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JJust Watch Me has a certain flaming-car-crash-you-can’t-look-away-from quality that I really admire in a book. In a painfully accurate depiction of how it feels to be young and very stupid in New York City, we watch human raccoon Dell rise to niche livestream fame eating very spicy peppers. We root for her, despite the fact that she seems to be sabotaging herself and every single one of her relationships. On purpose. But that’s what we grow to love about her, as do her livestream viewers… until one rogue account threatens to bring Dell’s spicy food empire toppling down.

Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg, (List Price: $28.99, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster, 9781668091180, January 2026)

Reviewed by Ryan, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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This is such a “me” book! Funny, surprising, full of interesting characters doing unexpected things, all the while racing to a conclusion that I couldn’t possibly predict. Loved this one!

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, (List Price: $28, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 9780374619237, January 2026)

Reviewed by Kat, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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Fiona was out here using her multiple seasons of law and order detective skills to take down the shady company that stole her brother’s invention but chillleee then she ends up accused of murder. Maurice, a smooth talking private investigator, haunted by a past case decides to help her by taking on her case with a few ulterior motives. As soon as their paths cross, the sparks and family secrets start flying fast. This was my first read by Nikki Payne, and I really enjoyed it! It had the right mix of mystery, tension, romance, and some good spice too. I loved seeing smart, driven Black characters at the center of the story. Fiona’s not your average “princess” either. She came into her own womanhood in this story….bold, clever, and stands ten toes down for what’s right.

The Princess and the P.I. by Nikki Payne, (List Price: $19, Berkley, 9780593817360, September 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan, The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Georgia

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I love to sip morning coffee and page through a cookbook looking for dinner inspiration, so when it’s as much fun to READ a cookbook as it is to cook and eat from it, I’m in heaven. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Linger offers up not just healthy recipes for salads (think both hearty and delicate) and desserts (think healthy and easy) but her tips on making food ahead, entertaining and creating community with food- in a warm and engaging style that will have you trying new things even on weeknights. Bonus! Her daughter has short essays about music and food with accompanying playlists (via QR code).

Linger by Hetty Lui McKinnon, (List Price: $40, Knopf, 9780593804193, October 2025)

Reviewed by Jamie, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I studied trees for my senior project in undergrad, and I remember the looks I would get when I tried to explain how magical these living beings are. My work explored plant autonomy and the ways humans interpret nature’s agency, but When Trees Testify deepens that understanding in ways I could have never imagined. The book’s poetic assertion that the breath of loved ones can remain alive through scientific processes is an astounding observation. It redefines the boundaries between the human and the natural. It reminds us that our actions are linked to the lives of the ecosystems we shape. When Trees Testify presents trees not as passive organisms, but as active participants—beings with resilience and a shared history.

When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery, (List Price: $27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250335166, January 2026)

Reviewed by Chloe Strong, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I’ve never consumed milk. If I did, my throat would close up, and I’d stare down death. Nevertheless, I drank Mega Milk straight from the udder. In a truly brilliant essay collection, Megan Milks takes a few seemingly simple things–a name, a glass of milk–and spirals them outward into a quiet, encompassing portrait of a life. Written with an intimate detail that causes forgotten memories to bubble to the surface, these essays cast a keen and penetrating eye to the small moments that make up a person. I will read and reread Mega Milk for years to come.

Mega Milk by Megan Milks, (List Price: $17.95, The Feminist Press at CUNY, 9781558613584, January 2026)

Reviewed by Charlie Marks, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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This is one of the most creative classic-book retellings I’ve read in a long time! It proves that these characters stand the test of time, because Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy adapt perfectly to a contemporary setting that highlights the ups and downs of social media and sibling rivalries. A story within the story of Little Women, Beth’s death leads her sisters and the local police on a hunt for the person responsible. The case’s twists and turns kept me turning the pages and prevented me from predicting the end. But the real interest of this novel, and the topic I’m still thinking about, is the idea of storytelling, and who gets to tell a family’s story. How do the sisters maintain their agency, their identities, and their love for each other when their dad turns their private family story into a bestselling novel, one that kills off his daughter?

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet, (List Price: $19.99, Sarah Barley Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Yo, 9781665988698, January 2026)

Reviewed by Lady, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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This title was a page turner for sure! I found myself rooting for “Nate,” despite the obvious moral reasons that I shouldn’t, and was terribly attached by the end of the book. With such an unexpectedly bittersweet ending, I highly recommend this title for any YA horror lovers!

Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown, (List Price: $19.99, Storytide, 9780063338326, January 2026)

Reviewed by Eden, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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When 13-year-old Tucker Stephens begins to suspect that Miss Geraldine’s death wasn’t an accident, he finds himself unraveling a mystery only he can solve. Clever, funny, and packed with surprises, this story will keep readers hooked from start to finish. The quirky citizens—which Taryn Souders is known for creating—do not disappoint in this humor-filled small-town whodunit. The plot was smart, the characters felt authentic, and the house itself brought so much atmosphere to the story. Tucker’s sharp eye and observations made the mystery even more engaging. With memorable characters and smart clues, this is a middle grade mystery readers of all ages will enjoy!

Secrets of the Broken House by Taryn Souders, (List Price: $16.99, Sourcebooks Young Readers, 9781464244971, January 2026)

Reviewed by Susanne, Sassafras on Main in Waynesville, North Carolina