6 book trends to watch out for in 2026

New year, new book trends? If you’re getting organized and planning out your goals for the year, including what you’d like to read, here are some trends to look ahead to in 2026. The year’s shaping up to see a variety of new trends while also expanding upon ever-popular genres.

1. Sports romance

While not new by any means, sports romance remains extremely popular. We’ll see creativity and breadth in the sports chosen for each book. While we’ve seen a lot of hockey lately, 2026 will bring romance across the baseball field, in a wrestling ring, on the racetrack, and on stage!

RELATED READ: Why you’ll want to read Heated Rivalry before you binge the steamy new TV series

Recommended reads:

Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey
Only on Gameday by Kristen Callihan
Hold Me Like a Grudge by Celine Ong
Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent
First and Forever by Lynn Painter
Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard

2. Nostalgia/90s/2000s

If you can believe it, the 90s were 30+ years ago! The distance from this “golden age” before the internet offers a lot of appeal to modern readers. So, nostalgia for the 90s and 2000s is strong and will feature in upcoming book releases across all genres. Readers will see retellings of classics from that era like When Harry Met Sally, or they’ll find time and place to be the 1990s and 2000s. This includes books from pop-culture icons and celebrities of that era like Jennie Garth, Brandy, and Spencer Pratt.

RELATED READ: Y2K reads: Big books of the 2000

Recommended reads:

And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison (Inspired by When Harry Met Sally)
American Fantasy by Emma Straub (90s boy band, anyone?)
The Anniversary by Alex Finlay (A small town crime set in the 90s has secrets and repercussions that last a decade)
The Guy You Loved to Hate by Spencer Pratt
Phases by Brandy
I Choose Me by Jennie Garth

3. Cozy reads

There’s been an increase in genres that incorporate cozy vibes. This mystery trope has now expanded to romance, fantasy, and sci-fi, among others.

Cuddle up, hunker down, and escape into a cozier world.

RELATED READ: 7 cozy fall romance & mystery books to curl up with on chilly nights

Recommended reads:

The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore
Loving a Vampire is Total Chaos by Aura Hayes
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva

4. Romantasy

Readers can’t get enough of stories that combine romance and fantasy elements and we’ll continue to see this kind of story take off in 2026.

Fans of the blended genre will have several romantasy sequels to choose from in addition to debuts and new entries to space.

RELATED READ: The top 100 romantasy books every fan needs to read

Recommended reads:

The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker
Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Broken Dove by Dani Francis
The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig
Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen

5. Dynamic duos

Authors and celebrities are pairing up to write some pretty compelling reads. Some will be published under their own names to lend their stamp and name recognition, while others have pen names to keep their identities a bit more covert.

Check out the following dynamic duos!

Recommended reads:

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke (duo Cat Clarke and V. E. Schwab
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson
Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny & Mellissa Fung

RELATED READ: 21 new celebrity memoirs to read in 2025

6. Immersive or full cast audiobooks

Audiobook listenership has been on the rise for years. With the increase in audience, we’re seeing more styles of audiobook narration. Single narrator and dual narration remain strong, but there will continue to be an increase in audiobooks that are full cast, dramatized, and immersive with music and sound effects to make readers feel like they’re completely transported to the story. GraphicAudio has been trendsetting in this space for years, but you’ll find other publishers have joined in.

RELATED READ: 12 must-listen audiobooks narrated by a full cast

Recommended listens:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
American King by Sierra Simone (This pick brings Julia Whelan’s Sophie Eastlake out of retirement alongside audiobook-industry veteran Teddy Hamilton and newcomer Rex Rhys! Warning: This is SPICY.)

*Title availability may vary.

No matter what happens in 2026, using your library is always on trend. Be sure you download Libby so you can borrow books for free through your local library all year long.