My Most Anticipated 2026 Book Releases, Part 2
83 new books releasing between July and October 2026.
Welcome back to the second part of my list of book releases I’m excited for this year! Next up we’re doing the summer and autumn of 2026, July through October.
I was planning on making this the full second half of the year, but there isn’t a ton of info on new releases for November and December, so I think a part 3 is on the horizon.
In case you missed it, here’s part one, with over 70 titles releasing January through June this year!
Let’s get into it!
July
Get Lost by Justin Halpern
Mystery | July 7
A fast-paced thriller about a young woman who reluctantly teams up with her deadbeat dad to find her missing mom, by the author of the bestseller Sh*t My Dad Says.
Country People by Daniel Mason
Literary Fiction | July 7
A rollicking work of lyricism and humor, about one family’s tumble into the unknown, from the Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling author of North Woods.
Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson
Romance | July 7
From bestselling author Freya Sampson comes a swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romance inspired by Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice that begs the question: what if your book boyfriend jumped from the pages of their story and into your life?
The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers
Romance | July 7
Ruby Wynne is a staunch rule-follower who lives by the numbers. So when a surprising breakup – on her thirty-fifth birthday – ruins all her well-laid plans, Ruby makes an unexpected wish… Only to wake up inside a M.A.S.H. game from seventh grade.
The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders
Historical Fiction | July 7
From an award-winning writer, a debut novel that’s a fresh and dazzling portrait of a family and its history in the American South, from Reconstruction through the present day.
Return to Sender by Stephanie Parente
Romance | July 14
A heartwarming debut about overcoming grief and finding love when—and where—you least expect it.
Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray
Literary Fiction | July 14
An exuberant and irreverently funny novel about one gorgeously messy friendship-feud-unrequited-love-affair set in Sydney across eighteen years.
Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Romance | July 14
When a former pop star enrolls in college, the last thing she expects is A-plus chemistry with her psychology professor in this sexy and tender romance from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Lynn Solomon.
The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
Romance | July 14
The instant New York Times bestselling authors of The Paradise Problem and The Unhoneymooners return with an unforgettable novel in which one fateful accident erases a troubled marriage from memory—and love gets one extraordinary do-over.
Lady X by Molly Fader
Mystery & Thriller | July 14
The search for a notorious vigilante exposes the secrets between three generations of women in this propulsive novel of female resistance and rage, sweeping from contemporary L.A. to gritty, 1970s New York.
The Half Life by Rachel Beanland
Historical Fiction | July 14
From the author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House Is on Fire, a novel set on a remote Italian island, about a navy wife’s reckoning with power, love, and the price of staying silent in the Atomic Age.
Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold
Horror | July 14
When Nora, Ruby, and Cham discover that they’ve each been dating the same man, what starts as outrage quickly spirals into a plot for revenge. Together they hatch a plan to lure their boyfriend to a romantic getaway in a secluded cabin at the top of a snow-covered mountain.
Only what was meant to be harmless payback soon takes a chilling turn when their not-so-adoring boyfriend is found dead in the cabin.
Give Me Everything You’ve Got by Imogen Crimp
Horror | July 21
A seductive modern gothic novel following a promising young filmmaker during one sun-bleached July at a famous director’s summer home.
With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick
Mystery & Thriller | July 21
From a New York Times bestselling author comes a gripping debut that defies all expectations—a story of feverish obsession, new motherhood, and a friendship pushed to the edge.
The Dahlia Suite by Carinn Jade
Mystery & Thriller | July 21
In a riveting new novel from the acclaimed author of The Astrology House, three women come together to investigate a string of haunting disappearances in a tropical paradise.
Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler
Romance | July 28
An antique dealer and his inconvenient(ly irresistible) new colleague must contend with an illicit stuffed goose and their sizzling attraction, from USA Today bestselling author Sarah Adler.
Double Standard by Mallory Thomas
Romance | July 28
Yay a new 831 Stories romance!!!!
Up-and-coming actress Ana Barlow is about to go on location to film a Greek-god epic at Nashville’s replica of the Parthenon…when a viral photo with her married co-star threatens to tank her career. So she comes up with a plan: She’ll pretend to date her leading man’s stunt double Levi and let everyone believe he was the one in the photo. New city, new fake relationship—what could go wrong?
