2026: Books Hitting The Shelves This Year

With new books by Gulzar, Ruskin Bond, Geetanjali Shree and Avni Doshi all releasing this year, our to-be-read pile is already looking good

New books by Liza Minelli, David Sedaris, Maggie O’Farrell and Yann Martel are among the literary highlights of the year ahead

Memoirs by Sylvester Stallone and the founder of Barstool Sports; essays from celebrated novelists Jesmyn Ward and Jayne Anne Phillips; and more.

From big-name authors Colson Whitehead, George Saunders and Maggie O'Farrell to debuts and non-fiction, these are the titles you'll want to add to your reading pile this year.

Did you resolve to read more in 2026? Whether you're on track or need a jump start, here are some books coming out in the next few months to considering adding to your list.

For devoted bookworms, the new year is an exciting time. Specifics on the year’s upcoming books start making the rounds, along with release dates.

…in a spirit of hope and joy, here are the works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that the Lit Hub staff is most excited to pick up in the (first half of the) year ahead. Happy New Year, friends. Fingers crossed for a good one.

Are you ready for a great year of stories?

…a lot of these books are about the yearning to better know ourselves (and others) through archaeological expeditions, language mind-melds, video game creation and playthroughs, heart-spirit poems laced with love and hate, or one person crossing a border and branching into two selves... Get ready to (re)meet pirate queens, magical medical students, the Lady of the Lake, the Little Mermaid, and the Founding Fathers through these insightful, incisive, inquisitive, imaginative works.