With the start of the new year, everyone always says “new year, new me”. Reality is, we as humans can’t change overnight. But you know what can change overnight? Our TBR or To Be Read piles. So, in the spirit of the new year, I’m going to give you 26 books that I want to read this year.
- Remarkably Bright Creatures
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is a story about a grieving widow and a young man looking for a family who form an unusual alliance with a giant octopus at the aquarium where the widow works. Together they solve the mystery of her sons disappearance.
I was recommended this book by my mom, who read it in 2025. But I’ve been wanting to read it for a while. To go along with the book, there will be a movie coming out on Netflix on May 8th.
- People We Meet on Vacation
Keeping to the theme of movies, I’m putting The People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry on this list. The book follows Alex and Poppy through their college and adult lives, going on summer vacations and falling in love. The movie came out on January 9th, and you probably don’t want to hear my opinions on it since I always prefer the book.
To give a spoiler, this was my first read of 2026, and it was a decent 4-star book.
- Wuthering Heights
Again, another highly anticipated book adaptation is coming to our screens. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is a destructive love story following Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw as they entwine the Earnshaws and the Lintons over 2 generations.
I do have to say this is my current read, and I can be rough at times, but deeply rewarding. You probably won’t want my opinion on the movie because of the trailer and photos that have come out. I’m saying it will be a dumpster fire.
- Chaotic
Chaotic is the 6th book in the L.O.R.D.S series by Shantel Tessier. And boy, I have to say this series is addictive. Even though each book is 600+ pages, I fly right through them like a maniac. I doubt Chaotic will be any different. It is going to follow Kashton and his chosen, and from what we know right now is unnamed. The book was released on January 9th.
5-7) The Ruminous Love Trilogy
I read Butcher and Blackbird back in the summer of 2024, and I enjoyed the book with its dark humor and thrilling love story. So I don’t know why I never picked up the rest of the series. So I want to pick up the series again, including re-reading Butcher and Blackbird, so I can remember the plot line. As well, they are working on adapting Butcher and Blackbird right now.
8-15) Throne of Glass Series
The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas is one of booktok’s favorite book series ever, and every person I’ve talked to about this series has had nothing but good things to say about it. I’ve read all of Maas’s other works, but this one for some reason. Maybe it’s because of its daunting length. But it’s time to overcome that fear and finally dive into Throne of Glass. Mass has also been teasing the next book in the ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) series, and I promised myself that once she announces that book, then I will read Throne of Glass.
16) Quicksilver
Quicksilver by Callie Hart became ultra popular on BookTok last summer, and this is a book where you either love it or hate it. It’s one of those classic romantasy (romance and fantasy) books where a human falls into the world of the fae and falls in love with the broody king or warrior. Quicksilver is the first in a series.
Honestly, I have no idea why I want to read this book; I just do.
17) The Knight and The Moth
I read The Shepard King Duology by Rachel Gillig at the end of 2025 and loved the themes. When I say I devoured that series, I did. I stayed up till 2 am on the night of one of my finals to finish it. Gillig is known for her out-of-the-box fantasy books that don’t follow those “booktok” standards. I doubt this book will be any different. It is also the first book in a series that I will once again devour.
18) Game On
Game On by Navessa Allen is the 3rd book in the Into Darkness series. I loved books 1 and 2. I don’t often preorder books anymore, but I have this one preordered because of how excited I am. It’s going to follow Tyler and Stella in an enemies-to-lovers story. I love a good enemies-to-lovers story, and Navessa Allen does it perfectly.
19) Shield of Sparrows
Shield of Sparrows took the reading community by storm last summer. For some reason, I didn’t read it last year like everyone else. But with book 2 on the horizon, this is a must-read. This slow-burning series features a princess forced into a political marriage with a monster hunter, set in a world with gods, monsters, and political intrigue.
20) Deep End
Ali Hazelwood’s books never miss. They are quick and easy to fly through. The perfect book for a light and easy read in between some of the longer fantasy series on my list. Who can’t resist a woman in STEM smut book?
21) Twelve Mile Limit
Twelve Mile Limit is book 2 in the Noir brothers series. I ARC read (advance reader copy) this book over the summer, and even though it wasn’t my favorite read, it was enjoyable. I did think I would enjoy another book in the series better, so that’s why I’m putting this on my list.
22) The Sirens
I bought The Sirens because I liked the sprayed edges, and I still haven’t gotten to read it yet. But it seems interesting from the cover and its sprayed edges. It’s also a book club read from Good Morning America. As well, it’s part of the Goodreads bookmark challenges this year.
23) In Her Own League
Liz Tomforde gained a huge popularity from her Windy City series. This book isn’t in that series, but it follows Monty and Reese, who were introduced in the Windy City Series. The Windy City series is extremely memorable for me because it’s set in Chicago, my hometown, and I want to see how Monty and Reese’s relationship pans out.
24) Dracula
Recently, I’ve been wanting to read more classics that I probably won’t read in school. I received Dracula as a Christmas present, and there is no better time to read it then like the present.
25) Silver Elite
Silver Elite also blew up last summer, and it’s also been accused of AI writing. I want to read it to see if it really is AI or not. It is described as a dystopian novel and is currently in a dystopian drought. No good dystopian books have been released since the 2010’s.
26) Tourist Season
As I mentioned earlier, Brynne Weaver writes thrilling dark humor stories. Tourist Season will be the same, especially since it’s set in New Orleans. It’s bound to have dark, humorous mysteries. Book 2 is also coming out in 2026, so why not start reading it now?
Is 26 books a lot to read in a year? Yes. Is this list a lot? Also yes. This list isn’t a definitive list of what I will read in 2026. But it is what I’ve been looking at for the past year or longer.
My goal this year is to read 35 books, which I find to be a reasonable goal, seeing as in 2025, I read 61. These are just books I hope will appear on my end-of-year reading wrap-up.