Three Years, 220 Reviews and One Seriously Overloaded Home Library

Back in 2023, I decided to start documenting my reads and recommendations, hoping to spark the same love for books in others that has always brought me so much joy and fulfilment.

Three years and 220 reviews later, Shelf Care has grown into the most wholesome little corner of the internet – you can still find my archived reads from Shelf Care 2023, Shelf Care 2024 and Shelf Care 2025 if you’re keen for a trip down memory lane. These are the books that stole my heart, my sleep and sometimes my sanity.

A Record-Breaking Reading Year

As I reflect on 2025, I’m pretty amazed – not just by the emotional whiplash of the plot twists I endured (seriously, Freida McFadden is out for blood) – but by the sheer volume of books I managed to devour. Eighty-nine reviews – my biggest year yet! (if I’m being honest, there’s about fifteen more sitting in my notes waiting to be written up!) From weeping uncontrollably while making dinner to late-night DMs swapping spoilers with bookish-friends, this year has been a full-blown Shelf Care era.

Favourite Genres, Familiar Authors and Fresh Finds

Thrillers once again dominated my reading list (shocking no one), followed closely by contemporary fiction, women’s lit and emotionally-charged romances – including a few spicy 🌶️ romances! Freida McFadden officially took the crown as my most-reviewed author of 2025 (I officially finished reading her back catalogue this year) – with a whopping fourteen titles read and reviewed.

The books that really stole my heart? Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Women by Kristin Hannah – both earning a rare and well-deserved six-star rating. Five-star faves were just as memorable, including So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne, The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns, The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry and The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros. These were the stories that stayed with me, made me feel everything and earned permanent spots in my rec pile.

But it wasn’t all serotonin and sleep deprivation – there were a few epic flops. A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole was overwrought, overly sweet and emotionally exhausting (⭐️), CoHo’s Maybe Someday trilogy also missed the mark (⭐️½) – and her Slammed series wasn’t much better (⭐️⭐️). Even One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware, usually a fave, left me wondering WTF I’d just read.

Looking Ahead: Shelf Care 2026

Before I dive headfirst into 2026’s aggressively ambitious reading stack (which is currently threatening structural damage to my bedside table), here’s to another year of brilliant stories, comforting characters and wild plots that steal sleep and sanity in equal measure.

My Shelf Care 2026 IG highlight is all set up and ready to host another year of twisty thrillers, swoony romances, emotional rollercoasters and whatever else my TBR list throws at me. If you’ve read something that rocked your world, please send it my way – I live for recommendations! My reading taste keeps evolving, branching into new genres, discovering new obsessions and always leaving room for a surprise or two…

Here’s to another year of reading adventures, plot twists and characters who feel like old friends.

Happy reading! 🐛

Image credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Must Read Books – 2026 Reviews…

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix 🇺🇸 (2025)
I picked this up expecting an unputdownable ride, based on the traction it received online -more specifically, winning the Goodreads 2025 Choice Award for Best Horror Novel. While it did start strong (engaging, quirky, full of promise), it ended up feeling a bit… stretched. Like one of those Netflix series you enjoy, but realise it could’ve been trimmed down to like, half the episodes. While WFWG was a great concept, it became a bit of a slog to get through. That said, the ending really pulled it together. Weird, wonderful… and a good read overall, but maybe skim through the slower bits. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dead Med (previously released as: Suicide Med, 2014) by Freida McFadden 🇺🇸 (2024)
DM shows early signs of the Freida magic we all know and love: gritty setting, gripping moments and morally grey characters. It’s dramatic, unhinged and addictive. You can see that this is where she was finding her thriller footing – and I’m so glad she released the 2024 re-write… I was all in. A proper little gem from the McFadden archives! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Layla by Colleen Hoover 🇺🇸 (2020)
This one takes a definite detour from CoHo’s usual fare – and while the concept is bold and intriguing, it’s definitely new territory for her. That said, she’s still the powerhouse storyteller we know her to be, and once again, she manages to hook you in early. The characters had a surprising charm about them and there were more than a few twists toward the end that kept things interesting, even if it was tricky to keep up at times. A different read, but one that still shows off her ability to keep us readers turning pages. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beach Read by Emily Henry 🇺🇸 (2020)
And so my love affair with Henry continues… I’m always either all in or totally meh – and Beach Read landed somewhere in the middle. This one’s been sitting on my shelf forever, mostly because I suspected it might be a little bit… vanilla. And I wasn’t wrong. It’s got all the classic Henry charm – wit, banter, emotional everything… a guy and a girl with great potential for chemistry. You get it. But for me, the spark just didn’t quite fly. The pacing dragged and it lacked the emotional weight and narrative awesomeness I know she can deliver after devouring (and loving) her latest two releases. Still, it’s a solid early entry from an author who’s only gotten better – and if you’re a Henry fan, it’s definitely worth the ride. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breaking The Dark by Lisa Jewell 🇬🇧 (2024)
A totally random Marvel collab I didn’t see coming – BTD blends Jewell’s signature suspense with low-key superpower twists. It’s definitely different, but also… kind of fun? The supernatural element felt subtle enough not to overpower the thrill and while it wasn’t particularly deep, it was an entertaining read. Not classic Jewell, but I didn’t hate it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️