Liberty Hardy is an unrepentant velocireader, writer, bitey mad lady, and tattoo canvas. Turn-ons include books, books and books. Her favorite exclamation is “Holy cats!” Liberty reads more than should be legal, sleeps very little, frequently writes on her belly with Sharpie markers, and when she dies, she’s leaving her body to library science. Until then, she lives with her three cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon, in Maine. She is also right behind you. Just kidding! She’s too busy reading.
Twitter: @MissLiberty
Who out there loves learning about upcoming book releases? While the curse of a book lover is to never be able to read all the books we want, it is still exciting to think about all the books we could potentially pick up. So, to take a little bit of the sting out of the fact that 2025 is now halfway over, I decided to share some exciting sci-fi and fantasy titles coming in early 2026 for you to add to your TBR now. It is always good to have things to look forward to, and in my opinion, nothing is better than books.
So grab your TBR list and get ready to write down the names of these books filled with action, adventure, magic, peril, romance, and goblins. Nine goblins, to be exact. But first, a quick reminder that because these titles are still several months away from being released, there is always the possibility that the release date will change. Now, let’s get started!
The Swan’s Daughter: A Possibly Doomed Love Story by Roshani Chokshi (Wednesday Books, January 6, 2026)
From the author of The Gilded Wolves, Aru Shah and the End of Time, and more comes a YA romantasy about love, curses, and survival. Thanks to the machinations of a sea witch, the Isle of Malys can be ruled by anyone who marries and then murders the heir to the throne. Prince Arris is the next heir, and he is not looking forward to dying after his impending nuptials. But as he meets his prospective wives (who will also potentially end his life), he meets Demelza. She has a special talent for hearing the truth, but her abilities have forced her into hiding. So the two strike a deal: Arris will keep Demelza safe if she tells him which of his potential brides doesn’t plan to do him in.
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao (Bramble, January 20, 2026)
Next up is an epic debut fantasy about family, love, and sacrifice. Wei Yin and her family are starving in the village, so she offers herself as a concubine to the cruel heir to the Azalea House. But the palace is on the brink of civil war, and Wei will have to quickly learn how to survive at the side of the prince if she wants to save herself and her family.
Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief by T. Kingfisher (Tordotcom, January 20, 2026)
T. Kingfisher is one of my auto-buy authors. Her books are so consistently fabulous, whether they are horror or fantasy, for kids or adults. (My favorites are Nettle & Bone, Thornhedge, Dragonbreath, and The Hollow Places.) This new one is about a troop of nine goblins who cross paths with an evil wizard and end up stuck behind enemy lines during the Goblin War. It’s up to goblin sergeant Nessilka to figure out how to keep them safe and get them all home, as they encounter elves, trolls, monsters, and humans.
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Queen of Faces by Petra Lord (Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), February 3, 2026)
This is an exciting debut YA fantasy about a world where people can swap bodies. Anabelle Gage is trapped in a rotting male body, but she doesn’t have the money to buy a new one, so she attempts to steal one instead. Spoiler: She gets caught. Now she is given a choice: become a spy and assassin and report on the brewing rebellion in Caimor’s underworld, or be executed. As Ana carries out her mission as a mercenary, she learns of a whole other side to the city and its people, and begins to wonder if she can keep playing the villain.
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow (Feiwel & Friends, February 3, 2026)
From the author of The Sound of Stars, A Song of Salvation, Just a Pinch of Magic, and more comes a new YA romantasy. It’s about two Guardians, Darling and Calamity, who are competing for the same Mortal Outcome Council mentorship spot. It means shaping the happiness of mortals for generations. But first, they must pass a test: make things better for the perpetually unhappy mortal Lucy Addlesberg. And when the job proves trickier than they expected, they’ll discover that working together instead of against one another may be their only solution.
Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers (Titan Books, February 3, 2026)
This queer fantasy debut sounds like a great time! Poor Sir Cameron. The Church has decided that the only way to defeat the evil sorcerer Merulo is by sacrificing Cameron. Now the knights who have fought alongside him are trying to kill him. So Cameron turns to the only person he has left on his side: Merulo. And as he remains imprisoned in the sorcerer’s dungeon, he discovers that Merulo may not be the monster everyone thinks he is. Even if he has turned Cameron into a vulture.
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman (Ace, February 10, 2026)
This is currently my most anticipated book of 2026! It’s by the author of my new favorite series, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, but this one isn’t about Carl and Princess Donut. HOW DARE HE. Er, I mean, I bet this will also be an exciting, hilarious adventure of a different kind. It’s about the settlers on a faraway planet who are struggling to make ends meet when they get the even worse news that Earth is going to destroy their planet for fun and profit, as part of a tournament called Operation Bounce House. In order to survive, they’ll have to beat the invaders at their own game.
Okay, star bits, now take the knowledge you have learned here today and use it for good, not evil. If you want to know more about books, I talk about books pretty much nonstop (when I’m not reading them), and you can hear me say lots of adjectives about them on the BR podcast All the Books! and on Instagram.
The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
This week, we’re highlighting a post discussing why it’s worth pursuing “underconsumption” in your reading life. In this era of amassing special and deluxe editions and crowding your shelves for the Tok, challenge yourself to consider a scaled-back approach to the bookish life. Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
One of the things that has provided some comfort for me during the recent horrors is underconsumption content on TikTok. Whether it’s Project Pan or the fact that, according to the Fashion Transparency Index, there is currently enough clothing on earth to clothe the next six generations, it’s a welcome break from being told what I should be buying. As a child, I used to adore watching TLC’s Clean Sweep. As an adult, I think I could probably stand to put all of my possessions out on a tarp on the lawn every so often. TikTok is an engine for consumerism, but somehow, it’s managed to plant a seed in my brain that goes against its own interests.
The why of underconsumption is a belief that we simply do not need all of the things that we have. It’s also a good way to build a practice of taking a breath before we chase that dopamine high of buying a new thing, of finding joy in the things that we create for ourselves. It’s made me look at how many of my hobbies don’t lead to the creation of anything new, not even ideas.
Of course, for some of us, underconsumption is an economic necessity. Most of us don’t live the lives we see reflected on our various feeds. With the will-they-or-won’t they of massive tariffs on many products coming in from other countries, the reality is that things are likely to get more expensive. This “trend” is really just showing how to make the most of what you have. Many books on shelves in the United States are printed in China, but are currently exempt from tariffs.
Why am I ruining a pure, good thing for you in these times, you ask? I’m going to try not to. I am simply here to offer suggestions that I myself will have trouble following. We strive for progress and not perfection. I am pretty sure that if I deleted the Libby app right now, heaven forbid, I would have enough unread books in my home to get me through an entire calendar year.
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