Hello and welcome to my list of the 26 new book releases I’m excited for in 2026! This is going to be a loooong list – they keep getting longer every year (yes, I know that is the nature of time. I think by 2030, I’m going to have to stop with the symmetry, even though it hurts). So without further ado, settle in, have a cuppa and pull up your Goodreads – other book services are available, of course! Because I can guarantee you’re going to want to add some of these to your 2026 TBR.

• Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez

Synopsis: A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a New York Times bestselling author.

‘In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent – a dangerous act in a city where the magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition. There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family’s enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended. Meanwhile, Ravenna’s forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign. As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.’

Release date: January 13th

• The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

Synopsis: Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of the Poet Empress, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night, the Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun.

‘In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful. Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and her village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves. Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House. But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of a civil war with Wei trapped in its centre… at the side of a violent prince. To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read – and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death… and love.’

Release date: January 20th

• Half a Dark Heart by H.F. Askwith

Synopsis: A stunning gothic-horror romantasy, Half a Dark Heart is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Cassandra Clare and Sarah Waters.

The Horrors gain strength when things in our world are broken. A bone. A promise. A heart. Ever since she first encountered ‘The Horrors’, Alice has hidden herself safely behind the walls of her family’s Whitby guest house. Only her beloved sister Lucille knows that Alice can see things – gruesome, terrible things – in the darkest corners of our world. Shadow-monsters which will do anything to satisfy their violent cravings – and seemingly nothing can stop them. Of course, no one would believe them if they tied them – and so the girls stay silent. That is, until Lucille goes missing, and the boy she was in love with turns up dead. All of which coincides with the arrival of Austin – a dashing young actor from London, who claims a demon has stolen his voice, and only Alice can help him. Faced with a world and powers she never even knew existed, Alice must race against time to save her sister, herself and perhaps the only other person who’s ever cared about her. As well as send a demon or two back to where they came from…’

Release date: January 29th

• The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty

Synopsis: Outlander meets The Princess Bride plus Camelot in a fresh, big-hearted, feminist, timeslip adventure reimagine the epic saga of King Arthur, as told from the perspective of his spunky and surprising queen, Vera – complete with time travel and good running shoes.

‘Vera always knew she didn’t fit in. When she learns that she is meant to be in another time, she leaps at the chance to embrace a new life in a world of valour, intrigue and unexpected magic in this bold and romantic retelling of Arthurian legend… 22-year-old Vera is a crossroad: waiting tables, grieving her previous relationship, and jogging aimlessly each morning as if towards an uncertain future. Then an odd man shows up at her workplace, insisting that she was once the legendary Queen Guinevere of Camelot, and that her lost memories hold the key to changing both the past and the present. Somehow, it feels like the direction she’s been looking for. But when she asks the mysterious man to tell her more about Lancelot, Arthur and a faithless queen, he can only say that much of what she’s heard about Camelot is wrong. The truth, he claims, is something she must see for herself. After jumping through a portal in Glastonbury’s historic centre, Vera is not prepared for what she finds. Magic is everywhere, but a curse on the kingdom means it dwindles every day. She has no idea how to perform a queen’s duties. Her fast friendship with Lancelot sets gossip flowing, and the stranger she must call ‘husband’ often refuses to meet her eye. Arthur is a puzzle; cold, forbidding, and while, angry to her face, keeps leaving secret tokens of tenderness in her chambers. Worst of all, Vera’s memories – and the answers locked within them – shows no signs of returning. If Vera is truly destined to save Camelot, she’ll have to trust her instincts. And her king will have to trust her…’

Release date: January 29th

• Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

Synopsis: A desperate girl at a cutthroat magical academy faces a choice between life and death; become an assassin for the enchanted elite, or watch her decaying body draw its last breath.Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it’s rotting her from the inside out.

‘In the nation of Caimor, the wealthy buy and trade bodies like clothes. But Ana can only afford a grey, damaged male form, and by her seventeenth birthday, it’s already falling apart. As her extraordinary magical ability grows, but her body continues to fail her, she is left with only one choice: become an assassin for the Paragon Academy, Caimor’s prestigious school of magic. But rebellion brews in Caimor, and at its helm is Khaoivhe, the most infamous dark mage in history. As Ana steals, fights and kills for Paragon, and forms a tentative alliance – and maybe more – with the elusive Wes, she discovers secrets that transform her concept of hero and villain… while striving, above all, to become her truest self. And that might just be the most powerful thing of all.’

Release date: February 3rd

• Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

Synopsis: Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic, from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife.

