40 of the best new books in 2026

January

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash

The Flynns are not alright. It's been disastrous since Bud and Catherine opened up their marriage. Their daughters spiral in different directions: Abigail dates a man known as War Crime Wes, Louise secretly corresponds with an online terrorist, and the brilliant youngest, Harper, is sent to wilderness reform camp for insisting the town is under surveillance.

Hovering over the family and their coastal town is Paul Alabaster, a shadowy local billionaire surrounded by rumours of corruption…

With humour and warmth, Lost Lambs offers a sharp, affectionate portrait of the strange pleasures and dangers of family life.

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

Waldo is hungry, impulsive, lonely, and endlessly wanting, especially for her creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy, whose life is weighed down by routine, dead dreams, and obligations. She doesn't know why she wants him, only that he sees her in a way no one else does.

Startlingly perceptive, mordantly funny, and keenly poignant, Half His Age explores a seventeen-year-old's reckless pursuit of being seen, desired, and loved – from the bestselling author of I'm Glad My Mom Died.

Vigil by George Saunders

From the Booker Prize-winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo, Vigil is set during the final hours of an oil company CEO's life as he is ushered from this world to the next. Jill "Doll" Blaine, a veteran guide of the dying, plunges once more to earth to tend to K.J. Boone in his opulent mansion. Boone believes he has nothing to regret. He lived boldly and powerfully, and the world is better for it. Or is it?

Alive with his signature imagination and moral insight, Saunders explores corporate greed and environmental destruction in a darkly comic meditation on legacy, responsibility, and the possibility of absolution.

The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Raya, a lost soul without her own dream, wakes on a magical train that offers purpose, peace, and belonging. To seize this chance, she must find her compartment before time runs out.

Onboard, Raya teams up with the charming artist Q, racing through meadow-carpeted carriages and lilypad-filled dining cars. But a mysterious stowaway brings dark magic that threatens the train, forcing Raya to confront her true purpose and the mysterious link between it and Q. Perfect for fans of Spirited Away and DallerGut Dream Department Store.

February

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

You know my name. But you do not know me. Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love's thrall. Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.

Death will silence me no longer. This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

With insight, drama, and grandeur, Cleopatra offers a bold, immersive portrait of one of history's most famous women, challenging the myths and celebrating her true legacy.

Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise

In the wilds of Donegal, Ireland, 1999, Saoirse is an artist living an outwardly idyllic life, hiding a past too painful to share. Her husband Daithí and their daughters are her anchors, and her work reflects the life she has carefully created.

When a Dublin exhibition unexpectedly wins a major award, publicity threatens to unearth a decade of secrets. On the run since she was seventeen, Saoirse's stolen identity and past crimes loom closer, weaving a story between her troubled childhood in Michigan and her quest for security in Ireland.

And the Corpse Wore Tartan by Stuart MacBride

At Skirivour Castle Hotel in the Highlands, the wedding of the year turns deadly when the father-of-the-bride is found impaled on a stag's head. Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel, horribly hungover and uninvited, must solve the murder with only a weary sergeant and a bumbling constable for backup.

Cut off by a thunderstorm and with every guest a suspect, DS Steel will need all her cunning, wit, and stubborn determination to uncover the killer before they strike again. And the Corpse Wore Tartan delivers a sharp, hilarious, and thrilling mystery where chaos and crime collide.

March

Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, 1978, and a spark ignites that will shape their lives. Erica is a student enjoying her first summer abroad, while Laure, a Ph.D. student at the Sorbonne, is reckless, complicated, and irresistible. Their brief encounter grows into a love that spans decades.

Through marriage, children, secret affairs, and the shifting tides of personal and political change, their bond endures. Almost Life is a poignant, tender story of longing, the choices that define us, and the almost lives we live.

Sisters in Yellow written by Mieko Kawakami and translated by Laurel Taylor and Hitomi Yoshio

Hana is fifteen, living in a tiny Tokyo apartment with her young mother, with nothing but hope. Then Kimiko arrives, a bright light in her dark world, and together they open Lemon, a shabby bar that becomes Hana's sanctuary. For the first time, she has friends, purpose, and a taste of independence.

