As we head into spring, it’s time for a roundup of my winter 2026 reading. In total, I read 17 books in the first three months of the year. Today’s post has my top 5 winter reads, and my thoughts on the other books that I read.

Michelle’s Top 5 Winter 2026 Reads

Here are my top 5 picks of the first quarter.   

All Around the Town – Mary Higgins Clark

When popular English professor Allan Grant is brutally murdered, 21-year-old Laurie Kenyon is charged with his murder. Laurie, who developed multiple personalities after being kidnapped and abused as a child, has no memory of the murder.

Laurie’s sister Sarah quits her job as a prosecutor to defend Laurie who has suppressed the memories of her childhood trauma after her abductor threatened her with death if she ever spoke about what he did to her.

I’ve always loved Mary Higgins Clark’s novels, and this one was no exception. As Laurie resigns herself to spending time in jail, a shocking twist sheds new light on the murder, and psychologists race against time to unlock the secrets of her past.

The Black Wolf – Louise Penny

In book 20 of the Armand Gamache series, Chief Inspector Gamache and his colleagues realize the person they arrested at the end of book 19 (The Grey Wolf) may not be The Black Wolf they were searching for. As they investigate further, they discover that Canada’s abundant supply of fresh water makes it a target for invasion by its neighbour to the south.

Penny wrote this book in 2024, and it turned out to be eerily prophetic. Many of the political events she wrote about in the book turned out to be real in 2025.

Fans of the earlier books in the Armand Gamache series panned this book because of its political content. I haven’t read many of the earlier books so I loved it and couldn’t put it down, although it felt a little too real and plausible.

Beyond That, The Sea – Laura Spence-Ash

It’s 1940, and 11-year-old Beatrix’s working class parents make the difficult decision to uproot her from her from her home in London and send her to live with an American family in Boston. During her five years in America, Bea grows to love her newfound family and her life as an American teenager.

After the war ends, Bea returns to London but a part of her heart will always stay with the family who shaped the person she’d become. The book follows her story as she struggles to reconcile her life in London with the life and family she left behind in Boston.  

I love historical fiction, and this book was so wonderfully written, with believable, flawed characters that somehow fit.

John Candy, A Life in Comedy – Paul Myers

I’ve loved John Candy since his days on SCTV and was so saddened by his untimely death in 1994.

I always thought of Candy as a big lovable teddy bear, and this beautiful biography confirms what I suspected. Not only was he funny, but Candy was kind, loyal, and universally loved by all who met and worked with him.

This book is a terrific read and is a who’s who of 1980s and 1990s comedy. It made me laugh and cry all at the same time.

The Frozen River – Ariel Lawhon

When local residents summon midwife Martha Ballard to examine a body discovered in the frozen Kennebec River, she sees evidence of a brutal murder. Along with one of the town’s most respected residents, the dead man had recently been charged with the brutal rape of one of Martha’s patients. After a male doctor declares the death accidental, Martha finds herself at the centre of controversy as she continues to investigate the death.

Set in the late 1700s, this book is inspired by the real life story of midwife Martha Ballard. It provides interesting insights into the role of women in society in those days. It’s a compelling read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

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Winter 2026 reading update – Fiction

Small Things Like These – Claire Keegan

When Irish coal merchant Bill Furlong makes a delivery at a local convent a couple of weeks before Christmas, he makes a disturbing discovery that leaves him questioning his past and his faith.

This critically-acclaimed short novella shines a light on the mistreatment of unmarried pregnant women in Irish communities. It’s a quick and thought provoking read.

Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry

When celebrity writer Alice Scott and Pulitzer Prize winning biographer Hayden Anderson find themselves competing for the opportunity to write the biography of a reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, sparks fly. But as Margaret reveals her story something doesn’t add up. Who will be the winner?

Henry is a new author to me. The premise of this book reminded me a lot of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It was a compelling read with a twist at the end that I didn’t expect.

It Ends With Us – Colleen Hoover

Lily Bloom has overcome many challenges in her life, so when handsome neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid falls for her, it feels too good to be true.

Over time, Ryle’s dark side emerges and Lily is reminded of her abusive father. When her first love Atlas Corrigan arrives on the scene, Lily’s relationship with Ryle is about to face the ultimate test.

This is the first of Hoover’s books that I’ve read. I found she realistically depicted Lily’s struggle to reconcile her love for Ryle while dealing with his dark side.

Malibu Rising – Taylor Jenkins Reid

This story centres around the annual end-of summer bash hosted by Nina Riva—supermodel and estranged daughter of famous singer Mick Riva—at her Malibu home.