‘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. Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children. How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, and divinely blessed to rule. Death will silence me no longer. This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.’

Release date: February 24th

• Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity

Synopsis: In this debut gothic fantasy, the first book of an enthralling fantasy romance trilogy, a young woman who can see the dead strikes a deal with a magnetic and dangerous purveyor of dark secrets to save her brother’s life.

‘Three years ago, Leena Al-Sayer awoke with a terrible power. She can see the dead. Since then, she had hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse, she will be locked away in an asylum. When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible dilemma; let him die, or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has – her secret. The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumours of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw – or lose her freedom to the Saint forever. As Leena’s search rakes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things – hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery. As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed – and some secrets are better left buried with them.’

Release date: February 24th

• Sight Unseen by Alexis Marie

Synopsis: From viral online writing sensation Alexis Marie comes a lush contemporary fantasy debut that blends a slow-burn romance with mystery and magical intrigue when the lives of a fatally cursed woman and a single father with a complicated past collide, just as their quaint town becomes a power-hungry serial killer’s hunting ground.

‘Veda Thorne is living on borrowed time. After exhausting every magical cure for the fatal curse trapped inside her, she’s accepted her fate. But Veda’s self-imposed isolation begins to crack when she’s asked to tutor Antaris, a child whose pain calls to her own. Hiram Ellis left his wealthy, prejudiced family years ago. Now unexpectedly thrust into single fatherhood, he returns to his hometown, determined to build a life far from the cold privilege that stifled his own childhood. The last thing he expects is to be drawn to the fiercely protective, sharp-tongued woman helping his son. When a trail of enchanted spider lilies leads Hirem and Veda to discover their deadly tie to a prolific serial killer, they’re forced to set aside their differences to unearth long-buried secrets. But the truth is as deadly as Veda’s curse and both come at a devastating cost. As victims mount and motives emerge, their greatest challenge is choosing to trust and love each other.’

Release date: March 1st

• The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White

Synopsis: An obsession with a beautiful serial killer entangles a vampire hunter’s daughter in an immortal sapphic romance in this enthralling gothic fantasy from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lucy Undying.

‘Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing—doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to studying vampires—up until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that plague Anneke every night. Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest in forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch her mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn’t the only inexplicably dead body. There’s a trail of victims across Europe and Anneke is certain they’re all connected. But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps some crucial evidence to infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to Anneke, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola. Devil. The obsession is mutual, and all the more dangerous for it. The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn’t a madman, after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer . . . and much harder to destroy. Because as Anneke unearths more of Diavola’s tragic past, she suspects there’s still a heart somewhere in that undead body. A heart that beats for Anneke alone.’

Release date: March 10th

• Innamorata by Ava Reid

Synopsis: A visionary and atmospheric gothic fantasy about necromancy, vengeance, and soul-consuming love, the first in a duology from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Lady Macbeth.

‘Once there was an island where the dead walked the earth, and seven noble houses ruled by the arcane secrets of necromancy. A conqueror’s blade brought them low, burning their libraries, killing their lords, and extinguishing their eldritch magic. But defiant against the new order stands the House of Teeth and its last living members: beautiful Marozia, the heiress to the House, and her cousin, the uncanny Lady Agnes. Though she has not spoken a word in seven years, Agnes is the true carrier of the House’s legacy. And she has her orders. She must recapture the secrets of death magic and avenge her family’s fallen honor. She must arrange the betrothal of her beloved cousin Marozia to Liuprand, heir to the conqueror’s throne, for access to the forbidden library in his grotesquely grand castle. Revenge burns in Agnes’s heart but so do stranger passions—and it is Liuprand, the golden prince, who speaks to her soul. This passion is as treasonous as it is powerful, poisoning the kingdom’s roots and threatening to tear the already shattered realm in two. For Agnes’s final order is the gravest: She must not fall in love.

Release date: March 17th

• The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

Synopsis: A propulsive debut mystery from Evelyn Clarke, the brilliant and diabolical creation of Cat Clarke and V.E. Schwab. Six authors. One private island. Seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives.

‘Arthur Fletch, one of the world’s bestselling novelists, is a reclusive genius known for his iconic protagonists and fiendish twists. When six struggling authors are invited to spend a weekend on his private Scottish island, they arrive to discover a shocking secret: Arthur Fletch is dead . . . and his last book is unfinished. Desperate to publish the novel, Fletch’s agent and editor have summoned these writers in the hope that one of them will imagine a worthy ending for this final book. To sweeten the deal, they are offering an irresistible prize: in addition to ghost-writing the last chapter––for a mind-boggling sum––they will also help the lucky writer successfully re-launch their own career, guaranteeing future bestsellers. The catch: the writers have just seventy-two hours to finish Fletch’s magnum opus. Starting is often the hardest part. But getting to the end could be murder.’

