I actually started to draft this post with authors for 2026, thinking it would be a fun idea… and realized I did this exact post last year. As a result, I’m going to update on my success rate from 2025 and then share the authors I hope to read in 2026 below.
How Many Did I Read from 2025?
I had nine authors on my list last year including the book I assumed I’d read by them. I ended up reading 6 out of 9 authors, but only 3 of those 6 books were the ones I chose. I really enjoyed A KILLING COLD and PARENTS WEEKEND for my first experiences with Kate Alice Marshall and Alex Finlay, but I didn’t enjoy my first Shari Lapena. I will probably read more of hers to see if this was a fluke though…
As for the authors I read but chose different books for, a couple of them ended up being random holiday novellas! I wanted to read Richard Osman but apparently thought I’d try his new series first. The new movie version of THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB on Netflix inspired me to just read his OG, so that’s what I did! The other two authors – Lisa Unger and Ali Brady – released Christmas/Hanukkah novellas that I ended up reading to finish off the year… very much not part of the plan, but still some exposure to their writing styles.
The three authors I didn’t get around to were Stephen King, Brandon Sanderson, and Kristin Hannah. Honestly not surprising, as two of them really intimidate me.
Authors I Must Read in 2026
Blake Crouch / Matt Dinniman / Chuck Wendig
Alright let’s get the dudes out of the way first. I keep seeing people talk about how addicting and mind-bending Blake Crouch’s books are, plus they turned at least one (?) into a show that I’d like to watch. Everyone and their brother has read and recommended DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL and I bought the book finally, so hopefully this is a series I begin in 2026. I also think Chris would really like it. Candidly, Chuck Wendig is not overall high on my priority list, but I randomly bought his recent release and ought to read it… so here he is.
Alexandria Bellefleur / Mhairi McFarlane / Sulari Gentill
Okay Alexandria Bellefleur is cheating a little because I have read a novella by her already in the holiday short series from Amazon in 2024. I’ve owned this book for a few years and really want more sapphic books in my life, so she’s getting a shoutout regardless of if I’m cheating by including her here. Mhairi McFarlane is an author I’ve tracked since the early blogging days and I do not understand how it’s possible I haven’t read one of her books by now. Truly impossible. Please let this be the year. Sulari Gentill’s books are kind of polarizing but I want to see if her books could be up my alley… always looking for new mystery writers!
Sangu Mandanna / Sarah Beth Durst / Liv Constantine
There are some cozy fantasy authors like Sangu Mandanna and Sarah Beth Durst that have both been on my list for a little while. I own at least one, if not two, of each of their books and still haven’t read them. I’ve GOT to dip my toe further into the cozy fantasy pool…not every book can be by Travis Baldree, Lauren! And finally, one of my mom’s favorite thriller authors – Liv Constantine. Yes, I haven’t read their super popular books but I really want to read at least one book soon!
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