The Books That Should Be On Your Reading List In 2026
Self-care season is upon us. The temperatures are dropping, the sun is setting earlier and we’re trading pub gardens for cosy evenings wrapped in a blanket with a warm drink in hand.
A common misconception about self-care is that it’s reserved for face masks and everything showers. And whilst these are certainly a big part of it, taking care of your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health.
One simple way we can do that is by putting our phones down and reducing our screen time. Easier said than done right?
Now, I know that sounds scary, I mean what are you supposed to do with your evenings without your phone and social media? Well, getting snuggled up under a blanket with a good book is a pretty great place to start.
So, I’ve put together a list of the top 10 books to read this year. From celebrity memoirs to contemporary love stories set in 2000s Brooklyn, these are the books that deserve a place in your evening routines and make the perfect companion for a cosy evening in.
YESTERYEAR (2026)
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel centred around femininity, social media and the seductive fantasy of a simpler life. This novel follows Natalie Heller Mills, a social media influencer who is drawn to the world of tradwives and supposed perfection. Burke’s novel asks the question of what happens when a carefully curated image of domestic bliss starts to unravel. An exploration of what womanhood is and means, influencer culture and the identities we portray online.
FAMESICK (2026)
Famesick isn’t just another basic celebrity memoir, it’s funny, candid and often unexpectedly vulnerable. Looking beyond the glamour of a famous life, Lena Dunham reflects on fame, ambition, relationships, creativity and the complicated business of being a woman in the public eye. Famesick has you questioning what the cost of visibility really is.
Last Night In Brooklyn (2026)
Enter the chaotic world of early 2000s Brooklyn, this story follows artists, designers, friendships and parties before smartphones really existed. Gonzalez captures a disappearing New York, one of creative ambition and house parties. This novel explores a rapidly changing cultural landscape and who gets to remain within it.
Land (2026)
From the author of Hamnet, Land is an atmospheric historical novel following family, inheritance, memory and the relationship we create with our “home.” Set in Ireland, Land weaves together generations and histories to explore how our land carries the emotional weight of an entire family. O’Farrell has created a beautifully immersive novel sure to be a favourite.
London Falling (2026)
A new gripping nonfiction from Patrick Radden Keefe that examines a mysterious death, a teenager living under a false identity and the dark underbelly of extraordinary wealth. This book acts as part investigation, and part social history. London Falling takes readers into the shadowy world of money, privilege and power in one the world’s biggest cities.
John of John (2026)
Meet John-Calum MacLeod, a young man navigating sexuality, masculinity, family and faith in the Scottish Highlands, a place where tradition runs deep. A deeply affecting and intimate coming of age story against a changing Scotland, this novel will have you questioning everything.
Lost Lambs (2026)
A contemporary exploration of motherhood, marriage, family and the pressure of living online. Madeline Cash’s debut novel is a funny yet perceptive take on the pressures to have everything figured out whilst exploring the gap between our online lives and the messy reality. Sharp, engaging, and revolutionary, Lost Lambs is bound to be your new favourite read.
The Shampoo Effect (2026)
The Shampoo Effect explores friendships, desire and the complicated expectations placed on women, by us and others. A witty satire novel examining privilege, relationships and the affluent modern life. Jenny Jackson has created an incredible novel that is more than meets the surface.
Villa Coco (2026)
Set beneath the Tuscan sun in an irresistible Italian villa, Greer’s latest work explores complicated relationships, old friendship and long-held secrets. A combination of romance, friendship, and beautiful scenery, Villa Coco is the perfect novel for those not quite ready to let go of summer.
Celestial Lights (2026)
Featured on Vogue’s best reads of 2026, Cecile Pin has created a sweeping love story that takes you from London to the stars. A contemporary novel that centres on a relationship tested by ambition, distance, and the pursuit of dreams. Exploring the relationship between romance, sacrifice, technology and what we are willing to relinquish to achieve our dreams.
By Clarissa Straughn
