By Veronica Wells ·Updated February 25, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

If the state of the world is bringing you down, get lost in a new one. Whether you’re reading to learn and expand your world view or indulging in some much-needed pleasure, reading helps us escape, often returning better than we were before. And speaking of things we’re looking to break free from, that includes winter. Thankfully, there are a slew of releases coming out in time for spring (and a few past spring releases worth mentioning again) that are sure to bring color to our world—and our shelves—in advance. If you need some recommendations, check out these must-read titles distributed by Penguin Random House.

Penguin Random House Kin

Tayari Jones writes unforgettable tales. Whether it’s her award-winning novel An American Marriage or her utterly astonishing Silver Sparrow, she captivates readers with her characters and their stories. Her new novel Kin, set to be released on February 24, 2026, explores friendship, class, and sisterhood between two motherless daughters, Annie and Vernice, in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Bookstgrammer Cree Myles has already likened it to The Color Purple.

Penguin Random House Cleopatra

Cleopatra’s comin’ at cha! But you’ve never experienced her like this before. In this historical fiction work, British fantasy author Saara El-Arifi seeks to correct the misconceptions long held about this Egyptian monarch as she finally gets the chance to tell her own story. In the summary of the book, Cleopatra forewarns that death will silence her no longer.

Penguin Random House The Bridge Back To You

The title tells it all. This is a second-chance romance set against the backdrop of the competitive and cut-throat restaurant industry. In Riss M. Neilson’s tale, exes Olivia and Carmello must not only learn to work together in business, but they must also question whether or not they can correct the mistakes of the past to partner in life.

Penguin Random House The Edge of Space Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie

For the girls who are interested in everything from poetry, to cosmic particles to pop culture, cosmologist and physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Ph.D.’s collection is for you. Prescod-Weinstein uses an anti-colonial, Black feminist approach to share what the cosmos can teach us about life here on earth. 

Penguin Random House Happy Land

After years of separation, Nikki’s grandmother summons her to the hills of North Carolina. While there, she tells Nikki of the community of free people who lived in an ancient kingdom where her ancestors were royalty. Inspired by actual events, Happy Land invites readers to reclaim the past in order to dream anew.

Penguin Random House Dream Count

Set against the backdrop of the pandemic, Nigerian travel writer, Chiamaka, is alone in America with nothing but time to think. She remembers her past lovers, past choices and regrets. Her best friend, Zikora, is dealing with her own troubles with a recent betrayal. Her cousin, Omelogor, is undergoing an existential crisis. Chiamaka’s housekeeper, Kadiatou, is raising a daughter in the U.S. while dealing with problems that may undo all of her upward mobility. The four stories, originally released by celebrated author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie last spring, converge to examine the nature of love.

Penguin Random House Harlem Rhapsody

There’s no tea hotter than historical tea. In her novel Harlem Rhapsody, released on Feb. 3, Victoria Christopher Murray pours a piping hot cup about high school teacher turned journalist Jessie Redman Fauset. With big dreams and the skill to back it up, Fauset lands a job as the literary editor of The Crisis, the preeminent Negro Magazine founded by W.E.B. Du Bois. Not only is Du Bois a great thinker of this time and Fauset’s boss, he’s also her lover, despite their 14-year age gap and his marriage. The novel follows Fauset’s ascent as a treasured voice during the Harlem Renaissance, juxtaposed with the steep costs of the life she chose.

Penguin Random House James

Chances are you’ve heard of Percival Everett’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. But in case you needed an additional push to add it to your TBR (“To Be Read”), here it is. This reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn centers one of the story’s most memorable but one-dimensional characters. In Everett’s version, Jim comes alive with a fully fleshed out history, convictions, motivations, agency and intelligence that make his story unforgettable.

Penguin Random House Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion

If you’re like me and struggle with timeliness, this collection of essays from Manny Fidel might be just the humorous placation you need. Through his own personal experiences and historical and pop culture references, Fidel explores the concept of time and how it functions differently across intersections. The author brilliantly argues that after toiling to build this country for free or reduced wages, people of color not only deserve the extra time for themselves, but they should be afforded the opportunity to be late for anything they want.

TOPICS:  Books

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