But nothing in Sangenjaya is as it seems. Twenty years later, Kimiko is on trial, and Hana must confront the choices she made and their devastating consequences. From the bestselling author of Heaven and Breasts and Eggs comes a moving story of friendship, betrayal, and the fragility of teenage dreams.

It's Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

He has a secret. She knows he's lying.

Nadeeka is sure Jamie is having an affair. She's seen the signs before, and when he claims to be working late, she knows he's hiding something. Determined to catch him, she returns home, but the house is no longer what she expects. Jamie is dead, and nothing is as it seems. It's Not What You Think is a taut, twisty thriller about trust, betrayal, and the shocking turns a single night can take.

Most Wanted by Andi Osho

All Naya and Jake want is their own home. An island in the kitchen. A wine cooler, maybe… Nothing fancy really.

With artisanal coffee shops and microbreweries popping up on every corner, prices are skyrocketing. One thing becomes clear: unless they want to share their home with black mould, Naya and Jake need to find a way to make the market crash. And fast. But how far are they willing to go?

Hooked written by Asako Yuzuki and translated by Polly Barton

Eriko's life seems perfect – devoted parents, a spotless apartment, and a high-powered job. But beneath the surface, she is lonely, restless, and captivated by a popular blog written by Shoko, a housewife whose messy home and love of convenience store meals stand in sharp contrast to Eriko's orderly world.

When Eriko befriends Shoko, her fascination deepens into obsession. As her possessive behaviour intensifies, her carefully controlled life begins to unravel. Hooked by Asako Yuzuki, the award-winning author of the global bestseller Butter, is a thrilling and unsettling exploration of friendship, obsession, and the pleasures and perils of food, loneliness, and womanhood in contemporary Japan.

April

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and has the social media accounts to prove it. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes?

Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn't her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

'Secrets don't stay secret for long in publishing.'

World-famous author Arthur Fletch is dead and his final novel, the most anticipated book in history, remains unfinished. Six midlist authors are invited to Fletch's private island in Scotland with seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives and careers. Whoever produces a worthy conclusion will receive one million dollars and another million for a three-book contract.

Locked away with only a typewriter, a blank page and each other, these writers soon find that starting is often the hardest part and getting to the end could be murder. The Ending Writes Itself blends ambition, rivalry and deadly stakes in a race to finish the unfinishable.

People Pleaser by Bryony Gordon

Olivia Greenwood has been trying very hard to please people for a very long time.

But today is going to change Olivia in a big way. A soul-crushing career disappointment, a fiery young woman with a chip on her shoulder and a cigarette in her hand, and one single blue hallucinogenic gummy all lead to a raucous night out and one hell of a hangover. And when Olivia wakes up the next morning, it seems she's unable to please anyone but HERSELF.

So who actually is Olivia Greenwood, when she's not trying to be what everyone else wants her to be?

May

Uprising by Tahmima Anam

On a desolate, sinking island, children watch their mothers endure lives of cruelty and servitude under Amma, a sadistic madam who was once a slave herself. While the women have learned to accept their fates, their children spin tales of escape, imagining a life beyond the island.

When Kusum Khan, a young, educated woman, is brought to the island, she refuses to submit. Her defiance sparks a collective awakening, and together the women rise up, challenging Amma and the world she enforces. Uprising by is a gripping, powerful story of resistance, female strength, and revolution.

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig

No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there.

For Wilbur his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice. Before he gave it all away.

He wishes he could go back and live differently. But to do so risks everything.

A magical, time-travelling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library.

June

John of John by Douglas Stuart

From Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo, comes a stunning new novel.

Set in the Isle of Harris, John of John is a tender and devastating story of love and religion, of a father and son, art and landscape, and the corrosive effects of living a secret life. It confirms Douglas Stuart as one of Britain's greatest contemporary novelists.

Land by Maggie O'Farrell

On a windswept Atlantic peninsula in 1865, Tomás and his son Liam work for the Ordnance Survey, tasked with mapping a country still scarred by the Great Hunger. Tomás is determined that his maps will record the disaster, but an unsettling encounter sends him off course, changing their lives forever.

From the bestselling author of Hamnet, Land explores separation and reunion, colonisation and rebellion, buried treasure, persistent ghosts, and the ways history and landscape linger. Rich, spellbinding, and deeply human, it is a story of survival for our times and for all time.

