The Firsts of 2026 Tag

Hello, everyone! I’ve done this tag for the last few years (2023, 2024, 2025) and always have a lot of fun with it. So, I’m back again to talk about my firsts of 2026. It seemed like the right time since we are approaching the end of the first quarter of the year. This book tag was originally created by Tanya @girlxoxo.

First book read this year

My first book of the year was Thief of Night by Holly Black. This was a fine ending to the duology. I had a good time while reading these books, but there just wasn’t anything spectacular about them. In fact, I’m already struggling to remember the plot. lol.

Book Synopsis 📚

The highly-anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black’s stunning adult debut, Book of Night.

There’d always been something wrong with Charlie Hall. Crooked from the day she was born. Never met a bad decision she wasn’t willing to double down on. She may be good enough to steal a shadow from a tower, but will she be good enough to steal back a heart?

First book reviewed

The first book I reviewed this year was Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez. I really struggled with this one, and it has received the honor of having my lowest rating of the year so far. Check out my review to find out why!

Book Synopsis 📚

A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.

In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent–a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.

There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family’s enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.

Meanwhile, Ravenna’s forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.

As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.

First book by a debut author

My first book by a debut author this year was City of Others by Jared Poon. I enjoyed experiencing Singapore through the eyes of these magical bureaucrats. It was a lot of fun, and it had undead ducklings and a ghost cat, which by itself makes it required reading. See all of my thoughts here!

Book Synopsis 📚

In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything – even the weird stuff. Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Department for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), tasked with taking care of the supernatural occurrences and people no one else wants to deal with, from restless ghosts to immortal gods to conniving jinn. Overworked and under-resourced, he has to juggle the demands of senior management, an elderly father, and a new boyfriend, all while trying to keep his team out of trouble.

When an entire block of flats goes missing in the town of Clementi, drowned in an otherworldly wave, the information he needs to prevent another catastrophe lies in the pasar bayang – the shadow markets. But the demigod protector of the markets has neither forgotten nor forgiven their humiliation by the Singapore authorities decades ago. Ben will need to wrestle with the legacy of his government and the whispers of his own insecurities, navigating landscapes both urban and fantastical, both inside the soul and outside the real world, all so he can just do his goddamn job.

First book by a new-to-me author

My first book in 2026 by a new-to-me author was Thirsty by Lucy Lehane. The humor in this book had me laughing out loud so much. I also really loved the found family of diverse magical creatures. To read all of my thoughts, check out my review!

Book Synopsis 📚

A revenge plot sets sparks flying in this screwball paranormal romantic comedy of enemies-to-lovers, chaotic supernatural friend groups, and scorching chemistry from Lucy Lehane.

Charlie needs to revamp his career. Writing advice columns was hard enough before the whole internet was dying to know how to date the undead – but Charlie’s as human as they come. And he has no idea how to answer the messages flooding his inbox, like My Workplace Slack Is Haunted; Should I Cross Dimensions For a Fling? and How Exactly Do You Smash A…

When a chance nocturnal meeting at a local coffee shop sees him reuniting with Lorenzo – a vampire with an axe to grind – Charlie thinks he’s found his ticket to immortal career success. But Lorenzo has plans of his own: to get revenge on Charlie for separating Lorenzo from the love of his life years ago. When Lorenzo draws Charlie into his world of monsters and mayhem, he finds new friends and old souls that span centuries of existence, yet are somehow just as lost as the two of them. But as Charlie and Lorenzo grow unexpectedly closer, the secrets they dwell under might just crush them.

Can their love survive demons and drama? And which will prove deadlier… bloodlust or betrayal?

First book that slayed me

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters was the first book that slayed me this year. It’s super rare for me to find a book that leaves me with no critical thoughts. Even books I love almost always have something I don’t like. lol. I had nothing but praise for this one, though. The characters, plot, themes, romance, and setting just all worked perfectly for me. See all my thoughts here!

Book Synopsis 📚

Sparks fly in this second chance m/m rom com when an unlucky-in-love event planner realizes the man-of-honor at the high profile wedding he’s planning is the same man who broke his heart.

They say you never forget your first kiss. But Jordan Carter wishes he could forget the one he shared with Jamie Peters as teens. And the one they almost shared again last year before Jamie made it clear he wasn’t the “right” man for Jordan to be with while he’s figuring himself out.

Now, Jordan’s fully focused on his career at 24 Carter Gold, his family’s event planning company, and ready to move on – until his boss assigns him to plan a new client’s high-profile wedding. The bride’s man-of-honor? None other than Jamie.

As things ramp up the closer they get to the wedding, so does Jordan’s relationship with Jamie, with sarcastic asides turning into steamy hook-ups. But can Jordan afford to pursue Jamie if he’s still unsure of who he is? Or is knowing who he loves enough? Venue shopping, cake-tastings, and dress fittings with the man he can’t forget just might change the man Jordan Carter is meant to become.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters is a second chance romance about finding yourself–and the love of your life.

First book that I wished I could get back the time I spent reading it

Technically, my answer to this prompt should be Graceless Heart, but I’ve already used it in another answer. Nothing else stands out as something I particularly hated reading so far this year. However, A Theory of Dreaming really felt unnecessary. It put the characters, especially Effy, through so much stuff that didn’t need to happen, and for a lot of the book I just wanted Effy and Preston to COMMUNICATE. Ugh. I was just really disappointed after how much I loved the first book.

Book Synopsis 📚

All stories come to an end.

Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.

But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university–and soon the entire nation–is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?

With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king–visions that start to follow him even in waking.

As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.

Welp. There you have it! My firsts of 2026. I’m not going to tag anyone specific in this one, but I’d love to read the answers of others. So, consider yourself tagged. 😁

6 thoughts on “The Firsts of 2026 Tag

  1. I love this Tag and it’s on my list to do this week. I always forget about the debut novel prompt though and have to go back through the books I’ve read to find a debut author. I’m sure I must have read a couple this year.

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