The UnCorked Librarian Wants to hear from you

Please take these 2 quick surveys by February 19.

Click here to suggest "to-be-read pile" (TBR) reading challenge themes (one question).

Click here to write a testimonial for how you've enjoyed The Uncorked Librarian (2 - 4 sentence testimonial plus your name or an alias). This is for our website & to let others know we are real and not AI.

Good Morning Reader,

Five important things you will find in this email:

• My most anticipated fiction book releases of 2026 (with early reviews)
• Our bonus TBR pile reading challenge theme survey​
• In a world of AI and questioning who and what is real, a kind "ask" for you to leave a testimonial that I may post on the website
• A reminder of our Iceland Reading Challenge
• A review of the best book I've read this year, so far (published last year, whoops)

Most Anticipated Books In Fiction In 2026

It was extremely hard to narrow down this list to 12 books, which runs through about July 2026.

I received complimentary copies of these books from their respective publishers via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Find affiliate links below that earn me commissions at no extra cost to you.

So far, I've read:

• Coming soon: full reviews for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and Brighter than Before by Courtney Walsh

Already released that I am also currently reading:

Click to read the complete list of 2026 book releases I'm most excited about.

TBR Pile Reading Challenge Survey

As we are about halfway through the first bingo card of 2026 Uncorked Reading, as well as our new bonus Iceland challenge, it's time to talk about our bonus TBR pile reading challenge scheduled for sometime between April and August.

This is all your fault. You keep suggesting great books, and we keep adding them to our lists.

So, let's work on clearing up our growing to-be-read piles. You know, all the books we've acquired or listed as "to-read" over time (in all formats) that we still haven't gotten to.

I prefer to format this challenge as a full-size bingo card with 9 themes, including a free space.

Help suggest themes here. Super fast, anonymous, 1-question survey.

Tell Me I'm Pretty...

No, not really, but DO tell others that I'm a real person, please...

Generative AI is destroying the blogging/online media publication industry - and ya know, forests and water and energy and Copyright and creativity and art and soul...

It's getting harder and harder to tell what is real and fake online. I even follow a Reddit thread for this. In a world that is becoming very robotic and fake, it is important to let new readers who find us know that we are the real deal.

One quick way to help: write a brief testimonial for the homepage of The Uncorked Librarian. Let us know how our group, website, newsletter, etc has helped you.

If you need examples, we asked our Uncorked Asheville readers to write testimonials that you can read here (halfway down the homepage).

Click to leave a testimonial (your real name is not required to submit).

It's Not Too Late To Take The Bonus 2026 Iceland Reading Challenge

Read books about, from, or set in Iceland.

We have these two lists: Iceland books to read (quite a few are on Kindle Unlimited right now) & Icelandic movies to watch. Topics for this challenge include:

• Literary or historical fiction
• Free Space; OR read a nonfiction book or watch a movie
• Romance or mystery novel

Upload this bingo card to any app or editing program that you like. The size is 1080px by 1080px. If you prefer using Canva, here is a link to easily edit this template (just upload your book covers).

I've also added this bonus challenge to The StoryGraph at the bottom of our current one. While the timeframe is now until March, you know us... Read across Iceland all year, if you like.

Spotlight On A Book I Recently Loved: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Book Review

🎶 Sings, "I'm late to the party..." 🎵

​Grab your copy on Amazon | Order from Bookshop​

Description: In her seventies and going blind – with other friends and family facing the struggles of aging - Sybil Van Antwerp is still on a journey of self-discovery as she learns more about her adoption and who she was and has become in this lifetime.

Told entirely through humorous but, at times, cringe-worthy, self-centered letters, emails, and other forms of correspondence, we learn the story of this unlikable, sometimes awful, privileged, and problematic caricature of an older woman.

Yet, we find ourselves wanting to understand all of her dimensions. You might even find yourself cheering for her – or, like some of our Uncorked Readers, not. Universally, I think many of us know a Sybil.

Why I Love It: The Correspondent would make for an excellent, timeless book club book. For our Uncorked Reading Challenge 2026, I’d count this one towards grandmacore (and not the cozy ascetic kind), friendship, family, and footprints (because letters, to me, leave footprints).

Evans put careful thought into the intricate details of this novel, from a Leap Year in the dates to the comical email subject headings. I love the unique storytelling through letters, especially the notes Sybil sends to authors as an avid reader. She even “befriends” the ancestry database’s customer service rep. It’s a unique, beautifully written story.

✨ Be sure to check the TWs ✨

Say "Thank You" With A Small Tip

If you loved a newsletter, email, book list, review, or social media post, say "thanks" with a small tip via secure Stripe.

This helps offset costs like website hosting, insurance, tech, accounting, and programs I use to keep this website running. It also helps pay for my time and any additional writers.

Click here to say thank you with a tip.

Chat Soon

Phew, that's a lot!

Tom and I just got back from New England after seeing family and my IBD specialist. It was wonderful, but absolutely freezing with loads of snow.

I'm now the very excited owner of a Boston Public Library ecard (and my local MA library).