The Typing Lady by Ruth Ozeki

A college student falls for her professor and learns to transmute longing into language. A husband watches the ghost of his wife's ambition roam the woods. A long-dead Beat poet hijacks a young assistant's mind, railing against modern literature. A grandmother creates a fake dating profile to spy on her granddaughter, setting a deception in motion she cannot control.

Threaded with typewriters, letters, manuscripts, and disappearing ink, The Typing Lady by Women's Prize for Fiction winner Ruth Ozeki celebrates the power of language to record our lives – and, over time, to record us.

January

A Year of Nothing by Emma Gannon

A Year of Nothing charts Emma Gannon's response to chronic burnout as she steps away from relentless productivity. Across four seasons, she embraces rest, simplicity, and small joys – dog borrowing, swimming, creative play – offering a gentle, hopeful meditation on choosing feeling over fixing and redefining a meaningful life.

This is Vital Information: Everything You’re Too Embarrassed to Ask Your Doctor (But Really Should) by Karan Ranjan

NHS surgeon and one of the internet's biggest health and science creators, Dr Karan Rajan busts medical myths around everything from gut health to hair loss and ADHD, encouraging open conversations about our bodies while empowering readers to spot what's normal, what's not, and when to seek help. This Is Vital Information tackles the body's most awkward questions with clarity, humour… and science.

February

Being Old… and learning to love it! by Prue Leith

Part memoir, part reflection, Being Old… and learning to love it! is Prue Leith's candid, witty, and uplifting take on growing older. Here, she explores the joys and challenges of ageing – from beauty and friendship to grief and assisted dying – with honesty, humour, and wisdom, inspiring readers to embrace life's later years with confidence and cheer.

Cardiff Mum's 5 Meals For £25 by Ashleigh Mogford and Cardiff Mum

Find out how to feed your family five tasty meals a week for just £25! Ashleigh Mogford (a.k.a. Cardiff Mum) shares 16 weekly menus – from Greek koftas to butter chicken naan burgers – packed with practical tips and flavour-packed recipes that make cooking affordable, easy, and enjoyable for the whole family.

Dhal: Comforting Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes Made with Lentils, Peas and Beans by Nitisha Patel

Award-winning chef and food consultant Nitisha Patel celebrates the rich versatility of dhal through over 55 comforting vegan and vegetarian recipes in this updated edition of her bestselling The Delicious Book of Dhal.

Exploring lentils in all their forms – from soothing soups to stir-fries, snacks, and even desserts – Patel shares nourishing, flavour-packed dishes that highlight dhal’s global appeal and plant-based goodness.

Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped the World Have Fun by Keza MacDonald

The Guardian's video games editor Keza MacDonald explores the history, creativity, and cultural impact of Nintendo. Through iconic games, quirky hardware, and rare interviews, she traces the company's journey from 1889 playing cards to global phenomenon, revealing how joy, play, and imagination connect deeply to what it means to be human.

March

Lifeboat at the End of the World: A Volunteer's Story by Dominic Gregory

Lifeboat at the End of the World offers a powerful, intimate portrait of volunteering on the Dungeness lifeboat. Dominic Gregory captures the people, place, and peril at the heart of sea rescue – from everyday heroism to harrowing missions – revealing the courage, compassion, and quiet resolve behind the RNLI's lifesaving work.

Likeable: How I Broke Free From The Need to Please by Fearne Cotton

Fearne Cotton offers a raw, empowering exploration of people-pleasing and the cost of chasing approval. Drawing on her own experiences, she examines why we dim ourselves to fit in – and how to break free. Honest and encouraging, Likeable invites readers to stop pleasing others and start choosing happiness and self-worth.

April

Famesick: A Memoir by Lena Dunham 

Writer, director, actor and producer Lena Dunham offers a raw, searching account of fame, illness, addiction, and creativity in her eagerly awaited memoir. With sharp humour and unflinching honesty, she reflects on the cost of success, the distortions of the spotlight, and the hard work of getting sober, reclaiming autonomy, and rebuilding a life she can live with – wiser, quieter, and more grounded.

