The best books of 2026

This list is part of the best books of 2026.

Join 262 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2026

Book cover of Culpability

Marilyn Levinson ❤️ loved this book because...

CULPABILITY deals with an important aspect of our world, one that affects us all. It does this via an intriguing, suspenseful work of fiction with three-dimensional characters and a well-plotted story line.l

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Story/Plot 🥈 Originality
  • Writing style

    👍 Liked it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Bruce Holsinger ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Culpability as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Compelling." Literary Review

"An irresistibly anxious book." The Washington Post

"A family drama with a shocking twist." The New York Times

"I was riveted until the very last shocking sentence!" Oprah Winfrey

When the Cassidy-Shaws' driverless minivan fatally collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver's seat. His father, Noah, is beside him, and in the back with his younger siblings is his mother, Lorelei-a renowned AI researcher-who is lost in her work.

During a weeklong retreat on the Chesapeake Bay, the Cassidy-Shaws wrestle with the moral fallout of the crash as…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2026

Book cover of Becoming Madam Secretary

Marilyn Levinson ❤️ loved this book because...

I loved reading this fictionalized version of Frances Perkins's life, a most admirable woman who spent her entire life doing her utmost to improve the living and working conditions of those unable to speak for themelves. She was the first woman to hold a cabinet post, which she did under FDR. This wonderful novel presents the personal and professional sides of Frances's life while giving the reader a true understanding of the country's politics of the times.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Immersion
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐕 Good, steady pace

By Stephanie Dray ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Becoming Madam Secretary as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic new novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists,…


My 3rd favorite read in 2026

Book cover of The Things We Never Say

Marilyn Levinson ❤️ loved this book because...

This thoughtful novel is about a rather passive man whose life changes after he learns something about his wife. It took me a while to enjoy this book, but the more I read, the more it intrigued me.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Emotions
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Elizabeth Strout ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Things We Never Say as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Death on Dickens Island

By Allison Brook ,

Book cover of Death on Dickens Island

What is my book about?

DEATH ON DICKENS ISLAND, the first book in my Books on the Beach series
Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, a small island in the Long Island Sound, after a twelve-year stint in Manhattan. She’s looking forward to helping her father revitalize the general store that the family owns as well as curating a small book nook. Most importantly, she wants to reunite with her fifteen-year-old son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers–and she might be in more danger here than she ever was in the big city.

Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both prominent community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. This has created friction, not only in their marriage, but amongst the citizens of the town. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point.

With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case and at each other’s throats, the townspeople start to take sides. When the ghost of her grandmother visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present, and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets in order to catch a murderer and restore peace to her beloved island.

Book cover of Culpability
Book cover of Becoming Madam Secretary
Book cover of The Things We Never Say

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