3 Titles for Your TBR List
By M. CLARE HAEFNER | Covers courtesy of the book publishers
If you’re like me, there are probably more books on your to-be-read list than there are completed titles on your bookshelf or Kindle reader this year.
My TBR list has so many books on it, that I’m not sure I’ll ever check them all off, but the three titles below are at the top of the list to read before the year ends.
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (Spiegel & Grau, May 2026). The Help was one of my favorite books when it came out about 15 years ago, so when I learned that Stockett planned to release a new novel this year, I flagged it to add to my list. The Calamity Club is set in Oxford, Mississippi, during the Great Depression, and like The Help, it links the lives of two women and a young girl when they’re most in need of support and friendship. Having attended college a couple of hours down the road from Oxford, I always enjoy books set in places I’m familiar with, and I can’t wait to see how Stockett’s newest story unfolds.
Whistler by Ann Patchett (Harper, June 2026) reunites a woman with her former stepfather. The chance meeting in a New York art museum prompts them to reflect on the bond they formed during a tumultuous time in both their lives. It also gives them a chance to forge a new path. Patchett tells stories better than most, and I’m looking forward to her latest novel focused on how love endures. It’s a hopeful reminder that even a small moment can have a huge impact.
A Founding Mother by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (William Morrow, May 2026) shares the story of Abigail Adams, wife of one president and mother of another. Their 2016 book America’s First Daughter, about Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, was a riveting read, using letters and original sources as inspiration to recreate her life, so I look forward to discovering how they recount the incredible journey of Abigail Adams. Released in America’s 250th year, it seems like the perfect time for a closer look at a woman whose guidance, courage and vision shaped our nation and still plays a role in it today.
