This month, we’re bringing you a selection of titles that are shaping up to be some of the most talked-about releases of 2026.
These books stand out for the strength of their ideas, the prestige of their authors, and the way they tackle topics currently driving cultural conversations. From revealing memoirs to ambitious novels and stories that explore identity and contemporary tensions, this month’s selection offers a clear preview of what readers will have their eyes on throughout the year.
Seek the Traitor’s Son, Veronica Roth
Dystopian fiction
Publication date: May 2026
Pages: 432
After the success of the Divergent series, with Seek the Traitor’s Son, Veronica Roth returns to a world marked by political strain and conflicts that overwhelm those caught in the middle.
Here she follows a young soldier whose structured life falls apart in a matter of hours when unexpectedly becomes central to a prophecy that pits two rival nations against each other.
Roth once again demonstrates her talent for crafting expansive universes where technology, belief, and power intersect in convincing ways.
Who’d like this?
This is ideal for readers of dystopian fiction who appreciate characters that develop over time, relationships that move at a steady pace, and narratives where geopolitical tension carries as much weight as personal drama.
It will appeal both to longtime fans of the author and to readers looking for sweeping science fiction with a touch of romance.
Vigil: A Novel, George Saunders
Literary fiction
Publication date: January 2026
Pages: 192
In Vigil: A Novel, George Saunders presents a story set on the threshold of consciousness, following a guide tasked with accompanying the dying through their final passage. This time, her charge is a man unwilling to accept any notion of guilt or redemption —someone who built his empire without looking back, and who now faces visitors who dismantle the heroic version of himself he prefers to believe.
The author uses this setting to explore urgent contemporary themes through his signature critical lens: the weight of corporate decisions, the consequences of misguided ideas of progress, and the lingering impact of lives built on power.
Who’d like this?
It’s an ideal read for those who follow Saunders’s work and enjoy the sharp, playful imagination that has made him so influential.
Readers drawn to fiction that blends the supernatural with social commentary will find this especially compelling.
You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir, Christina Applegate
Memoir
Publication date: March 2026
Pages: 304
Actress Christina Applegate revisits her life through a direct, clear-eyed lens in You with the sad eyes: A Memoir, reflecting on a career that began far too early and a turbulent home environment that followed her long after those early years of fame.
The narrative traces her professional journey, but also the doubts, pressures, and emotional toll that accumulated while she built and maintained a public image.
Applegate draws from personal diaries and memories she had never shared before, opening up about topics such as self-expectation, mental health, and the sudden arrival of an illness (multiple sclerosis) that upended everything she thought she could rely on.
Who’d like this?
This book will particularly appeal to readers who seek honest, unfiltered memoirs.
It will also resonate with anyone interested in understanding what it means to sustain a decades-long career in entertainment, with all its highs and lows.
This Book Made Me Think of You, Libby Page
Contemporary fiction
Publication date: February 2026
Pages: 416
Libby Page offers a story centered on a woman trying to rebuild her life after an unexpected loss in This Book Made Me Think of You. Everything changes when she receives a gift her husband arranged before his death: a monthly selection of books, each paired with a handwritten message.
Through this posthumous gesture, the protagonist discovers a new way of working through grief and reclaiming parts of herself she had set aside — from the simple pleasure of reading to the possibility of reconnecting with the world.
Who’d like this?
This book will be particularly appealing to readers who find solace in stories where literature becomes a catalyst for personal change.
Those who enjoy narratives in which everyday relationships open the door to new beginnings will find this a warm and comforting read.
Last Night in Brooklyn: A Novel, Xochitl Gonzalez
Literary fiction
Publication date: April 2026
Pages: 256
Last Night in Brooklyn: A Novel by Xochitl Gonzalez follows a young woman caught between family expectations and a future that feels foreign to her.
She gravitates toward a neighborhood undergoing rapid transformation, where she becomes captivated by its creative energy and, especially, by a designer whose life embodies the freedom and ambition she never allowed herself to imagine.
Life in this vibrant community, combined with the reappearance of a wealthy cousin, pushes her to examine the forces that both uplift and fracture a neighborhood in the throes of gentrification.
Who’d like this?
This is an ideal read for those who appreciate novels that weave personal drama with social critique, and for readers who value stories rooted in recent historical context.
Lost Lambs: A Novel, Madeline Cash
Literary fiction
Publication date: January 2026
Pages: 336
Lost Lambs: A Novel by Madeline Cash is a portrait of a family in the midst of emotional collapse, told with sharp humor that exposes the cracks that form when relationships are stretched to their limits. Each member faces a crisis of their own: some seek affection in misguided places, others retreat into risky obsessions, and all of them struggle against an environment that seems determined to undermine any semblance of normalcy.
In a town overshadowed by the power of an untouchable businessman, a minor suspicion sets off a chain of events that blends secrecy, paranoia, and unexpected tenderness.
Who’d like this?
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy unconventional family stories, especially those that balance dark humor with genuine emotional insight.
It’s well-suited for anyone who appreciates fresh voices and narratives unafraid to dive into the more chaotic corners of modern life.