Ann Patchett Calls 2026 ‘An Amazing Year for Fiction’—Her Top Novels of the Year So Far, Including Her ‘Very Favorite’ (Exclusive)
From historical fiction to science fiction, here are Ann’s recommended new reads
Key Takeaways
- Ann Patchett shared her book picks exclusively at the Library of Congress Book Festival.
- The author calls ‘Music Against the Night’ by Yiyun Li her 'very favorite.'
- ‘John of John’ by Douglas Stuart is already an instant New York Times bestseller.
Bestselling author Ann Patchett is opening up about what books she recommends people add to their to-be-read (TBR) list. While chatting with Woman’s World at the Library of Congress’s National Book Festival, the Whistler author revealed what novels she’s most excited for people to read, and trust us when we say you are going to want to pick up a copy of every single one.
“This is what I do. I just love books, and this has been an amazing year for fiction,” Patchett tells Woman’s World.
To see what books Ann’s loving so far this year, keep scrolling!
‘Sophie, Standing There’ by Meg Mason
This upcoming novel by Meg Mason follows book lover Sophie Pattison, who works at a local book festival, has a husband she adores, a best friend named Emma and a brother she’s always been close to. So, why has she been living alone since Christmas and avoiding Emma, her brother and about to lose her job? The only thing she has left is her books, specifically a book written by an author she first read in her twenties. As the days pass, Sophie begins to imagine what it would be like to meet the author, whom she considers her friend. A breathtaking exploration of what happens when a fascination turns into an obsessive need for connection. (Out September 29, 2026)
What early readers are saying: “This book understands imbalance and the profoundly lonely experience of families shaped and sacrificed by addiction and co-dependency. If you have ever shared that space, carried that worry, that responsibility, the fear of what might happen, this will land deeply. If you’re drawn to contemporary literary fiction that explores the quiet, complicated realities of love shaped by absence, dependency and emotional displacement, this will stay with you. It doesn’t resolve the ache. It just names it, cleanly and honestly, and that’s what makes it impossible to forget. This one is definitely for the sad girls; it wounds as much as it heals.”
‘Fair Ones’ by Lydia Millet
From bestselling author Lydia Millet comes another tale centered around friendship, secrets and second chances told in two parts—Fair and Ones. After the shocking death of their friend Claire, Mara and Jen try to overcome their grief. In Fair, Mara details what happens after Claire’s death. In Ones, Jen reveals how she and Mara are coping a year later. A moving tale that will leave readers turning the pages long into the night. (Out October 6, 2026)
What early readers are saying: “A slow paced (but exquisitely written and perversely engaging) novel rich in insightful discourse and doubly rich in character depth. I loved this book for the very real and thoroughly explored lives in relation to the catastrophic experience and the mad swirl of collateral damage resulting. New friendships, new discoveries, new reactions, new regrets, new hopes. The plot progresses, sometimes in very surprising (but utterly believable) ways.”
‘Music Against the Night’ by Yiyun Li
When Ann calls a book her “very favorite,” you just know it’s going to be good. Set in late 18th-century Dublin, the plot follows John Field, a talented musician who writes melodies that enchant the night air, which he calls nocturnes. Elsewhere, in Pondicherry in French India, orphan Adelaide Percheron falls in love with music and uses it as a way to escape the horrors of her past. As the two’s paths collide, music, drama, love and loss ensue. (Out October 13, 2026)
What early readers are saying: “In Music Against the Night, Li paints portraits of two young artists, unraveling their parallel lives until their eventual crossing. This novel sweeps effortlessly across decades of European history, lifts notes from the piano right off the page and spans the globe from India to Ireland, all guided by a narrative voice that signals a literary master. Music Against the Night is full of all the pleasures and pains, the costs and gains, of life, love and art. It’s an immensely satisfying read.”
‘John of John’ by Douglas Stuart
This instant New York Times bestseller takes readers to 1990s Scotland, where John-Calum “Cal” Macleod reluctantly returns to the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides to care for his dying grandmother. His small hometown hasn’t changed, but Cal has. His long hair, clothes and complete rejection of the local Presbyterian church shock his father, John. While Cal keeps his head down, sweeping streets and trying to stay invisible, he’s hiding dark secrets. And he’s not alone. As time goes on, long-buried truths begin to come to the surface, threatening to tear the tight-knit community apart.
What readers are saying: “John of John by Douglas Stuart is simply superb. I will go as far as saying this is my favourite novel of 2026. Stuart’s prose is poignant, heart-felt and so full of compassion for all of the key characters that you read with an open-mouth. There is tenderness and humor even within the most painful moments.The characters are so fully formed that every emotion is deeply palpable and leaps from the pages.”
‘The Left and the Lucky’ by Willy Vlautin
This Joyce Carol Oates award-winning novel follows Eddie Wilkens, a housepainter in his early 40s, whose wife left him and who doesn’t have much of a social circle. But when a woman, her sons Russell and Curtis, and her aging mother move in next door, things change. Soon, Russell and Eddie become fast friends, but as their bond deepens, so does Russell’s brother Curtis’s cruelty. Can Russell and Eddie’s friendship be the thing that allows Russell to overcome the violence he experiences at home? And will it finally allow Eddie to come clean about the secrets he’s been keeping for 20 years? A powerful tale of friendship and survival.
What readers are saying: “The Left and the Lucky by Willy Vlautin is an exceptional, heartbreaking, beautiful, yet harrowing novel about a friendship between a man and a boy which may save both of them. It’s a perfect choice for readers who appreciate novels where characters face difficult situations, and fans of Willy Vlautin and Fredrik Backman’s novels.”
‘Exit Party’ by Emily St. John Mandel
Set in 2031 Los Angeles, the plot follows Ari Walker after she learns that the world she once knew has vanished. One evening, she walks to a nearby party where strange events begin to unfold: a doppelganger appears, and then Kareem, the host, disappears into thin air. As Ari follows a trail of eerie clues, the mystery pulls her across the globe into a reality-bending journey she never imagined. (Out September 15, 2026)
What early readers are saying: “I devoured the 300 pages (very small font, mind you!) in just a few days. I finished it past midnight and wasn’t able to sleep because I wanted to rewind time, wipe my memory and read it again. Exit Party is a complex, bewildering, metaphysical masterpiece.”
‘Kin’ by Tayari Jones
This powerful story explores the bonds between mothers, daughters and sisters through the intertwined lives of Vernice and Annie, two motherless girls who grow up as neighbors in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, during the Jim Crow era. Vernice, raised by her aunt, escapes to Spelman College where she discovers a world of affluence and opportunity beyond anything she’d dreamed possible. Meanwhile, Annie takes a starkly different path—one marked by adventure, passion and peril. As their lives diverge, both women must navigate the complexities of identity, loyalty and what it means to forge your own destiny in a world determined to limit it.
What readers are saying: “As always Tayari is a great storyteller. Bringing to life the human experience of our culture. As I read this book, there were several reflective moments of the dynamics in which the world views us and how we view ourselves. It made me think a little deeper of how small decisions, actions and interactions shape our perspectives.”
‘Serious Music’ by Percival Everett
From the bestselling author of James comes another groundbreaking historical fiction tale. Set in 1918, the plot follows Arthur Champion, one of the few Black students at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, after he finds himself unceremoniously enlisted in the United States Army. What follows is a battle of bravery, trust, love, loss and moving on. (Out March 2, 2027)
What early readers are saying: No early reviews for this book have been shared.
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