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Zibby Owens February 12, 2026 at 2:53 AM

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Read the 11 New Books Zibby Owens Can’t Stop Recommending

It’s cold. It’s so cold outside that I just can’t take another minute of all this shivering. (I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m almost getting sick of hot chocolate.) But there's an upside — as the kids and I have been cooped up, I’ve been reading like crazy: reading for warmth inside and out, that thrill of connection like a fireplace for the soul.

Here are a few of the books I’ve had a hard time putting down. You’ll find that they all pair quite nicely with a cozy blanket and slippers. Last October, I crafted my 2026 Most Anticipated List, featuring upcoming books from my very own imprint, Zibby Media. I took great pleasure in watching all these books come into the world, and I hope you enjoy them, too.

The End of My Life is Killing Me: The Unexpected Joys of a Cancer Slacker, by Annabelle Gurwitch

I’ve followed New York Times bestselling author Annabelle Gurwitch’s career for years, after Iaughing my way through her 2010 book You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up. I then interviewed her on my podcast for her 2021 memoir, You’re Leaving When? Adventures in Downward Mobility. So when the opportunity arose to publish her new collection of essays, I jumped. Yes, I’d known that Annabelle had cancer, ever since she got lost driving to an event at my home in Los Angeles and had to admit, from the side of the road, that she wasn’t feeling 100%. Turns out, that rarely stopped her from saying yes to anything. Her new book is all about the things she decided to do after being diagnosed, including the ordinary moments she embraced, and the unexpected moments, like that time she sold merch at a heavy metal concert. She is too much, and that’s why we all love her. Plus, couldn’t everyone use a laugh right about now?

So, I Met This Guy: A Novel, by Alexandra Potter

Alexandra Potter is one of those tall, smart, British, uber-fashionable beauties that I wish I could be. (She can pull off a fedora.) Instead, height-challenged and American, I can only read her books to pretend I’m living in her chic boots for a minute. In So, I Met This Guy, Alexandra takes us traipsing through Europe in a mixed-age friendship caper of two women determined to find a con man; no more letting men get away with it. Clever, quick, and charming, So, I Met This Guy is the vacation you’re longing for — in book form.

Meet the Newmans: A Novel, by Jennifer Niven

If you’ve ever seen The Brady Bunch, Leave It to Beaver, or any 1950s-esque sitcom, you’ll have an enhanced appreciation for Meet the Newmans, named after the fictitious family sitcom featured in the book. When the dad of Meet the Newmans goes into a coma, the “housewife” mom — who actually doesn’t even know how to cook — must save the show, the family, and herself. Everyone is hiding something from each other, including their two sons, the journalist writing a profile, and even the housekeeper. The plot is unexpectedly propulsive and deftly tackles women’s rights, race, class, and culture, all in a page-turning manner. Absolutely loved it.

The World Between: A Novel, by Zeeva Bukkai

When readers meet the narrator of The World Between, a woman in her mid-sixties, she's in a sanatorium dealing with a mental health crisis, which we only truly understand by the end of the book. To make sense of her situation, she writes to her husband Max, begging to be let out, then reminiscing on their married life (like their first apartment in Tel Aviv). But she soon dives into her history, writing Max about their time in the camps, the children she wished she’d taken better care of, and more. She also introduces us to Rothman, who saved her, time and time again — and who she'll always love, even though he can’t exactly give her what she wants. Or can he? This spare, literary work is short but packs a giant punch, covering marriage, trauma, grief, memory, and more.

More Than Enough: A Novel, by Anna Quindlen

A book club. Sheep. Sweaters. A broken roof. A new home. Illness. Found family. These are just some of the elements in New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen’s (aka the GOAT) latest novel. Not only does Anna explore aging and sickness, but she pokes fun at the influencer world as she goes. Charming and thought-provoking, More Than Enough reminds us to appreciate everyone in the various parts of our lives. Because you never know how much time you’ll have with them.

No One You Know: A Novel, by Emma Tourtelot

What’s harder: losing someone you love or having your child lose someone they love? In Emma Tourtelot’s immersive family drama, she explores this very question and shows us how a family and a neighborhood start to fray as a result of a tragic loss. Emma’s writing about motherhood, teenage grief, and marriage just sparkles.

Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth, by Kerry Docherty

I couldn’t put this book down — I also couldn’t even stop talking about it, even while I was reading it. Kerry’s husband is one-half of the Faherty brothers who founded the clothing company Faherty and as it turns out, Kerry was one of the brand's earliest founders and biggest supporters. Her story is a personal one: It's a marriage story and a company story. But it’s also about her spirituality, commerce, a man she had an emotional attachment to outside of her marriage, her creative goals, and finding her way after Yale. Juicy and relevant, this book will be all the rage — especially among those of us who struggle with how to balance our own needs with the needs of everyone around us.

This Book Made Me Think of You: A Novel, by Libby Page

When Tilly’s husband Joe is dying, he heads to his local independent bookstore in the U.K. and selects 12 books to give her after he passes away, once per month. The books are designed to send Tilly on adventures, inspire her to do things like run, cook, and travel, and even just to get back into her greatest love — reading — which he knows she'll have been unable to do in the aftermath of losing him. Meanwhile, Alfie, the bookseller who gives her the books each month, has his own story of loss which becomes entwined with Tilly’s. I didn’t have time to languish over every sentence of this charming book, but I did so anyway. I didn’t want to miss a moment.

They Bloom Because of You: Poems, by Jessica Urlichs

This isn’t one of those esoteric, inaccessible poetry collections. No, Jessica Urlichs’s new collection is a contemporary ode to motherhood, filled with relatable snippets that explain love that's so big, it’s impossible to encapsulate. One poem was so relevant that I read it out loud to my son the night after I interviewed Jessica on my podcast. Tackling topics like loss, love, and chaos, this humorous slim read is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The perfect quick read in between mom-life moments.

One of Us, by Elizabeth Day

Smart. That’s the best word to describe One of Us by powerhouse, and How to Fail podcaster, Elizabeth Day. This novel zeroes in on the world of high-society Brits, and the complicated class issues that swirl within it, especially in the aftermath of a suspicious death. Day's sentences are incredibly sharp and the pages are filled with extensive vocabulary so impressive, you'll feel like you’re in college again (rather than, say, parenting middle schoolers). Yes, you'll have to think a bit while reading, but Elizabeth’s British wit — and her keen sense of observations about life's moral complexities — will absolutely delight.

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, by Jenny Lawson

Excellent title, no? Indie bookstore owner Jenny Lawson (her Nowhere Bookshop is beloved in San Antonio, TX and far beyond), has written more, and more candidly, than almost anyone about her own mental health issues. In her latest release, Jenny tackles ADHD, anxiety, and everyday dramas, and shares how she's dealt with them all. Intimate, voice-driven and designed to help others, these essays will comfort countless readers wondering how to get through what’s on their emotional plates.

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