When it comes to new releases, my eyes are bigger than my stomach. Every month, there are so many exciting books coming out that I want to add to my TBR—far more than I can actually read. Something that helps narrow it down is when titles overlap with my reading goals, so I’ve pulled out eight new books out in March that check off 2026 Read Harder Challenge tasks.
We’re starting with a couple of new gothic novels, for those of us who read horror all year round. There are also some nonfiction comics to choose from, a book set in space, a couple of mysteries in translation, and a new release from an Algerian author.
Task #6: Read a gothic novel published in the last ten years
Spoiled Milk by Avery Curran (March 10)
Sapphic gothic novels are having a moment, and I am here for it. I can’t resist the combination of sapphic longing and a creeping sense of doom. At Briarley School for Girls in 1928, something sinister is spreading, rotting meat and curdling milk. Then the body count begins to climb. Emily is convinced her captivating classmate Violet’s death was not natural, and she intends to prove it. She teams up with rival Evelyn to try to contact Violet from beyond the veil. Through the medium of Evelyn, Violet warns that the danger has only begun. This promises “teenage repression, queer desire, and the everyday horror of coming of age.” —Danika Ellis
You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado (March 10)
Papi Ramon is the recently deceased patriarch of a wealthy family, and he’s sown a little chaos by dropping this banger in his will: “One of you is a demon I made a bargain with long ago. Get rid of ’em, or you’ll all be damned. Ciao!” No one takes the proclamation seriously, save for his undisputed favorite, Xiomara. But when the rest of the family sends the lawyer away to retrieve the original draft of the will, a storm hits and leaves them all stranded together. Over the course of 12 harrowing hours, all hell breaks loose, and it will be up to Xiomara to suss out the demon and take them out. If you love a modern Gothic, add this one to your list. —Vanessa Diaz
All Access members, read on for six more new books out in March that check off 2026 Read Harder Challenge tasks.
Task #13: Read a nonfiction comic
Bad Kid: My Life as a “Troubled Teen” by Sofia Szamosi (March 10)
What exactly does being a “troubled teen” mean? When she was just 13, Szamosi found out the hard way that it means whatever the facilities that make money “reforming” such children want it to mean. This graphic memoir is an unvarnished look at Szamosi’s experiences in these facilities and how she has learned to cope with her experiences. —Eileen Gonzalez
How to Survive the End of the World by Katy Doughty (March 31)
Some of us may have joked about wanting a giant asteroid to come end our geopolitical suffering, but what would happen if it actually, well, happened? Or if AI gets sick of suggesting Frankenstein recipes and decides to do something about it? Would humanity survive? Here’s your chance to find out, if you really want to know. —Eileen Gonzalez
Task #20: Read a book set in space
Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall (March 10)
If Sky Daddy was 2025’s unhinged take on Moby-Dick, Hell’s Heart is 2026’s. Given that Moby-Dick is my favorite book of all time, I am always eager to read anything that claims it as an influence. This spacefaring version follows the narrator in pursuit of spermaceti, a hallucinogen produced by Leviathans swimming in Jupiter’s currents. With women cast in the roles of Ishmael, Ahab, and Queequeg, this book promises a story even more queer than the original, and that’s saying something. —Isabelle Popp
Task #21: Read a genre (SFF, horror, mystery, romance) book in translation
My Grandfather, the Master Detective by Masateru Konishi, translated by Louise Heal Kawai (March 17)
This is a perfect read for fans of Japanese bestsellers, interlinked short stories, puzzles, and the cozy side of mysteries!
Kaede is a mystery lover who teaches elementary school kids. Her grandfather has dementia and believes his deceased daughter visits him, but when it comes to puzzle-solving and detective work he’s the best. He offers his keen observations to help solve these six puzzle mysteries. —Jamie Canaves
Suspicion by Seichō Matsumoto, translated by Jesse Kirkwood (March 3)
In this Japanese crime novella, Kumako Onizuka survived a car crash that killed her much older husband. Journalist Moichi Akitani goes in hard on accusing Kumako of orchestrating the crash and publicly ruins her. But Kumako continues to declare her innocence, and now a public defender believes her, leaving Moichi to worry about his stance… —Jamie Canaves
Task #23: Read a book by an African author
The End of the Sahara by Saïd Khatibi, translated by Alexander Elinson (March 24)
In the late ‘80s in Algeria, nightclub singer Zaza Zaghouani is found murdered. Inspector Hamid is technically on the case, but that means it’s not in good hands: he’s just going to automatically throw Zaza’s lover in jail. Narrated by those in her life, the novel’s tension is further amplified by the time period. —Jamie Canaves
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