Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb

I might’ve started reading this in December 2025, but it took me a whole month to read because I was traveling and super busy over the holidays. I finished it on 2 January 2026!

Wow, coincidentally, the first book review I published in 2026 was for the first book in the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb: Assassin’s Apprentice.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

TL;DR: This is a new all-time favourite. The world-building was exquisite, the characters so compelling, and the journey was so heartfelt. This might not have been a fast-paced read, but it was worth every single moment spent with Fitz.

Check out my full review

Again, this wasn’t a 2026 debut but it was a October 2025 release and a debut, so I’m counting it as I haven’t read any 2026 debuts yet!

A Tempest of Ravens by E.A. Bard

I loved the historical setting and context (sent me down a mini Wiki rabbit hole!) and the atmosphere was excellent! That said, I didn’t end up enjoying this as much as I thought I would. I wanted more development, especially from the characters and romance. This was also pitched as adult, but the tone and characters were very YA.

Sebastien de Castell

I’ve had de Castell’s books on my TBR for… Many, many years so I’m glad that I finally got around to reading one of them at the start of the year! I enjoyed Traitor’s Blade—it was so more humorous than expected—and it had such a classic high fantasy vibe to it that worked for me. It is quite brutal, so far warning, but I’m keen to continue the series!

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

I could’ve easily gone with my first book of the year (cos that ending wrecked me good and proper), but this answer honestly can’t be anything but Before I Let Go. Kennedy Ryan VICIOUSLY DESTROYED my soul with the aching, agony, hurt, and yearning. Omgoodness, I felt this deep in my gut and, for real, this book had me ugly crying multiple times throughout. It was so well-written, emotionally visceral, and beautifully done.

Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton

This is harsh, I know, but honestly? This was so disappointing to me. I’m all for unlikeable characters and I love seeing a good growth arc, but this had none of that. I know our characters are young adults and of course, they’d make stupid decisions, but I just found our MC insufferable. The world-building was also very minimal so while the concept was intriguing and there was potential, it sadly never led anywhere!

Unfortunately, though I really wanted to love it, this was really not the one for me.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

All the hype you’ve heard about The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is spot on. This was a swashbuckling good time! With a vast, historically and culturally rich medieval setting, a world full of magic and the supernatural, and a crew of fantastic characters, with Amina at its heart, this was a story that had me gripped from the jump. If you love banter-filled adventure and all of the above, then you need check this out immediately!

Check out my full review