My 2026 TBR: Fantasy, Romantasy & Sci-Fi Books I Can’t Wait To Read
READING GUIDE
I’m about to tell you all about the books I can’t wait to read during 2026, and my very long TBR. It’s a mix of fantasy, romantasy, sci-fi books and also some crime novels and I will be very busy!
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
January 20, 2026
Shen Tao releases her debut novel in January 2026. We follow our protagonist Wei Yin who wants to save her starving family and village in a land on the verge of a civil war. She offers herself as a concubine to the emperor’s heir.
To survive, Wei must to the very dangerous task – become a poet and compose spells even though it’s strictly forbidden for women to do magic. A story filled with death, love and unique magic.
Heavenly Bodies & Fallen Stars by Imani Erriu
In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.
But when Elaras kingdom falls and she gets kidnaped in to Helios, her enemies kingdom to be trained in to a weapon, she meets someone, and feelings starts to stirr. A book series with fated love, yearning and a celestial theme.
Jade City By Fonda Lee
A fantasy trilogy with about two crime families in the city Janloon – that fight over the ultimate source of power, jade.
The Last Contract of Isako By Fonda Lee
May 5, 2026
Isako, the famous swordswoman is about to retire when her last client does the same. But, she gets an offer she can’t refuse with one last mission, to end her last and worst apprentice how has made it to the top. During her mission she uncovers dark secrets, corporate espionage, and something that could forever change the existence of humanity.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Wier
An austronaut wakes up alone on a space ship with no memory of who he is and how he got there. And if he fails his mission, humanity will perish.
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
February 17, 2026
When struggling booklover Alix Watson discovers a hidden library where stories serve as doorways to new lives, her escape into fiction takes a dangerous turn. As a growing threat endangers the magical library and everyone it shelters, Alix is pulled into a fast-moving journey through beloved literary worlds. To protect the library, she must confront forces that could destroy not just the stories—but the refuge they provide.
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
The Raven Scholar. We follow our protagonist who enters a trial to become the next emperor. A very interesting fantasy book an academia setting, trials and also bonded magic animals!
The Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown
Red Rising is a science-fiction novel set in a future society strictly divided into color-coded castes. The story follows Darrow, a low-status “Red” who works beneath the surface of Mars believing his people are sacrificing to make the planet livable for future generations. He discovers that Mars is already colonized and that his class is being brutally oppressed. Darrow infiltrates the elite ruling class and enters a deadly training institute, where he must survive brutal trials, navigate politics and deception, and spark the beginnings of a revolution from within.
The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula
March 31, 2026
In Victorian England, a determined fossil hunter dreams of becoming a geomagician, using ancient bones to work magic in a field that refuses to accept women. When she discovers a mysterious egg that hatches into a baby pterodactyl, she realizes she’s holding a find that could change both her future and the rules of science itself. As powerful scholars seek to claim her discovery, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with a former fiancé she isn’t sure she can trust. Blending historical fantasy, magic, and romance, the story explores ambition, love, and the cost of finally being seen.
Kissed By The Gods by Caty Rogan
A romantasy novel that I’ve heard only very good things about.
It’s about Leina who was spent a lifetime submitting and kneeling. But when the soliders comes for her brother, she is taken in his stead. But instead of execution, she gets a kiss from a goddess that changes everything. She is now a prize instead of a criminal and must fight in a war she never asked for.
The Ending Writes Itself by Cat Clarke & W.E Schwab
April 7, 2026
A crime novel co-written by Cat Clarke & W.E Scwab under the name Evelyn Clarke.
A group of writers, a murder mystery and 72 hours to write the ending to their dead colleagues book that will change their lives.
The Throne Of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas
An epic fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas.
Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan
April 21, 2026
Faeries vanished over a century ago, leaving behind only rumors and unanswered questions. When a woman who once dreamed of studying the fae unexpectedly inherits the crumbling Thistlemarsh estate, she’s drawn into a place where nothing is quite as it seems. As she begins restoring the ramshackle house, strange truths emerge about its history and the fae who may not be as gone as the world believes. Blending enchantment and unease, the story explores love, revenge, and the lingering presence of magic.
Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer
April 28, 2026
Decades after a devastating war between humans and robots, an old robot lives in quiet isolation among the ruins of the New York Botanical Gardens. When an attack forces them back into the world they’ve tried to leave behind, they set out on a journey alongside unexpected companions. As old conflicts threaten to resurface, the story explores healing, connection, and what it means to keep going in a world still learning how to recover.
This is part of their interconnected universe, and I have heard so many good things about this book. Unique magic, twists, trials and an amazing love story! Can’t wait to read it.
JUNE 30, 2026
Leigh Bardugo is back with a novella about or favourite crows in the Grishaverse.
A mysterious sea captain called the Wraith is attacking the merchants with shady businesses and the slave handlers Ketterdam. At the same time, a massacre has happened on a island nearby. The Wraith and the famous crime boss Kaz Brekker needs to work togheter to uncover the truth behind this disaster.
Elspeth Spindle needs to find a monster to stay safe, and finds this ancient spirit trapped in her head. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn.
The first in the popular duology!
Katabasis by R.F Kuang
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