Friday Finds – January 30, 2026
Hi friends — welcome to this week’s Friday Finds.
The weekly Friday Finds gathers cozy reads, indie gems, and creative little comforts for the days ahead.
📚 Featured This Week on the Blog
Here’s what’s new on the blog lately — gathered in one easy spot if you missed anything.
|
Cozy reads, indie gems, and simple comforts for a winter weekend. This week’s Friday Finds highlights recent blog posts, an indie author spotlight, organizing and cozy home finds, and a gentle tip to slow things down. |
On January 26, 2018, I hit publish on my first post — a knitting book review — with no plan beyond loving books and wanting a small corner of the internet. Eight years later, I’m reflecting on how this blog has shifted, what’s stayed the same, and why I’m still showing up. |
|
A fast-paced science fiction thriller set in a dark near-future world, Ethos of Cain introduces a relatable mercenary forced to confront the cost of his choices. This review explores the action, themes, and why this series opener works so well. |
A BBNYA 2025 finalist spotlight for The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen — an adult fantasy romance with LGBTQIA2+ themes, dark stakes, and a vengeance-fueled twist. |
🌟 Indie Author of the Week – Friday Finds – January 30, 2026
Elyse Hoffman
Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. She loves to meld WWII and Jewish history with fantasy, folklore, and the paranormal.
📚 Featured Book: The Hangman's Master
The Hangman's Master is a gripping, thought-provoking read that will captivate fans of historical fiction, particularly those drawn to stories of redemption, resilience, and the human spirit’s capacity for good in the face of unimaginable evil.
🔗 Website | Amazon | Goodreads
✨ Indie Author of the Week highlights an author whose work has been featured on the blog and stood out to me or my readers.
🌱 Tip of the Week – Healthy Habit
This week's tip is a gentle one, especially for busy or stressful weeks.
One small habit that helps you feel better: choose something simple and repeatable, rather than trying to overhaul everything at once.
A few easy examples:
- Drinking a little more water than usual
- Stretching once a day, even for just a minute or two
- Taking short screen breaks when you can
- Stepping outside briefly for fresh air
None of these need to be perfect or consistent to be helpful. Sometimes the smallest habits are the ones that quietly make the biggest difference.
This section rotates between healthy tips, recipes, patterns, and crafts, so if this week's tip doesn't quite fit where you are right now, there is always something different coming up in future Friday Finds.
⭐ Gina's Featured Friday Finds – January 30, 2026
To round out the week, here are a few practical and cozy finds that felt especially fitting for a slower weekend at home.
Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!
🧶 Craft / Cozy Workspace Find
Comfortable and versatile, this extra-large lap desk makes it easy to read, craft, or work from the couch or bed without balancing everything on your knees. |
🍵 Food / Kitchen Find
A quick, easy way to make tea, coffee, or hot cocoa without fuss. The preset temperatures make it especially nice for slow mornings or quiet reading breaks. |
🍪 Cozy Find
A simple, cozy treat to enjoy alongside a warm drink. This assorted cookie tin is easy to keep on hand for reading sessions, craft breaks, or slow afternoons at home. |
📚 Bookish Find
A thoughtful setup for hands-free reading. This adjustable stand keeps pages open while giving you a small place to stash glasses, notes, or bookmarks. |
💬 Reader Contest Question of the Week
I’d love to hear from you!
⭐ High-engagement: What kind of reading mood are you in right now — comfort rereads, something challenging, or pure escapism?
🗓️ Contest closes February 1 at noon CST. Winner will be announced next week.
If your entry arrives after the deadline, don't fret, it will be added into next month's contest.
🌿 Closing Notes
Thanks for spending part of your week here with me. Whether you found a new read to add to your list, a small idea to make life feel easier, or just a quiet moment to breathe, I hope something in this Friday Finds helped you ease into the weekend.
Wishing you a cozy, peaceful couple of days ahead. See you next Friday.
Discover more from Gina Rae Mitchell
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
[…] Friday Finds – January 30, 2026 […]
Happy Anniversary! Starting a project like this is incredibly daunting, but sticking with it all these years is a testament to your tenacity ... best of all, we've all gotten to enjoy your hard work! Thanks from a devoted fan ~ Mim
Thanks so much Mim. I appreciate all your help to support my efforts!
Happy blogiversary.
Hi Gina, I'm reading a Cinderella retelling, so pure escapism! 🙂
I love fairytale re-tellings!
Just finished reading Wisdom in Her Wake by Sunny Simon, and LOVED it. It's like reading sixty memoirs with added motivational messages, from super successful women, in one amazing book!
Nice. I’ll give it a look-see.
The book is called The Never Game by Jeffrey Deaver hope you read it
Thanks, I put it on hold at the library.
Your question is so funny because I literally just made myself read some children's books I've been meaning to read because I'm so backed up on reviews! I know how important reviews are for indie authors, so I try my best to leave reviews for books but last year I really fell very far behind. I literally just read a book right before I read your email and blog post!
Life sometimes gets in the way of our best intentions. It’s good you are catching up on them. That will help your peace of mind and benefit the authors.
Contest Question of the week: The reading mood I am in is a combination of comfort rereads, something challenging, pure escapism, something mysterious and suspenseful
Started reading The Never Game by Jeffrey Weaver a Colter Shaw Novel Series
Thanks for stopping by, Crystal. I’ll have to check that book out for my TBR.
I'm trying to get back on track with reading. My reading mood is to gain knowledge and wisdom. I like the Healthy Habit tips.
Thanks, Regina. I’m so happy you like the healthy habits tips. They are now in the regular rotation. Gaining knowledge is always a good reading goal.