The last time I walked into Target's book section, my jaw dropped at how well-organized based on what's trending on BookTokit was. Like, are you kidding this bibliophile? It was like walking into Narnia, except for instead of fauns and Turkish delights, I was met with the TBR list of my dreams.
After scouring the book section, I plunged myself deep into the world of Sarah J. Maas and ACOTAR. I still don't know if I've managed to catch my breath from Feyre and Tamlin's adventures, but I'm admittedly not ready to stop there. So naturally, I want more of what trending books Target has to offer on my next trip.
Feeling similarly? Here are 20 trending books you can find at Target IRL or online right now!
Romantasy Target Books
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Feyre often wishes her life could be different, but she doesn't think anything will come of it until the night a terrible beast demands repayment for a wolf's life she took. When she wakes up to see that she's in the very magical world she's heard stories about, she realizes the 'beast' is actually a high-ranking faerie named Tamlin.
They're both moody most of the time, but it's not until Feyre begins to understand more about his world that she begins to soften. In turn, Tamlin's growing feelings for her speaks leaps and bounds. However, there's something evil growing in the woods and it is ready to devour all that feels right in every world.
It'll be up to Feyre to help stop it.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Violet Sorrengail may be the daughter of the commanding general at Basgiath War College, but that doesn't make people respect her. It's actually one of the main things that puts a target on her back as she trains to become a dragon rider. The other is the fact she's incredibly fragile which leads people to underestimate her at every turn.
However, no one expects her to bond to one of the most powerful dragons whose mate happens to be bonded to the one person who has a vendetta against her — Xaden Riorson. Initially unsure of how she's going to survive, Violet begins to trust her dragon's instincts as well as her own. What she'll find is that some enemies are much closer than she initially thought.
The Serpent & The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Oraya's adoptive father is the Nightborn vampire king, but that's something that's still not enough to protect her. So, she decides to enter a deadly tournament called the Kejari to solidify her presence in the world she inhabits.
Knowing that she'll more than likely be outwitted, Oraya turns to the one person she probably shouldn't form an uneasy truce with — Raihn. He's considered to be her father's enemy and he's not exactly the sweetest guy out there. But, the two can't fight how wildly their hearts beat for each other.
Unfortunately, this may be their undoing because there's no room for falling in love when surviving is on the line.
A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford
Calla and Briar are not only twins, but they're also wolves and that's kept a secret for several reasons. However, this doesn't stop them from having a path to follow. The only thing about this is that Calla lives in Briar's shadows. The only person who is able to see her for who she is happens to be Prince Grae — the same prince Briar is getting married to.
As soon as the twins decide to stop hiding long enough for Briar to get married, a ruthless sorceress swoops in to finish what she started long ago. This forces Calla to do the one thing she's grown used to — stop hiding in the shadows to make a true difference.
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
Castellane is home to the elite and those who have a criminalistic nature, but both are motivated by the thrill of money as well as power. Though Kel has grown up alongside Prince Conor Aurelian, he knows his life is only valuable because he's a Sword Catcher. This means it is he who will sacrifice his life in place of Conor if it comes to that.
When Lin Caster, a physician, seeks help for her best friend, she and Kel become acquainted with each other. This puts them directly in the path of the Ragpicker King, someone who rules the underworld. The more they begin to learn about Castellane, the more they realize just how much corruption is rampant all around them.
It'll take more than hope to avoid the snares hidden throughout Castellane.
Hooked by Emily McIntire
James finds the perfect plan for destroying his enemy Peter Michaels — get close to his daughter to find out as much as he can. All goes well until it is one of James' own that commits a grave offense. The problem is that he doesn't know who has committed the betrayal. On top of that, his growing affinity for Wendy (Peter's daughter) makes things complicated. It's not like Wendy's resisting him though. She's as smitten with him as he is with her, but she can't seem to separate him from his dangerous alter ego, Hook.
This creates a murky situation that'll have huge consequences no matter if James succeeds in harming Peter Michaels or not.
The Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
Elspeth and Ravyn have been on a long journey to save a kingdom that's on the verge of being destroyed, but they're still missing one important piece to the puzzle — the Twin Alders. It's the the last Providence Card that'll help them bring down the horrible king that sits on the throne, but they're running out of time.
The only thing that can save them is the Nightmare who occupies Elspeth's mind, but even he is growing tired of their search.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Emily Wilde, a Cambridge professor, is the one person you'd go to if you were looking to learn about faeries. She's a skilled scholar and researcher who's set on producing an encyclopedia that contains everything about them. But, Emily is not the most charismatic person.
She finds this creates difficulty for her when she travels to Hrafnsvik to gather more information and she even runs into her rival Wendell Bambleby. He's everything she's not in terms of having social graces and he somehow manages to disorient the work she's doing.
The closer she gets to find information about the most hidden faeries, the more Emily will have to deal with her true feelings about Wendell.
Romantic Target Books
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Being dumped by your fiancé already sucks, but it feels like a slap in the face when the many Daphne thought she was going to marry chooses his best friend Petra. Ouch. Never mind the fact Daphne uprooted her life to move to his hometown. Apparently the heart wants what it wants.
Now Daphe has to figure out how to move on in Waning Bay, Michigan with a job that barely allows her to get by each month. This puts her on a path that she didn't see coming. She and Petra's ex-fiancé, Miles Nowak, become roommates who barely interact with each other at first.
All it takes is one conversation for Daphne and Miles to begin being vulnerable with each other. From that, a friendship and a cunning plan is hatched. They'll pretend to be madly in love while posting pictures of themselves on social media because this is sure to catch the right people's attention.
But, sometimes the heart wants what it wants.
Meet Me At the Lake by Carley Fortune
Fern Brookbanks can't get over the man she thought she'd make a connection with when she was in her early twenties. You see, Will Baxter made his way into her heart and she thought they were on the same page until he ghosted her. Now Fern is living a life that includes keeping her mom's lakeside resort afloat alongside her ex-boyfriend.
Suddenly, Will swoops back in with an offer that she tries to refuse. He has no right, she thinks, but how can she turn her back on the one person who once helped her before?
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
Talented and competitive figure skater Anastasia Allen gets a full scholarship to the University of California which sends literal chills down her spine. She's sure it's going to help her accomplish her dreams of landing a spot on Team USA and refuses to let the captain of the hockey team distract her.
Nate Hawkins also has a singular focus — make sure his teammates are the best they can be — and isn't thinking about Anastasia until they have to share the same rink. They trade tense moments until another incident calls for Nate to take the place of Anastasia's skating partner.
It's only a matter of time before their hidden steamy feelings begin thawing their hearts.
Lessons In Chemisty by Bonnie Garmus
Elizabeth is a talented Chemist who doesn't abide by the limitations placed on women in the 60s. She's incredibly intelligent and confident, two things that seem to intimidate those she comes in contact with at Hastings Research Institute. The only person who doesn't seem bothered by this is Calvin Evans, an equally intelligent chemist who respects her brilliance.
Their love story is beautiful and Elizabeth finds that she actually doesn't mind settling into domestic life with him, but it suddenly ends when Calvin's life is tragically cut short (still over this TBH). To make matters worse, Elizabeth had no idea she was pregnant at the time of his death and is suddenly thrust into an uneasy world where she not only loses her job, but also has to figure out how to raise a child alone.
A chance encounter with the father of one of her daughter's classmates results in Elizabeth blending cooking with science and her own inspirational advice to women — the Supper at Six show. The more she appears on women's TV screens, the more she inspires more women to stand up for themselves in their lives and go after their heart's desires.
This gives way to more gruntled feelings and another chance encounter that sheds light on a part of Calvin's past that even he would've been shocked to know about.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
This is Meredith Fox's first time being at Martha's Vineyard without her sister Claire, but she's deciding to put on a brave face so she can start enjoying life again. Her reason for being there is to take part in their family's annual vacation and a summer wedding that's making everyone buzz with excitement. They're also excited to play a family game of 'assassin' and Meredith decides she's not sitting this one out.
This causes her to find an ally in one of the wedding's groomsman which proves to be a huge distraction. He's attractive and Meredith actually enjoys being around her. It seems like she's not only going to move on with life, but find romantic love in the process.