August
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
Thriller | Aug. 4
When a young woman, a golf prodigy, accidentally kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs, predatory men, and a teenager on trial in this spellbinding novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant.
Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LaCour
Historical Fiction | Aug. 4
From bestselling author Nina LaCour comes a sweeping family saga that wrestles with themes of self-discovery and love in all forms, inspired by the author’s own Creole family.
How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle by Alissa DeRogatis
Romance | Aug. 4
From the author of the smash hit Call It What You Want comes a fresh, charming romcom about the chaos of dating in your twenties, the ache of a brutal breakup, and the hilarious lengths one romance writer will go to get her spark back—including staging her own meet-cutes.
Kitten by Stacey Yu
Literary Fiction | Aug. 4
A magnetic, stirring debut novel about an adrift young woman whose growing fascination with her boyfriend’s cat ushers her into the possibilities of her own life—but not without first threatening to unravel it.
Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty
Cozy Fantasy | Aug. 4
Three strangers’ lives converge in the waiting room of Sydney’s Time Travel Agency – a nondescript shopfront that promises impossible things.
Etna by Paul Yoon
Literary Fiction | Aug. 4
Beloved author and winner of The Story Prize, Paul Yoon, is back with the unforgettable story of a working dog, Etna, who, after a devastating war, embarks on an odyssey in the hopes of returning home.
Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty
Historical Fiction | Aug. 4
A forbidden love during the Cold War blows open the world of a teenage girl, altering the trajectory of her life – from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Chaperone.
Stay Buried by Jennifer McMahon
Horror | Aug. 11
From the New York Times bestselling author of Children on the Hill comes a queer folk horror in which a woman must confront decades of secrecy and superstition to learn the truth about her mother’s death.
A Witch in Notting Hill by Alexandra Paige
Cozy Fantasy | Aug. 11
Perfect for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, this cozy and whimsical romance follows an accident-prone witch and a hot grumpy occult bookstore owner who doesn’t believe in magic as they travel across London to undo a spell gone awry.
Dreamland by Olivie Blake
Horror | Aug. 11
From New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake comes a tantalizing story of power, seduction, and the omens you’ll ignore when everything you’ve dreamed of feels just within reach.
You’ll Love it Here by Natalie Sue
Romance | Aug. 11
From the bestselling author of I Hope This Finds You Well comes a sharply funny, surprisingly tender novel about a woman stuck in place, her nosy neighbors, and the journey to find where she belongs—with all the heart of a grown-up The Breakfast Club.
Night Songs by Alli Dyer
Contemporary Fiction | Aug. 11
In this haunting family saga, a young woman must delve into her country star mother’s music to break a curse that has plagued the women in her family for generations—before her time runs out.
Reliquary by Hannah F. Whitten
Horror | Aug. 11
When Claire’s fiancé mysteriously dies of an unknown neurological illness, seemingly destroying her chances at the belonging she’s sought, she’s prepared to sink back into the lonely life she lived before. Orphaned in her childhood, she never expected to find connection like she did with Elias, anyway. Even if sometimes, that connection seemed more like something he felt obligated to than something he wanted…
Sunrise by Téa Obreht
Historical Fiction | Aug. 11
Three lives, 100 years, one Western ghost town. An explosive novel about a mysterious place called Sunrise where the secrets of the past refuse to stay buried.
Mia by Leslie Bazzett
Thriller | Aug. 11
A stylish, unsettling work of psychological suspense about an American woman, adrift in Mexico for a year, whose chance encounter with a glamorous older expat spirals into obsession and betrayal.
The Responsible Party by Claire Carusillo
Historical Fiction | Aug. 11
Geek Love meets Sam Lipsyte in this rollicking, hilarious debut novel about a family of unforgettable women obsessed with securing their legacy.
Saint Delilah by Isabelle Spotts
Horror | Aug. 11
Delilah is dead. But her story is far from over. In this feminist supernatural suspense novel, she will find her peace—and give hell to the man who killed her.
Big and Lily by Lisa Roe
Contemporary Fiction | Aug. 11
A sharply funny, deeply heartfelt novel about two sisters who discover the best way to find yourself is by getting lost.
