💪 You want to get more out of your reading life in 2026, and we’re here to help. The 2026 Read Harder Challenge is live today containing 24 tasks intended to help you expand your reading life.

If you’re thinking 24 is a lot of books, the great news keeps coming: your creativity is the only limit on how many tasks one book can satisfy. For instance, you could check off both task #8, “Read a classic from the Zero to Well-Read Podcast” and task #10, “Read a book recently adapted for film, TV, or musical” with Hamnet. The first one’s free, kid.

A sampling of the other tasks:

• Read a microhistory
• Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character
• Read a book by a librarian
• Read a book set in space
• Read a work of magical realism or fabulism

Book Riot editor Danika Ellis describes Read Harder as “an invitation to diversify your TBR and pick up books you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.” If that lines up with your 2026 resolutions/intentions/whatever we’re calling them this year, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter  to get recommendation lists for each task.

See the whole list here. Happy reading!

We are winding down here with new book releases, and this week is just about the last you can do a round-up. But there are enough!

A fantasy juggernaut can release a new book just about any time they want.

⚔The true story of the first woman to captain a merchant vessel , from the author of a book I loved about a champagne trailblazer.

🖋️A biography of an under-known feminist activist who was crucial in bringing Joyce’s Ulysses to America

🎺A jazz age historical mystery about a newcomer to Harlem and the child under her care.

📱A rollicking, funny mystery about a TikTok crime investigator who gets a mysterious message from a long-dormant group chat

🏫 And since we likely we won’t be doing a Dec 30th new release round-up, a series launch for a dark academia series that seems positioned to break out.

📘 See more of the week’s best new releases.

Step inside one of Mario’s most beloved stories.

Rosalina’s Storybook, the enchanting tale featured in Super Mario Galaxy, is now available as a standalone volume, complete with the original art and story from the game. Whether you’ve logged countless hours among the stars or you’re new to Rosalina and the Lumas, this edition is a treat for fans of all ages.

The story begins long ago, when a young girl discovers a rusted spaceship carrying a tiny star child named Luma. What follows is a journey filled with wonder and connection that reveals the origin of Rosalina’s enduring bond with the Lumas.

It’s a wonderful pick for Nintendo devotees, nostalgic readers, or anyone who loves a story that shines.

Here’s what we know: William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway had a son named Hamnet who died in 1596 at the age of 11. Four years later, Shakespeare debuted Hamlet. In Elizabethan English, the names Hamnet and Hamlet were interchangeable. In her father’s will, Anne’s name was listed as Agnes.

From those scant facts, Maggie O’Farrell has imagined a rich and lovingly detailed portrait of love, family, loss, and grief that is both universal and painfully specific. As the adaptation of Hamnet hits theaters nationwide this week, we’re taking a deep dive into this remarkable novel and the Shakespeare of it all.

🎧 Listen to our conversation on Zero to Well-Read.

For the first time this year, Spotify has included audiobook statistics in Wrapped.

The first headline : romantasy still rules. Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas occupy two spots each in the global top five in Spotify Premium, and Maas takes the trophy for top author.

Among the notables:

• 🏆 Top Audiobook Released in 2025 (global): The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
• 🔪 Top Mystery/Thriller in Premium (US): The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
• 🛜 Top Nonfiction Audiobook in Premium (US): Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
• ✍️ Top Biography Memoir in Premium (US): I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
• 👟 Top Sports Audiobook in Premium (US): Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

🔁 Betcha can’t guess the most repeated audiobook of 2025. See the end notes to check your work.

What happens when the life you left behind won’t let you go?

In Things That Are Funny on a Submarine, Yannick Murphy follows Dead Man—born David Sterling—as he trades the claustrophobia of a Navy submarine for the supposed freedom of college life. But “moving on” isn’t simple. The psychological weight of his military experience follows him into the pandemic era, when isolation takes on new forms, and old ghosts feel closer than ever.

Dead Man is a storyteller by instinct, first spinning tales for his shipmates, then for new friends on campus. As those stories slowly make their way onto the page, he begins to confront the past that has refused to stay submerged.

Things That Are Funny on a Submarine is a sharp, haunting novel about identity, memory, and the uneasy work of building a life after survival, available wherever books are sold.

Book Riot All Access members get a pile of benefits, including unlimited reading on bookriot.com, recommendations for the Read Harder Challenge, and access to our New Release Index to curate your TBR. Here are a few recent highlights:

• 🗣️ Unforgettable and Iconic Quotes from the Top Books of 2025
• 😱 December Horror Book Releases That Will Truly Give You Chills
• 🪐 Hold My Year: 9 Exciting New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of December 2025
• 📋 2026 Retellings That Should Be on Your Radar
• 🍷 These 2015 Books Aged Like Fine Wine
• 😈 The Best Book for Fans of KPop Demon Hunters

🔓  Unlock access for just $6/month.

🎁 Let’s be real: sometimes you need a bookish gift that is usefully generic, something that says, “Yay books!” and won’t offend anyone.

Maybe you’re shopping for your coworker, or your mother-in-law, or a book club buddy you only see at the monthly get-togethers. You know, those people that you know are into books, but you don’t know them well enough to pick out actual books for them. This list of thoughtful bookish gifts under $30 is what you need. With recommendations at the $10, $20, and $30 price points, there’s an option for every budget and Secret Santa spending limit.

Looking for something more specific? Check out our whole collection of gift guides.

For a limited time, get up to 50% off Holiday Deals at Columbia! Plus, members save 20% extra and get free shipping. Save on high-quality gear for the whole family this winter, like the Keetley Boot II made with Omni-Heat Reflective technology to keep your toes cozy on the slopes. Hurry, shop the sale now—offer ends soon!

As is true for all of American retail, Black Friday weekend is hugely important for bookselling. According to Circana, here are the trends that emerged in the post-Thanksgiving book-buying surge:

Book sales on Black Friday week slowed compared to last year, largely due to a tough comparison against last year’s Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Book release. Despite overall declines, several segments showed strength.

• Kids’ comics and graphic novels grew more than 30% in units, led by Dav Pilkey, Tui T. Sutherland, and Erin Hunter.
• Manga sales were also up more than 30% with recent releases in series Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and One Piece driving growth.
• Adult science fiction sales grew more than 50% led by Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary and Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl. Sci-fi sales as a whole have been quite strong this year, particularly since July. Year to date, the science fiction category is growing double-digits over 2024.
• Kids’ activity books are showing real strength in 2025 and that was reflected during Black Friday week - sales for kids’ activity grew more than 20% in units led by the Paint by Sticker series and cozy coloring books from Coco Wyo.

Source: Circana BookScan through week-ending Nov 29, 2025 - U.S. print sales

📓 Follow through on your goals to get organized in 2026 with the help of a gorgeous personalized daily planner from Papier.**

🎨 Deck your halls and your coffee table with these gorgeous gift-worthy art books.

⌨️ These are the most-Googled books of 2025.

🎄 Read Harper Lee’s essay about her most treasured Christmas gift.

🍿 Margot Robbie knows you’re worried about the Wuthering Heights adaptation.

_{**This is a product recommendation from the Book Riot team. When you buy through these links, we may earn a commission.}

🎧 The most repeated audiobook of 2025 on Spotify was 12 Laws of the Universe by Manhardeep Singh.

Written by Rebecca Schinsky, Jeff O’Neal, and Danika Ellis. Thanks to Vanessa Diaz for copy editing.

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