Best Books of 2026 So Far with Catherine Gilmore and Chrissie Whitley | Ep. 228

Best Books of 2026 So Far with Catherine Gilmore and Chrissie Whitley | Ep. 228

From Sarah's Bookshelves Live by Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves

June 24, 2026 · 1h 8m · Episode 228

About this episode

In this episode, Sarah, Catherine, and Chrissie discuss the best books of 2026 so far and the trends shaping the publishing industry.

In Episode 228, Sarah, Catherine ( @GilmoreGuide ), and Chrissie ( @ChrissieWhitley ) take stock of the reading year so far, discussing the books, publishing trends, and industry chatter that have defined the first half of 2026. They dive into the biggest publishing stories of the year, the rise of "cozy everything," the continued influence of self-publishing and book-to-screen success stories, and whether it's possible to tap a Book of the Year before the second half of the publishing calendar arrives. Then, they share their Top 5 Books of 2026 So Far and a few disappointing reads that didn't quite live up to expectations. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights How our 2026 reading has been so far How 2026 compares to this point in 2025 Each person's current Book of the Year pick Whether it's too early to crown a Book of the Year Midyear reading stats and surprise wins Each of our Top 5 books of 2026 so far Their biggest disappointments of the year so far Top 5 Books of 2026 So Far Sarah No One's Coming by Kevin Hazzard (Mar 3) |…

People in this episode

Host: Sarah Dickinson

Guests: Catherine Gilmore, Chrissie Whitley

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: No One's Coming, A Hymn to Life, Whistler, London Falling, The Burning Side

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