Let’s Kiss and Tell by Joss Richards
Romance | Aug. 11
A sex columnist and a news reporter realize a fake relationship can help them both professionally and personally—but they aren’t prepared for the real feelings that start to develop beyond the headlines—from the bestselling author of It’s Different This Time.
Siren Says by Jennifer Herrera
Fantasy | Aug. 18
A lush, spellbinding tale about a tenacious young woman who must harness her family’s dangerous magic to put a stop to the sacrifices they’ve been making for more than a century.
Suffer a Witch by Joy McCullough
Memoir | Aug. 18
For readers of Know My Name by Chanel Miller and fans of Broadway’s John Proctor Is the Villain, a stunning memoir in verse about sexual abuse, survival, and sisterhood from the New York Times bestselling author of Blood Water Paint.
The Devil Knows Her Name by C.N. Vair
Horror | Aug. 25
In an isolated Appalachian town, Tess lives in precious quiet. Having been left for dead a century earlier, Tess made a deal with the devil to stay in the only home she’s known. Tending to her wildlife sanctuary, she keeps the land and its people safe – pulling on threads of ancient magic, trying to preserve the balance of nature against the encroaching ravages of human influence. But, every autumn, the devil returns, offering Tess more power. And, every autumn, Tess refuses.
Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton
Cozy Fantasy | Aug. 25
A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver-tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose.
Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason
Literary Fiction | Aug. 27
Sophie is a lovely person – warm, kind, relentlessly positive. She’s cherished by her brother, adored by her friends, and valued by her colleagues. Sure, sometimes one day in her life can feel like an entire month. But she’s fine really. She spends her time alone reading, finding comfort in the pages of the books she devours. Until one day she stumbles upon an author she hasn't read in years. Her books, interviews and podcasts soon become a lifeline; every word is a solace, company she hasn't felt in so long. It's almost like love.
September
The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Kate Westbury
Historical Fiction | Sept. 1
Set against the backdrop of post-WWII Oxford University, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies is the irresistible debut from Kate Westbury that seamlessly layers mystery, romance, and a dash of academia to introduce the Crown’s newest undercover operatives.
I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell by Mackenzie Reed
Paranormal Romance | Sept. 1
When staying late at the office leads to witnessing an exorcism, Brie Benson’s mundane life takes a hellish turn… literally.
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait
Literary Fiction | Sept. 1
From the comedically brilliant author of Cry Havoc, a wry, domestic comedy of manners that follows two generations of sisters as they grapple with unstable parents, mental illness, and the general tumult of adulthood.
A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin
Fantasy | Sept. 1
Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.
An Immaculate Deception by Isabela Livino
Horror | Sept. 1
A debut Gothic horror set in 1870s Brazil—a tale of creeping suspense in which a young pregnant woman finds herself unable to escape her lover’s isolated family home, and a family’s deal with the devil goes terribly wrong.
We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells
Thriller | Sept. 8
Sharp Objects with a dash of Practical Magic in this southern gothic thriller with cool girl edge from USA Today bestselling author Emma C. Wells following two estranged sisters who will do anything to protect each other – even murder. Again.
Disenchanted by Lucy Jane Wood
Cozy Fantasy | Sept. 10
Sage Hemlock has no interest in embracing her witchy side. Magic has betrayed her before, bringing nothing but heartache, and she will not let something so foolish happen again.
Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo
Fantasy | Sept. 15
The highly anticipated, explosive conclusion to the Ninth House trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.
Fallow by Sarah Anderson
Literary Fiction | Sept. 15
Slyly funny and disarmingly tender, Fallow is the story of a young woman who signs up to be the world’s first in-house corporate surrogate, then finds herself caught up in a social experiment of another kind.
Observer by Nicholas Russell
Horror | Sept. 15
A disquieting, atmospheric debut horror novel about a young woman investigating her mother’s disappearance at an abandoned Nevada observatory, for fans of Jeff VanderMeer and Mariana Enriquez.
Something of a Calling by Zoje Stage
Horror | Sept. 15
Weeks before her retirement, a lonely small-town detective discovers that she is not alone in believing the worst about people—someone or something is exacting terrible vengeance on humanity at a scale she would never have imagined.
Thank You For Remembering by Emily Harding
Romance | Sept. 15
A woman wakes up with amnesia to a totally different life and teams up with her charming new neighbor to piece together her missing memories in this tender and funny romantic comedy from the author of How Freaking Romantic.
