Brea and Mallory discuss their most anticipated books for the start of 2026! Plus, they talk to Danika Ellis from Book Riot about their 2026 Read Harder Challenge! Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!
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2026 Read Harder
The Lesbrary
Danika Ellis
Read Harder Newsletter
Books Mentioned -
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Love in Exile by Shon Faye
Joy to the Girls by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
Really Cute People by Markus Harwood Jones
Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology by Angela Hsieh
January
Call Me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu Guo
Literary fiction, feminist retelling of Moby Dick
The Hitch by Sara Levine
Magical realism, funny, woman trying to help nephew who is possessed by a dead corgi
Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin
Literary fiction, queer, lesbian, librarians fighting book banners
If I Ruled the World by Amy Dubois
Literary fiction, late 1990s, hip hop, magazine industry
Scavengers by Kathleen Boland
Literary fiction, dysfunctional mother-daughter team looking for buried treasure
The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman
Magical realism, books about books, small town, librarian protagonist, book magic
The Jills by Karen Parkman
Thriller, Buffalo Bills cheerleader solving the murder of a fellow cheerleaders
The Unwritten Rules of Magic by Harper Ross
Fantasy, magic typewriter, grief, three generations of women, family history
Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey
Contemporary romance, woman sets up a date on her dead sister’s dating app
The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead
Literary fiction, music executive trying to bring band back from the brink, sisters, friendship
Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash
Literary fiction, humor, family dysfunction
The Old Fire by Elisa Shua
Literary fiction, translated, family drama in a crumbling house in the French countryside
Sheer by Vanessa Lawrence
Literary fiction, beauty industry, female mogul, secrets, queer
How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigley
Literary, historical, 1980s, murder mystery, Indian-American tween protagonist who murders her uncle but she blames it on the British
The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams
Literary, multi-generational epic family saga, secrets
The Last of Earth by Deepa Anappara
Historical, 1800s Tibet, journey, Indian schoolteacher spying for the empire, English lady explorer disguising herself as a man
The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell
Historical fiction, thriller, bookbinder finds confession hidden in a burned book and hunts a story of murder and love
Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart
Historical fiction, 1940s North Carolina, a young woman subjected to involuntary medical treatment fights back
Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven
Historical fiction, behind the scenes drama on a 1960s family sitcom
Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward
Horror, Peter Pan inspired, gothic, two fleeing siblings find sanctuary at mysterious ranch
Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox
Mystery, romcom, woman’s fake detective agency accidentally hired to solve a real murder
Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke
Mystery, romcom, rich people behaving badly
All the Little Houses by May Cobb
Thriller, 1980s Texas, mean girls and mean moms, family secret
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
Thriller, mind-bending psychological marriage mystery
The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
Thriller, Alabama, hurricane, old hotel, gothic, old murder
Missing Sam by Thrity Umrigar
Thriller, queer, lesbian, missing wife, suburban dread
Humboldt Cut by Allison Mick
Horror, eco-horror, northern California, dark humor, bark monsters
Hollow by Celina Myers
Horror, paranormal romance, romantasy, vampires, found family
On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield
Horror, southern gothic, Georgia, ghosts, haints
A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James
Horror, siblings returning to childhood home after being called by dead brother
This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud
Historical horror, 1840s Ireland, haunted house, gothic, suspense
Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief by T. Kingfisher
YA fantasy, novella, humor, band of hapless goblins on a quest
A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa, translated by Slin Jung
Fantasy, Korean, cozy, woman who inherits magical bakery
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
Romantasy, epic fantasy, historical, hot evil prince, poetry magic
Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McQuire
Next Wayward Children book
We Who Have No Gods by Liza Anderson
Romantasy, witches, gothic, dark academia, magic academy, secret societies
Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez
Romantasy, historical, renaissance Italy, competition hosted by secret immortal family
The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman
Queer retelling of Bisclavret the werewolf, historical, 12 century, court intrigue
A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriquez
Romantasy, tarot, magic, dark academia, enemies to lovers, forced proximity
The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee
Romantasy, sapphic, paranormal, vampires, mysterious university
The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotta Yambao
Cozy fantasy, train that takes you to your life’s purpose
