The 10 Best Books to Read in 2026 (So Far)
Disclaimer: Real-life human experiences. Written by a human. Created for humans. (Travels at Missy does not use AI for our articles. All posts and information are 1st hand experience. AI data-scrapping tools are expressly forbidden from using Travels with Missy content for AI Training).
It feels like, with each passing year, spectacular books from a wide range of genres are being published, and to an extraordinary calibre. 2026 is not even close to being over, and yet the quality and quantity of books that have been published this year have been amazing! These are a small sample of some of the best books to read in 2026 that I’ve personally read and highly recommend.
If you enjoy my recommendations, consider finding me on Instagram or by checking out my Substack.
1. Whistler by Ann Patchett
Even though the year isn’t close to over, I’m confident Whistler is the best book of 2026. If Ann Patchett writes something, you can best believe I am pre-ordering her work. Whistler is the quiet hug-in-a-book that you didn’t know you need until you read it. It’s gentle, gorgeously written and oh, so very tender. I loved my time with Daphne and her stepfather, Eddie Triplett, so much that I mourned the ending of the book long before it arrived.
One day in the Metropolitan Museum, Daphne and her husband notice an elderly gentleman following them around from room to room. Daphne learns that the gentleman is her former stepfather, Eddie Triplett, who played an important role in their brief relationship. What follows is a reconnection that tenderly plays out.
After several months away from Whistler, I think about Eddie Triplett often. In fact, I’m fairly certain he is one of the best literary characters in recent memory. His gentility and adoration for Daphne could fill thousands of pages, and I would read each and every one of them.
Whistler is hands down the best book to read in 2026 for those looking for comfort, peace and a hug in a book.
2. Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
Fast-paced, dark and funny, Fruit Fly was the book of the summer. If you somehow missed the lurid green cover staring at you from your local bookstore, you’re in for a treat. Mallory has been struggling with writer’s block since her acclaimed first novel almost a decade ago. When she encounters Leo, a young gay man with addiction issues and an unbelievable story, Mallory believes she’s found her inspiration for her next novel.
I couldn’t put down Fruit Fly, racing through pages at a phenomenal rate. I listened to this audiobook in a single day, unable to stop.
Go Gay, Go Sad, Go Dark.
3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
It took well over a decade for Kathryn Stockett to follow up her incredible debut, The Help, and she came back with a bang. The Calamity Club, at over 600 pages, is wonderful. Set in the Depression Era, we follow Birdie and a host of wonderful characters who try to make ends meet as full impact of the Depression sets in. Plucky orphan Meg, awaits for her mothers return, or at least someone decent to adopt her. Birdie has come to Oxford, Mississippi to ask her sister for money to save the family farm, however not everything is as it seems when Birdie arrives.
The Calamity Club is wholesome, and I could have easily read another 600 pages. I adored it from start to finish. A strong contender for best book of 2026.
4. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Easily THE book of 2026 by a long shot. If you somehow haven’t read Yesteryear by Caro Clair Burke, you’re in for a ride. Yesteryear has divided readers across the globe; you either fall into a camp that adores it (my camp), or intensely dislike it.
Natalie is a trad wife, running Yesteryear homestead with her brood of children and gorgeous husband. She posts about the homestead on social media to her millions of followers, who drink up her idyllic lifestyle as she portrays her beautiful life of abundance. However, behind the scenes, not all that Natalie paints is as rosy as social media makes out. When Natalie finds herself transported back to the 1850s, she finds herself at a complete loss. When the facade becomes reality, how will Natalie adapt? Or will she?
I couldn’t put Yesteryear down, gobbling it up on my honeymoon in Crete. Natalie is deeply unlikeable, and yet, I couldn’t stop reading. Caro Claire Burke is an incredibly smart woman, and her writing is top tier. If you enjoyed her writing, check out her podcast or Substack, Diabolical Lies; it’s superb. I’m fairly confident that Yesteryear is one of my top contenders for Book of the Year 2026.
5. The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
I’m a sucker for a toxic friendship group. Bonus points if it’s set in a gorgeous coastal town and has lots of delicious drama. I loved Jenny Jackson’s first novel, Pineapple Street, and her follow-up, The Shampoo Effect, was just as fantastic.
Caroline Lash has been awarded a prestigious writers’ residency in a small, wealthy town on the Massachusetts coast. Quickly, she meets Van, a kind-hearted environmentalist who comes with a tight-knit friend group. Bailey, Augusta, Colin, Fran & RJ have been friends since childhood, and their messy dynamics are about to become more interesting as Bailey informs Van that she is pregnant with their baby.
The Shampoo Effect was the perfect summer read. There’s a moment, almost two-thirds of the way through, that had my hand over my mouth in shock. It’s easily one of my top book recommendations in 2026.
6. Good People by Patmeena Sabit
Good People has all the makings of an excellent book club book. It will leave the group divided as they try to uncover the mystery of the Sharaf family and the death of their eldest daughter, Zorah.
