In my perfect book world, 2026 would look something like this………..

 

‘Tell a friend to tell friend, she’s back’

Hello, my book puddings! I’m back in 2026, not with the original post I had in mind, but alas, the most spontaneous blogs are often the best. My next post will be about The Housemaid, which isn’t quite ready yet, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Anyways, let’s dive in!

If you read my 2025 wrap-up post, which you can find here, then you’ll know what tore me apart and, somehow, stitched me back together.

The first bookish goal I want to focus on in 2026 is giving a bit more TLC to my Instagram. You may or may not know, when I first started my account, it was meant to be a book-influencing page, but over the years, it turned into more of an analytical space. Instead of chasing likes, I cared more about tracking trends, reader engagement, what the community was saying, and how authors and professionals were responding. If you peek at my account, you’ll see a chaotic mix of flat lays everywhere, because I’ve been testing how to beat the algorithm—and, spoiler, I still don’t have all the answers. I want to start posting again, and even though I keep saying it’s not an influencer account (because, honestly, it’s not), it’s way too easy to post, stare at your phone, and wait for a like or a comment.

So, this year, my goal is simple: just post. Regardless of who likes it, who doesn’t, or what the algorithm thinks. Just post.

The second thing I want to do is attend at least one industry- or book-related event. I’ve always been a little embarrassed to admit this, and yet, here I am: financial limitations are a real problem. Sometimes I want to splurge on a ticket, but then add travel, and I know I could save that money to make running the house easier. One day, I’ll have the luxury, but right now, I’m trying to survive, and I can’t justify spending on a “day for me” when I know I’ll struggle the rest of the week.

So, my plan is to start small: attend something virtual, find cost-effective panels, or better yet, just learn through observation and presence. The key is staying connected with the wider publishing world and continuing to grow my network, whether in person or online.

Next up, obviously, I want to read more, yes, more books, but I also want to branch out into genres I haven’t explored before. I recently read my first psychological thriller, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, and it was amazing.

I love the genre I usually stick to, romance, but I can’t shake the fact that, as someone in publishing, I’m mostly doing myself a disservice by not broadening my reading horizons. I’m missing out on incredible writing, brilliant authors, and so many conversations I could be part of, and that is absolutely unacceptable in my 2026 book.

This brings me to my next point. When you want to have a profession in something you adore, something that’s your escape, it becomes way too easy to use BookTok or Bookstagram for productivity instead of pleasure. I am literally sucking the escapism out of the very thing that’s supposed to comfort me.

So, this year, I’m going to do my best to let books remain a source of comfort and curiosity, not courtesy. Not everything needs to have an output.

I would love to meet some of my favourite adaptation movie actors, like Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, who are starring in The Love Hypothesis adaptation, with Reinhart playing Olive Smith and Bateman cast as Dr. Adam Carlsen.

I also have major cast crushes from The Housemaid movie, starring Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brandon Sklenar, whose performances brought the world of Freida McFadden’s thriller to life on screen.

Of course, first and foremost, I want to meet the authors who actually created the characters and stories I can’t get enough of. If I had to pick just four, they would be Ana Huang, Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, and Elsie Silver, absolute legends on the page and the reason I’m still reading, loving, and obsessing over fiction.

I’m still completely obsessed with Brandon Sklenar after watching The Housemaid, and I have no idea what my next read will be, so I guess we’ll be searching together. What I do know is that my April is shaping up to be exciting, because exactly 21 days after my birthday, King of Gluttony by Ana Huang is coming out.

I am hopeful for my career with every email and LinkedIn notification. I hope you’ll be kinder to yourself this year, and read anything that lets you escape for a while.

Don’t forget to check out my Contact page to catch up on my sister blog and socials.

Until next time,
Vivian