CHICAGO- The Reading List Council has announced the 2026 selections of the Reading List, an annual best-of list comprised of eight different fiction genres for adult readers. A shortlist of honor titles, up to 4 per genre was also announced. The list was released as part of RUSA’s Book & Media Awards Media Blitz Day.
The 2026 selections are:
Adrenaline
Winner
“Salt Bones: A Novel” by Jennifer Givhan (Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group)
The disappearance of her sister two decades ago haunts Mal Veracruz. When another girl goes missing in her small MexiCali town, ties to the Indigenous folktales of the area and Mal’s own family secrets turn the search into something much more dangerous.
Read-alikes: “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley, “The Queen of the Cicadas” by V. Castro, “When the Stars Go Dark” by Paula McLain
Short List
“Dead Money: A Novel” by Jakob Kerr (Bantam Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House)
“A Killing Cold” by Kate Alice Marshall (Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
“Not Quite Dead Yet: A Novel” by Holly Jackson (Bantam Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House)
“The Oligarch’s Daughter: A Novel” by Joseph Finder (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Fantasy
Winner
“The Knight and the Moth: The Stonewater Kingdom: Book One” by Rachel Gillig (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
In a world ruled by godlike Omens, Sybil tells the fortunes of others by repeatedly drowning in divine waters. When her fellow seers start disappearing, she and a gargoyle companion join a young king’s retinue to seek the truth.
Read-alikes: “The Everlasting” by Alix E. Harrow, “Godkiller” by Hannah Kaner, “The Jasmine Throne” by Tasha Suri
Short List
“Greenteeth” by Molly O’Neill (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“The Raven Scholar: Book One of the Eternal Path Trilogy” by Antonia Hodgson (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“Red City” by Marie Lu (Tor, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“The River Has Roots” by Amal El-Mohtar (Tordotcom, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Historical fiction
Winner
“These Heathens: A Novel” by Mia McKenzie (Random House, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Seventeen-year-old Doris leaves her small town in Georgia with her favorite teacher to seek an abortion in Atlanta. Over a weekend in 1960, Doris is immersed in the burgeoning civil rights movement and meets a group of queer activists who expand her worldview beyond her stifled upbringing.
Read-alikes: “One Night in Georgia” by Celeste O. Norfleet, “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies” by Deesha Philyaw, “The Two Lives of Sara” by Catherine Adel West
Short List
“Eleanore of Avignon: A Novel” by Elizabeth DeLozier (Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
“Happy Land” by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
“The Last Witch” by C. J. Cooke (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
“The Pretender” by Jo Harkin (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Horror
Winner
“Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng: A Novel” by Kylie Lee Baker (Mira, an imprint of Harlequin, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)
Cora Zeng’s life goes from bad to worse after her sister’s horrific murder. If working as a crime scene cleaner during the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t bad enough, she is soon plagued by “hungry ghosts” and a serial killer targeting Asian women.
Read-alikes: “The Eyes Are the Best Part” by Monika Kim, “Nothing But Blackened Teeth” by Cassanda Khaw, “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones
Short List
“House of Monstrous Women” by Daphne Fama (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
“King Sorrow” by Joe Hill (Willam Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Starving Saints: A Novel” by Caitlin Starling (Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“When the Wolf Comes Home” by Nat Cassidy (Nightfire, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Mystery
Winner
“The Witch’s Orchard: A Novel” by Archer Sullivan (Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Ten years ago, three young girls went missing in a small Appalachian town. Only one ever returned. Unable to move on without closure, one girl’s older brother hires P.I. Annie Gore to uncover the truth. Unreliable memories and local folklore impact her search as history repeats itself.
Read-alikes: The “Ballad” series by Sharyn McCrumb, “The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore, “Heartwood” by Amity Gaige
Short List
“The Case of the Missing Maid” by Rob Osler (Kensington Publishing Corp.)
“Leave No Trace: A Novel” by Jo Callaghan (Random House, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
“Murder at Gulls Nest: Nora Breen Investigates” by Jess Kidd (Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
“Murder in the Dressing Room” by Holly Stars (Berkley Prime Crime, an imprint of Berkley, a division of Penguin Random House)
Relationship fiction
Winner
“Didn’t You Use to Be Queenie B?: A Novel” by Terri-Lynne DeFino (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Seeking to reinvent herself, disgraced celebrity chef Regina opens a soup kitchen in New Haven. Struggling line cook Gale stops by for a meal and finds a mentor in Regina. As their working relationship develops, the two discover that collaboration could help them obtain their dreams.
Read-alikes: “The Bear” (TV series), “Colton Gentry’s Third Act” by Jeff Zentner, “Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir” by Kwame Onwuachi
Short List
“Fun for the Whole Family: A Novel” by Jennifer E. Smith (Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House)
“My Friends: A Novel” by Fredrik Backman, translated by Neil Smith (Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
“The Stand-In Dad” by Alex Summers (Avon, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Trust Me On This: A Novel” by Lauren Parvizi (Lake Union Publishing, a division of Amazon Publishing)
Romance
Winner
“I Think They Love You” by Julian Winters (St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Social media manager Denz doesn’t do serious relationships, but being in one could help him win the CEO role in the family business. When he convinces an ex-boyfriend to play the part, acting like a couple begins to revive past feelings.
Read-alikes: “Boyfriend Material” by Alexis Hall, “Count Your Lucky Stars” by Alexandria Bellefleur, “I’m So Not Over You” by Kosoko Jackson
Short List
“Deep End” by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley Romance, an imprint of Berkley, a division of Penguin Random House)
“First-Time Caller” by B.K. Borison (Berkley Romance, an imprint of Berkley, a division of Penguin Random House)
“Tusk Love” by Thea Guanzon (Random House Worlds, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House)
“Voidwalker: Beasts of the Void: Book 1” by S. A. MacLean (Orbit, Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
Science fiction
Winner
“Automatic Noodle” by Annalee Newitz (Tordotcom, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
In post-independence California, the eccentric robot employees of an abandoned restaurant seize the opportunity to build something of their own by illegally opening a noodle shop. Enthusiastic support from the community saves the day when review bombing and anti-robot sentiment almost kill their fledgling business.
Read-alikes: “A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers, “The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer (novelette), “You Sexy Thing” by Cat Rambo
Short List
“The Heist of Hollow London” by Eddie Robson (Tor, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“Hole in the Sky: A Novel” by Daniel H. Wilson (Doubleday, an imprint of Penguin Random House)
“When We Were Real: A Novel” by Daryl Gregory (Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
“Where the Axe is Buried: A Novel” by Ray Nayler (MCD / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
The winners were selected by the Reading List Council whose members include eleven expert readers’ advisory and collection development librarians. The eight genres currently included in the Council’s considerations are adrenaline, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, relationship fiction (or women’s fiction), romance, and science fiction. However, the Council is adaptable to new genres and changes in contemporary reading interest.
The Council consists of Amy Dittmeier, Des Plaines Public Library, chair; Hilary Albert, Mahopac Public Library; Marcie Beard, Provo City Library; Craig Clark, Upper Arlington OH; Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, LLC; Julie Kane, Washington and Lee University; Edward Kownslar, Stephen F. Austin State University; Kara Krekeler, University City Public Library; Suzanne Krohn, Richmond Free Library (VT); Robyn Lupa, Jefferson County Public Library (CO); Karin Suni, Free Library of Philadelphia.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more at www.rusaupdate.org.