It seems like every bookish outlet is publishing their most anticipated of 2026 lists. Here are the January releases currently in my queue—a few I’ve read and a couple of ARCs still to read before their respective pub days. Many thanks to NetGalley and each publisher for these Advance Reader Copies in exchange for honest reviews.
January 2026 Reviews
This Is Where the Serpent Lives, Daniyal Mueenuddin
My prediction: This very excellent literary debut novel will be on several award lists… and will spark many polarizing conversations in book clubs lucky enough to discuss it. It’s slow moving, with the first half of the book almost structured into interconnected novellas. (It wasn’t always clear what the book was building toward.) If you love sweeping, intergenerational epics, that’s a feature, not a bug. January 13, 2026
How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder, Nina McConigley
From the marketing, I expected a socially-resonant dark comedy. Content warnings would have been helpful.
While it wasn’t what I’d expected, this book is funny. Georgie’s voice is distinct and clear, parsing major themes of colonialism and class with 80’s nostalgia in high doses. I just wish I’d known that the traumatic events leading to the titular murder are a far cry from campy metaphor. January 20, 2026
Not Your Founding Father, Nina Sankovitch
Unearthing little known histories about the less-known founders of the country always catches my attention. The stories we hear are so often dominated by the “important men” in history—and even the books about other important figures tend to focus on their proximity to those figures. This book does something different. I wish I’d found the storytelling itself more engaging (it’s less “narrative nonfiction” and more “interesting history”). January 20, 2026
Tangerinn, Emanuela Anechoum, Lucy Rand (Translator)
I’m just at the end of this novel, and I’m confident it’ll be in my top reads of the year. (A bold statement on January 12, but there you go.) Translated from Italian, the story takes place between the Calabrian coast and Morocco, moving through generations and time with care and ease. An imperfect main character trying to figure out the world without unraveling the pieces of herself that keep her heart afloat… it’s all beautiful, different, and outstanding. January 20, 2026
January releases on my TBR
Burn Down Master’s House, Clay Cane
Being suggested for readers of Jasmyn Ward, Percival Everett, and Colston Whitehead is quite something—especially for a debut novel. This story is of the of the enslaved people who fought back, told through four different interconnected narratives, inspired from true events. How could I not have requested this ARC? Extremely excited to read this. January 27, 2026
A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing, Alice Evelyn Yang
Just look at that cover. From the publicity blurb: “A dark, magical realist debut family saga that moves through the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, the Cultural Revolution, and the present day to explore the effects of intergenerational trauma, the legacy of colonialism, and the inescapability of fate.” Looking very forward to reading this one. January 27, 2026
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