With the semester in full swing, it has been difficult to keep up with my reading schedule. I currently have multiple Dostoevsky novels collecting dust on my bookshelf, and no intention of cracking one open until the school year is over. However, I intend to take the opportunity to do a little reading. Though my spring break reading will be a bit lighter than 19th-century Russian literature. In the interest of reading fun new releases, I present a list of some highly anticipated novels that you may or may not have heard about:
- Release Me (Tahereh Mafi)
-
Release Me is the second installment in Shatter Me: Series Two. While the first series focused on an untouchable girl named Juliet, whose goal is to take down the Establishment, the second series focuses on a boy called James. Armed with preternatural powers, he aims to finish the job that Juliet started. Will they finally be able to take down their dystopian government once and for all? The story continues on April 7, 2026.
- ACOTAR #6 & #7 (Sarah J. Maas)
-
Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series began as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but in total, has unravelled into an elaborate fantasy novel beyond its original inspiration. After nearly five years after the release of this book series, the sixth and seventh books finally have release dates. With the 6th book releasing on October 27,2026 and the 7th releasing on January 12, 2027, the events that take place in these novels will pick up directly where the 5th book, A Court of Silver Flames, left off.
- Barbie Dreamscape (Alex Aster)
-
It’s Barbie; what more can I say? Barbie Dreamscape by Alex Aster is set to follow Barbie as she takes a daring and treacherous journey across Heartland to discover her fate. If you want to find out more about Barbie’s hero’s journey, it will be available to you on July 28, 2026.
- Eyes of Kings (Chloe Gong)
-
Eyes of Kings is the final book in Chloe Gong’s Flesh and False Gods trilogy. If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, then you will find parallels between Flesh and False Gods and Antony and Cleopatra. When war is waged in the kingdom of Talin, there can only be one person who rises to the throne. Who will it be? After all, there can only be one king. If you’re interested in the fantasy world of Flesh and False Gods, Eyes of Kings will be released on August 4, 2026.
- Taipei Story (R.F. Kuang)
-
R.F. Kuang rose to online popularity for novels such as The Poppy War and Katabasis. However, Kuang’s work departs from her usual route of fantasy and heads toward the path of literary fiction with her Taipei Story. On September 8, 2026, Lily Chen will spend the summer in Taipei attempting to find belonging as a Chinese-American student visiting the land she should call home. Although, there is a long road ahead to get there.
- The Midnight Train (Matt Haig)
-
If you enjoyed The Midnight Library, then The Midnight Train is a chance to step back into that universe. The midnight train is a chance to go back in time to re-live important moments, but is it really worth it? The Midnight Train releases on May 26, 2026.
- First and Forever (Lynn Painter)
-
First and Forever is a romantic comedy. With tropes like fake-dating and enemies-to-lovers, who wouldn’t want to give this sports romance a try this May 12, 2026?