Release date: April 7th

• Deathbringer by Sonia Tagliareni

Synopsis: For fans of Naomi Novik and Kerri Maniscalco, a dark academia romantasy steeped in necromancy, forbidden love, and a twisty murder mystery set within the perilous halls of a magical institute, as a death mage who hates her magic and a poison mage who hates her are forced to work together to stop a killer before one of them is next.

‘Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola hates her magic. It killed her sister, Olivia, and if she doesn’t learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days. There, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three magical snakes. Immortal, tormented, and reckless, Sylas is tethered to a life he never asked for and haunted by guilt for his father’s death. His hatred for death mages runs deep, and he’s determined to keep Viola at a distance. But when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyalties—and his common sense. As more students start turning up dead, Viola and Sylas are drawn into an uneasy alliance that pulls them deeper into Gorhail’s treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead do not rest. And as enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they can’t uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next.’

Release date: May 12th

• Tell Your Friends by Lauren Wilson

Synopsis: A thrilling and intoxicating tale of envy, revenge and the price of perfection, from the acclaimed author of The Goldens. It should have been her…

‘Reluctant online sensation Crystal Shaw sees university as her chance to escape the clutches of her controlling vlogger family. While outwardly agreeing to her mother’s demands to create a spin-off channel about her university experience, Crystal is secretly looking for someone who can help her expose some damning evidence about her parents – which she hopes will destroy their social media empire, giving her and her younger siblings freedom.​ Crystal opens up to Alyssa, a fellow journalism student, and the two begin to form a friendship. But Alyssa is a secret superfan of Crystal’s family’s vlog – and has her own dark plans. Alyssa isn’t ready to say goodbye to her perfect surrogate family just yet … and she’ll do anything to be welcomed into the fold.’

Release date: June 18th

• A Darker Shore: Letters from Ketterdam by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a new Grishaverse short story: a mystery told through found documents and set after the events of Crooked Kingdom.

‘In the years since the violent upheaval caused by the auction of Kuwei Yul-Bo, the merchants of Ketterdam have been under attack. Secret businesses exposed. Ships sunk. Slavers hunted as they once hunted their victims. All the work of a mysterious sea captain and her ship, the Wraith. Now, two investigators meet to uncover the truth behind the latest disaster: a massacre on an island off the shores of Ketterdam. Among the evidence collected is private correspondence between notorious crime boss Kaz Brekker and an anonymous sailor aboard the Wraith known only as “I.” Follow along with the lead investigator as he tries to piece together how such a disaster transpired, and explore the Grishaverse like never before with new illustrations by E.K. Belsher and in-world collectible items.’

Release date: June 30th

• Better than Revenge by Bea Fitzgerald

Synopsis: Beneath the harsh glare of Hollywood, a legendary feud ties two A-list actresses together. But with a body bag between them, they must decide just how far their feud will go. Thelma and Louise meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this salacious slow-burn suspense.

‘Their feud made them iconic. One decision made them infamous. After all, where’s the fun in rivalry if there’s no bloodshed? Nadine Heywood and Harper Moore have been rivals since their first days at drama school, a feud that has consumed them. A feud more passionate, more clawing than the gossip magazines ever note. Hollywood’s It-Girl versus the acclaimed starlet, caught in an obsession that can only lead to one thing: someone’s downfall. After beating Harper out in every category for best actress, Nadine believes that she has finally done it. She’s won, completely and irrefutably. So why are thoughts of Harper still tormenting her? Why doesn’t victory taste sweet at all? When a knock at her door reveals Harper covered in blood, Nadine realises that this could be the ultimate opportunity to bring her opponent down. Or change them both forever. When flashbacks to Harper and Nadine’s infamous in-fighting building toward a murder that makes them iconic, and excerpts of an interview with Nadine for Harper’s upcoming true crime documentary, this is a salacious tale of scandal, ego and infamy about two frenemies who may be more to each other than they would like to ever admit.’

Release date: July 2nd

• In the Wake of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy

Synopsis: The sequel to the deliciously dark romantasy In the Veins of the Drowning. The realm has a new queen… and a new monster.

