Rakuten Kobo’s 2026 Book Report highlights the books, genres, and reading communities shaping the year, with Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear emerging as a standout title and sports romance dominating several international markets. 2026 reading trends

The way readers discover books is changing. Instead of everyone following the same bestselling titles, readers are increasingly finding their own communities around specific genres, romantic tropes, and reading interests.

That’s one of the biggest findings in Rakuten Kobo’s newly released 2026 Book Report, published on November 10, 2026.

The annual report examines reading habits across Kobo’s international markets, highlighting the popularity of sports romance, dark romance, cozy mysteries, classic literature, and book-to-screen adaptations.

One title received particular attention: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, which Kobo identifies as one of the breakout books of 2026.

From hockey romance to dystopian fiction, here are the biggest reading trends identified in Kobo’s latest report and what they could mean for readers heading into 2027.

1. Yesteryear Emerges as a Breakout Book of 2026

One of the most interesting highlights of Kobo’s report is the success of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.

The novel became a major talking point around the tradwife movement and traditional domestic lifestyles, generating conversations that extended beyond the usual book community.

Kobo describes the novel as the breakout powerhouse of 2026, highlighting how fiction can become part of wider cultural discussions.

Its popularity also demonstrates how books exploring controversial social themes can attract readers interested in discussing the ideas behind a story, rather than simply following its plot.

For readers who haven’t discovered it yet, Yesteryear is an especially interesting title to add to their reading lists.

Read more: Explore our Yesteryear Ending Explained guide for a deeper look at the novel.

2. Hockey Romance Dominates International Reading Charts

Sports romance was another major highlight of Kobo’s 2026 report.

The hockey romance phenomenon, led by Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry and Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series, performed particularly strongly in five markets:

• Canada
• United States
• Australia
• Italy
• Spain

The popularity of these books reflects the appeal of combining competitive sports, romantic tension, and emotionally driven relationships.

Hockey romance has developed a particularly passionate readership, with fans following characters, relationships, and interconnected book series.

Kobo suggests that the popularity of this category isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

For romance readers, that means sports romance is likely to remain an important part of the genre conversation heading into 2027.

3. BookTok Is Moving Beyond Individual Viral Books

BookTok continues to influence reading discovery, but Kobo identifies an interesting change in how readers interact with the community.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on individual viral books, readers are increasingly gathering around smaller, specialized communities.

These include:

• Sad girl literature
• Cozy fantasy
• Specific romantasy tropes
• Dark romance
• Niche romance subgenres

This shift suggests that readers are becoming more interested in finding books that match their particular tastes.

It also creates opportunities for lesser-known authors and independent publishers to reach readers who are actively searching for specific genres.

For readers, discovering a new favorite book may increasingly depend on finding the right community rather than following the biggest bestseller list.

4. Readers Are Balancing Dark Romance With Cozy Mysteries

Another interesting observation from Kobo’s report is the contrast between darker fiction and comforting stories.

On one side, dark romance and psychological thrillers continue attracting readers who enjoy intense emotional situations, complicated relationships, and suspense.

On the other, cozy mysteries offer a different reading experience, providing entertaining investigations and familiar settings without necessarily relying on graphic violence or extreme tension.

Kobo describes this contrast as one of the defining characteristics of reading in 2026.

The popularity of both categories suggests that readers aren’t necessarily settling on one particular mood. They are choosing different kinds of books depending on what they want from their reading experience.

5. Book-to-Screen Adaptations Continue Driving Book Discovery

Book adaptations remained another important influence on reading habits in 2026.

According to Kobo, interest in books often increases around the release of film and television trailers, continuing to grow around the time adaptations reach their audiences.

The report identifies Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary as Kobo’s most-read book-to-screen adaptation of the year.

Other titles highlighted include:

• The Odyssey
• Wuthering Heights
• East of Eden
• The Love Hypothesis
• Verity
• Sunrise on the Reaping

Adaptations also appear to introduce books to new readers who might not otherwise have discovered the original novels.

For publishers and authors, this demonstrates the continuing value of screen adaptations as a way to bring older titles back into the spotlight.

For readers, it creates another opportunity to discover the stories behind their favorite films and television shows.

6. Romance Authors Are Exploring Fantasy and Magical Realism

Romance is also evolving beyond its traditional categories.

Kobo highlights authors including Ali Hazelwood, Laurie Gilmore, and B.K. Borison as examples of contemporary romance writers exploring magical realism and more fantastical storytelling.

Meanwhile, independent authors using Kobo Writing Life are developing specialized romance categories, including paranormal romance.

This movement reflects a growing appetite for stories that combine familiar romantic elements with imaginative settings, supernatural possibilities, and fantasy-inspired worlds.

It also suggests that romantasy and genre-blending romance will continue evolving rather than remaining confined to established formulas.

7. Kobo Predicts Four Reading Trends for 2027

Looking ahead, Kobo’s literary team has identified several categories worth watching in the coming year.

Here are the four predictions from its 2027 reading forecast.

Folk Horror

Folk horror could experience renewed popularity as readers explore rural myths, ancient traditions, mysterious communities, and unsettling folklore.

The genre offers plenty of opportunities for authors to combine psychological suspense with supernatural elements.

Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Kobo expects renewed interest in dystopian stories and post-apocalyptic worlds.

These books often explore social collapse, environmental uncertainty, political conflict, and the consequences of human decisions.

Stories Exploring Traditional Domestic Life

The success of Yesteryear has brought renewed attention to fiction exploring traditional domestic lifestyles and the social questions surrounding them.

Kobo expects this fascination to continue into 2027.

Genre-Blending Romantasy

Romantasy is also evolving.

Rather than relying exclusively on traditional fantasy-romance formulas, Kobo anticipates more stories combining romance with political intrigue, mythology, mystery, and other genres.

Readers can expect authors to experiment with increasingly varied settings and storytelling approaches.

What Kobo’s 2026 Report Tells Us About the Future of Reading

The biggest takeaway from Kobo’s report is that readers are becoming increasingly diverse in their interests.

Sports romance, dark romance, cozy mysteries, classics, fantasy, and dystopian fiction are all finding enthusiastic audiences.

There isn’t necessarily one genre dominating every market or one bestselling title defining everyone’s reading experience.

Instead, smaller communities and specialized reading interests are becoming increasingly important.

For authors and publishers, this creates opportunities to reach readers through more targeted storytelling and genre experimentation.

For readers, it means more possibilities for discovering books that match their individual tastes.

Final Thoughts: What Should Readers Expect in 2027?

Rakuten Kobo’s 2026 Book Report offers an interesting picture of how reading habits are evolving.

The success of Yesteryear, the popularity of hockey romance, and the continuing influence of book adaptations demonstrate how different factors can shape what readers choose next.

Looking ahead, folk horror, dystopian fiction, and genre-blending romantasy are three particularly interesting categories to watch.

Whether you prefer an emotionally intense romance, a mysterious fantasy world, or an unsettling dystopian adventure, 2027 could bring plenty of exciting new reading possibilities.

Which reading trend interests you most? Are you following the hockey romance phenomenon, exploring darker fiction, or waiting for the next big romantasy release? Share your thoughts with Pages & Prose.