2026 TBR | Series and Side Projects
2026 TBR
Everyone seems to have their own way to pick a TBR for the new year. As I sat and thought about it, I decided that since I've been getting back into reading, what I want to focus on are books that I've missed but am interested in. I will naturally read new things from 2026 as I hear about them, and I am tracking my series separately so they don't take up all the space.
A video I watched by Booktuber Lottie Smalley played a large roll in my final setup decision, too. There is a trend in the booktube community to make a list of X number of books you want to read in X year. 26 in 26 this go around. But as a slower reader, especially if I'm choosing books for their content rather than for how quick I can turn around and give a review, that idea works against me. So instead, I decided to go with 12 picks for 2026. Still a solid selection of books, but not something that will leave me with no room to think about stuff I want to read quarterly or monthly, since I find that fun, too.
Anyway, enough stalling. Here is my current 2026 TBR.Let's see how many of these I read, cuz there are some really chunkers in here.
Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located at the fringes of the afterlife, where students are fated to spend the rest of eternity shepherding lost souls. Once a pupil enters the school’s arched gates, there is no way out…except for the Decennial, a once-in-a-decade celebration that rewards nominees who pass its trials with a choice: formally graduate and join Blackwood’s magical elite, or venture into the unknown and cross over to the mysterious Other Side.
Wren Loughty is certain that this Decennial, she has what it takes to earn the nomination—unless, that is, her academic archrival Augustine Hughes steals her spot.
Irene Manette Bamford has never cared about playing by the rules. She’s willing to break whatever (and whoever) stands between her and getting the hell out of Blackwood, including her best and only friend, Masika Sallow.
Olivier Dupont gave up on securing the nomination ages ago. But after he meets Blackwood’s newest student, Emilio Córdova, he’ll do anything to keep Emilio from leaving him and crossing over to the Other Side—even if it means claiming the victory for himself.
All of them are determined to be Blackwood’s chosen candidate–and all of them would do anything to win. But none of them are prepared for what’s to come. Because this Decennial will be different. This time, the Decennial isn’t a celebration…it’s a competition. And there can only be one victor.
Six nominees. Four trials. Untold danger. Wren, August, Irene, Masika, Olivier and Emilio are about to learn: there are some fates worse than death.
A school for people who are caught between life and death. Some kind of trail that determines their ultimate fate. Not everyone can win. I see intrigue, I see conflict, and I see themes that are among those most likely to pull me into a story. How can I resist? The blurb had me at 'fringes of the afterlife'. Of course I want to read this.
by A. K. Caggiano
His dark destiny awaits, and nothing will stand in his way. Except her.
Dark lord
Demon spawn
Prophesied realm destroyer
With a demon for a father, Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne’s destiny could be nothing but nefarious, and with the completion of his most vicious spell, Damien is on the cusp of fulfilling the evil inevitability all of his dark machinations have led to.
And then, her.
Bubbly
Obnoxious
Blonde
Harboring secrets of her own, a tiny yet troublesome thief calling herself Amma completely upsets Damien’s malevolent plans when she mistakenly gets chained to his side through magic, forcing him to drag her across the realm. Killing her would fix things, of course, but the nauseatingly sweet Amma proves herself useful on Damien's unholy crusade and then proves herself the source of something even more sinister: feelings.
Will Damien be forced to abandon his villainous birthright to help the tender thorn in his side? Or will he manage to overcome the virtue Amma insists on inspiring and instead cut it out at the heart?
This is the kind of character pairing that is right up my alley. I saw the cover for this randomly on Amazon and was drawn to how pretty it was. And then I read the blurb and basically thought, "This book seems like it was made for me.". This is the kind of deal where it'll be hard to keep expectations in check. Will this live up to the hype that has been created in my mind?
by Bree Grenwich
A part of the Sundered Realms Extended Universe
Revenge demands the ultimate sacrifice. When twins Thais and Thatcher are thrust into the deadly Trials of Ascension, they'll navigate brutal competitions and forbidden desires, discovering some secrets are worth dying for—and others are worth killing for.
In a world where divine power bleeds into the mortal realm, Thais Morvaren has mastered the art of deception. To her seaside village, she's just a fisherman's daughter, serving oysters to summer tourists. In secret, she hides her ability to forge starlight—a power that would force her into the deadly Trials of Ascension.
But when a priest's ritual exposes her powers, Thais is seized and conscripted into the trials against her will. Now trapped in a competition she never wanted to enter, she transforms her fear into purpose: to kill the King of the Gods.
To take down one of the Aesymar, she must become one, even if it costs her everything.
The selection ceremony binds her to a mentor: Xül. A necromancer prince with blood-soaked hands, a sharp tongue, and dark secrets of his own. From the moment they meet, sparks fly. He's insufferably arrogant, she's stubborn to the bone, and neither has any intention of yielding to the other... or to the heat between them.
Each trial survived brings her closer to godhood, but beneath the spectacle of competition, something ancient and malevolent stalks the shadows of the divine realm—a darkness that threatens to unravel the heavens themselves.
The cost of godhood is rising.
Because some stars aren't meant to be weapons.
Some stars are meant to fall.