As the party rages out of control, the Riva siblings confront their past. Secrets are revealed and it’s clear this night will change their lives forever.

I loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I was excited to read another book by Jenkins Reid. It didn’t disappoint.

The Romance Readers’ Book Club – Julie L. Cannon

Tammi is 15 years old and bored with her life in a small town in Georgia. When she acquires a stack of steamy romance novels, she forms a secret book club. As the community struggles with a devastating drought, Tammi struggles to reconcile her faith with the desires stirred up by the books.

This felt more like young adult fiction to me. It was a very slow burn that picked up steam in the last 50 pages but overall, I wouldn’t recommend it.

The Coworker – Freida McFadden

When office oddball Dawn Schiff doesn’t show up for work one morning, her coworker Natalie can’t shake the feeling that something has happened to her. When Natalie stops by Dawn’s house to check on her, she discovers a grizzly crime scene and no sign of Dawn.

Natalie soon finds herself under suspicion for Dawn’s supposed murder, and the evidence against her is overwhelming. Who would try to frame Natalie for Dawn’s murder, and why?

As with all of McFadden’s novels, this is a thriller with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.  

Still Life – Louise Penny

I’ve read several books in Penny’s Armand Gamache series, so I decided to go back and read the first one.

This book introduces us to the Quebec village of Three Pines and its residents after retired schoolteacher Jane Neal was found dead on Thanksgiving weekend. When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team are called in to investigate her death, they find there’s more to this charming little village than meets the eye.

Although I didn’t enjoy this book as much as some of the later books in the series, it was a good introduction to the characters and their backstory. I will definitely continue to read the other books in the series.

A Spark of Light – Jodi Picoult

The book starts with a shooting in a women’s reproductive health clinic in Mississippi. With the shooter holding hostages inside, police negotiator Hugh McElroy is horrified to learn that his 15-year-old daughter is one of the hostages.

Picoult tackles social issues head on in her books and this one was no different, taking on the politically- and emotionally-charged issue of abortion rights and access. The book tells the backstory of the shooter, the hostages, and the clinic’s doctor, and what brought each of them to the clinic on that fateful day.

The book is written in reverse order from the shooting to the beginning of the day. Some reviewers panned the book because they hated that style. It was different, but I didn’t mind it and found the book thought-provoking and worth reading.

Winter 2026 reading update – Non-fiction

101 Retirement Lifestyle Questions – Retirement Coaches Association

This one is more of a workbook than a book but it’s a thought booster for anyone who’s newly retired or thinking about retiring. It will help you think though your attitudes and beliefs about aging and retirement, along with considerations related to social interactions, health, hobbies and legacy.

Less is Liberation – Christine Platt

I should stop reading self-help books because, with very few exceptions, they leave me wanting more. The tag line for this book is “Finding Freedom from a Life of Overwhelm”. I can get behind the concepts of intentionality, holistic wellness, and not letting others control our lives and our time. But I felt Platt went a little too far toward prioritizing self above everything else.

When I read the following sentence, I pretty much stopped reading and skimmed the rest of the book: “We must continue to make courageous choices to ensure we are chiefly concerned with our own profit and pleasure.”

This book just didn’t do it for me.

Essential, Essays by The Minimalists – Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

I’m a big fan of The Minimalists and find their stories inspiring, but this book was a big disappointment. It’s basically a collection of blog posts pulled into a book. While there were some flashes of wisdom, I generally found it repetitive and it didn’t inspire any a-ha moments for me.

It took me months to get through this book, and it almost went on my new “Didn’t finish” shelf on Goodreads.

Scarcity Brain – Michael Easter

I’ve heard a lot about the scarcity mindset and how it fuels overconsumption and bad habits so the book’s subtitle “Fix Your Craving Mindset & Rewire Your Habits to Thrive With Enough” intrigued me. The book explains how and why our brains are hardwired to always seek more and how that drives our pursuit of information, food, influence, possessions and even happiness.

I found the book interesting, although it was a little too heavy on storytelling and light on practical suggestions. While it’s interesting and important to understand why we behave the way we do, it’s more important to know what to do about it.

The road to 1,000 books

The 17 books I read this quarter brings me to 107 books toward my ambitious goal of reading 1,000 books. It felt good to surpass that 10% mark!

Next on my reading list

Spring is here and I look forward to getting outside on the deck and reading. Here are some of the books on my spring reading list:

• Strong Ground by Brene Brown
• The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin
• Endling by Maria Reva
• 100 Rules for Living to 100 by Dick Van Dyke

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What’s on your reading list? Have you read any of the books on my winter 2026 reading list? Drop me a comment below to let me know. I’d love to hear your book recommendations.