly, and you definitely have a compelling story. Plus, the added mystery of who is responsible makes the book very difficult to put down!

And this was my view while reading it, so that is saying something!

I loved getting to know all the sisters, though I think my one minor complaint is that since we spend time with each of their narration, and in both past and present, we only really get to the surface level of who they really are. Still, I enjoyed getting that much, and I really loved their relationships (again, do wish there had been more time to delve a little deeper, but alas, books can only be so long). I also found the mystery incredibly compelling. Even when you finally realize what happened, there is more to unfurl, so it feels exciting until the very end. I also found the premise to be so unique and fun- like what the heck possessed their dad to do this?! And can you even imagine- your whole life exposed in a barely-fictional book? Thought provoking, to say the least!

Bottom Line: Really enjoyed this exciting take on Little Women, and can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next! 

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The Night Ship by Alex Woodroe
Published by Flame Tree Press on January 20, 2026
Pages: 224
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

An apocalyptic world turned into a pitch-black sea of nothingness, but smuggler Rosi and her crew of survivors aren't alone. Something hungry lurks below...

Driving a logging truck through the Romanian mountains, smuggler Rosi and her crew come across a radio signal that hints at impending doom. As the world goes completely dark, their truck becomes a vessel sailing across a sea of nothingness.

But they’re not transmissions trickle in through the radio from similar isolated islands across the country, from amateur radio hobbyists and police cars and customs facilities.

Attempting to rescue survivors and find a way out, the group save more lives, but soon discover that something hungry lurks below, and it's sending up agents – and transmissions – of its own.

The Night Ship is definitely a unique story: a truck running through inescapable darkness in 1987 Romania, trying to escape… something. Main character Rosi and her quasi-fiancé are driving along as truckers do when everything around them goes dark. And not just dark, something is lurking, and it doesn’t mean them any good. The atmosphere was completely on point here, through the whole story, even when I hadn’t a clue what was going on. I liked Rosi as a character, and frankly, quite enjoyed learning a bit about Communist Romania. I also didn’t fully understand what the heck was going on, and perhaps that was intentional? Was I supposed to be as “in the dark” as the characters? (Forgive the pun!) Regardless, I had a hard time understanding the “whys” of the thing, and especially in the first half of the book, it was a little off-putting. But eventually I got over it? Like- I never really got the answers I wanted, but it also became less of an issue as I got invested in the story. I was quite invested in the characters and their fates, and the vibes were amazing, so I went with it, and it ended up working out just fine!

Bottom Line:  Incredible atmosphere and characters I cared about, while I didn’t really understand the world, I was still invested in the survival plot.

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A Hole in The Sky by Peter F. Hamilton
Series: Arkship Trilogy #1
Published by Angry Robot on January 20, 2026
Pages: 288
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

THEIR LIFE IS A DREAM,
THEIR WORLD IS DYING.

Hazel’s family live a simple life in their village. Just one of the communities on a vast generation ship on a centuries long journey to a new world. 500 years ago the machines stopped working and life since then has been frugal. But everyone plays their part. And when you reach 65 you are recycled – it’s only fair; you can’t work anymore and your resources are needed.

But not everyone is happy. Hazel encounters the Cheaters, a group who refuse to die for the ship. They have discovered the terrifying lie at the core of life on the ship and they will fight for the truth and for the lives of everyone.

Hazel has a choice to make...

Okay look, this is just a very “me” story. An Arkship running out of air and having to make Big Choices™ to survive? Come on now, that’s the premise for my favorite thing ever! Obviously I was in! This story also involves characters of a YA age range (and feels quite YA, which for me is fine, just be aware) which again, is a lot like The 100. Basically, Hazel and her fam are on this generation ship hurtling toward a new planet, and fingers crossed they’ll get there soon! To make the journey, they’re all told that they need to “cycle” (read: die) at age 65 to preserve resources. Only, Hazel finds out that maybe that isn’t so true. When her brother is paralyzed and told he might also be cycled, Hazel is bound and determined to not let that happen.