Told through police reports, eyewitnesses, and family members, we learn of the Sharafs, an immigrant family from Afghanistan to the US, as they become one of Washington, D.C.’s most successful Afghan families. The only side of the story we never hear from is that of the Sharafs.
And it is up to you, the reader, to determine who or what you believe.
7. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you’ll know that London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe is one of my best books of 2026. London Falling explores why teenager Zac Brettler jumped from a luxury apartment building into the River Thames. What caused Zac to jump? And who exactly was Zac Brettler? An unputdownable read that caused me to gasp continuously throughout. I couldn’t put London Falling down and raced through it – it reads exactly like a thriller. You’ll thank me later. London Falling is easily one of the best books of 2026, if not one of the best books of the 2020s.
8. Main Characters by Bobby Palmer
Main Characters is told most uniquely. We follow Clara and Seb’s love story over decades, told through the eyes of everyone but the main couple. Their story first unfolds as young adults, fresh from university, as they meet and encounter each other sporadically over the following years. Clara, an aspirational director, and Seb, a reluctant actor, fall in love over the years; their relationship strains and stretches as they encounter obstacles in their path.
If you’re looking for a book recommendation in 2026 that focuses on love, or a lighter read, then Main Characters is a good bet.
9. Kin by Tayari Jones
Tayari Jones has the most delicious writing style. I could read her books for the rest of my days and never tire of a single word she lays down on a piece of paper.
Cradle friends, Niecy & Annie, two motherless girls from a small town in Louisiana, set out to make their mark upon the world. Annie, unable to contend with her mother’s abandonment at a young age, heads to Nashville in search of her. Whilst Niecy attends university in Atlanta and enters a relationship that makes her question her values. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, Tayari Jones has created a true masterpiece and unputdownable piece of work that will leave you bereft as you turn the last page. I could have read another 1000 pages of Kin and never tired.
10. Fallow by Sarah Anderson
Natalie hates to work. She’s hated the idea of working since childhood, allergic to climbing any corporate ladder. When an unusual offer comes her way, as the first in-house surrogate to The Company, Natalie finds the role and its bountiful offer impossible to turn down. All she has to do is have 7 pregnancies over 10 years, and she’ll never have to work another day in her life.
But at what cost?
I loved Fallow! It’s easily one of the best books of 2026 with its fascinating premise and excellent writing. I couldn’t put it down! A smart debut from an exciting author, I can’t wait to read more of Sarah Anderson’s work in the future.
Honourable Mentions
Switzy by Emma Cline
Longlisted for the Booker Prize, I and a lot of other readers were quite surprised when Switzy didn’t make the shortlist. It’s a difficult read for the most part. David, a wealthy businessman, has alzheimers and is travelling with his assistant Cody to a Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end his life. David’s fragmented thoughts and memories accompany us as he journeys to London to spend time with his daughter and grandson, before flying to Switzerland. At times, much like David, it’s hard to follow his train of thought, or get frustrated with remembering. Emma Cline has depicted a horrible disease with empathy and understanding as witness the last few days of David’s life.
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
I’m a big fan of Liane Moriarty’s work. She writes a collection of characters that always feel tangible and realistic. Big Little Truths is her first sequel, and it follows the events of her smash hit, Big Little Lies, almost a decade later. We join the women of Perriwee as they navigate perimenopause, teenage children and the fallout of the events of Big Little Lies. A smashing sequel, and well worth the wait.
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of The Things We Never Say, but as it’s shortlisted for the Booker Prize, I feel I should include it on my list of the best books of 2026. Or at least as an honourable mention. Artie Dam discovers something life-altering that upends his world, as he grapples with the secret and questions his life’s decisions and the people closest to him.
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
I loved Belle Burden’s memoir of her marriage that collapsed during the early days of COVID when her husband of twenty years walked out of their marriage and children’s lives. Belle Burden writes beautifully as she attempts to understand the man she had been married to, and the cruelty he exhibits as he leaves her financially upended.
Want to Read
The following book recommendations of 2026 have been added to my bookshelf and await to be read. There are only so many hours in a day! My hope is to get to the majority before the year wraps up. I’m confident there are some of the best books in 2026 on the list!
- Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang
- Partita by Barbara Kingsolver
- Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus
- American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee
- Bad Words by Riognach Robinson
- Under Story by Chloe Benjamin
- The Disappearers by Marlon James
- John of John by Douglas Stuart
What have been your book recommendations of 2026? Leave a comment below and let me know!
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Meet Missy…
Missy spent the first 2 decades of her life living in her native Dublin, Ireland, before a life living overseas called to her, and spent the next decade living in China, Laos & Belgium. She now splits her time in Barcelona, Spain, and wherever the next plane takes her. You can follow Missy’s real-time travels on her Instagram.