Two Left Feet by Kallie Emblidge
Queer romance, MLM, contemporary sports romance, British premier league football
Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel
Contemporary romance, journalist sneaks onto a reality TV dating show
The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz
Paranormal romance, romantic suspense, psychic dangers, warring paranormal families
Greta Gets the Girl by Melissa Marr
Contemporary sapphic romance, forbidden romance, publishing
The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura
Contemporary romance, librarian and archaeologist fake dating, Greek mythology
Last First Kiss by Julian Winters
Queer romance, contemporary, MLM, second chance, rom com
Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann
Nonfiction
The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King, and Princess Diana by Paul Burrell
Nonfiction, memoir
Fly, Wild Swans: My Mother, Myself, and China by Jung Chang
Nonfiction, memoir, three generations of women
The Flower Bearers by Rachel Eliza Griffiths
Nonfiction, memoir, grief, death of a sister, friendship, marriage
Blood Bible: An American History by DaMaris Hill
Nonfiction, history, racism, slave trade history, national identity, personal identity
Winter: The Story of a Season by Val McDermid
Creative nonfiction, history of winter community events, Scotland
When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy by Beronda L. Montgomery
Nonfiction, history of Black botany through seven trees
Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
Literary fiction, drama, age gap romance,
Catch Her if You Can by Tessa Bailey
Romance, contemporary, sports, baseball, marriage of convenience
Vigil by George Saunders
Literary fiction, magical realism, eco-drama, dying oil CEO
Fruit of the Flesh by I.V. Ophelia
Historical fantasy, gothic romance, marriage of convenience, dark appetites
The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune
Queer thriller, MLM, 1990s, gay couple helping little girl with powers
Football by Chuck Klosterman
Nonfiction about football
Cry Havoc by Rebecca Wait
Historical mystery, 1980s failing English boarding school, dark academia, funny, strange contagion among students
Hemlock by Melissa Faliveno
Literary, gothic, queer, woman investigating mother’s disappearence
February
Laws of Love and Logic by Debra Curtis
Literary fiction, love triangle - first love vs devoted husband
One of Us by Elizabeth Day
Literary thriller, drama between old friends and wealth, murder
Everything Lost Returns by Sarah Domet
Literary fiction, historical, twin timelines, 1910s and 1980s, friendship
Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris
Literary fiction, fugitive hides out at rural Alabama flower farm, found family
Bad Asians by Lillian Li
Literary fiction, friend group saga
I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For by Bsrat Mezghebe
Literary fiction, historical, 1990s Washington DC, Ethiopian immigrant community
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
Literary fiction, woman receives books recommended by her dead husband
Royal Spin by Robin Benway and Omid Scobie
Literary fiction, workplace drama inside Buckingham Palace
Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang
Literary fiction, popstar and his superfan collide, fandom, loneliness
Belgrave Road: A Love Story by Manish Chauhan
Literary fiction, two young immigrants in a forbidden romance
This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman
Literary fiction, funny, multi generational family drama, grief
Rebel English Academy by Hanif Mohammed
Literary fiction, Pakistan, political power, language, friendship
The Secret of Snow by Tina Harnesk, translated by Alice Menzies
Literary fiction, elderly couple crosses paths with two twentysomethings and discovers surprising shared history
The Renovation by Kenan Orhan
Literary fiction, woman discovers her bathroom has been remodeled into a prison cell
Messenger Cat Cafe by Nagi Shimeno, translated by M. Jean
Magical realism, cozy, cat in the afterlife who must deliver 5 messages to people on earth before he can see his beloved owner again
A Crown of Stars by Shana Abé
Historical fiction, retelling of the last days of the Lusitania
The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang
Historical fiction, gothic, 1910s Shanghai, crumbling mansion, secrets
Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
Historical fiction, retelling of Cleopatra’s life from her POV
Book of Forbidden Words by Louise Fein
Historical fiction, 1500s Paris, 1950s NYC, book banning, inspired by Voynich manuscript
The Pohaku by Jasmi ‘Iolani Hakes
Historical fiction, generations of women tasked with protecting Hawaiian history
A Slow and Secret Poison by Carmella Lowkis
Historical Gothic thriller, 1900s England, young gardener at lush manor falls for her mysterious boss
Murder Will Out by Jennifer Breedlove
Mystery, gothic, Maine, heartwarming
I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig
Mystery, recently released from prison serial killer moves into retirement home when a murder happens and she has to prove she didn’t do it
Dirty Metal by Allison LaMothe
Historical mystery, 1990s NYC, reporter investigating two huge stories
Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbø, translated by Robert Ferguson
Thriller, Minnesota, true crime, serial killer, secrets
The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte, translated by Frances Riddle
Historical mystery, locked room, 1960s Greek island resort, washed up actor turned detective
Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
Thriller, two friends go on a cave expedition and one gets murdered!!!