So It Grows by Andie Burke
Romance | Sept. 22
A cozy small town business-rivals-to-lovers romcom about finding joy where you least expect it from USA Today bestselling author Andie Burke.
Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm
Horror | Sept. 22
In this lyrical debut, three generations of Palestinian women must put the haunting of their ancestral home to rest, before the secrets of the past drown them all. Our Cut of Salt is a powerful and intimate look at what it means to make a home, to lose it, and to return, only to find it irrevocably changed.
A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood
Fantasy | Sept. 22
Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been hers. A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.
Crone by Keith Rosson
Horror | Sept. 22
A haunting, fearsome story of a father searching for his missing daughter and finding darkness—both human and not—at every turn, from the author of Fever House and Coffin Moon.
Stations by Louise Kennedy
Historical Fiction | Sept. 24
In 1982, Róisín and Red meet as teenagers in their hometown in Ireland. Red’s reputation for trouble might precede him, but Róisín finds in him an intelligent and funny – if unlikely – friend. When a brush with the law pushes Red into a corner, he escapes their town and his family for good to start a new life in England.
Spellstruck by Martha Waters
Cozy Fantasy | Sept. 29
From beloved author Martha Waters, a lightly magical, enemies-to-lovers rom-com about the owner of a speakeasy supplying magical drinks and an enforcer of the ban on magic who must team up when potions begin to go awry, proving that chemistry isn’t just for cocktails.
Trad Wife by Sarah Langan
Horror | Sept. 29
From the three-time Bram Stoker Award–winning author of Good Neighbors comes a chilling tale of a journalist’s descent into horror as she uncovers the dark secrets behind a trad wife influencer, blending suspense with a critique of modern femininity and the manipulative forces of social media.
The Sisters of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy
Horror | Sept. 29
For fans of Starling House, Play Nice, and Practical Magic comes a biting, layered, and haunting debut following one woman from a long line of psychics who will do anything to save her family legacy and the haunted house she grew up in from an entity threatening to destroy everything she’s built.
The Unhaunting by Micaiah Johnson
Horror | Sept. 29
At the end of the Civil War, a daughter of the confederacy made what she thought was an innocent wish – to build a house where nothing bad could happen. But peace came at a price, and one hundred and seventy years later Shantell and her friends are about to discover where all that darkness ended up.
October - 21
Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson
Romance | Oct. 6
Both incisive and tender, Bad Words lays bare the costs of creation - the pull between ambition and integrity, the vulnerability of being seen, and the unexpected closeness that can grow in the space between critique and care.
The Witch by Freida McFadden
Thriller | Oct. 6
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes The Witch, a chilling, twist-filled thriller about secrets―those we inherit, those we bury, and those people will burn to keep silent.
The Memory of Borrowed Books by Meg Anderson
Cozy Fantasy | Oct. 6
A sweeping, magical ode to community and the stories we leave behind, The Memory of Borrowed Books follows one librarian who discovers a hidden room of unfinished memories—and must find the one that can save her beloved library from closing forever.
Find Me Where It Ends by Cassandra Khaw
Horror | Oct. 6
A young woman wakes up to find the black hound of Death at her front door in this hauntingly beautiful tale from USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Khaw.
Your Beloved Remains by Quinn Connor
Horror | Oct. 6
As fascination turns to obsession, two women drag each other into an academic horror of forgery, murder, and rage, destined to be devoured by readers of Plain Bad Heroines and If We Were Villains.
She’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove
Horror | Oct. 6
Lucy isn’t a normal girl. Ghost. Victim. Killer. She’s a doll on a mission—to find the man who killed her and return the favor. From LA Times bestselling author Barbara Truelove, She’s a Doll is a ghoulish and gleeful tribute to the unstoppable power of female rage and a love letter to the friends who have our back—in this life and the next.
The House Built on Alligator Bones by Sophia Huneycutt
Horror | Oct. 6
Dartrine Beaumont believes her mother’s sudden death has left her alone in the world—until she learns of long-lost wealthy relatives living in Florida. Confused but delighted by the possibility of extended family, Dart travels to her grandmother’s stately Gilded Age mansion on Amelia Island for answers, just in time to stake a claim on an unusual inheritance: an alligator farming empire.