I am just that weird mix of romance reader and D&D girlie who is going to lose her mind over a premise like this. Our lead character is going to be paired up with a necromancer? Count me in. Probably won't be as crazy as romancing a Lich was in Dragon Age: The Veil Guard but it's definitely a story concept that is up my street. Enough so that I was willing to put this 700+ page behemoth on my TBR.
by Sable Sorensen
Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them.
Meryn Cooper has always hated the Bonded, elite warriors who form mental links with the massive, vicious direwolves they ride. While they live in luxury, Meryn struggles to keep her family out of poverty. When her little sister, Saela, is kidnapped—stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting—Meryn’s world falls apart.
Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials, where any mistake will cost her life.
Now Meryn must survive four months of training at the castle. She is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her cold and beautiful instructor, Stark Therion, is eager to punish any weakness.
Everything is a competition, and everyone is out to get her—everyone except the dangerously handsome crown prince, whose attention adds another target to her back. In the castle, every smile hides a knife…and the halls hide dark secrets.
It’s bond or bleed. Duel or die. Failure is ruin.
Dire Bound contains mature content including depictions of graphic violence, and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.
This claims to be The Hunger Games meets Fourth Wing. Those are both books / series that I really like, so this story is definitely setting itself some tall boots to fill. I suppose that my confidence is increased, and my interest further piqued, by the idea that people in this world ride the wolf mounts from Ogrimar in World of Warcraft. This idea has potential. We'll have to see if it clicks.
by Elise Kova
Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job goes awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.
Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.
In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.
Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems.
But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?
One of my hobbies, when I'm not reading or writing, is collecting and using tarot decks. So the idea of a world that puts the tarot at the center of its magic system was bound to pique my interest. The addition of fake dating in such a dire world and situation--especially with the other person being the dude who put the FMC in prison--is just the icing on the cake. And we get to spend time in an academy setting, too? This premise is just stacking thing on top of thing that makes me curious. If this turns out as good as it sounds I'm in for a treat.
Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.
With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.
But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.
Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.
After all, a good job is hard to find.
Romance with a villain is the kind of thing that is instantly going to grab my attention. To see it in a cute and cozy context just makes it all the sweeter. This is not the kind of setting this type of story tends to end up in, which makes it all the more intriguing and potentially fresh. I meant to get to this years ago but didn't. So I'm looking forward to changing that in the new year.
by Opal Reyne
All Reia ever wanted was freedom.
Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed for Demons eating her family, Reia is shunned by her entire village. When the next offering is due and the monstrous Duskwalker is seen heading their way, her village offers her an impossible choice – be thrown into the prison cells or allow herself to be sacrificed to a faceless monster.
However, he is not what he seems. His skull face and glow eyes are ethereal, and she finds herself unwittingly enchanted by him.
All Orpheus ever wanted was a companion.
Each decade, in exchange for a protection ward from the Demons that terrorise the world, Orpheus takes a human offering to the Veil – the place he lives and the home of Demons. The brief companionship does little to ease his loneliness, and their lives were always, unfortunately, cut short.
He'd thought it was a hopeless endeavour, until he met her. She’s not afraid of him, and his insatiable desire deepens within every moment of her presence.
But will Orpheus be able to convince Reia to stay before she’s lost to him forever?
As I mentioned further up, I'm a big fan of the anime The Ancient Magus Bride. And the creature shown in this book gives me major Elias vibes. I've been meaning to give some of the new monster romance trope that's been kicking around a go, so long as I'm looking at books hat will actually have a plot. This sounds like it fits the bill and I'm eager to check it out.
by Briar Boleyn
I didn't sign up for this.
A half-fae in a school of highblood vampires? That's a recipe for torment.
I'm Medra Pendragon—last of the dragon riders, or so they tell me. Funny thing is, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But somehow, that hasn't stopped the vampires from deciding I'm worth capturing. Now I'm stuck at Bloodwing Academy, where the highbloods run everything and blightborn like me? We're just blood in their veins, pawns in their games.
But that's not even the worst part. Enter Blake Drakharrow. Cold, arrogant, and way too gorgeous for his own good. He's been tormenting me since the moment we met, and now, thanks to some ancient ritual, we're betrothed. He acts like he owns me, but I'm not going down without a fight.
Bloodwing isn't just a school—it's a battlefield. Highbloods fight for power, and if you're weak? You're dead.
Between deadly competitions, lies that could get me executed, and a dragon-shaped secret looming over my head, all I have to do is survive. Easy, right? Except I'm starting to think the real danger isn't the academy—it's what I'm becoming in this twisted game of power.
And Blake? He might just be the one who pushes me over the edge.
They think they can control me. They think they can use me.
But they have no idea what they've awakened.
On Wings of Blood is a dark academia fantasy romance featuring a bully villain with Draco Malfoy energy who (eventually) gets the girl, all the tension and banter, and a tantalizingly dangerous blend of court and school intrigue all set in an intricately crafted world with unique vampire and dragon lore. Bloodwing Academy may have crossover characters from the world of Blood of a Fae, but can be read completely independently.
