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PEOPLE’s Best Books of January 2026: Jennette McCurdy’s Debut Novel and More Must-Read Fiction

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A teen climbing adventure, a reincarnation that causes turmoil and meditations on life’s journey  — plus new celeb books. Here are PEOPLE’s picks for the best books of January 2026, so far.

‘Crux’ by Gabriel Tallent

Home life is fraught and money always short for high school pals Tamma and Dan, who feel release and “ecstatic aliveness” only while scaling boulders near their Mojave Desert town. As graduation nears, the two find themselves wondering: Could the high-risk sport they love help spare them the dead-end futures they fear? Climbing nuts especially will devour this ode to impossible dreams and the transformative power of friendship. — Kim Hubbard

‘Evelyn in Transit’ by David Guterson

Evelyn, a self-described misfit who hitchhiked across the American West, finds solace in Buddhism. Her beliefs are tested when Tibetan lamas declare her 5-year-old son the seventh incarnation of a revered holy man, Tsering. Quiet, introspective and provocative. — Louisa Ermelino

‘One Aladdin, Two Lamps’ by Jeanette Winterson

In this brilliant blend of memoir and storytelling, with Shahrazad of One Thousand and One Nights as a motif, Winterson examines the power of literature, imagination and our collective future. A potent message delivered with a spoonful of sugar. — Louisa Ermelino

‘Half His Age’ by Jennette McCurdy

The 33-year-old iCarly star and author of the 2022 memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died returns with a page-turning novel inspired by her real-life relationship with an older man.

‘Football’ by Chuck Klosterman

Whether you’re a fan or not, the sport has indelibly shaped American society. Learn how in this essential playoff-season read by the self-professed “football psychotic.”

‘A Box Full of Darkness’ by Simone St. James

Twenty years after the disappearance of their 6-year-old brother, three siblings are summoned to find him. Viscerally frightening. — Rennie Dyball

‘Scavengers’ by Kathleen Boland

Escape to the enchanting Utah desert with an irresistible mother-daughter duo in a madcap race for buried treasure. After getting fired from her New York City job, Bea heads west to reconnect with her quirky, irresponsible mother, Christy, who convinces her to join the search with the help of a mystery man and a hand-drawn map. Along the way they confront danger, each other and themselves. Charming, propulsive and emotionally gripping. — Louisa Ermelino

‘Strangers’ by Belle Burden

It’s hard enough to be left by your financier husband after decades of seeming happiness. It’s harder still when all he’ll say is “I feel like a switch has flipped.” Burden’s searing, probing memoir explores how she and their kids coped — and what she learned about intimacy and her own spirit. — Kim Hubbard

‘This Is Where the Serpent Lives’ by Daniyal Mueenuddin

Spanning Pakistan’s bustling cities and feudal countryside, this sweeping novel follows three generations of unforgettable people as they grapple with tragedy and triumph, violence and love, and money and power. Absolutely gorgeous.

‘The Hitch’ by Sara Levine

Rose’s young nephew Nathan claims a dog’s soul has taken up residence in his body. She sets out to exorcise it before his parents return in this bizarre and darkly funny novel. 

‘Lost Lambs’ by Madeline Cash

The Flynn family has been rife with dysfunction ever since their parents opened their marriage — and that’s before a criminal conspiracy emerges. A fun page-turner.

‘Call Me Ishmaelle’ by Xiaolu Guo

In this modern, diverse take on the adventure classic Moby-Dick, an orphaned British woman crossdresses as a cabin boy to work on a whaling ship. 

‘Sophia by Eisenstaedt’

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has defined international allure and Italian spirit. Now, a new book showcases the star’s longtime creative partnership with renowned Life photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, who she once called her “shadow.”

‘Enough’ by Ania M. Jastreboff and Oprah Winfrey

In a new book co-written with endocrinologist Ania M. Jastreboff, Oprah Winfrey reflects on her weight loss journey, using conversations with Jastreboff as a launching point to teach readers how to navigate their own.

‘Why We Drink Too Much’ by Dr. Charles Knowles

It’s not only humans who are susceptible to the allure of a boozy buzz: Certain monkeys, Dr. Knowles writes, will consume alcohol “until they vomit and fall out of trees.” His wide-ranging, informative and accessible book explores the many reasons — psychosocial as well as biological — behind our favorite social lubricant’s insidious hold. Interweaving personal stories and scientific research, it’s a fascinating read. — Kim Hubbard

‘Wreck Your Heart’ by Lori Rader-Day

Dahlia “Doll” Devine, frontwoman of a country-western band, shields her damaged heart with a sassy onstage persona. Will her estranged mom’s brief return and an ex’s murder wreck her big break? The expertly plotted mystery perfectly complements Doll’s journey of self-discovery. — Paula L. Woods

‘The Murder at World’s End’ by Ross Montgomery

At an isolated Cornish estate during the 1910 doomsday panic over Halley’s Comet, a hilariously mismatched duo— new underbutler Stephen Pike and tart-tongued octogenarian Miss Decima Stockingham — team up to solve her nephew’s murder.

‘Meet the Newmans’ by Jennifer Niven

The Newman family have ruled the airwaves as sitcom stars for decades, but their secrets might ruin their reign in this witty and moving novel. 

‘Skylark’ by Paula McLain

A young artist’s quest for freedom in 1664 is interwoven with a doctor’s mission during World War II’s Nazi occupation in this vivid, inspirational story of brave resistance.

‘The Storm’ by Rachel Hawkins

This gripping page-turner — featuring a decades-old murder, a writer in town to tell the real story and an oncoming tempest — feels like it was ripped from the juiciest headlines.

‘The Water Lies’ by Amy Meyerson

A young woman’s apparent drowning in a Venice, Calif., canal compels two mothers to face down indifferent cops, dismissive family and increasing danger in their search for the truth. A heart-wrenching yet redemptive story about maternal instinct, fertility and broken trust. — Paula L. Woods

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