The new releases I absolutely cannot resist this year.
At the start of this year, I made a very responsible promise to myself: no buying new books until I made a serious dent in the towering stack already waiting for me. I have unread hardcovers on my shelves. I have pre-orders I forgot I placed. I have at least three fantasy series sitting there judging me.
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to finally read what I already own before letting myself get distracted by shiny new releases.
And then the 2026 lineup was announced.
Now? I fear all progress is about to be undone.
Because when some of your favorite authors return to worlds you’ve already fallen in love with; when the next installments in series you’re emotionally invested in start dropping, self control becomes…theoretical.
The Mirror of Infinite Endings by Stephanie Garber
Genre: Fantasy / Fairytale Romance
I completely fell in love with the world of Once Upon a Broken Heart. Stephanie Garber writes stories that feel like stepping inside a jeweled fairytale — magical, romantic, and just slightly dangerous.
The Mirror of Infinite Endings is a companion novel set within that universe, expanding the lore and deepening the emotional threads that made the original series so addictive. Without spoiling anything, Garber’s worlds revolve around fate, bargains and love that feels both destined and complicated. Her writing leans whimsical but always carries emotional weight underneath.
Since I’ve already read and adored this world, I’m excited to return to it in a new way — not as a continuation that pressures me with cliffhangers, but as a layered addition that lets me stay in the magic a little longer.
The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig
Genre: Dark Fantasy / Romantic Fantasy
Rachel Gillig has such a specific atmosphere in her writing. It’s gothic, lyrical, and romantic without ever feeling soft. Her stories tend to center on morally gray characters, dangerous power structures, and slow-burning tension that builds beautifully.
The Knave and the Moon, the second installment in Rachel Gillig’s series, continues her signature style, blending shadowy magic with layered relationships. Her books usually explore trust, betrayal, and the fine line between devotion and destruction — which, admittedly, is exactly my favorite kind of fantasy dynamic. Because I’ve read her previous work, I already know I’ll be fully immersed. Her pacing is intentional, her emotional arcs feel earned, and her worlds always linger after I finish.
The Last King of Faerie by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Cassandra Clare is one of the authors who originally got me into fantasy. I’ve read multiple books within the Shadowhunters universe, so every new release feels nostalgic yet exciting.
What makes her books so compelling is how interconnected the Shadowhunters world is. Characters, locations, and histories from earlier stories often resurface in unexpected ways, which makes each new book feel like another piece of a much larger universe coming together.
The Last King of Faerie dives deeper into the faerie side of the world — which is always where things get complicated and politically intense. Clare’s writing is known for intricate worldbuilding, layered character backstories, and romantic tension woven into larger supernatural conflicts.
Returning to this universe feels like revisiting something foundational in my reading life with higher stakes and more complexity.
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
I truly love Abby Jimenez’s books. She writes contemporary romance in a way that feels warm, funny, and emotionally grounded at the same time. I’ve read several of her previous novels, and she always balances humor with vulnerability so naturally.
The Night We Met centers around timing, connection, and how one moment can change everything. Her characters tend to feel very real, flawed, ambitious, and emotionally layered. There’s always chemistry, but there’s also growth.
I know this will be one of those romances that makes me smile, maybe tear up a little, and close the book feeling like I just experienced something meaningful.
King of Gluttony by Ana Huang
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Ana Huang’s interconnected romance series has been one of the most addictive contemporary runs I’ve read. I’ve followed the earlier books, so every new installment feels like catching up with dramatic, chaotic, high-powered characters I already know.
King of Gluttony continues her signature formula: intense chemistry, emotional push-and-pull, and larger-than-life romantic stakes. Her books lean into power dynamics and ambition, but they always ground the relationships in vulnerability by the end.If her previous releases are any indication, this one will be fast-paced and impossible to put down.
Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Genre: Fantasy / Romantic Fantasy
I’ve already read the earlier books in this series, and what I love most is how it plays with classic fantasy tropes. It takes the hero-versus-villain dynamic and twists it in ways that feel clever and unexpectedly heartfelt.
Adversary to the Villain expands that world even further, blending humor with genuine emotional stakes. If the earlier books are any indication, it should deliver the same blend of humor, strong character development, and romantic tension.
This feels like one of those books I’ll fly through in a weekend.
Starside by Alex Aster
Genre: Fantasy / Romantic Fantasy
I’ve been following Alex Aster’s writing since Lightlark, and I love how cinematic her storytelling feels. Her books blend political tension, romance, and high fantasy spectacle in a way that’s fast-paced but still emotionally charged.
Starside introduces new stakes within a universe I’ve already invested in. Without giving anything away, Aster’s stories tend to revolve around power, loyalty, and choices that change everything. I’m excited to step back into that intensity and see how she pushes the world even further.
A Court Of Thorns & Roses Book 6 by Sarah J Maas
Genre: Fantasy / Romantic Fantasy
Plot details are still being kept very quiet — which honestly makes the wait even more intense —but the next book is expected to continue exploring the characters and power dynamics within Prythian’s courts. Fans have been waiting years since A Court of Silver Flames, so returning to this world again feels long overdue. Personally, this is one of those releases where I already know I’ll drop whatever I’m reading the moment it comes out.
2026 is going to be amazing for the bookish community.
What makes this year special for me isn’t just the scale of the releases, it’s that so many of these books return to worlds and authors I already trust. There’s something different about picking up a sequel from a universe you’ve already annotated and stayed up too late finishing.
My TBR might be completely unrealistic.
But honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing.