Monthly Pop Picks Digest – January 2026

The Happiness Files by Arthur C. Brooks

Imagine if your life were a startup. How would you lead it and shape it to be most successful? That’s the question behind The Happiness Files, a rich selection of enlightening and instructive essays by Arthur C. Brooks, known worldwide for his inspiring yet practical wisdom and advice in his weekly column for The Atlantic and in his bestselling books, From Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want (coauthored with Oprah Winfrey). The simple answer, as Brooks wisely explains, is to manage your life in a way that leads to truly valuable rewards: love, enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning–in other words, happiness.

Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything by Alyson Stoner

Actor-dancer Alyson Stoner’s revelatory and incisive memoir-from family violence and betrayal, to eating disorders and religious trauma-may begin in Hollywood, but its chilling relatability will resonate with anyone navigating identity, privacy, purpose, and mental health in a digital age. Raised on soundstages and studio lots from the time they were six, shuffling between auditions for Disney Channel, Cheaper by the Dozen, or a Missy Elliott music video, Alyson experienced their defining moments of childhood inside the bizarre fishbowl of Hollywood.

Gay Science by Rob Anderson

Using the principles of natural, social, and formal sciences, Rob answers extremely serious questions like: Why can’t gays sit in a chair properly? Why don’t lesbians have electricity in their movies? Are colleges turning people bisexual? How does gaydar work? Will bottoms survive the apocalypse? You’ll read about the three subtypes of the gay uncle species, examine the Periodic Table of LGBTQ+ Elements, understand gay crime and punishment, and get educated on the types of bacteria and viruses that exclusively affect the LGBTQs, like the state of Florida. Inspired by his viral “Gay Science” series, Rob recreates some of his most popular episodes in a literary format, and also tackles completely fresh subjects, presenting them with super empirical and totally evidence-based homosexual data. Gay Science includes: Coverage of 60 topics across 29 fields of science including biology, chemistry, physics, genetics, botany, nutrition, astronomy, anthropology, oceanography, sociology, criminology, engineering, computer science, and more! Informative sidebars including Get PrePared, The Tea, Serving Conclusions, The Gloss, Yas or Naur, Fagtoids, and A Lesbian Explains. Diagrams, charts, illustrations, and maps to explain the gayest concepts.

The Can-Do Mindset by Candace Parker

One of the most decorated and celebrated women’s basketball players of all time breaks down her ultimate recipe to success, using her own deeply inspiring journey to teach readers how to live bravely, unapologetically, and with purpose. “Candace Parker has been a trailblazer on and off the court, inspiring us all with her resilience, authenticity, and purpose-driven life. We are thrilled to work with Candace and present her extraordinary book to readers from all walks of life. The Can-Do Mindset delivers a playbook for how we can all achieve greatness on our own terms”–John Legend, Mike Jackson, and Ty Stiklorius, Get Lifted Books. Candace Parker is a living legend. Her storied career includes three WNBA titles, two Olympic gold medals, and countless MVP Awards. Her career accolades are endless and her impact on the WNBA beyond measure, but Candace is even more inspiring off the court.

Pushing Hope by Raymond Santana

The 1989 rape of a jogger in Central Park was pinned on 14-year-old Raymond Santana and four other young teens-now called the Exonerated Five-a tragedy that would change their lives forever. In this illustrated memoir, Santana reflects on his wrongful conviction and tireless fight for his exoneration.

A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle

A beautifully inventive, tender novel-the author’s first to be published in the U.S.-following two lives as they almost intersect over three heartbreaking yet euphoric decades. A Language of Limbs is a breathtaking spin on a will-they-won’t-they love story; it is a tender epic that explores the weight of a choice, the love of community, and how joy is found in even the darkest corners. Newcastle, Australia, 1972. On a sticky summer night, a choice must be made: to give in to queer desire or suppress it? To venture into the unknown or stay the course? In alternating chapters, poetically called Limb One and Limb Two, we trace the two versions of a life that follow. In Limb One, a teenage girl is caught kissing her neighbor and is kicked from her home; in continuing to run, she chooses a new life for herself. She lands at a queer communal home in Sydney called Uranian House, where she meets the people who will forever become her family.

Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill

A new romantasy, following a thief whose dramatic encounter with an assassin and a crown bodyguard (who happens to be a royal in disguise) launches her into a world of swirling palace intrigue, from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill. Fox is a thief with morals-she steals from those who can afford it and only a little at that. She has no choice. Fox and her closest companion are indentured servants to a wealthy noble in the stronghold. Unable to pay off their familial debts with the work they’re given, they steal in the hopes of one day being free-truly free. While searching for an easy mark in town, Fox helps a royal bodyguard fend off a would-be assassin’s attack on a prince’s life. But what started off as protecting the prince out of good conscience has now unwittingly embroiled this thief in a vast world of politics, high stakes, and romance. And though Fox longs to be rid of her debts, she must decide if love is its own kind of cage

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill

A whimsical and healing novel about a trans man in New York who–almost 30, laid off, broke–moves back to his small Illinois hometown, walks into the bookstore he worked at in high school . . . and slips through time to come face-to-face with his pre-transition, teenage self

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair

Estranged from her powerful family, Lilith Leviathan finds refuge in Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. There, she uses her magic to steal for a living, attracting the attention of the five governing families as well as the church, which expects women to remain pious and silent. When Lilith comes into possession of a beautiful blade, she thinks all her worries are over…until herusual buyer dies while inspecting it. Frantic, Lilith turns to the only man who can help her: Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. His currency is information, and his power is extortion, though he’s always had a soft spot for Lilith. But when the dagger appears, he isn’t sure he can protect her from what’s to come. Together, they embark on a mission to discover the true power running their world. As their lives intertwine, Lilith realizes Zahariev is more than just a friend, but their devotion to each other is a threat–to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.

Artificial Wisdom: A Novel by Thomas R. Weaver

In a climate-ravaged landscape where AI and humans vie for political power, a journalist must unravel a murderous plot that will either upend the world or save it”– Provided by publisher.2050: Investigative journalist Marcus Tully is grieving his wife and unborn child ten years after they perished in a deadly heat wave that gripped the Persian Gulf. Now the whole planet is both burning and drowning, and the nations of the world decide to elect a global leader to steer humanity through the climate apocalypse. The final two a former U.S. president . . . and Solomon, the first Artificial Intellect to hold political office. But as election day races closer, Solomon’s creator is murdered, and it’s up to Tully to find the culprit. Soon Tully is unraveling a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels. As the investigation heats up and the planet hurtles ever closer to the brink, Tully must find the truth and convince the world to face it. Because salvation has a price–but is humanity willing to pay it?