Solace House by Will Maclean
Horror | Oct. 13
In the summer of 1993, broke student Alex Lane joins a team clearing out Solace House, a Victorian mansion bequeathed to the university by a reclusive hoarder called Flayne. When the crew begins sorting through piles of junk, they stumble upon Flayne’s journals, in which he details his obsession with his missing mother, his discovery of a place called Bewise, and - most mysteriously - his belief in another realm lying parallel to ours, along with coded instructions as to how it might be reached.
Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus
Contemporary Fiction | Oct. 13
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry returns with an irresistible, delightful, and tender story about a young man whose life turns upside down when he is hired by the most prestigious, secretive, and dysfunctional poetry journal in the the renowned Peck & Peck of New York City.
Her Kind by Sophie Lefens
Contemporary Fiction | Oct. 13
An exquisite, mist-laced debut novel about friendship and motherhood, fear and love, in which a woman plagued by visions of being pulled away from Earth invites her three closest friends for a weekend, to see who might care for her son if she dies.
The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson
Mystery & Thriller | Oct. 13
Return to the world of Truly Devious as Stevie Bell and her friends travel to New York to solve a murder in the next standalone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.
Rottenheart by Kat Dunn
Horror | Oct. 13
Inspired by Hamlet, the ultimate revenge tragedy, Rottenheart is the stunning new sapphic gothic horror novel from Kat Dunn, the lauded author of Hungerstone and Bitterthorn. Set in the 1890s, this a story of love and grief, mothers and daughters, death and madness.
Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak
Horror | Oct. 13
From the New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Pictures and The Last One at the Wedding comes a new supernatural thriller about a young woman pet-sitting a cat with a mysterious secret, featuring more than sixty pages of illustrations.
Back Where We Started by Becca Freeman
Romance | Oct. 13
A rising Hollywood star explores the road not taken with her first love in this tender second-chance romance. Back Where We Started is an emotional second-chance romance, a story about allowing oneself to change, the addictive nature of achievement, and how we make room in our lives for what matters most.
The Betrayal of Cora Wexford by Bethany Joy Lenz
Historical Fiction | Oct. 13
From the New York Times bestselling author of Dinner for Vampires comes a romantic psychological thriller set in Victorian-era London when Jack the Ripper’s victims were still invisible women.
Entities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe
Paranormal Romance | Oct. 13
A connection that’s more than supernatural emerges between two rival tour guides who wish they could ghost each other in this sparkling romantic comedy from USA Today bestselling author Mallory Marlowe.
It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller
Horror | Oct. 13
It Looks Like You in the Dark is a propulsive, grab-you-by-the-throat, Indigenous horror debut that expertly blends folklore and supernatural chills to explore all the fearsome monsters that emerge when we turn our backs on the land and each other.
Missing Molly by Natalie Barelli
Mystery & Thriller | Oct. 20
Everyone has secrets, and Rachel Holloway is no exception. She’s worked hard to keep the past where it belongs: dead and buried. And so far, she’s been very successful. But now the small newspaper where she works wants to produce a podcast on a cold case: the disappearance fifteen years ago of little Molly Forster, aged nine.
Lethal Kiss by Taylor Grothe
Horror | Oct. 20
Jennifer’s Body meets Ninth House: Taylor Grothe’s adult debut novel is a sapphic horror/romance that’s as grotesque and blood-soaked as it is beautiful.
Milkteeth by Caitlin Starling
Horror | Oct. 20
From the bestselling author of The Death of Jane Lawrence comes a new, genre-bending supernatural horror about a vampire broodmother fighting against her own monstrous descent.
Venus, Vanishing by Rebecca Birrell
Historical Fiction | Oct. 27
Berlin, 1928. Hannah is new to the pleasures and freedoms of the city. An artist, a runaway, she is building a new life, loving without boundaries and sketching with a cutting edge. But the party is ending. Hannah begins a recklessly consuming affair with a powerful man’s wife and it soon threatens to do more than ruin both of their reputations. People are disappearing. The shadows of something unspeakable are growing darker. Her art could be the thing that secures her survival – or will deny her any chance of escape.
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Thanks for this excellent list! So looking forward to Country People and Sophie, Standing There.
YOU MAKE ME SO EXCITED TO READ! Thanks Lizzie :)