Stories Matter: Heartfelt Start to ‘26

‘All the Little Houses’

The writer of The Hunting Wives, a hit Netflix series, is back with a new snarky suspense, All the Little Houses. May Cobb delivers up her signature dish of cocktail swilling, misbehaving meanies with plenty of action set in the 1980s in East Texas. Expect intrigue, sex, and salacious behavior with a stunning cliffhanger. 

‘The Rest of Our Lives’

Tom’s life has changed. A 55-year-old lawyer with a wife who cheated on him has been waiting for the day when his last child leaves the nest so he can divorce his wife. The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovitz is a road trip journey putting the reader in Tom’s head as he struggles with middle-aged angst. A moving, life-affirming story about a man looking for his future while contemplating his past – this is a beauty.

‘The Last Letters of Sally & Walter’

The Last Letters of Sally and Walter by Cammie McGovern is a play on words and the letters that form them. Sally and Walter are residents of the adult-living community Golden Grove. The two unexpectedly bond over Scrabble. This is a sweet read about friendship, and the fact that one is never too old to let someone new into their life.

‘Opera Wars’

Caitlin Vincent was a professional opera singer who also founded her own opera company. In Opera Wars she gives us an insider’s fascinating look at the history and behind the scenes world of opera. This one isn’t just for opera buffs. The author starts her book attempting to answer the question of whether the art form still holds relevance with audiences today. I like to think she answers the question with a resounding ‘yes.’ 

‘Dandelion is Dead’

Dandelion is Dead is the debut for Rosie Storey. After her beloved older sister’s death, Poppy finds her sib’s dating app and contacts a prospective date, pretending to be her dead sister. This one is steeped in sorrow and humor as Poppy continues to grieve for her dead sister. The prose on this is beautiful, the story original and quirky, and I think we can expect a lot from this author in the future.