The new year means a new crop of books being published. Which means you have the opportunity to try out a new genre or author. You have the chance to get recommendations from friends, near and far.

I actually posted on my substack, so check out the list of my most anticipated books to learn more!

Kristian's Most Anticipated Books of 2026

When we entered Atlantic City, Georgia, we immediately looked up bookstores to visit before going to our hotel.

All The Tropes was our first stop.

About All The Tropes

Nestled in the heart of Kirkwood, All the Tropes is Atlanta’s only bookstore dedicated entirely to the Romance genre. All the Tropes is more than a bookstore; it's a sanctuary for dreamers and romantics, a community space where the timeless allure of Romance literature is celebrated.

You know how you go to a place and the vibes are super cool? This is one of them.

It's a small but well curated romance bookstore with a diverse grouping of genres and beautiful decorations.

They even have a bookstore cat! He was such a good boy and huge. I love large fluffy cats so he checked all of my boxes.

I left with a sticker of him.

Afterwards we stopped for food at the Hard Rock Cafe and I had to snap a shot of this piece of Stevie Nicks artwork. I love the design and stained glass vibe of it.

That night Michelle and I ventured to the Georgia Aquarium. I was most excited to see the Whale Sharks along with the Hammerhead Sharks. I find sharks to be so beautiful. Watching them glide through the water with such precision and grace was amazing. It's such an amazing space and I'm so happy I had the chance to visit.

The closest McKay Used Books is in Manassas, Virginia. On our road trip, we stopped there.

I always love stopping there because I truly never know what I'll find. That makes it super fun. They offer new and used books along with other collectible items like records and video games.

I go for the books (even though if I ever run into a copy of Gallop Racer 2006, I will surely pick it up).

Aisles and aisles of every genre fill the huge store.

I gravitate towards fiction and they often have special editions. My score was the Fairyloot Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron! It's so pretty.

From there we went to Buc-ee's. I'd never been to one before and had no idea what to expect but even what I encountered still wasn't what I imagined. Amazing.

August was quite a book traveling month for me. New Voices, New Rooms was the destination in Atlanta, Georgia. Between there and Enola, Pennsylvania, there are many bookstores.

The first one we stopped at was Miss Willa's Bookshop in West Virginia.

About Miss Willa's Bookshop

Miss Willa's Bookshop, located in Charles Town, West Virginia, is an independent bookstore that offers romance-only novels written by authors both well-known and debut, traditional and indie.

Owned by # 1 New York Times Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, the bookshop is named after Willa Colyns, a character from JLA's Blood and Ash series. When JLA decided she wanted to fulfill one of her dreams by opening a bookstore, she immediately knew she wanted to showcase the genre that not only started her love of reading but also writing. 

I love that so many authors are opening up their own indie bookstores. When Jennifer Armentrout announced her new venture in opening up a bookstore in West Virginia, I was stoked.
I knew I wanted to go there, and the group of us made the pitstop on our way to Georgia.

It's such a cute shop.

I loved the decorations.

What a cool wall.

This is so funny to me and matches the vibes of JLA’s books!

There were many romance books of all sub-genres.

Classics of the genre were on the shelves along with their more recent counterparts.

A group photo was a must.

Truth.

I left with a Beverly Jenkins novel that I didn't already own. And of course a sticker commemorating the occasion. I love buying stickers from bookstores. If I don't have space for more books or don't find a book I really want, I still like to support stores. So if there's a sticker or postcard, I'm there for it.

I can’t wait to visit again!

Wandering with no direction can lead you to a bookstore.

That’s how I came upon Mast Books. I saw the word books while walking around and decided to go in.

About Mast Books

Established in 2010 by Bryan Leitgeb and James McKee, Mast Books is a bookstore and gallery space located in New York City’s East Village.

Mast Books curates a rotating selection of rare and out-of-print titles presented alongside contemporary publications from small press publishers worldwide.

This was probably the most unique bookstore I visited.

I so enjoyed seeing this old copy of Fear and Loathing On The Campaign.

It was a different sort of bookstore I’d visited which was nice to see. The idea of positioning a space in this way made this a very unique spot.

Across the street I did see a 28 Years Later advertisement. I love zombies and the whole 28 Days/Year series. I’m one of those where the zombies in books can be symbols for something else and deep meanings or they can just be a fun antagonist in a post-apocalyptic world. Anything goes for me.

I mean how much cooler does it get? It’s a bookstore and a bar.

About Book Club Bar

Book Club Bar opened in November 2019 and serves as a community hub of the East Village: a new kind of independent bookstore featuring top-notch cocktails, beer, wine, and coffee. Owners Erin Neary and Nat Esten have been proud to call the East Village home for over a decade. This spirited and dynamic neighborhood is reflected in the store: from the cozy living room-feel decor, to curated book inventory, locally roasted coffee, and NY state craft beers.

I loved the vibes and lighting in this store.

Book Club Bar menu featured literary themed drinks.

The shelves were full of books that ranged in genre.

There’s never a bad time to see Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland series.

I loved this spot and next time I’ll have to grab a drink!

Bindery Books hosted the Spring Releases at P&T Knitwear Bookstore and Coffee. I visited the store early so I knew where I was going.

About P&T Knitwear

In 1952, founder Bradley Tusk's grandfather, Hymie Tusk, and his business partner Mike Pudlo opened the original P&T Knitwear, a small shop selling sweaters and
collared shirts at 37½ Allen Street in New York. Check it out in the photo!) The two men survived the Holocaust and met in a Displaced Persons Camp in Germany after the war. They emigrated to the US, determined to create better lives for themselves and their families through sheer grit and hustle. When they first opened on the Lower East Side, Pudlo and Tusk couldn't even afford enough merchandise to fill the store. They stocked the shelves with empty boxes, hoping to give the illusion of
a bustling business. Soon, their creativity and fearlessness paid off. Today's P&T Knitwear honors our namesake by giving back to the very same neighborhood that made Tusk and Pudlo's story, and so many others' like them,
possible

This was a good choice to host an event!

I loved the space and how much character the whole store had. Books were everywhere with various types of shelving.

It was just nice and welcoming. Waves at Lucy Score

Loved the bookcase of recommendations.