2026 ARC Reviews

In this 57-page thriller, Sara Lea delivers an emotional punch that centers on every mother’s nightmare: a missing baby. Written from Jess’s perspective, the story is fast-paced and leans into the concepts of the protective love of a mother and the raw, desperate grief of a woman longing for a child. Jess is a very easy protagonist to empathize with, and the sharp writing keeps the tension high as the mystery unfolds. The story is gripping and well-executed, and while the plot leans into sci-fi elements that aren't to my personal taste, I still really enjoyed it. The emotional journey and high-stakes suspense make this a compelling, one-sitting read from the In The Cards collection.

Danielle Fear crafts a fast-paced and highly engaging whodunit in Justice, condensing a high-stakes mystery into a very small window of time. The structure is incredibly effective: short, clear, and powerful chapters told from alternating perspectives. Every single character had a compelling motive to kill, making it impossible to stop reading until the final reveal. I loved every page of this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough!

This is a short story from the In Your Cards collection. I really enjoyed the dual perspective, as jumping between Roslyn and Dominic’s POVs gave the narrative a lot of depth and kept me guessing about their motivations.
For a short read, the character development was solid but not too deep. The tension builds steadily throughout, leading up to a twist at the end that I honestly didn't see coming. It’s a great pick if you’re looking for something quick that still delivers a solid, suspenseful payoff.

The Hollow Space by Carly Black straddles the line between thriller and horror. The author builds an intensely eerie atmosphere as Tess uncovers supernatural clues, racing against the clock to solve a mystery before time runs out. Tess is a highly sympathetic protagonist, making it easy to root for her and stay invested in the unsettling narrative.
Because it is a short story, I expected the pacing to be a bit faster, but it settles into a solid medium pace, leaning more into a creeping dread than a breakneck speed.
While I didn't love the ending due to a personal stylistic preference, it was handled exceptionally well and made perfect logical sense for where the plot needed to go. Overall, it’s a highly atmospheric, genre-blending read that succeeds at being both suspenseful and spooky. This feels like a great book for a thriller reader who wants to ease themselves into the world of horror.

Beneath a Broken Sky is the fourth book in the Ben Packard series and is just as good as the rest of the series.
The story is told from both Ben Packard and Charlie’s perspectives. Packard is a very lovable character. I really loved the character of Symphony and her connection to Marcus. Even though we never got to meet Marcus, he was a big part of Packard’s story, so having that connection resurface through her felt meaningful.
As for the actual investigation, it was a really interesting story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It held my attention the whole way through and balanced the police work well with the character dynamics.
#NetGalley #BeneathABrokenSky

The Greek Island by A. J. McDine is a fast-paced island thriller. The story is told mostly from Amber’s perspective in the present day, with only a couple small flashbacks.
The chapters are short, and the suspense was there throughout, making the book easy to fly through. I did not like or feel invested in any of the characters because most were whiny, but that did not diminish my ability to enjoy the story. There is a great twist I did not see coming, followed by a surprise ending. This is a great choice for anyone who loves an island theme with a lot of tension. #NetGalley #TheGreekIsland