January Reading Recommendations + January 2026 Book Releases

Hey there, book lovers!

I can’t believe 2026 is almost here!!! A new year always feels like a fresh start for me and I love setting up my hobbies for the year and what I want to accomplish (I’m already thinking about that yearly reading goal!). January is the perfect time to fall back in love with reading (or lean even deeper into it). Whether you’re setting ambitious reading goals for 2026 or simply looking for your next great book, I’ve got you covered.

In this post, I’m starting my 2026 Monthly Reading Series with January Reading Recommendations + January 2026 Book Releases! If you been part of the blog for a while now you know that in 2024 I did monthly templates to share on social media, in 2025 I shared monthly reading challenges and now this year I’m doing it a little bit different:

Every month I’ll be sharing reading recommendations along with new book releases that deserve a spot on your TBR. Think fresh starts, new stories, and books that make you feel something. From light reads you can fly through to titles that invite a little reflection at the beginning of the year, this list is all about setting the tone for your 2026 reading journey. These January Reading Recommendations have a little bit of everything: fantasy, romance, literary fiction and nonfiction.

I’m also sharing a new printable for this month:

The new “Books that I read in January” printable is a super cute reading log that has space to track up to 6 books. Each with designated fields for the title, author, star rating (out of 5 stars) and Notes, quotes & highlights where you can add details like the genre, your favorite character, etc.

You can always use it digitally, but you can also print it and add it to your reading journal. I love checking a physical paper to write down when I finish a book, so hopefully having a printable version will give you some dopamine every time you get closer to your reading goal! Make sure to check out my “January reads” templates that you can post on your social media so you can share your reads with your friends.

You can find my other printables on my Printable page or click here. And hey, I’d love to hear from you. What other reading content would you like me to create? Drop your suggestions in the comments below.

And let me know how you found my blog—I’m always curious about that! Visit my Etsy store for more bookish stuff and make sure to subscribe for email notifications so you never miss a new freebie, and get exclusive access to the Subscribers’ Vault! You can check out more Reading Challenges I’ve shared here.

So grab a warm drink, get comfy, and let’s talk books,

Gabby

You can accompany your reading log by sharing a Monthly Reading Tracker Template on social media. I’ve made one for each month! Make sure to check them out here.

January Reading Recommendations

As I’ve shared before, every month I recommend books based on how much I enjoyed them and the ratings I gave them. If you’d like to know more about my personal rating system or how I pick my monthly reads, let me know in the comments below! I’m always happy to share.

And for these January Reading Recommendations, we have:

1. Lightlark

by Alex Aster

I started reading last month and couldn’t put the books down. That’s why I had to add Lightlark (the whole series) to these January recommendations. The pace of this book is phenomenal. If you like high-stakes, fast-paced romantasy, then you’ll definitely enjoy it! This is the first book in the series.

Buy it here through Bookshop.org

2. Book Lovers

by Emily Henry

Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just getting started, an Emily Henry book is always a safe bet. I’ll say that even though Book Lovers isn’t my favorite of hers (shoutout to Funny Story), I do think it’s the best one to start the year with. The banter and romance are really good! Read it and let me know in the comments what your rating was.

Buy it here from “Books a Go Go” (Indie Bookstore) through Bookshop.org

3. Same Time Next Year

by Tessa Bailey

A romance novella between a Canadian hockey player and his teammate’s half-sister, where the relationship starts out of convenience… that’s all I have to say. It’s light, funny, and short (under 150 pages), making it perfect for jump-starting your 2026 reading journey. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

Buy it here on Kindle

4. Before the Coffee Gets Cold

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

I picked up this book on a road trip to Philly with a friend, and it quickly became one of the best Japanese fiction books I’ve ever read. The premise follows a magical coffee shop where you can go back in time but only if you follow certain rules. Beautiful and heartbreaking. This is the first book in the series.

Buy it here through Bookshop.org

5. The midnight Library

by Matt Haig

I wanted to include this read at the beginning of the year because it invites you to reflect on life, choices, and dreams. What better moment to do that than the start of a new year? The magical realism is incredibly cozy. I absolutely ate it up!

Buy it here from “Books a Go Go” (Indie Bookstore) through Bookshop.org

6. Big Magic

by Elizabeth Gilbert

And finally… the book that got me back into reading. This was the first book I picked up in November 2021, when I rediscovered my love for reading. I reread it last year and realized that if there is ONE nonfiction book you should read, it’s this one. Give it a chance and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Buy it here through Bookshop.org

Heads-up: This post contains affiliate links. I truly believe money is a powerful tool for supporting your values and the communities you care about. In a world where so much of our spending ends up in the pockets of corporations that already have more than enough, I’ve chosen to partner with Bookshop.org, a platform that supports independent bookstores instead.

If you’d like to learn more about their mission and how they work, you can visit their website here.

P.S. Sadly, not all the books I recommend are available on Bookshop.org, so you may occasionally see links to other platforms. That said, I always do my best to prioritize independent and non–big corporate businesses whenever possible. If you know a better place to find any of these books, please let me know in the comments, I’d love to support them.

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January 2026 Book Releases

Romance

The Odds of You by Kate Dramis – January 6th, 2026
A Killer Kind of Romance by Letizia Lorini – January 13th, 2026
Catch Her If You Can: A Novel (Big Shots #5) by Tessa Bailey – January 20th, 2026
Romance Is Dead by Katie Bohn – January 20th, 2026
Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen – January 27th, 2026

Fantasy

A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa – January 13th, 2026
A Vow in Vengeance (Immortal Desires #1) by Jaclyn Rodriguez – January 13th, 2026
Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez – January 13th, 2026
The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao – January 20th, 2026
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao – January 20th, 2026
The Unwritten Rules of Magic by Harper Ross – January 27th, 2026

Thriller/Mystery

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins – January 6th, 2026
The First Time I Saw Him (Hannah Hall #2) by Laura Dave – January 6th, 2026
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney – January 20th, 2026
Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden – January 27th, 2026

Literary Fiction

Sheer by Vanessa Lawrence – January 13th, 2026
Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily R. Austin – January 13th, 2026
Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy – January 20th, 2026

You can check out the Goodreads list of “Most popular books published in January 2026” here if you are looking for more new releases.

Embrace your reading journey! Pin your favorite reading challenges to save them to Pinterest so you can come back and check them out or share them with your friends! For more content, follow me on

Little note:

I always wanted to open my own store. However, I didn’t want to add useless things that would just pollute the earth; instead, I try to create products that help you achieve your goals and enjoy your life with the least carbon footprint possible. That’s why I actively encourage you to use the products on my website in their digital format (or make sure you print on both sides of the paper)!

January Wrap Up Printable

Monthly Reads

How to use it:

Purchase your printable from my Etsy shop.
Print it or use it digitally. Note: All printables are US Letter-size files.
Write down the books that you’ve read during the month. (Hopefully the January Reading Recommendations can help you out picking your next read!) I added space for the author’s name, your rating, and notes or highlight so it’s easier for you to remember you reading journey in the future!
Feel free to print as many as you want! You can even share it with your book club friends and make it a group activity!