Waterstones names 5 best fiction books coming in 2026 | Books | Entertainment

As we approach summer, you may be thinking about the books you want to add to your holiday reading list and beyond.

Look no further; Waterstones has you covered – and this time we’re talking fiction.

If you’re in the mood for a bit of escapism, this list has you covered. From a Robert Harris latest drop to a medieval tale that will leave you unable to stop turning the page. Here are the top five new releases recommended by Waterstones.

From New York Times bestselling author of Katabasis and Yellowface, this novel tells a moving coming-of-age story that tackles themes of grief, culture shock and language. Kuang’s novel is also set in Taipei.

The book’s synopsis reads: “College freshman Lily Chen is off to spend the summer in Taipei at an intensive language program like so many Chinese American students before her, hoping to connect with the culture she inherited but never fully understood. But a promising start quickly unravels. Her classes are gruelling, her roommate is driving her insane, and a reckless trip to the hot springs with a guy she barely knows soon has her classmates viciously gossiping. She feels adrift, a foreigner in a country she thought would feel like home.

“Then shocking news: Lily’s grandfather has passed away. The loss forces her to grapple with now-unanswerable questions about her family history. As Lily grieves, she’s drawn into a journey of self-discovery—piecing together memories, stories, and silences over a series of hilarious and devastating attempts at connection.”

Taipei Story: Signed Exclusive Edition by R.F. Kuang will be published on September 8.

From the author of Conclave and Dictator comes a gripping story set against the backdrop of ancient Rome’s descent into dictatorship.

The blurb reads: “He was born feet first, a dangerous way to enter the world. His mother did not survive, and the nickname, Agrippa—mother killer—stuck. But the schoolyard taunting only served to harden his resolve and hone his predilection for aggression. In time, the name lost its sting and became instead a mark of his invincibility. It came to shape his destiny.

“Agrippa was a mere commoner, a plebeian, his father a humble Stoic, but he earned the respect and fear of his peers. He defended a bullied young boy, Octavius, who turned out to be the nephew of Caesar himself, a chance encounter that would change the trajectory of his life. He eventually joined the ranks of the legionnaires and marched against their enemies. His prowess on the battlefield spoke for itself, and Caesar relied on him to protect his favoured nephew. When Caesar was murdered in the Senate, Octavius inherited the empire in name only. To assume the mantle, he would have to fight for it, and Agrippa, forever by his side, would be his closest advisor and the merciless agent of his military will.

“As gripping and full of intrigue as his bestselling novel Conclave, Agrippa is Robert Harris’s monumental return to the world of ancient Rome on the precipice of dictatorship, a novel for our times.”

Agrippa by Robert Harris will be released on August 27.

TikTok phenomenon Liz Tomforde is releasing a brand new highly anticipated series.

The book’s synopsis reads: “Wilder Woods is a brand new 4-book series based in Northern California featuring the Wilder Family. You were introduced to a couple of the siblings in Rewind it Back, the final book of the Windy City Series.”

Cardinal Rule: Signed Edition – Wilder Woods by Liz Tomforde is expected early 2027.

A stunning illustrated short story set in the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell comes next from bestselling author Susanna Clark.

The book’s synopsis reads: “‘He had already served three kings. He did not see why he should not be useful to a fourth.’

“During the conquest of Northern England, the fairy host sweeps across the countryside. The city of Durham finds itself surrounded. But the encircling forces are not fairies, nor even other humans, but trees that trap the city within an eerie wood.

“Ranulf, Bishop of Durham-a consummate politician-understands that the survival of the Northern English people depends on his finding a way to unite the two races, human and fairy. And he’s not averse to improving his own position at the same time. With these aims in view, he sets off for the New Castle, in search of the new King-the leader of the fairy host, rumoured to be a mysterious human boy, no more than fourteen years old, who speaks no word of any human language.”

The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City: Signed Edition by Susanna Clark is published on October 20.

This page turner tells the true story of a medieval noblewoman who, after being incarcerated on charges of summoning the devil, tries to secure royal power. The novel’s themes explore female agency and misogyny.

The book’s synopsis reads: “Ambition. Sorcery. Treason. How will one woman dare to go?

“Eleanor Cobham arrived at court with nothing — her greatest hope was simply to marry well.

“But her ambition carried her further than any woman before her had dared. She wanted to rule her own destiny. To rule England itself.

“They say she summoned the devil himself to secure her fate.

“They say she plotted to murder a king.

“Now, it’s time to finally hear her story.

“This is the tale of the woman they called witch. Who would have called herself queen.”

Royal Witch: Signed Edition (Hardback) by Philippa Gregory is published on October 20.