‘Imogen can no longer hide. She has claimed her ancestral crown, and now the corrupted bond she shares with the ancient deity Eusia is stronger than ever. Though she is determined to sever it, doing so is no easy feat. The threat of war looms. Shifting alliances, a hunger for magic, and her feelings for Theodore, King of Varya, attempt to thwart her at every turn. Meanwhile, Theodore is battling the strain of his own crown and commitments. When Imogen suddenly appears on his ship, every dutiful resolution he’s ever made threatens to snap. As they draw nearer to ending Eusia, lurking dangers and their perilous desire for one another prove more insurmountable than they could have imagined. Will the chaos, ruin, and death that Imogen was prophesied to usher into the realm be the end of all things, or the beginning?’

Release date: July 7th

• Ruinous Ends by I.V. Marie

Synopsis: The sequel to the dark academia Immortal Consequences. The Decennial is over, but for the students of Blackwood Academy, the fight for the afterlife has just begun.

‘The infamous school was hiding more secrets—and lies—than any of the Decennial’s participants could have imagined. And there’s still so much that remains buried beneath its ancient foundations. Now the future of the academy, and all the souls within it, rests in the hands of six former pupils: The charmer and the golden boy . . . The traitor and the girl desperate to save her . . . The Chosen One and the one who would choose her over and over again . . . Any of them could be the hero the afterlife needs . . . or the villain who will destroy it for good. Because the truth is, Blackwood’s biggest secret has yet to come to light—and when it does, it will shake the institution to its core.’

Release date: July 14th

• A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacy McEwan

Synopsis: In a world of high-class magic and gangster grit, a star-crossed couple must decide where their loyalties lie in the sizzling romantasy follow-up to BookTok star Stacey McEwan’s New York Timesbestseller A Forbidden Alchemy.

‘In Belavere Trench, the Artisans and the Craftsmen are at war. Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the world’s only known earth Charmer, have been captured by the Artisans, putting Patrick’s rebel union in a precarious position. Though he hasn’t forgiven Nina her betrayals, Patrick has other things to worry about. He is finally reunited with his father, a prisoner of the Artisans, and the group lands a narrow escape only with the help of Nina’s first love, Theo. Decoding an ancient prophecy, they set off in search of an infinite supply of idium that will determine the course of the war, should it prove more than a myth. Fleeing across Craftsman towns on the brink, they will encounter old friends—and enemies—in search of answers.’

Release date: July 14th

• Tides of Fortune by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Synopsis: Return to the spellbinding world of Heir of Storms in the explosive second installment to the Storm Weaver trilogy, perfect for fans of Red Queen, Throne of Glass, and The Rose Bargain.

‘Having survived three treacherous trials to win her crown, Blaze is now Queen of the Aquatori. But before she can take the throne, she must set out to find the Eye of the Soul, one of the realm’s most powerful weapons, before another claims its power for themself. Her journey will take her deep into the forests of Ostacre and into a temporary alliance with the infuriating but undeniably compelling Fox. She can’t help but feel drawn to him. . . but can she trust him? Fortune favors the brave, but will it protect the Storm Weaver on her most dangerous mission yet? Narrated by not just Blaze, but her brother, Flint, and the newly-discovered Shadow Magi, Elva, the epic journey that began in Heir of Storms continues in the sweeping adventure of Tides of Fortune.‘

Release date: July 21st

• Daybreak by Autumn Woods

Synopsis: The second instalment in a dark and gloomy academic romance duet set in an elite university inside a rainy, creepy castle hiding in the Scottish Highlands. Betrayal. heartbreak. Deadly new threats. Welcome back to Sorrowing University.

‘Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire. When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched. With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?’

Release date: July 28th

• The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig

Synopsis: Rachel Gillig, the queen of gothic romantasy, returns with higher stakes, darker mysteries, and deeper longings in this gorgeous sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling sensation The Knight and the Moth.

‘Aisling Cathedral is in ruins. Rodrick Myndacious, Bartholomew, and Maude Bauer are rumored to be dead—and the king has taken Sybil Delling as his bride. To show off their union and solidify his power over Traum, Benji proposes a series of tournaments throughout the hamlets. Captive and drugged, Sybil remains determined to vanquished him as she once did the Omens, even if she destroys the kingdom’s faith—and herself—in the process. But then a mysterious knave rises to the top of the lists, a man with no name and no memory who may just be Sybil’s ticket to undoing Benji’s power. For in a land where stories repeat themselves, where a king can prove as cruel as a god, the only way to truly destroy the Stonewater Kingdom’s faith is to save it.’

