The 52 Book Club: 2026 Challenge discussion

52 -- Published in 2026

Our final prompt on our 2026 challenge will come as no surprise to our long-term 52 Book Club readers. We’re looking for a book published in 2026. This may be any book originally published from January 1, 2026, until December 31, 2026.

Note that some books may have different publishing dates depending on the region. As always, it’s up to you to decide if a book fits the prompt or not.

This is a great opportunity to try one of those new releases you’ve had your eye on!




Here is our Goodreads List for this prompt

The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave

Publishing in April Dragons' Rebirth

I will be reading a book I won in a giveaway ~ Westward Women by Alice Martin

To be published in March 2026

How the Story Goes: A Novel
I got chosen to read it with NetGalley comes out in May.

The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson - to be published in February 2026.

In May books 6 of Before The Coffee Gets Cold: Before I Knew I Loved You

I read Meet the Newmans, which was just published on January 5. As someone with a miles long TBR, this is likely the only 2026 published read I’ll tackle this year. I posted my brief review on my insta: @rowsofbooks

I read Books & Bewitchment by Isla Jewell, 4 Stars

I received an ARC through NetGalley, publication date is Feb 3rd

I read "Dungeons of Doom #1" for this prompt. The first comic book in a new series, directly following the events of "One World Under Doom". Gripping story, although this first issue is just the outline so the coherence between the different chapters isn't completely clear yet. Realistic in terms of political setting, but the monsters and gore are a bit to much for me. 3/5 rating.

Almost done with this book which was published this month:

When Worlds Quake: The Quest to Understand the Interior of Earth and Beyond

My Husbands Wife, so far it’s great!

I read The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung to be published May 5, 2026

I'm part of the Prime reads so I get choice out of First Reads this month I chose I Came Back for You which will be published in March. I might pick another in the year for this prompt,

I read "I'm So Happy You're Here: A Celebration of Library Joy" by Mychal Threets and Illustrated by Lorraine Nam

I just read My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney. Excellent suspense novel!

In Her Own League, Liz Tomforde - 4 ⭐

My wife's husband by Alice Feeney

I’ve read three new 2026 releases that fit this promt: @The Astral Library by Kate Quinn, More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen, and Agnes Aubert’s Mystic Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. All interesting fiction novels that are very different from each other.

I used Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston for this prompt.

Kin
Read March 8 - March 11

COMPLETED: The Day They Came: An Oral History of the End of the World by Jacqueline Druga

Awful story.

Candidates: The Odyssey Effect by Erica Stevenson, Western Star - The Life and Legends of Larry McMurtry, Son of Nobody by Yann Martel, Techno-Negative - A Long History of Refusing the Machine by Thomas Dekeyser, and The Death of Trotsky by Josh Ireland

Anatomy of an alibi- Ashley Elston

For this prompt I read Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter. It was a solid 3 stars. I struggled with the main character a little; I questioned a LOT of her decisions throughout but the cats were really the best part.

Question!! From the title alone, would you assume the cats are magical? or the shelter? I assumed the cats but in discussion I've been told that was a silly assumption to make so I'm interested to hear other people's initial thoughts.

Gem wrote: "For this prompt I read Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter. It was a solid 3 stars. I struggled with the main character a little; I questioned a LOT of her decisions throughout but..."

I think it's a badly worded title because it's ambiguous. I would have had to look at the blurb to see if it was the cats or the shelter that were mystical. I would have assumed the shelter but it is NOT a silly assumption that it's the cats. My journalism teacher in high school would have scolded against not being clear which word was modified by "mystical"

How about Agnes Aubert's Mystical Shelter For Cats as a better alternative?

George Saunders – Vigil. I don't know what his fascination with death is, but this is the second book I've read from GS with dying/death/the afterlife as a theme. This one was only okay. It's not terrible by any means, he's clearly a talented wordsmith, but Vigil pales next to Lincoln in the Bardo.

Maddy wrote: "The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan"

That was a 2025 release, in the US and the UK.

Ashley wrote: "My Husbands Wife, so far it’s great!"

If you're in the UK, yes, it's 2026. But it was published in the US in May 2025.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke