The 2026 Whitcoulls Top 100 Books List, released July 23, shows a record-breaking surge in local authorship with 26 New Zealand writers featured. While fantasy dominated the rankings—led by Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series—local non-fiction and memoir titles also secured significant positions in the nation’s largest annual reading barometer.
26 New Zealand writers featured
A Record Year for New Zealand Authors
New Zealand literature has reached a high-water mark in the 2026 rankings, with 26 domestic writers securing spots on the list. This performance represents the strongest showing for local talent in the nearly 30-year history of the Whitcoulls survey. Whitcoulls book manager Joan Mackenzie noted that the list’s major refresh suggests readers’ dynamic engagement with books and reading. She attributes these results to a voracious appetite for stories and voices that Kiwis can relate to, describing the list as a barometer of the nation’s reading habits.
This year, we not only received a record number of votes, but the popularity of local authors is at an all-time high compared to previous years,
Mackenzie said. She added that the list serves as an opportunity to celebrate homegrown talent, highlighting books that inform, encourage, and capture the imagination.
Dr. Lucy Hone claimed the highest position
Top-Ranked Local Voices
Among the local contingent, resilience researcher Dr. Lucy Hone claimed the highest position for a New Zealand author, landing at number six with her book, How Will I Ever Get Through This?. Other notable local entries highlight the breadth of the domestic market. These include Anna Cameron’s Just a Mum’s Kitchen (7), Hira Nathan’s Māori Ora (13), and the late clinical psychologist Nigel Latta’s Lessons on Living (19). Further local successes include James Laughlin’s Habits of High Performers (23), Kelsey Waghorn’s Surviving White Island (28), and Catherine Chidgey’s The Book of Guilt (50).
The list also features high-profile figures from the public sphere, including former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern at number 60 with A Different Kind of Power, TVNZ Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver, whose book Be Brave debuted at number 90, and Charlotte Glennie with Every Second Counts (97).
Fantasy genre claiming 26 spots
Genre Trends and Global Favorites
Fiction dominates the 2026 list, accounting for 78 of the 100 titles. Within this category, series-based books remain a significant trend, with 30 titles belonging to a series. The fantasy genre proved particularly popular with New Zealand readers, claiming 26 spots on the list.
Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series secured the top spot
Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series secured the top spot for the second year. Fantasy author Sarah J. Maas followed closely, claiming both the second and third positions with her A Court of Thorns & Roses and Throne of Glass series, respectively. Beyond fantasy, the list reflects diverse reader interests, with romance, classics, self-help, and motivational titles also featuring strongly. Whitcoulls intends to showcase these selections instore nationwide and online.
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