Murder Mindfully by Karsten Dusse, translated by Florian Duijsens
Thriller, lawyer finds peace through mindfulness and will do anything to protect it, even murder
Pinky Swear by Danielle Girard
Thriller, an expecting mother whose surrogate disappears days before birth
The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall
Thriller, search and rescue expert looking for missing woman
Paper Cut by Rachel Taff
Thriller, woman infamous for escaping a cult as a teen has secrets that come back to haunt her
Maria the Wanted by V. Castro
Horror, thriller, newly turned vampire in Mexico is on the run
Dead First by Johnny Compton
Horror, private investigator hired by mysterious billionaire to find out why he can’t die
She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva
Horror, gothic thriller, 1800s Bulgaria, fake vampire slayer joins forces with teen to make a monster
The Body by Bethany C Morrow
Horror, woman must survive bizarre attacks on her failing marriage
Dollface by Lindy Ryan
Horror, serial killer, 1990s, Barbie meets Scream
The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui
Horror, gothic, retelling of the fabled summer Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, as told by her Indian housemaid, Mehrunissa “Mehr” Begum
Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity
Fantasy, gothic, young woman who can see the dead strikes a deal with a mysterious and ruthless merchant to save her brother’s life
After the Fall by Edward Ashton
Sci fi, buddy comedy, alien invasion, humans as pets
The Fox Hunt by Caitlin Breeze
Fantasy, boarding school, secret society, girl transforms into magical beast
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
Fantasy, a man must fight for his planet when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it
Sing the Night by Megan Jauregui Eccles
Fantasy, inspired by Phantom of the Opera, musical magician competition
The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key
Sci fi, near future where AI runs the world, medical student unravels family secrets
The Forest on the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride
Sci fi, Future of Another Timeline meets The Bone Clocks, time travel, cli-fi
Nightshade and Oak by Molly O’Neill
Fantasy, Iron Age goddess must grapple with becoming human, historical, magic
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
Fantasy, book about books, magic books that are portals to worlds
The Iron Garden Sutra by A.D. Sui
Sci fi, locked room murder mystery, monk and researchers trapped on a spaceship
The Obake Code by Makana Yamamoto
Sci fi, caper, hacker forced by gangsters to take down crooked politician
The Daughter Who Remains by Nnedi Okorafor
Sci fi, She Who Knows book 3
Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy
Romantasy, magical academy, girl must unravel dark family secrets, make alliances, and get revenge
Agnes Auburt’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Romantasy, gentle fantasy, woman running cat rescue in 1920s Montreal and a grouchy charming magician who helps save her shelter
Half City by Kate Golden
Romantasy, young demon hunter enrolls in Harker Academy for Deviant Defense
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan
Romantasy, a nine-tailed fox and the hunter who captured her are banished to the underworld together
The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonaja Odette
Romantasy, world where making art is illegal, revenge, sexy monster hunter
Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward
Romantasy, fated mated, magic, hot mercenary, only one bed, touch her and die
Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalo
Romantasy, librarian, dangerous book magic, perilous quest
The Ballad of Fallen Dragons by Sarah A. Parker
Moonfall, book 2
Dawn of the North by Demi Winters
Ashen, book 3
The Heir and the Spare by Harper L. Woods
A Of Flesh and Bone novella
Brawler by Lauren Groff
Literary fiction, short stories
Kin by Tayari Jones
Literary fiction, lifelong female friendship in the American South
Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm
Contemporary romance, academic rivals to lovers, two neuroscientists fake dating
Insignificant Others by Sarah Jio
Sci fi romance, woman stuck in time loop of one day relationships with past boyfriends
Skate It Till You Make It by Rufaro Faither Mazarua
Contemporary sports romance, female hockey player, fake dating, rom-com
The Ex-Perimento by Maria J Morillo
Contemporary romance, woman enlists her favorite musician to win her ex back, rom-com, Venezuela
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
Contemporary romance, novella, enemies to loves, world of video games
Get Over It, April Evans by Ashely Herring Blake
Contemporary romance, sapphic, lake town resort
And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison
Contemporary romance, competing meteorologists, opposites attract
In Her Spotlight by Amy Spalding
Contemporary romance, sapphic, second chance, film industry
A Hymn to Life by Gisele Pelicot
Nonfiction, memoir
The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin
Memoir, chronic illness, owls
Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People’s Politician by Dan Chiasson
Nonfiction, biography
Starry and Restless: Three Women Who Changed Work, Writing, and the World by Julia Cooke
Nonfiction, biography of three groundbreaking female journalists
The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg—and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema by Paul Fisher
Biography
Leaving Home: A Memoir in Full Colour by Mark Haddon
Memoir of the author who wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) To Read on TikTok by Oliver James
Memoir about learning how to read as an adult
Nonviolent: A Memoir of Resistance, Agitation, and Love by James Lawson Jr & Emily Yellin
Nonfiction, posthumous memoir of Rev. James Lawson Jr, a principal architect of a nonviolent resistance movement
We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America by Norah O’Donnell
Nonfiction, history
I Told You So!: Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled, and Imprisoned for Being Right by Matt Kaplan
Nonfiction, science, history
A World Appear: A Journey into Consciousness by Michael Pollan
Nonfiction, science
The Price of Mercy: Unfair Trials, a Violent System, and a Public Defender’s Search for Justice in America by Emily Galvin Almanza
Nonfiction
The People Can Fly: American Promise, Black Prodigies, and the Greatest Miracle of All Time by Joshua Bennett
Nonfiction
Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth by Daisy Hernández
Nonfiction
Fear and Fury: Bernie Goetz, the Reagan ’80s, and the Rebirth of White Rage by Heather Ann Thompson
Nonfiction
On Morrison by Namwali Serpell
Nonfiction, dive into work of Toni Morrison
