The best books of 2026

This list is part of the best books of 2026.

Join 113 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2026

Book cover of The Golem and the Jinni

Jacqueline Diamond ❤️ loved this book because...

The author wove together elements that surprised and fascinated me. Lots of historical research, too.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Immersion 🥈 Originality
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Helene Wecker ,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked The Golem and the Jinni as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'One of only two novels I've ever loved whose main characters are not human' BARBARA KINGSOLVER

For fans of The Essex Serpent and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock.

'By far my favourite book of of the year' Guardian

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master, the husband who commissioned her, dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York in 1899.

Ahmad is a djinni, a being of…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2026

Book cover of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

Jacqueline Diamond ❤️ loved this book because...

Fresh touches and memorable characters.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Story/Plot
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐕 Good, steady pace

By Jesse Q. Sutanto ,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A lonely shopkeeper takes it upon herself to solve a murder in the most peculiar way in this captivating mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady—ah, lady of a certain age—who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges…


My 3rd favorite read in 2026

Book cover of The Shattered King

Jacqueline Diamond ❤️ loved this book because...

Very involving characters and world

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Immersion 🥈 Originality
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Charlie N. Holmberg ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Shattered King as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A captive healer and a mysterious prince are drawn to each other in the midst of war and magic in a beguiling dark fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

The kingdom of Cansere is on the brink of war. Young men are conscripted from their homes, and a royal decree from the queen has made healing the only legal form of craftlock. Nym, a healer and beekeeper, is the sole provider for her family of seven now that her younger brother has been sent to the war front. But when a letter comes from the queen,…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

A Cat's World of Strangers

By Jacqueline Diamond ,

Book cover of A Cat's World of Strangers

What is my book about?

The talking cats are in danger! Can a librarian save them and an enchanted village?

In this charming blend of fantasy and cozy mystery, librarian Chess is journeying home to her secret realm with her sharp-witted cat Kafka and her handsome detective friend Nik. But when they arrive, nothing and no one is the same.

After a daring mission into the “real” world, they’ve landed in an alternate version of their magical town. Many people have identical counterparts, but they don’t recognize Chess and Nik. Worse, due to the village’s wrongheaded attitudes, the intelligent felines and mixed-breed shifters are being persecuted.

In this fourth paranormal mystery in a bingeworthy series, Chess and her companions join forces with new and old friends, including some long-lost family members. They must combat the ruling elite, expose secrets hidden in an ancient library, and prevent a disaster that could destroy both supernatural worlds. Readers will fall in love all over again with the offbeat characters, warmhearted humor, and suspense that builds to a thrilling climax.

National Book Award winner Neal Shusterman writes: “Master storyteller Jacqueline Diamond draws you into this magical feline mystery, enchanting you page after page.”

Jacqueline Diamond is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 novels, including mysteries, fantasy, and Regency romances. Her books have sold over 7 million copies worldwide.

Book cover of The Golem and the Jinni
Book cover of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Book cover of The Shattered King

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