I had such a wonderful reading year last year, and I am so excited to see what 2026 will bring! These are the books I'm most eagerly awaiting the releases of this year.
1. Otherworld by L.L. Starling
Expected publication 1st November 2026
The Chronicles of Between #2
With more leather pants references, chaos, and drunk unicorn action than its predecessor, OTHERWORLD is a rollicking fairy tale ride!
- Goodreads.
Between was so funny, clever and creative, I reread it towards the end of last year and had the most enjoyable time, so I am so excited to read more of this world, find out what happens next and just to get to read more of L.L. Starling's wonderful writing style.
2. The Antiquarian's Object of Desire by India Holton
Expected publication 21st April 2026
Love's Academic #3
Magical-antique experts Amelia Tarrant and
Caleb Sterling have been best friends forever, although lately each has
begun secretly wishing for more than friendship. But when rumors about
their relationship spread, they're forced to fake being enemies to
protect their reputations and keep their jobs.
The resulting
arguments spark havoc across Oxford University, and when they cause an
explosion while fighting over a magical antique, it’s the final straw
for their exasperated faculty head. He dispatches them to a job in
Cumbria where even they can’t get into trouble...
Which
proves just how wrong one man can be. In a stormbound old manor house,
Amelia and Caleb face magical mayhem and rampaging ghosts that make the
previous havoc look mild in comparison. Most troublesome of all, though,
is the secret of how they feel about each other. When it comes to
tackling deadly antiques, hiding the truth in their hearts could destroy
them for real.
- Goodreads.
The first two books in this series were so fantastic, I just adore the humour and how witty the writing is, and how sweet and thoughtful the romances are, I just know this is going to be such a lovely reading experience!
The Ornitholigist's Field Guide to Love review
The Geographer's Map to Romance review
3. Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Expected publication 7th February 2026
Agnes Aubert is very fond of making lists. These
lists kept her afloat when she lost her husband two years ago. And now,
as the founder of a cat rescue charity, her meticulous organization
skills feel like the only thing standing between her beloved cats - His
Majesty, Banshee and sweet elderly Thoreau, to name a few - and utter
disaster.
But when Agnes is forced to move the charity, she soon
discovers that her new shop is being used as a front; right under her
feet is the lair of the decidedly disorganised - not to mention
self-absorbed and infuriatingly handsome - Havelock Renard.
Havelock
is everything Agnes doesn't want in her life: chaos, mischief, and a
little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers
he's more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready
for a little intrigue, perhaps even romance. After all, second chances
aren't just for rescue cats...
- Goodreads.
I really, really loved the Emily Wilde series by this author, so I'm intrigued to see what a new story will be like from her and it sounds like it has a wonderfully cosy premise, which I always have a good time with.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries review
4. The Orb of Cairado by Katherine Addison
Expected publication 9th April 2026
The Chronicles of Osreth #1.1
Five years ago, Ulcetha was studying at the
University of Cairado, working his way toward becoming a scholar
first-class in the Department of History. Then a prize artifact
disappeared and Ulcetha, deftly framed, was kicked out. Now he works for
a crooked importer, using his knowledge of elven history to write
provenances for the fake artifacts Salathgarad sells.
When the
airship Wisdom of Choharo explodes, killing the emperor and three of his
four sons, it takes with it Ulcetha's best friend, Mara Lilana. But
Mara leaves behind a puzzle - the one thing Ulcetha can't resist. And
the puzzle leads Ulcetha back to the Department of History... and maybe
the chance to clear his name.
- Goodreads.
The Goblin Emperor is one of my favourite books of all time, and I loved rereading it for the 6th time last year, so of course I'm excited to read anything else set in this world, and I think the summary for this story sounds fascinating!
5. Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis
Expected publication 27th January 2026
Queens of Villainy #2
Queen Lorelei is a notorious fae seductress,
with a trail of broken hearts in her wake. But behind her glamorous
lifestyle and sparkling mask lurks a dangerously intelligent woman who’d
do anything to keep her people safe - even kidnap the enemy empire’s
most famous hero.
The virtuous high general Gerard de Moireul
represents all that is moral and true. He has to, after his parents were
executed for treason. The last thing he needs is the Queen of Balravia,
who showers glitter and rainbow-colored sparkles everywhere she goes
without the slightest regard for good taste, decorum, or royal dignity.
They’re
opposites in every way, but when they’re swept up together in a grand - and deadly - fae tournament, they discover all of each other’s most
hidden truths - and how perfectly they might be suited for each other
after all.
- Goodreads.
The first book in this series was so much fun and just such a great fantasy romance, I'm curious to see what this next story will be like and to learn more about the characters we got a peak of in the first book.
6. Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
Expected publication 28th July 2026
Spellshop #3
Marin is a supply runner with her own boat that
she sails from island to island, delivering whatever anyone will pay her
to deliver: letters, flour, even the occasional enchanted lemur. It’s a
lonely life, but it’s hers, and she wouldn’t trade the freedom of the
sea for anything. Her only companion is a sea serpent, Perri, whom she
saved from a fisherfolk’s net.
One day, she sails to Alyssium and
discovers the city is on fire. There’s been a revolution, and the
empire has fallen. Marin, with Perri, begins transporting refugees,
finding them new homes where they can start over. One such refugee is
Dax, a composer who refuses to leave behind his instruments, no matter
how much she tries to emphasize the gravity of the situation. Intrigued
by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, and his charming smile,
Marin discovers perhaps she isn’t saving him - maybe it’s the other way
around.
- Goodreads.
I loved the first two books in this world, reading them really was like getting a lovely warm hug, so I'm looking forward to finding another comfort read in this next book!
The Enchanted Greenhouse review
7. Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
Expected publication 25th August 2026
Swordheart #2
Four hundred years ago, three warriors were
trapped inside enchanted swords, cursed to be immortal servants of
whoever wielded the blade. One of them is the Dervish, a restless, fiery
soul who hates his captivity and hates his wielders even more, but has
never found a way to escape the sword’s magic.
Then one day, a
disillusioned scholar named Learned Edmund is tasked with delivering the
sword to a distant city, and, in the greatest of peril, draws the
blade. The Dervish finds himself bound to a sweet, brilliant, and above
all kind young man. And while he may be able to protect Edmund
from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may
find it much harder to protect his own heart.
- Goodreads.
I truly fell in love with T. Kingfisher this past year, and I'm so excited to read more. Swordheart was so delightful with its humour and also full of depth and feeling, which I think T. Kingfisher always balances well, and I can't wait to see what's next for this world.
8. Lore Olmpus: Volume Ten by Rachel Smythe
Expected publication 2nd June 2026
Lore Olympus #10
After years of yearning, the big day has finally
arrived: Hades and Persephone are getting married! It’s the ceremony of
the century, and practically all the gods are invited to celebrate the
happy couple. The wedding, full of love and joy, provides a much-needed
respite for the pantheon... but the newlyweds have no time for a
honeymoon.
The king and queen of the Underworld begin
unprecedented dives into the dream world to find the god that Kronos
took hostage - and, hopefully, to get answers on defeating the furious
titan once and for all. During their explorations, they begin to suspect
that Persephone’s powers over spring may have been altered. Their
theory is proven correct with deadly consequences: When Persephone
returns to the Mortal Realm, she ushers in not the regular change of
seasons, but a never-ending winter.
And while the gods worry
about the total annihilation of the Mortal Realm, Apollo uses the chaos
as cover for an attempt to kill Zeus. He claims his dying father’s
throne and decrees that the only way to save the Mortal Realm is if
Persephone - and her power - belong to him. The others reject his outrageous
demand, proposing instead that whoever can fix the failing seasons will
be named interim ruler of Olympus. Hope now rests with the struggling
goddess to find a way to stop the treacherous Apollo and save
humankind - or else be separated from Hades forever.
- Goodreads.
Lore Olympus has been so enjoyable and fun to read so far, I know this next volume will be just as wonderful, with such a great art style and thrilling storyline.
9. The Eye of Leviathan by M.A. Carrick
Expected publication 14th July 2026
The Sea Beyond #1
In an alternate Spanish Golden Age, where the
map becomes the territory and mapmakers are the architects of reality,
the Council of the Sea Beyond has risen to unrivaled power, exploiting
the world’s most precious resources for their own gain.
Determined
to discover how cosmographers pin down the islands of the Otherworld,
Estevan seeks power with the Council of the Sea Beyond - but he risks the
exposure of his own secrets, too. For he is a changeling, a faerie
masquerading as a mortal. And for a faerie to enter the mortal world
like that, a child must go the other way...
The Hungry Girl, the
nameless human daughter whose place he took, has grown up opposite her
“brother.” Lost among the fae and desperate to find some purpose for her
pitiful existence, she leaps at the chance to help a group of Spanish
explorers in the Sea Beyond... only to be horrified at the atrocities they
commit.
Soon the unlikely siblings will need to overcome their
rivalry - because only together can they bring down Spain’s
worlds-spanning empire and save the homes they have come to love.
- Goodreads.
Last year I read the whole Rook & Rose trilogy in less than two weeks and was absolutely blown away. I'm already looking forward to rereading it at some point and immersing myself in such a fantastic story again, so of course I'm also excited to see what else this author duo has created.
10. A Remedy for Fate by M.A. Kuzniar
Expected publication 12th March 2026
Prague, 1769. In the Magic Quarter of the jewel-box city of Prague, Thea runs Stiltskin's Apothecary. There, she brews potions to chase away
nightmares and soothe heartache - and strikes bargains to change her
customers' fates. The only fate she cannot change? Her own.
Seven years ago, Thea bargained away her heart and her memories to the
apothecary's owner, the cold, yet enigmatic Jasper, for reasons she
cannot remember, and a reward she cannot recall.
Then one day a
stranger arrives with an unusual request. One that will upturn Thea's
entire existence - and offer her a precious chance to recover her heart...
- Goodreads.
Midnight in Everwood was such an enchanting story that I've loved rereading during Winter, and I'm looking forward to reading a new romance from this author. It sounds like the world and story could be very compelling!
Hopefully I will get to all of these books this year, and you'll see reviews for them all! I hope everyone has a fantastic reading year and finds some excellent new favourite books.
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