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 Never Whistle at Night

Naomi Westerman ❤️ loved this book because...

Fascinating anthology of horror writing from indigenous authors, this dark fiction short story collection explores horror and folk mythology from indigenous writers across the USA and Canada. Dark, spooky horror with all kinds of twists, this is a must-read for horror lovers.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Emotions 🥈 Immersion
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Shane Hawk (editor) , Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Never Whistle at Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • SHIRLEY JACKSON AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST EDITED ANTHOLOGY • BRAM STOKER AWARD NOMINEE FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ANTHOLOGY • LOCUS AWARD FINALIST

A bold, clever, and sublimely sinister collection that dares to ask the question: “Are you ready to be un-settled?”

“Never failed to surprise, delight, and shock.” —Nick Cutter, author of The Troop and Little Heaven

Featuring stories by:

Norris Black • Amber Blaeser-Wardzala • Phoenix Boudreau • Cherie Dimaline • Carson Faust • Kelli Jo Ford • Kate Hart • Shane Hawk • Brandon Hobson • Darcie Little Badger • Conley Lyons • Nick…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2026

Book cover of To Belong Here

Naomi Westerman ❤️ loved this book because...

Incredibly beautiful and poetic, thought-provoking anthology of short stories, essays, and poems from queer Appalachian writers. As a non-American I found this book both profound and very educational.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Emotions 🥈 Immersion
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Rae Garringer (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked To Belong Here as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Appalachia has long been flattened into a white, Christian, and conservative place. While many Appalachians embrace those labels, they fail to acknowledge the presence of communities of color and of queer, trans, and Two-Spirit people across the region. Religious fundamentalism, white supremacy, homophobia, and transphobia continue to oppress queer and gender-expansive Appalachians, especially Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. These realities have adversely affected queer and trans folks' ability to claim their rightful places within the region. To Belong Here delves into how queer, trans, and Two-Spirit Appalachian people make sense of life in the mountains. Featuring contributors whose identities across…


My 3rd favorite read in 2026

Book cover of Motherland

Naomi Westerman ❤️ loved this book because...

Non-fiction book using the author's own family history to explore the role of and oppression of women in Russia since the Russian Revolution.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Teach 🥈 Thoughts
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Julia Ioffe ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'A fresh, unexpected, and revealing portrait of Russia' ANNE APPLEBAUM, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Red Famine

'A century of Russian history told through the women who lived it, shaped it, and survived it' NADYA TOLOKONNIKOVA, founder of Pussy Riot

Award-winning journalist Julia Ioffe tells the story of modern Russia through the history of its women, from revolution to utopia to autocracy.

In 1990, seven-year-old Julia Ioffe and her family fled the Soviet Union. Nearly twenty years later, Ioffe returned to Moscow-only to discover just how much Russian society had changed while she had been living…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Happy Death Club: Essays on Death, Grief & Bereavement Across Cultures

By Naomi Westerman ,

Book cover of Happy Death Club: Essays on Death, Grief & Bereavement Across Cultures

What is my book about?

Happy Death Club is a non-fiction, light-hearted essay collection exploring death and grief across cultures, from horror movies and true crime, to human composting and mellification.

Book cover of Never Whistle at Night
Book cover of To Belong Here
Book cover of Motherland

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