What I read in January 2026 including Project Hail Mary and Half His Age

January was a mixed bag for books. I discovered a new favourite and one I struggled to finish. Overall it felt like a good reading month.

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

My thoughts:

Garber is great at writing whimsical worlds, she’s hyped for a reason. Her latest book is the start of a new series following Holland, who is told when she’s going to die. If she finds the Alchemic Heart before the deadline, she can change her fate. The premise of this is great and the storyline moves quickly. Among the streets of LA, and the fascinating Hollywood setting is an array of characters that are both intriguing and infuriating. Holland spends the majority of the plot believing everyone she meets, even when it feels like she should go alone on her quest. I felt like it was a bit wishy washy at times and the cast didn’t feel like they had enough character development. I also didn’t like the cliffhanger ending. That being said, I am still intrigued to read the next one, where we will hopefully get some answers.

My rating: 3/5 ⭐️

The Artist by Lucy Steeds

My thoughts:

I’m not sure what I expected from this but it was intriguing. Set in the 1920s, the story starts with Joseph, an art journalist, arriving at a mysterious artist’s home to get an interview. Instead, he ends up being the subject of his next portrait. The artist, Tartuffe, is a difficult man and won’t entertain the idea of an interview. In the recluse’s home is his niece, Ettie, who becomes closer with the journalist throughout the novel. The writing in this is lyrical and the characters are captivating, bringing this story to life. While I enjoyed it when the book was open, I wasn’t getting that pull when it was closed. It’ll be intriguing to see what the author writes next.

My rating: 3.5 ⭐️

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

As someone who isn’t a major sci-fi fan and picked this up purely because of the hype, my expectations were on the floor. What a surprise it was to find a contender for a favourite book of the year already. Somehow Weir manages to capture the scientific world in a way that’s easy to understand as a newbie but also create funny dialogue. The plot is fast-paced, as we continuously learn new things at the same time as the main character. The story starts with Ryland Grace discovering he’s in space. Alone. His mission is to save the human race. It’s a fascinating story, filled with twists and turns I didn’t see coming.

My rating: 5 ⭐️

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

My thoughts:

Diving into this after reading her memoir, I was aware that it may not be the story for me. But I thought I’d give her fiction writing a chance since I did enjoy her writing previously. The story is grim, dark and quite gruelling. The chapters are short and snappy so it felt like you could read it quicker. But since it’s quite a short book, it felt like it got a bit repetitive. I understand the author is hoping the reader has a bit of nuance and understands the relationship between the characters is wrong, but it wasn’t conveyed well in the writing. The book is about a student, Waldo, who pursues a relationship with her teacher. As the story progresses it’s clear he is pulling the strings and manipulating the situation for his benefit. However, there didn’t seem to be any repercussions for the characters. The ending felt rushed. I would have loved to read more of her friend, Frannie. Waldo felt very infantile too which just made the whole thing feel grotesque. The writing was very tell, not show, and unfortunately I was disappointed by this one.

My rating: 1 ⭐️

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

My thoughts:

This was a book club pick for the Rare Birds book shop and, like a lot of their picks, this was one I hadn’t heard of before opening the mail. After an unknown woman is washed ashore on a tiny island near Antartica, lots of secrets are unravelled. Dominic and his children are the only inhabitants of the island after once being the hub for scientists researching the world’s largest seed bank. I liked this one but there were parts I wasn’t completely fascinated by, including some of the science. I wanted to like it more than I did though after reading very positive reviews. It’s beautifully written. The plot was intriguing but I wish the characters were fleshed out better. It had a shocking twist but I didn’t love the ending.

My rating: 3.5⭐️

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What was your favourite read in January? Let me know in the comments. I’m also on Instagram and Twitter @bookwormgirl_24