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It’s the time of year for all things new: new year, new books, new reading goals just getting started! In addition to the 2026 Read Harder challenge and any other reading challenges you have planned for this year, keeping up with new releases is a great way to push your reading boundaries and fill your TBR with fresh perspectives. As good as the historical fiction was last year, the historical fiction coming out in 2026 promises to be just as good or even better! These January 2026 historical fiction new releases are the perfect place to get started.
From a feminist Moby Dick retelling to a novel uncovering a dark secret from the American government’s past, these six historical fiction novels are exactly the kind of bold books you’ll need to start your New Year off with a bang!
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 Call Me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu GuoRelease date: January 6, 2026 In this retelling of Moby Dick for the modern age, a girl disguised as a cabin boy sets out on a quest to find her brother after her parents and infant sister die. Aboard the Nimrod, Ishmaelle discovers the kind of companionship she’s been craving. But the captain is obsessive in his pursuit, and the business of whaling is bloody work, work that Ishmaelle finds herself identifying with far too much, and not on the part of the sailors. |
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