Bloggin' 'bout Books: Top Ten Tuesday: 2026 Releases I'm Excited to Read

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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday: 2026 Releases I'm Excited to Read

12:00 AM

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those readers who's always looking ahead to what exciting new books are on the publishing horizon. Of course, I love this week's TTT prompt: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in 2026. I've actually already read several of the 2026 titles I had been most looking forward to, but there are always more I want to get my hot little hands on. I'm going to list the ones I've already read first, with links to my reviews on Goodreads, so you can see my thoughts on them if you're interested. Then, I'll list ten more that I still want to read. I'm sure there are hot new up-and-comers that I'm not even aware of, so I'm looking forward to perusing your lists to see what other books I should be watching for.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

2026 Releases I've Already Read:

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James (available January 20, 2026) **** stars

Such a Clever Girl by Darby Kane (available January 20, 2026) ** stars

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (available February 17, 2026) **** stars

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson (available March 3, 2026) *** stars

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson (available March 17, 2026) **** stars

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (available April 26, 2026) **** stars

When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore (available May 26, 2026) ***1/2 stars

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

- in order of release date -

1. Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum (available January 13, 2026)—Historical fiction author Blum pens her first contemporary novel with this bookish murder mystery featuring two novelists whose relationship becomes very sketchy very fast.

2. This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (available February 3, 2026)—Another bookish read, this one features a new widow who is shocked when she's informed that her late husband left her a birthday gift at their local indie. The present is twelve books, one for each month of the first year without him, to help comfort and guide her through the grieving process. She vlogs about her reading and reading-inspired adventures, finding a global support system that carries her through a difficult year.

3. The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (available February 17, 2026)—New bookish books for the win! Quinn's latest and greatest centers around a young woman who finds refuge from her struggles in the real world in the reading room at the Boston Library. When she discovers a hidden doorway leading to a secret library where lonely souls can literally disappear inside their favorite books, she's dazzled. Then, she's confronted by a frightening enemy who's a danger to everyone the library has sheltered. As she escapes through various books, she must figure out how to defeat this threatening foe.

4. A Kingdom of Shadows by Emily Bain Murphy (available March 3, 2026)—The first book in a new middle grade fantasy series, this novel introduces a trio of young thieves who live in a world of increasing darkness and despair. When a stranger tells them about a lake of light, they embark on a quest across the kingdom to bring light and life back to their dimming world. Naturally, they get more than they bargain for...

5. The Keeper by Tana French (available March 31, 2026)—This is the final book in French's trilogy starring retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper. Now living in a small Irish village, he's become apart of the tight-knit community's fetes and feuds. When a local young woman is found dead in a river, tearing the townspeople in two over ages-old issues, Cal's fiancèe urges him to stay out of the whole mess. Unfortunately for her, his copper instincts and loyalty to his village mean he has to investigate, even if it makes them a target.

6. Last One Out by Jane Harper (available April 14, 2026)—Even though Harper's newest seems to be getting very mixed reviews, I'm excited to read it. The standalone novel is set in a New South Wales mining town that's been left to rot. Ro's son vanished from the ghost town five years ago while working on an oral history of the place. On the anniversary of his disappearance, the distraught mother returns to the abandoned village determined to figure out what happened to her missing child.

7. Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister (available May 5, 2026)—I always look forward to a new McAllister thriller. This one has an intriguing premise: while staying in a remote Texas cabin with her daughter, Simone wakes up one morning to find the young woman missing. In her place is a phone with a ransom message. When Simone responds, she discovers that her daughter's kidnappers don't want money; instead, they want her to do something unthinkable. How far will she go to save her daughter?

8. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (available May 5, 2026)—From the author of The Help comes a new historical novel set in Mississippi during the Great Depression. When the lives of three females—an 11-year-old orphan, a struggling old maid, and a fiery woman with a past—converge, the trio form an unlikely team that will change all of their lives forever.

9. An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong (available May 19, 2026)—Armstrong's A Rip Through Time is one of my very favorite historical mystery series. In this fifth installment, our girl Mallory—a modern-day homicide detective trapped in Victorian Scotland—and her employer, undertaker Duncan Gray, are summoned to the home of a wealthy woman. Assuming she has a dead body for them to take care of, they're stunned to find that she actually has a request from the ghost of her dead maid to investigate the maid's murder. Although they're skeptical, they agree to look into the matter, which does indeed present an intriguing mystery.

10. A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (available June 23, 2026)—This historical novel stars Eunice Carter, Manhattan's first Black prosecutor, who becomes assistant DA for the city of New York. Determined to bring down crime boss Lucky Luciano, she decides to catch him through his hand in prostitution. With the help of Polly Adler, owner of a high-class brothel business, she works day and night to bring Lucky to his knees, no matter the consequences to themselves.

There you go, ten 2026 releases I'm looking forward to reading. How about you? Which up-and-coming titles are you dying to get your hands on? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!

Labels:Emily Bain Murphy,Gillian McAllister,Jane Harper,Jenna Blum,Kate Quinn,Kathryn Stockett,Kelley Armstrong,Libby Page,Marie Benedict,Simone St. James,Tana French,Top Ten Tuesday,Victoria Christopher Murray

33 comments:

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz13 January, 2026 04:46
It breaks my heart to read the synopsis of This Book Made Me Think of You, and I think it's a book I should look for.
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Tammy Sparks13 January, 2026 06:03
I've also read and loved A Box Full of Darkness, and I'm very excited for The Calamity Club!
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Astilbe13 January, 2026 06:05
Murder Your Darlings looks like a good read.

Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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Lydia13 January, 2026 06:30
The Calamity Club has piqued my interest!
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Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out13 January, 2026 06:48
You are well ahead on your review reading! I’m currently reading Libby Page and I have an ARC of The Astral Library.
Thanks for sharing your #TTT
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Athena13 January, 2026 07:11
You've done an amazing job getting started on the releases so far, wow!! I'm so hyped for The Astral Library!
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Kay13 January, 2026 08:59
Oh, Susan, you are bad for my TBR - ha! Not really, but still...

I'm excited about several of these and have a couple already on hold at my library for when those books come in. Interesting that Kathryn Stockett has a new book coming - been a long time since I read The Help. Has she written anything since that one? A new Jane Harper is always welcome. So many lovely books to come!! Yay!
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BibliophileBree13 January, 2026 09:10
I am looking forward to Unknown Caller as well!
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Anne@HeadFullofBooks13 January, 2026 09:33
I considered adding Kathryn Stockett's book so I will keep my eye on readers reviews and add it if they come in positive. Of course her first book was so good. A not-to-be-missed book.
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Rissi13 January, 2026 10:27
I agree that it's always fun to see what new books are coming. The only drawback is visiting all the lists adds even MORE to our already toppling TBRs. ;) Hope you enjoy these all and many thanks for visiting my list today!
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Kathryn T13 January, 2026 10:30
This Book Made Me Think of You I definitely want to read since I first heard about it. I really enjoyed The Help so I wonder what this book will be like. I avoid the Depression type books but this could be good. I'll wait to you decide. I haven't seen it on anyone else's list.
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Emily13 January, 2026 11:36
These look good. I've seen The Astral Library on a couple of lists and have added it to my Want To Read List!

Have a great week!
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Nicole13 January, 2026 11:37
I'm looking forward to The Astral Library as well! And I noticed A Kingdom of Shadows on your list — that sounds like a lot of fun also!
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Jessica @ a GREAT read13 January, 2026 11:51
OOh nice! Seeing a lot of The Astral Library today! It's been near the top of my 2026 Watch List! Lol. It sounded intriguing but since it's a new to me author I was a bit hesitant after seeing her other books. So definitely looking out for reviews! Always up for a new Kelley Armstrong book even though I am forever behind with her stuff! Lol.

Hope you enjoy all of these in the first half of the year!

Here's my Tuesday Post

Have a GREAT day!

Old Follower :)
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Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!13 January, 2026 12:12
I'm looking forward to reading the Page, Stevenson, and Quinn books.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/my-most-anticipated-canadian-2026-releases-january-june/
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Marwah A13 January, 2026 12:25
The Astral Library is on my list too!
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Marwah A13 January, 2026 12:26
The Astral Library is on my list too! A Kingdom of Shadows looks so good. I love a good middle-grade 😊.

If you'd like to visit, here's my TTT: https://thebooklorefairyreads.wordpress.com/2026/01/12/top-ten-tuesday-the-most-anticipated-books-releasing-in-the-first-half-of-2026/

~ Marwah @ The Booklore Fairy
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Yvonne13 January, 2026 12:34
So many great books coming out. I see a couple more from your list that I'd like to read too like Unknown Caller. I hope you enjoy your books.
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Lisa of Hopewell13 January, 2026 13:06
I forgot about Jane Harper having a new book coming out! Calamity Club is in my post. I just learned at another post of Astral Library--I'll see what you and the other blogger think first. It sounds a bit link Inkheart which I loved.
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Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense13 January, 2026 14:41
Hope you enjoy all these!
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Samantha@WLABB13 January, 2026 15:08
I have The Astral Library on my TBR. It seems a lot of people are excited about that book. It's everywhere today. I adored This Book Made Me Think of You. I hope you love all these books.
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Bree @1girl2manybooks13 January, 2026 15:17
I have the Jane Harper on my shelf. This Book Made Me Think Of You sounds like a real tear jerker.
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Joanne13 January, 2026 15:23
The Libby Page book is wonderful. I already think it will be one of my books of the year. I didn't know Kathryn Stockett had a new book coming out. I'll watch out for that one.
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Anonymous13 January, 2026 15:57
I’m eager for the new Jane Harper! ~ Carol @ ReadingLadies
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Haze13 January, 2026 16:16
This Book Made Me Think of You sounds so good and really calls to the book lover in me. I'm sure it's going to make me cry but I need it! I've also been wanting to read Mad Mabel, so glad to see you enjoyed it!
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Rachel @Waves of Fiction13 January, 2026 16:27
I already read Mad Mabel and loved it, too! I'm looking forward to both new Kelley Armstrong books. I also want to read that new Jane Harper. So many books to look forward to this year!
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Cheryl Malandrinos13 January, 2026 18:14
What a wonderful list. The Astral Library was popular today. Everyone in This Bank is a Thief also made my list. Thanks for sharing, Susan.

https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2026/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-most.html
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Reinvented Reader13 January, 2026 20:45
I've seen The Astral Library on a lot of lists today... I may need to add it to my TBR as well!
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dinipandareads14 January, 2026 07:31
Ooh, A Pair of Aces and A King of Shadows look really good (so of course I immediately add them to my TBR, lol). I hope you enjoy all the ones you still need to read! 😃
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Katherine P14 January, 2026 09:58
Great list! That Marie Benedict caught my eye as did The Astral Library. I love the premise for the Jane Harper. I'll be looking for your review. Happy reading!
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Louise @ Foxes and Fairy Tales14 January, 2026 11:39
This Book Made Me Think of You looks and sounds really sweet!
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Nicky14 January, 2026 13:13
Ooh, The Astral Library sounds tempting. Nice list!
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Cindy14 January, 2026 13:29
All of these are new to me, but This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page caught my eye. I need to investigate further, although I think it will be a tear jerker!
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