3 Best 2026 Books To Read Before the Year Ends

Published Nov 7, 2026, 3:36 PM EST David is a Senior Editor at Collider focused primarily on Lists. His professional journey began in the mid-2010s as a Marketing specialist before embarking on his writing career in the 2020s. At Collider, David started as a Senior Writer in late 2022 and has been a Senior Editor since mid-2023. He is in charge of ideating compelling and engaging List articles by working closely with writers, both Senior and Junior, as well as other editors. Occasionally, David also reviews movies and TV shows and writes episode recaps. Currently, David is also writing his second novel, a psychological horror satire that will, hopefully, be picked up for publication sometime next year. We are almost at the end of the year, that magical time when we start to feel like we didn't do nearly enough. So few of us actually get to fulfill our New Year's resolutions — if we have resolutions at all — but there is still time to do a few of them; it's only November, after all. If your resolution was to read a bit more, then you're in luck, because 2026 had a slew of great books, some of which you might not have read yet. Better late than never, and early November is still a great time for you to pick up one of these 2026 gems and lose yourself in their engaging narratives. Maybe they're a great fantasy adventure, or maybe they're a romantic drama — the point is, these 2026 books are amazing, and you still have time to start and finish them before the ball drops on December 31. 'Sea of Charms' Image via St. Martin's Press Let's begin with a cute romantasy book, because who doesn't love romantasy? Sea of Charms is the third standalone entry in the Spellshop series and tells a classic high-seas adventure with plenty of romance and fantasy to boot. The plot follows Marin, a supplier runner who journeys from island to island to deliver goods alongside her crew. On the island of Alyssium, Marin meets Dax, a stubborn composer whom she convinces to pose as her boyfriend in the upcoming End-of-Harvest festival. Sea of Charms blends a typical romcom plot with a thrilling adventure at sea, and the result is one of the most singular and enchanting books of 2026. Every cozy trope that romance fans love is alive and well here: fake dating? Check! Found family? Check! Self-discovery amid hardship? Check! What else can you ask for? Author Sarah Beth Durst's writing is witty, atmospheric, and utterly irresistible, making it impossible not to fall for Marin and Dax. Mainly, her immersive prose will make it impossible to put Sea of Charms down, and at 384 pages, it's a perfect choice to finish before Christmas Day. However, perhaps there's no better time to read this than in the week between Christmas and New Year. 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State' Image via Allen Lane / Penguin Random House Now for something a lot more serious and relevant. The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State is a non-fiction book about, you guessed it, AI. Written by Harvard historian Jill Lepore, the book deals with heavy issues concerning how artificial intelligence and corporations are messing with the democratic process. Lepore tracks the evolution of systems purportedly designed to help democracy, including ID numbers and consensus techniques, and describes how they have become tools for mass surveillance and categorization. In a world where AI is such a hot topic of discussion, books like The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State become all the more relevant and important. Interestingly, Lepore tracks how many of sci-fi's most daring ideas, first presented in books and movies, have been developed in real life, ultimately amounting to the situation we find ourselves in right now. The author also pulls no punches when it comes to condemning oligarchs and tech moguls, who keep pushing for invasive technologies aimed at slowly eroding democracy. Non-fiction books can be just as compelling as any work of narrative fiction, and this gem proves it; chances are there is no 2026 book more passionate or urgent than this one. 'Last Night in Brooklyn' Image via Flatiron Books Finally, we have a wonderfully original book that updates F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby for the new millennium. Last Night in Brooklyn is set in 2007, shortly before the 2008 financial crisis that would shape much of the early 2010s lifestyle. The protagonist is Alicia Canales Forten, a 26-year-old whose conventional life is upended by her mysterious and alluring neighbor, a designer known as La Garza. A genderbent version of The Great Gatsby might not be particularly interesting in and of itself, but author Xochitl Gonzalez opts for a modern and insightful approach. Here, she deals with classic themes in line with the setting — indeed, everything from economic uncertainty to class and racial struggles can be found here. However, Gonzalez is far more perceptive than the average writer, particularly concerning issues of ambition and what it means to exist in a world driven by appearance and money. Moreover, the book is incredibly atmospheric, with the author painting a vibrant, explosive vision of Brooklyn that feels powerful, irresistibly immersive, and ultimately unforgettable.