Hello, book besties!
Another month… another post with reading recommendations and March 2026 Book Releases for you to add to your TBR. After an amazing January, February was a month of reading slumps and struggling to sit down and finishing the 8 books I started. So yep, it was probably my fault for starting so many books at the same time.
Can we talk about reading slumps for a second? Let’s be super real… we all have experience them and they are SO horrible. Do you have any tips to get out of a slump? if you do please leave them down in the comments! Anyway… Im so excited to share with you this month’s recommendations AND book releases! there are a couple that are making it to my TBR for sure! I also wanted to mention that I’ve added the Bookshop.org and Amazon links (if available) for every book I’m mentioning here in case you feel inspired to get it.
Now… back to what you came for! In this post, I’m sharing my March Reading Recommendations + March 2026 Book Releases! Every month I’ll be sharing reading recommendations along with new book releases that deserve a spot on your TBR. I try to keep the recommendations as varied as I can so everyone can find something to read!
I’m also sharing a new printable for this month:
- The new “Books that I read in March” 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 “March 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 snack, 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.
Table of Contents
March Reading Recommendations
As I shared before, every month I’m gonna be sharing some of the books I would recommend based on how much I liked them and the rating I gave them. If you wanna 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. If you want to know what I’m reading and my personal book reviews feel free to follow me on Fable!
And for these March Reading Recommendations we have:
1. The Alchemist
by Paulo Coehlo
I’m sure you have seen this book being recommended everywhere… and honestly there is a reason why! Paulo Coehlo wrote an amazing short (and sweet) story that follows Santiago through his search for treasure. Since he leaves his home, he meets a lot of different characters that teach him different things that we could also learn from. The Alchemist can be just a cute story, or you can use its poetic undertone to use it as a mirror to examine yourself and learn some lessons from it.
2. Heartstopper Vol. 1
by Alice Oseman
I just added the first volume here but the whole series are TOP TIER. This graphic novel follows the story of Charlie and Nick, how the fall in love and the challenges of being a teenager part of the LGBTQ+ community. There are 5 volumes out and the author has announced that she’s working on the sixth and last volume of the series. (Update: The release date is July 7th 2026! you can pre-order it here) If you have never read a graphic novel, this is a great one to start! I will highlight that there are some hard topics (food disorders and homophobia) that are part of the story so I would check trigger warnings. Also… Netflix made a show so you can watch it once you are done with the books!
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
I had to include this recommendation because it’s my Book Club pick! I’m so excited to re-read it with local friends and discuss it together. Many people say this book is inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s life—I’m not sure how much of that is true, but it does give those vibes. You follow Evelyn Hugo’s life and her rise to fame, with the book divided by each of her husbands. Like any woman in Hollywood, Evelyn’s life is full of drama. The way the book is written makes it such a page-turner! If you’re reading it this month, make sure to join our digital book club on Fable!
4. Thank You For Listening
by Julia Whelan
This recommendation is for my audiobook lovers! The author is a renowned voice actress with an impressive portfolio. If you enjoy audiobooks like I do, please give this one a listen—the way she brings the characters to life is pure art. The story follows a voice actress (surprise!) who used to narrate romance novels. After life happens, she stops working in the romance genre. While taking care of her grandma, she’s offered an amazing opportunity to work on a romance book by a highly respected author. Great timing, right? The catch: the male lead is voiced by a secretive voice actor called “Brock McNight.” If you want to know how that goes down and laugh out loud—give this audiobook a chance!
5. A Court of Thorns and Roses
If you don’t know me in person, this might come as a surprise, but ACOTAR will always be my top fantasy series recommendation for anyone looking for their next read. I don’t want to say too much to avoid spoilers, but picture this: fae warriors, Beauty and the Beast vibes, a fearless FMC, and a twist at the end! You’ll want to pick up the next one right after finishing this one—fair warning: the second book is widely considered the favorite in the series.
6. First-Time Caller
by B.K. Borison
This book had me laughing out loud! I’m proud to say this was my husband’s and my monthly pick for a book we’d read together. He’s actually enjoying it, which is why it made this list! The story starts when our FMC’s daughter calls Baltimore’s top radio show host, Aiden Valentine, asking him to help her mother find a boyfriend—yep, I would die if my daughter aired all my love struggles on the city’s radio. If that didn’t catch your attention, I don’t know what will! This funny, fluffy romance is an amazing addition to your March TBR, and the second book just came out!
If you’ve read any of these March Reading Recommendations, please tell me what you thought! I’d love to know your rating. If you have any recommendations for me, I’m always happy to add them to my TBR.
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 or talk about are available on Bookshop.org, so you may occasionally see links to other platforms like Amazon which are affiliate links too. 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.
If you are looking to make friends that read too and you live in the Kent/Akron, Ohio area, we meet on the last Thursday of every month! Or join our digital book club on Fable!
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March 2026 Book Releases
Romance
- In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde – March 3rd, 2026
- A Thousand Perfect Lies by Monica Murphy – March 3rd, 2026
- The Bookstore Diaries by Susan Mallery – March 3rd, 2026
- It Seemed Like a Good Idea (Darling Springs #1) by Lauren Blakely – March 3rd, 2026
- Just Friends by Haley Pham – March 3rd, 2026
- No Matter What by Cara Bastone – March 3rd, 2026
- Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove #1) by Catherine Cowles – March 3rd, 2026
- Mistakes Were Made (Story Lake #2) by Lucy Score – March 10th, 2026
- How to Write a Love Story by Catherine Walsh – March 10th, 2026
- Once and Again by Rebecca Serle – March 10th, 2026
- Love Song by Elle Kennedy – March 17th, 2026
- Hunt the Villain (Villain #2) by Rina Kent – March 24th, 2026
- The Night We Met (Say You’ll Remember Me #2) by Abby Jimenez – March 31st, 2026
- Game On (Into Darkness #3) by Navessa Allen – March 31st, 2026
Literary Fiction
- Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney – March 3rd, 2026
- That’s What Friends Are For by Wade Rouse – March 3rd, 2026
- Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict – March 24th, 2026
Fantasy
- To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast – March 3rd, 2026
- The Library of Amorlin (The Age of Beasts #1) by Kalyn Josephson – March 3rd, 2026
- The Wings That Bind (Bloodwing Academy #3) by Briar Boleyn – March 10th, 2026
- Beneath (Conform #0) by Ariel Sullivan – March 24th, 2026
- This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying #1) by Ilona Andrews – March 31st, 2026
- Starside by Alex Aster – March 31st, 2026
Thriller/Mystery
- Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden – March 3rd, 2026
- This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum – March 10th, 2026
- Whidbey by T. Kira Madden – March 10th, 2026
- The Keeper (Cal Hooper #3) by Tana French – March 31st, 2026
Non-Fiction
- You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate – March 3rd, 2026
- How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay: Tips and Tricks That Kept Me Alive, Happy, and Creative in Spite of Myself by Jenny Lawson – March 31st, 2026
You can check out the Goodreads list of “Most popular books published in March 2026” here if you are looking for more new releases.
If you’d like to stay connected, I share more content in other spaces online. You’re always welcome to join me there!
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)!
March 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 February 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!
March Wrap Up Printable
Size: Printable (US Letter & A4 friendly)
Format: PDF & PNG
Instant Download
$2.99 USD
I hope you love these March Reading Recommendations and new printable! Let me know in the comments below what you want to see next!
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