These Are the Upcoming Books You Need to Read in 2026

Finding time to read seems to be an ever-growing challenge in the modern world. Ironically, we seem to spend more time reading than ever on various screens. (You’re reading this article right now, in fact!) Yet fewer of us are reading whole novels. Yet there are still new stories being told and books being published. So for those who still enjoy the written word, here are some of the most anticipated upcoming books of 2026.

What are the most anticipated upcoming books of 2026?

Typically, these lists highlight five items. But it is often difficult to narrow a category down to only five. This is particularly true in the field of new novels. There are hundreds of great books scheduled for release in 2026 and picking the most exciting was not easy.

These are some of the titles that didn’t make the cut for the final breakdown. Five Weeks in the Country by Francine Prose. Prestige Drama by Séamas O’Reilly. Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker. Canon by Paige Lewis. The Land and its People by David Sedaris. All of these titles seem interesting, but not quite ready to be called one of most anticipated upcoming books of 2026.

The Things We Never Say – Elizabeth Strout (May 5)

By most accounts, Artie Dam has a good life. During the week, he teaches history to high school students and offers a supportive mentor to those who need it. On the weekends, he goes to parties with his wife and sailing on the bay. However, despite his seemingly idyllic existence, Artie feels entirely alone. As if there were some great secret his life was hiding.

Then one day, Artie learns his feelings are accurate. There is a great secret that was hidden from him. And now that he knows it, it threatens to throw his entire life into utter chaos. This leads him to reconsider his closest relationships and how we often barely know ourselves and those closest to us.

A Pulitzer Prize–winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author, Elizabeth Strout is rightly recognized as a great modern author. Best known for her Lucy Barton series, Strout is exploring new territory with The Things We Never Say. However, it contains the same well-crafted prose and insightful characterization that defines her style.

The Midnight Train – Matt Haig (May 26)

The happiest days of Wilbur’s life were those he spent with Maggie, the love of his life. But those days are long passed. So is Wilbur, who died and found himself on the mysterious Midnight Train.

Now, his entirely life is flashing before his eyes, stop by stop. But is there a chance he can do more than live his life over as it comes to a close? Or does he risk losing everything by taking the chance to fix the big mistake that cost him the life he wanted?

Matt Haig is known for his well-plotted “what if?” fiction. He earned a place on the New York Times Best Sellers List and multiple Best Books of the Year lists with his 2020 novel The Midnight Library. The long-awaited sequel, The Midnight Train, moves forward into new territory, further exploreing what Haig has dubbed The Midnight World.

Land – Maggie O’Farrell (June 2)

It is 1865 and Ireland is still recovering from The Great Hunger. It is here, on a craggy peninsula, that Tomás and his 10-year-old son, Liam, are surveying the land. Their goal is to help complete a new map of Ireland to chart the damage caused by the famine.

However, the usually stoic Tomás is left in a right state after an unsettling encounter. This leaves Liam fearful of what could have shaken his father. And yet, it is up to him to finish the job before the British soldiers in charge of the survey arrive expecting a finished map.

Maggie O’Farrell found fame recently for her book, Hamnet, which inspired the acclaimed movie. Before that, however, she won multiple awards for her fiction over the past two decades. With a story involving buried treasure, persistent ghosts, and a loyal dog, Land seems destined for similar success.

Cool Machine – Colson Whitehead (July 21)

It’s 1981 and New York City is starting to recover from the stagnation of the Seventies. In Harlem, successful furniture salesman and former fence Ray Carney is living well and finally free of his criminal past. However, when his beloved wife, Elizabeth is rejected by the bank in her efforts to get a business loan to establish a travel agency, he considers one final heist.

This brings Ray back into contact with Pepper; his former partner in crime. It also leads to him to try and find a way to save his cousin Freddie’s son, who has fallen in with a bad crowd. But can Ray keep the safety and security he’s spent a lifetime building?

Colson Whitehead requires little introduction as a New York Times bestselling author and two-time Pulitzer winner. His latest novel, Cool Machine, will be the third and final novel in his popular Harlem Trilogy. Given the previous novels, which examined New York City during the 60’s and 70s, the finale can be expected to be a pitch-perfect look at a melting pot about to boil over.

Freyja – Margrét Ann Thors (August 4)

A single mother and baker by trade, Unnur is a woman with many secrets. She works in Reykjavík under an assumed name, trying not to think about the past. Either her failed marriage or the childhood she can barely recall beyond the mysterious disappearance of her friend, Freyja.

Both unpleasant aspects come back in full force, as Unnur’s ex-husband returns to Iceland. With him is a new girlfriend, who seems to know more about Unnur and her past than Unnur herself does. Then comes the unsettling revelation that Unnur might be responsible for the death of her childhood friend.

The debut novel of essayist Margrét Ann Thors, Freyja has a lot of buzz behind it. Eowyn Ivey, New York Times bestselling author of The Snow Child, describes it as “An eerie novel that will keep you up late into the night.” Similarly, The Lost House author Melissa Larsen praised Freyja’s “haunting, razor-sharp prose.” With Nordic horror being something of a hot genre in 2026, Freyja promises to be one of the year’s most memorable offerings.

How we picked the most anticipated upcoming books of 2026

Picking the most anticipated upcoming books of 2026 was not as easy as finding five books that had not been released yet. Focus was given to authors with a proven reputation for quality work. However, attention was also paid to any accolades and honors the writer might have earned over the course of their career. Whether the book in question was part of a popular series or a sequel to an earlier hit also played a factor.

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