Rogues, Widows and Orphans: When Words Go Wrong and Other Bookish Misadventures by Rebecca Lee

Rebecca Lee, an expert Penguin editor, lifts the lid on the messy, scandalous side of publishing – where typos wreak havoc, rivalries rage, and bad judgement abounds. From forgeries and censorship to feuds and frauds, this witty, eye-opening tour of literary mishaps reveals how books go wrong – and why they still endure.

Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old by Mary Beard

Britain's best-known classicist makes a joyful, accessible case for why the ancient world still matters. Drawing surprising links between Greece and Rome and modern life – from politics to pop culture – she shows how classics belong to everyone, offering fresh ways to understand both the past and ourselves through stories, wit, and irresistible curiosity.

Up: A scientist's guide to the magic above us by Dr Lucy Rogers

Dr Lucy Rogers invites readers to look up and rediscover the wonder of the sky. Blending science, travel, and storytelling, she explores clouds, flight, storms, eclipses, and stars – from bat-filled jungles to Tornado Alley – revealing the beauty, curiosity, and awe that shape the world above us.

How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside: An Alternative Guide to Writing and Enjoying Poetry  by Brian Bilston  

Known for his short and often witty poems which have been spread widely on social media, Brian Bilston uses this new book to demystify poetry with warmth, humour, and infectious enthusiasm.

Blending practical guidance, literary history, and over a hundred new poems, he shows how poems work, where inspiration comes from, and why poetry matters. Playful yet generous, this is an inviting celebration of words – and an encouragement for everyone to start writing.

May

Thirst: The Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life by John Robins

Critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion, and award-winning broadcaster John Robins examines his life through alcohol – from childhood experiments to addiction, sobriety, and recovery. With raw honesty and dark humour, he explores why we drink, how habits form, and what it means to stop. Candid, funny, and searching, this is a thoughtful look at addiction, identity, and learning to live more clearly.

Ghost Stories: A Memoir by Siri Hustvedt

International bestseller Siri Hustvedt shares a tender, deeply personal account the illness of her late husband, fellow author Paul Auster, blending emails, letters, and memories. With lyrical prose, she reflects on love, loss, and resilience, offering an intimate portrait of life, care, and grief, and the emotional landscape left in the wake of a partner's final chapter.

'Til Death Do We Parent: Raising My Kid with His Dad by Jess Hilarious

Stand-up comedian Jess Hilarious shares a candid, witty account of navigating co-parenting after young love and unexpected motherhood. Blending humour with hard-earned insight, she reflects on putting children first, redefining family, and managing adult relationships, offering an honest and uplifting guide to raising kids while keeping perspective, laughter, and sanity intact.

The Wind Beneath the Stone: My Quest to Unearth a Piece of Ireland's Folklore by David Keohan

World kettlebell lifting champion David Keohan embarks on a heartwarming quest across Ireland to revive the lost tradition of stone lifting. Tracking hidden historic stones and meeting those who remember their stories, he discovers a deeper purpose: reconnecting communities, celebrating heritage, and inspiring hope through strength, tradition, and the shared joy of reclaiming the past.

June

Receipts From the Bookshop: A Bookseller's Year by Katie Clapham

Katie Clapham shares a tender, witty year in the life of running a seaside bookshop, Storytellers Inc, with her mother. From tiny triumphs and quirky customers to seasonal rhythms and bookish joys, she celebrates community, family, and the simple pleasures of life, offering a charming love letter to small towns, small shops, and everyday magic.

The Queer Bookshelf: A Reader's Guide by Layla McCay

The Queer Bookshelf is a lively, illuminating guide to LGBTQ+ literature from ancient times to today. Packed with recommendations, insights, and author reflections, it celebrates the rich history and vibrant present of queer writing, offering readers a joyful roadmap through classics, genre fiction, and contemporary works that have shaped and continue to shape queer storytelling.

Tonight the Music Seems So Loud: The Meaning of George Michael by Sathnam Sanghera

Sathnam Sanghera, author of the bestselling Empireland, offers a vivid, kaleidoscopic portrait of George Michael, exploring his music, fame, and life. Through themes of creativity, immigration, homophobia, addiction, and the media, the book celebrates the enduring impact of an extraordinary artist while reflecting on the cultural and personal forces that shaped him and his legacy.