Have you made a Winter 2025/2026 #TBR? It’s always exciting to begin a new reading season! Do you have a most anticipated read?
Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books on My Winter 2025/2026 TBR
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With all the books that are on my radar on a given day, it’s nice to pick out a few for an official TBR. Ten still leaves room for library holds that come in, occasional ARCs, or some mood reading.
Find my Fall TBR update here. I read (or attempted to read) 9/10 books on my fall TBR. I just received my library hold of the tenth book this week, so it’s in progress. My fall TBR has mixed results (one DNF) and many 3-star ratings.
Keep in mind that I’m not yet recommending the books on my official Winter TBR list…..check back often, though, because I will provide updates and links to reviews as I read them. For now, these are the reads that are on my winter 2025/2026 reading radar.
*Titles are Amazon affiliate links.
Winter 2025/2026 TBR
(ARC=Advanced Reader Copy)
The Market Girls of Petticoat Lane by Patricia McBride (ARC)
Genre: Historical Fiction (WWII home front)
Why? I enjoyed the author’s last Library Girls series, and I am looking forward to a new series. Pub Date: 1/6/2026
***UPDATE: 4 Stars. Enjoyable. I will continue the series.
Marrying the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund (ARC)
Genre: Historical Romance
Why? I have enjoyed the first three books in this series which can be read as stand-alones (Saved by the Martchmaker #2 review). Pub Date: 2/3/2026
***UPDATE: 4 Stars. I love this uplit, highly engaging, and romantic series!
A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepeteys (ARC)
Genre: Historical Fiction, 1927
Why? Sepeteys is a favorite YA author and I’m curious to read her first adult book. Pub Date: 6/2/2026.
***UPDATE: 3.5 Stars. An OK read, but my least favorite of her work.
You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Why? My cousin highly recommended it, and I’m always looking to add more nonfiction to my TBR.
***UPDATE: 4 Stars. Beautifully and thoughtfully written and highly relatable.
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Genre: Classic Children’s Literature
Why? Last week. I created a blog post about Snowy Settings, and so many other bloggers had The Long Winter on their lists and listed it as a favorite that it encouraged me to do a reread in January. Anyone want to buddy read with me?
***UPDATE: 4 Stars. I enjoyed my reread.
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crawley
Genre: Contemporary YA Fiction
Why? I love a great YA read and Books About Books! Thanks for the rec Sandy @ Sandy’s Book a Day Blog.
*UPDATE: 3 Stars. Excessive profanity is not my reading taste.
The Shippers by Katherine Center (ARC)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Why? I’m compelled to read every new Katherine Center! Pub Date: 5/19/2026.
***4 Stars. Fun romcom with witty banter and an engaging premise.
Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
Genre: Historical Fiction
Why? I keep hearing good reviews. Thanks for the rec Lisa @ Hopewell’s Public Library of Life.
***UPDATE: 5 Stars. Fascinating family history. This well written account will likely be on the best-of-year list.
The Black Wolf by Louise Penny
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Mystery
Why? I’m a Louise Penny completist, and even though I didn’t love The Grey Wolf (or the last few installments), I can’t resist the current release. It’s a library loan, so I can easily DNF it or not feel bad about skimming it. (holdover from my Fall TBR because my library hold just came in)
***UPDATE: 2 Stars. Skimmed/skipped a lot. I’m glad I waited for the library loan instead of buying it. I hope she will return to traditional crime/mystery, which she does best.
The Art of Making Memories and The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking
Genre: Nonfiction
Why? I enjoyed The Little Book of Hygge and I recently received these two as gifts. Perfect cozy winter reading!
***UPDATE: 3 Stars (each). Art of Making Memories has a few interesting ideas….but nothing that I haven’t heard before. The Little Book of Lykke is pro-socialism and pro-Denmark, and fairly repetitive.
QOTD!
What’s on your Winter TBR?
What is your one most anticipated read this winter?
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You have a great variety of books to read over winter. Thanks for sharing!
It’s my fav reading season! ❄️ Thanks for stopping by!
You are very organised, I am more a mood reader at this time of year.
Winter is my fav reading season! ❄️📚
I want to read more Katherine Center. I really enjoyed The Romcommers!
Such a fun author! 📚
I enjoyed all the Wiking books. It’s been some time since I’ve read them but they have some great takeaways. The writing style is warm and cozy like the first book. Great list! Happy reading!
Perfect cozy winter reading! ❄️
Happy winter reading! ❄️📚
I love this quiet cozy reading season!
I’m currently reading The Long Winter and will finish it soon. It’s such a good winter book.
Oh yay! I’m looking forward to it!
Ooh an adult Ruta Sepetys!
It will be interesting to see if this switch is permanent.
I’m looking forward to The Shippers too (love her books!), and I keep hearing about Family of Spies, so may add that to my non-fiction TBR for 2026. I’ll be curious to hear more about the new Ruta Sepetys book too. Hope you enjoy all of these!
Thanks! K Center is always a fun read!
The Long Winter is definitely a snowy book! Enjoy all your books. 🙂
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
January is ideal for a reread of Long Winter! Thanks for stopping by! ❄️📚
I hope you enjoy reading all of these when the opportunity presents itself.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/winter-2026-tbr-ten-books-i-hope-to-read/
Thanks! ❄️📚
Meik Wiking’s voice is so soothing! I loved his little books! And, thanks for the shout-out on Family of Spies and for alerting me to the new Katherine Center–I’ll watch for the audio on Netgalley. The Long Winter is so good–you may then want to read the nonfiction book, The Children’s Blizzard by David Laskin–it reads like a novel.
I recently read the histfic Children’s Blizzard. So sad, I’ll need to be in the right headspace to tackle the nonfiction book!
Great list!! I’m going to add A Fortune of Sand to my TBR! I love her writing!
Sepeteys’ swerve to adult fiction will be interesting!
Agreed!
Looks like some really good ones on this list, Carol! The Long Winter really made me realize how good we have it. I live in Wisconsin, so winters haven’t changed, but our shelter and ability to get food sure have! I like the idea of making a seasonal TBR. I’ll have to think about what to put on mine.
Those pioneers are admirable…. my roots are in South Dakota! ❄️ 🥶
I did not know that Ruta Sepetys has an adult book coming out. I too, have read all her books, so will be watching for this one. I like the variety on your list. I hope you enjoy them all, Carol.
It makes me nervous when authors switch their audience. 😂
It doesn’t always work, but I guess we shall see.
My list includes: Whistler by Ann Patchett, Kin by Tayari Jones, The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh, More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen, and Wreck by Catherine Newman. Oh, and Best Offer Wins (delicious real estate derangement!) by Marisa Kashino.
You have a great list! My Netgalley request for Kin is pending. If I don’t get an arc, I’ll read it in spring. I’ll check out the Patchett. I’m on the fence about Wreck because I didn’t love Sandwich but I am on a library hold for it. Happy winter reading’❄️📚
Great list! I love Sepetys, so I’m anxious awaiting her newest as well. FAMILY OF SPIES sounds amazing. I hadn’t heard of it before, but it’s now on my TBR list. Thanks for the heads-up. I hope you enjoy your winter reading.
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Thanks Susan! I get nervous when an author veers off in another direction! 😳 🤞
[…] For spring, these are the ten books prioritized at the top of my TBR Mountain. I finished all ten books from my Winter TBR; no DNFs….although one came close. […]