Barnes and Noble Reveals Its 2026 Book of the Year Finalists—Here Are 7 We Loved
From gripping family sagas to unforgettable memoirs, these finalists deserve a spot on your list
Key Takeaways
- Barnes & Noble has announced 16 finalists for its 2026 Book of the Year award.
- The finalists include novels by Colson Whitehead, Barbara Kingsolver and Kathryn Stockett.
- Our seven favorite picks span historical fiction, family sagas, memoirs and true crime.
The finalists for Barnes & Noble’s 2026 Book of the Year are here, and while some of the picks are bestsellers, others are under-the-radar books that have slowly gained momentum over the past couple of months. In total, Barnes & Noble chose 16 books as finalists based on what books their bookshelves loved. Then, on Thursday, November 12, they will announce the winning book. Last year’s pick was Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlessler, a novel about a 10-year-old girl and her grandfather on their quest to visit art museums across Europe. It was beautiful, touching and filled with heart—much like several of the finalists this year. To learn which books from the finalists list we read and loved this year, keep scrolling.
‘The Calamity Club’ by Kathryn Stockett
Also named a Woman’s World most anticipated historical fiction read, this novel is set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, and follows Birdie, an unmarried woman in her 20s, and Meg, an 11-year-old orphan. When Birdie arrives in town to ask her sister Frances for financial help, but Frances is facing her own money (and marriage) troubles and can’t help. Birdie finds herself volunteering at the orphanage where Meg lives. The two bond, only for Meg to be sent away a little while later. Soon after, Birdie encounters Meg’s birth mother, Charlie, and the two come up with an unusual plan to help Charlie get Meg back and to help Birdie’s family get back on their feet financially. It’s a beautiful story of friendship, love and feminism.
What Barnes & Noble booksellers are saying: “The Calamity Club made me laugh, cry and even reconsider my own life. A great book to share with a mother or sister. Kathryn Stockett’s eclectic cast of characters really stick with you.”
‘Whale Harbor’ by Mary Beth Keane
Set in 1960s Ireland, Mary Beth Keane’s newest novel was named a Woman’s World most-anticipated fall read and a Good Morning America book club pick. After a tragedy tears a family of 11 brothers apart, Mac decides to move to America to escape it all. He promises to take his younger brother Rian with him once he gets a little older. But when Rian disappears, Mac’s plan goes awry. As he and his brothers build new lives in America, he never forgets Rian. This novel is perfect for fans of family sagas and tales infused with science.
What Barnes & Noble booksellers are saying: “What a beautiful book! Mary Beth Keane has crafted a family saga that somehow feels both vast and intimate. The story follows 11 brothers from Ireland scattered to the wind across decades, and the choices and factors of their lives that bring them together or separate them. What Keane excels at is showing how family ties span these divides and generations, bringing relatives together even if they’ve never met.”
‘Cool Machine’ by Colson Whitehead
The third novel in Colson Whitehead’s bestselling Harlem Trilogy transports readers back to 1980s New York City. In 1981, Ray Carney has just been named Sterling Furniture’s Dealer of the Month, but that didn’t give him enough street cred to get a loan from the bank for his wife Elizabeth’s new travel agency. In 1983, Carney takes a job as a bodyguard and winds up in the East Village art and club scene. Finally, in 1986, Carney will do anything to rescue his late friend Freddie’s son from violent forces in the city, even if it means teaming up with his old partner in crime, Pepper. It’s a beautiful multi-timeline story that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
What Barnes & Noble customers are saying: “Cool Machine is the third book in the Harlem Trilogy and it is a gem. Not a traditional novel, but three separate stories separated by 2-3 years and populated with the same group of characters. I blew through this in a couple of days. You don’t have to read the first two books in the trilogy but I strongly recommend them. A rich, satisfying read.”
‘Partita’ by Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver’s newest novel was not only a Read With Jenna pick, but it was also a Woman’s World most-anticipated fall read. At age 11, Livia Bohuszn found peace in the piano after her brother’s death. Eventually, she attends the University’s Jacobs School of Music and falls in love with a mysterious man. Now, an adult, Livia goes by the name Livia Cable and is a happily married mother and farmer, but when a call from her former classmate and lover comes in, she is forced to revisit her past, which could result in her revealing never-before-told secrets to her husband and children. It’s a beautiful multi-timeline tale that musical lovers will devour.
What Barnes & Noble booksellers are saying: “This is a beautifully written story with an interesting perspective on music and ambition through the eyes of a former piano prodigy. Music lovers will appreciate the references, while the story itself is captivating. I loved it!”
‘Yesteryear’ by Caro Claire Burke
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel was the book of the summer—and for good reason. The plot follows Natalie Heller Mills, a “trad-wife” influencer who makes her money by showcasing her six kids and their seemingly perfect life on their family farm on social media. But one day, Natalie wakes up in an old-fashioned house with no electricity and kids who look like her kids but have different names. As the day goes on, Natalie begins to wonder where she really is and what really happened to her. What follows is a quirky tale of family, love and mental health.
What Barnes & Noble customers are saying: “Yesteryear is one of those rare books that stays with you long after you finish the last page. The storytelling is beautifully crafted, the characters feel authentic and the emotional depth is unforgettable. Every chapter drew me in, balancing nostalgia, hope and heartfelt moments perfectly. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with meaningful themes.”
‘Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage’ by Belle Burden
In this honest memoir, Belle Burden, granddaughter of Babe Paley, one of Truman Capote’s best friends, opens up about her divorce. One day, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Belle learns that her husband Henry Patterson Davis is having an affair. She confronts him about it, and instead of wanting to work it out, he decides to leave her and their children. Now Belle must navigate single parenting, her broken heart and the pandemic, all while trying to figure out what exactly led her husband to make the decision he did. [Editor’s note: we recommend this one on audio because Belle herself narrates it.]
What Barnes & Noble booksellers are saying: “I knew what to expect when going into this book but wow I was so pleasantly shocked. This story really takes the reader on the insane and true story of this marriage. I’m usually not a big nonfiction reader but the summary for this one stuck with me. Womanhood, trust, friendship, betrayal and family. WOW what a memoir!”
‘London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth’ by Patrick Radden Keefe
On November 29, 2019, Britain’s spy agency, MI5, captured footage of a young man jumping into the River Thames at 2:24 a.m. Across town, Rachelle and her husband, Matthew Brettler, begin to worry about their son Zac, who didn’t come home. Then, when police pull up and Rachelle and Matthew learn that their son Zac took his own life, they are shocked. As the investigation unfolds, police learn that Zac was involved in a variety of dealings involving a shady businessman and a murderous gangster. In this book, Patrick Radden Keefe reveals what the Brettlers actually went through and how all of the media coverage surrounding the case affected them. It’s a gripping, spine-tingling true crime tale.
What Barnes & Noble customers are saying: “London Falling is a deeply fascinating and troubling examination of our times. It begins as an investigation into the death of a young man, a suicide or possibly a murder, and then widens into something far larger and more unsettling. The result is a portrait of a world that exists behind the world we believe we live in, populated by a vast cast of characters. Patrick Radden Keefe handles all of it with a patient investigator’s eye, and the story never loses its human center. Gripping, disturbing and illuminating, this is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how power and money really operate.”
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