Betrothed to a vampire who has been driving her up the wall from the moment they met? Check. School setting and court socializing and politics? Check. Villain love interest will eventually get the girl? Check. I absolutely have to read this. Check. This is another book on the list that seems like it has multiple things that are going to lure me in. Plus, it's on sale on Audible right now for $8 Canadian.
by Alexis Patton
Khalani is a Prisoner.
Takeshi is a Guard.
Both are slaves to the Underground.
Khalani Kanes has never stood on the surface of the earth. In the underground city of Apollo, faith and dreams are as absent as the sun. She longed to visit Genesis, the infamous Domed City and the final place where humanity lives aboveground. But when Khalani is given a life sentence and thrown into prison for a theft she didn't commit, those wishes shatter into oblivion.
In Braderhelm Prison, murderers are neighbors, ruthless and cold-blooded guards live to punish, and every second is a battle to survive. She thought the danger lay in befriending criminals and avoiding Takeshi Steele, the nefarious Captain who runs her cell block. But darker traps and secrets await her within the shadows of imprisonment. Khalani's blood will coat the walls in flaming silk before her enemies let her escape to the surface, a feat no one has successfully achieved. If the reclusive and callous Takeshi Steele won't kill Khalani, then the merciless prisoners and her fractured mind will.
Enter Braderhelm Prison, where only the Wicked remain.
From some commentary I've heard within various booktube channels, there is a growing suspicion that dystopian romance may become a think in the romantasy space. This wouldn't surprise me, and would be welcome in my opinion. One of the biggest highlights of my time blogging from 2011 to 2013 was the popularity of dystopian within young adult fiction.
by Abigail Owen
The gods love to toy with us mere mortals. And every hundred years, we let them…
I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.
Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won’t notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus’ patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.
The worst god. Hades.
For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible—the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.
So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me—a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders—as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?
I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?
Because Hades is playing by his own rules…and Death will win at any cost.
I've loved Greek mythology since childhood, and my thoughts on people using it as a jump point for their own fiction has shifted as I've grown older. It can be very hit or miss for me. I can find it hard to let someone else determine what these Gods--who have been characters in my mind for decades--are like. But when it pays off, it pays off big. And I've had a long running soft spot for Hades, which makes stories about him either really great, or really grating. Which will this be? We'll have to wait and see.
by Liv Zander
More treacherous than war... are the battles within a heart.
Perched between branches and shadows,
We watch, we scheme,
Fighting for a kingdom forgotten and forlorn.
Until we rip her away with our claws,
Our prisoner, our pawn, our plaything.
She’s innocent and pure,
Fragile and helpless…
…but oh so guilty by blood.
She calls us beasts,
Wicked and evil,
Vicious and cruel.
We are all that and worse.
One of us offers her shelter beneath his wings,
Whispering promises of pleasure,
Seeking redemption.
The other longs to shatter her into a million pieces,
Whispering promises of pain,
Seeking revenge.
Caught between our feathers,
She endures our deranged desires,
Our secrets, our lies,
Our twisted plans.
Will she surrender to our darkness,
or fight for a destiny growing ever elusive?
Welcome to the Court of Ravens, little white dove.
Feathers so Vicious is a full-length dark fantasy romance novel, and book one in the Court of Ravens duet. The two-part story features two morally gray raven shifters, a young woman at the mercy of their shadows, and a HEA. This world contains dark elements, violence, and themes some may find disturbing. Readers can find more detailed information on the author's website. What this book doesn't contain is a hero - because villains do it better. And two do it better than one…
Roughly twenty years ago, I played a turn based strategy game called Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. And for whatever reason, my twisted mind wanted the wyvern rider, Jill--who came from a society who hated shifters--to grow up and end up with the Laguz hawk shifter, Tybarn. Well, we have ravens here rather than hawks. But everything else that matters--I don't really care that Jill rode a wyvern--is perfect. So of course this is the kind of read that makes me willing to step outside my normal boundaries and give something a bit darker a try. Will it go better this time? Sometimes this sort of risk is fun, and sometimes it goes 90 miles an hour down a dead end street. We'll find out together!
Zodiac Academy #1
by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.
If you're one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it's in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we're a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.
Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn't get the memo. Which means we're totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.
Air. Fire. Water. Earth.
No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn't made us any friends so far.
As the rarest Elementals ever known, we're already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we've ever seen. It doesn't help that they're the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.
Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They've only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.
We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.
We can't expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we've been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.
Today's horoscope: totally screwed.
I keep hearing about this series, and the other series that branch off of it, and it has managed to get me very intrigued. I was originally interested in reading Never Keep, but all the research I've done assures me that I should be patient and go through everything for the best reading experience as it all inter-connects to varying degrees. So I suppose I will start here and see how it goes.
So, there we are. The twelve novels that I've highlighted for 2026. Many of these may lead to starting new series, which is fine. I have my series and other ongoing projects on a different page. It's linked at the top. Anyway, we'll see how many of these I get through in a year. I'll admit, I'm quite excited. It's not necessarily the most varied bunch of books I've seen, but it suits my mood and if I want to I can always change it later.
So, what are you planning to read in 2026? I'd love to know, so feel free to share.
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