Last year, I read a ton of books from my must-read list, and this year I plan to read even more. From book-to-movie adaptations like “Sunrise on the Reaping” and “Wuthering Heights” releasing this year to popular #BookTok novels like “The Let Them Theory,” there are so many incredible reads to dive into this year.
From romance to dystopian to self-help and more, here are 15 books that are on my 2026 must-read list, all under $30 on Amazon. And they belong on yours, too!
15 Books I’m Reading in 2026
- Welcome to the 50th Hunger Games: The new “Hunger Games” movie, “Sunrise on the Reaping,” will premiere in November of this year, which means you’ll have plenty of time to read the book. The fifth novel in the series, this story follows the 50th games with Haymitch Abernathy. A quarter quell game with twice as many tributes? What will Haymitch do to survive? — $15
- Truth or Dare: I just finished reading “None of This Is True” by Lisa Jewell for book club, which was the perfect end to 2025. Alix is a famous podcaster in London, whose world is turned upside down after meeting Josie, a lonely and odd woman, in this psychological thriller — $10
- Upside Down: With the book being featured in the most recent season of “Stranger Things,” “A Wrinkle in Time” has blown up recently, especially among kids. If you haven’t had a chance to read the novel yourself, grab it for less than $5 on Amazon — $5
- More Than One Path: “Kin” by Tayari Jones follows two motherless girls and best friends raised in the American South, who follow two completely different journeys, testing their resilience, love and aspirations. This book has a release date of Feb. 24, 2026, but you can preorder it now — $22
- Powerful Presence: If you have plans on diving into the self-help genre, grab Mel and Sawyer Robbins’ book, “The Let Them Theory,” which was recently featured on “The Today Show.” It explores power, particularly the power that you give to other people, and aims to help you free yourself of judgment, toxic patterns and exhausting cycles — $15
- BookTok Read: Readers who spend a lot of time on Pinterest or #BookTok may have heard of R.F. Kuang’s “Yellowface,” which was released in 2025. Grappling with racism and cultural appropriation, this book follows June Hayward, an author who steals the work of Athena Liu after witnessing the popular author’s death — $12
- Love and War: With themes of love and all its messiness, “The Night We Met” by Abby Jimenez follows Chris, who just so happens to be in love with his best friend’s girlfriend — $30
- The Fall of Gilead: “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood is a sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” taking place 15 years after the events of Gilead. Even though this book was released in 2020, the television series will be premiering this year, which means it’s the perfect read before binge-watching the show — $9
- Heartache and Love: A New York Times Bestseller, “Intermezzo” follows two grieving brothers with opposite personalities navigating their love lives in the wake of their father’s death — $14
- Social Status: Releasing Jan. 20, “All the Little Houses” is written by May Cobb, bestselling author of “The Hunting Wives.” Charleigh Andersen’s social status is threatened when a new family moves to town in this thriller — $20
- McCurdy’s New Novel: Available now for pre-order, Jennette McCurdy’s newest novel “Half His Age” also releases on Jan. 20. Following a completely different tone than her last popular novel, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” this book follows 17-year-old Waldo, who desires to be seen and loved by her creative writing teacher — $21
- Navigating Life: In Tailbone by Che Yeun, a teenager flees her abusive home and navigates her new life living in a boarding house in Seoul during a global financial crisis — $27
- Dark Fantasy: Another upcoming release, you’ll be able to turn the pages of “The Girl With a Thousand Faces” by Sunyi Dean on May 5. A gothic fantasy set in Hong Kong, Mercy Chan finds herself with no memory or recollection of herself, taking refuge in a ghost-infested city and eventually connecting with the spirits that roam and torment the area. But when a particular ghost won’t leave her alone, she finds herself on a journey of self-discovery — $30
- A Classic: With Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s version of “Wuthering Heights” hitting the theaters this February, what better time than now to read (or re-read) the book? Emily Brontë’s 1847 classic is currently a number-one bestseller on Amazon — $9
- Obsession: Available for pre-order now, Asako Yuzuki’s novel “Hooked” releases on March 17. It tells the story of two girls with very different lives who cross paths and believe it’s fate, until they are both pushed to their limits — $17
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