Release date: September 1st

• Tempest by Victoria Aveyard

Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard comes an epic adventure of love and betrayal, amidst a brutal war for the high seas.

MAY THE SEA ALWAYS SING FOR YOU

‘Cat Rose knows what it is to live in two worlds, in two times. Before—as Lady Catrine of the Meridian Empire, chained to a loathsome lord with a dwindling fortune. And after—as the Widow Rose, queen of a pirate tavern in the Lyrian Sea, determined to be the master of her own fate. But tides turn and winds change. The Meridian Empire looms on the horizon, the full weight of her navy falling on the Lyrian, bent on reclaiming the wealthy colonies and crushing the pirate republic once and for all. Ship after ship is captured, save for one captain who continuously evades both noose and the legendary Valerian Kane. With his fearsome ship and uncanny connection to the song of the sea, Valerian is the only man who might rally the pirates who remain. The only man who threatens the Empire. And the only man Cat has ever loved, blazing in and out of her life like a star. Desperate for victory, the Empire offers Cat a devastating bring them Valerian, or hang. In truth, no choice at all. But Cat Rose is nothing if not a survivor. A storm is rising on the Lyrian Sea—the question is, what will it leave in its wake?’

Release date: September 8th

• Silvercloak #2 by L.K. Steven

No synopsis or release date announced yet, I’m afraid – although Laura had been teasing a cover reveal/pub date reveal on her Instagram, so make sure to follow her there. But anyone who knows me, or follows this blog will not be surprised one bit to see this sequel on here. Perhaps my most anticipated read of 2026…

• The Thief and the Traitor Bride by V.L. Bovalino

Synopsis: A ruthless spy. A deadly mission. A thief who could ruin it all. The Thief and the Traitor Bride is a standalone romantic fantasy set in the world of the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling novel The Second Death of Locke.

‘Nore Gordon is a woman of many talents: she can speak a variety of languages, disguise herself in plain sight, and has made a name for herself as a successful wine merchant. But unbeknownst to those closest to her, it is all a front for Nore’s true role as the favoured spy of the Lindle crown. Tasked with infiltrating enemy lands in search of a powerful relic, Nore is forced to engage the services of a great thief. Unfortunately, the only person for the job is her estranged husband Caspian. Both Nore and Caspian bear the scars of the disastrous end of their marriage, but if they are to survive their deadly new assignment, they must pose as a happily married couple to avoid detection. As danger closes in, Nore finds herself tangled in a web of lies and deceit-and though Caspian is at the centre of it all, she may not hate him as much as she once did. But Caspian has betrayed her before, and trust can be far more deadly than deception.’

Release date: September 29th

• The Evermore Trilogy #2 by Julie Soto

Synopsis: Return to a world sparkling with dark magic and desire with the highly anticipated sequel to the enemies-to-lovers romantasy ‘Rose in Chains’.

Release date: December 3rd – note! this may be subject to change, as I don’t think think it’s been formally announced yet.

• Chosen Son by Adrienne Young

Synopsis: In the sequel to Fallen City, the stakes are even higher. The war is just beginning.

‘When the city fell, Maris lost everything—her freedom, her future, and the man she loved. Now, with Luca trapped behind the gates of Isara, she makes a choice that will change her life forever: to don the armor of the enemy and march back into the heart of the city she was forced to flee. Every step brings her closer to Luca, but also deeper into the blood-soaked machine of war. Inside Isara’s walls, Luca wrestles with a truth more dangerous than any sword. Once the symbol of the Loyal Legion, he has lost the thing he was truly fighting for—Maris. The shift of the war has left him to question whether he has become a pawn of the gods, and with betrayal lurking in every shadow, Luca must decide who he is: the dutiful soldier forged by rebellion, or the man willing to risk everything for love. Across battlefields and through broken temples, Maris and Luca’s treacherous paths through Isara are set to collide. And when the gods demand sacrifice, it comes in a form no one could have expected.’

Release date: December 15th

There we have it, folks. What a year 2026 is shaping up to be! Honestly, it was hard to narrow this down – and I know there are more yet to announced. Honourable mention to Red City #2, which I’m positively foaming at the mouth for. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if it’ll be this year or next (probably next. RIP me).

I have to say, I think my top three from this list are Tempest, The Knave and the Moon and Silvercloak 2. I am prepared to do unholy things for ARCs – publishers, you have been warned!

Okay, my laptop is officially dying. It’s time for us both to sleep! What’s on your most anticipated reads for 2026 lists?