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Elsie Hannaway is leading a double life as a theoretical physicist who's an adjunct professor and a fake girlfriend who offers her services to those in need. She's managed to keep the two worlds separate from each other until she realizes that the one person who runs the entire physics department is the same older brother of her main client.
She's sure he's going to make things difficult for her because Jack is known to be ruthless and arrogant, but there's something about the way he looks at her that begins to make her think otherwise.
Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
Macy Sorensen's life seems to be following the most boring routine ever. She puts her all into her new role as a pediatrics resident and faithfully plans her wedding to an older man to help secure her financial future. It's the same thing day after day, but she doesn't make many changes until she sees Elliot Petropoulos. He was the one man she truly loved because their relationship stemmed from a friendship into something much more, but he broke her heart and left her to pick up the pieces.
Now, they're back in each other's lives again and it'll take a miracle for Elliot to win over Macy.
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Grief gives way to depression and heartbreak which eventually dismantles the marriage of Yasmen and Josiah. It takes a couple of years, but Yasmen finally decides she's ready to embrace the beauty of life. It's interesting because though she and Josiah are divorced, they're excellent co-parents who manage to run a successful restaurant together.
However, when Josiah begins dating one of the top chefs at their restaurant and Yasmen decides to start dating herself, the once-married couple being to realize their passion for each other is still intact.
Before long, they even act on their passions during a work trip that's meant to open doors for their restaurant.
Mystery & Thriller Target Books
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
The Housemaid is told from the perspective of the Winchesters' maid who faithfully does what's required of her. She knows far too much about their inner workings and has easily guessed that Nina Winchester, the wife and mother of the family, is making everyone's life incredibly difficult. This entices the maid to being fantasizing about how life would be if Nina Winchester no longer had access to her family, but one wrong move finds her locked into attic bedroom she occupies.
Left with nothing, but her thoughts and the fact the Winchesters know nothing about her, the maid begins plotting her sweet revenge.
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
Intelligent and cunning defense attorney Sarah Morgan is at the top of her game in her career. She's recently been named partner at the law firm she works at and things feel amazing. However, her husband Adam is struggling to make strides in his own career.
Feeling as if Sarah is too consumed with her career as a defense attorney, Adam decides to find passion in Kelly Summers. He starts to feel alive until Kelly is found murdered. Now Sarah will have to deal with her husband's affair while defending against the crime he's been accused of.
This chilling novel ends with a twist that shows just how far some people are willing to go to protect themselves from liabilities even within a marriage.
The Guest Listby Lucy Foley
Chosen as one of Reese Witherspoon's book club pick, The Guest List is a murder mystery novel that involves a dead body being discovered when people gather for a wedding.
On a secluded Island near Ireland, people happily flock together to celebrate an upcoming wedding between an actor who's making waves and a lovely magazine publisher. It's going to be talked about for ages due to no expense being spared.
Everything seems lovely until a hint of tension is noted amidst all the so-called happiness for the couple. As the drinks flow, secrets slowly start revealing themselves and then someone ends up dead. But, who is it and who committed the crime?
How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Louise decides to make the trek back home after the death of her parents, but she doesn't really want to. She also reluctantly leaves her daughter with her ex which feels like a triple blow to her feelings. Nevertheless, she makes it to Charleston to start getting her parents' affairs in order.
The only other person that's left at her parents' home is her brother Mark, someone who's life looks drastically different from hers. Eventually they begin working together because they begin discovering that there's something about their parents' home that's allowing memories to stay alive.
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Staff Writer, Jasmine Williams, covers a variety of topics from home decor to beauty and everything in between. She has bylines at Motherly, The Everymom, and Byrdie where she wrote about motherhood, beauty, health and relationships. Jasmine knew she wanted to be a writer when she realized she was actually interested in reading the articles in her mom's favorite magazines — and she may or may not have ripped her favorite articles out to study them later. When she's not working, you can find Jasmine playing make-believe with her toddler, spending an undisclosed amount of time in Target or TJ Maxx, and searching for a family-friendly puppy to add to her family.