So, we have all kinds of fun, like morally gray decisions, some episodes of No Good Choices™ with Clarke Hazel having to make some rough calls, and of course, Section Seventeen! No I am not kidding, I was waiting for Jaha to try to sacrifice himself in it! I digress, sorry guess, it can’t be helped. Anyway, this was exciting and fun, and I liked that Hazel was still able to retain a bit of herself- she still had friendships and crushes and family stuff, but she also was trying to save everyone. I do feel like the “romance” was kind of insta-lovey, and I didn’t really feel it, but alas. There were no little girls/dads with hair clips who made me cry, either. Actually scratch that, I am good, I don’t need to cry over that kid again. I was also pretty pleased that this was a series, because honestly I want to know wayyy more stuff! And like, find out what happens next, and all that. Will the end up on Bardo? Skyring? You see, I need to know!

Bottom Line: A high stakes survival in space, filling my The 100 void a little. I’ll take it, and I will also take the sequel please and thank you!

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Detour by Jeff Rake, Rob Hart
Series: Detour #1
Published by Random House Worlds on January 13, 2026
Pages: 320
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they’ve returned to is not the home they left behind in this emotional, mind-bending thriller from the creator of the hit Netflix series Manifest and the bestselling author of The Warehouse.

“If The Martian and The Twilight Zone had a baby, it would be Detour—a thriller that messes with your head as you scramble to piece together what’s really going on.”—Steve Netter, Best Thriller Books

Ryan Crane wasn’t looking for trouble—just a cup of coffee. But when this cop spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt.

As thanks for Ryan’s quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to Saturn’s moon Titan.

A devoted family man, Ryan is reluctant to leave on this two-year expedition, yet with the encouragement of his loving wife—and an exorbitant paycheck guaranteeing lifetime care for their disabled son—he crews up and ventures into a new frontier.

But as the ship is circling Titan, it is rocked by an unexplained series of explosions. The crew works together to get back on course, and they return to Earth as heroes.

When the fanfare dies down, Ryan and his fellow astronauts notice that things are different. Some changes are good, such as lavish upgrades to their homes, but others are more disconcerting. Before the group can connect, mysterious figures start tailing them, and their communications are scrambled.

Separated and suspicious, the crew must uncover the truth and decide how far they’re willing to go to return to their normal lives. Just when their space adventure seemingly ends, it shockingly begins.

Look, when you tell me that one of my favorite authors and the dude who created one of my favorite shows (Manifest!) are writing a book that sounds wholly up my alley, you best believe I am going to be all over it. And whew, I was sucked into this one! We are introduced to the astronauts who will be on the mission to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, in the hopes to see if it might be inhabitable. We also meet sketchy billionaire John Ward, who is the financial (and therefore boss, let’s be real) backer to this trip. And he has political aspirations, because of course he is obsessed with power, too. During the first half of the book, we get really close looks into who the team members really are, their families, their lives. And I will say, this part did feel a little long at parts? Nothing terrible, but I did wonder a time or two when the action would start. This was not in any way a dealbreaker, and I think it really made sense given how it becomes rather important that we know these characters well.

But wow, when TSHTF, things take off, and it was at that point that I absolutely could not put this book down. I was already very invested in the characters, of course, but when things pick up, my jaw was on the floor (honestly if you haven’t already, don’t read the synopsis, it’s more fun without knowing) and I was desperate to know all the things. The stakes become even higher, and you can see a ton of parallels to the absurd dystopian novel we’re currently living in. (Sidenote: I have seen some reviews that say some of the decisions felt silly, but um… the shitty dude from RW Boston is in charge of NASA in our actual universe, so sorry, I didn’t find anything any less believable than whatever nonsense timeline we’re in here.) Also, I had not realized when I started reading that this was the start of a series! The Goodreads page is updated to indicate that it is now, thankfully, but I finished the book and was desperate for more- but not to fear, there is definitely more to come, and I for one cannot wait to find out all the things!

Bottom Line: So I’m gonna need book 2 immediately, thanks in advance!

Have you read any of these books? Plan to? Let us chat about them!