The 40 Best Books to Read in 2025

From the most anticipated literary debuts to the return of heavyweights like Stephen King and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, there's plenty to add to your TBR pile this year.

This year is shaping up to be a great year for discovering new talent, with a slew of high-profile debuts on the horizon. Arriving earlier this year was Confessions of Catherine AireyIt tells the story of three generations of women between Ireland and New York, including a teenager orphaned by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It is both intimate and ambitious, touching on issues such as sexual violence, abortion and the immigrant experience. Airey quit her job in London and moved to West Cork – her grandmother's hometown – to write the book. This isn't Ireland's only exciting debut this year. The golden age of Irish fiction is turning into a gold rush, with many of this year's most fascinating novels coming from the Emerald Isle.

“The Boy from the Sea” by Garrett Carr The story begins in the 1970s, when a baby boy was found abandoned on the beach of a coastal town in Ireland and adopted by local fishermen. This is a big story about a small community, told with the collective voice of a small town. award-winning irish poet YesHewitt's debut novel Open, Heaven It's a story about the pain and ecstasy of first love, set in the northern English countryside, and has already attracted glowing praise from writers including Anne Enright, Kavey Akbar and Helen Macdonald.

Headquartered in Belfast Wendy Erskine Through her two collections of short stories, she has demonstrated an extraordinary gift for discovering the profound in everyday life. her first novel, Donor (June) tells the story of three women whose lives intertwine when their 18-year-old son is accused of sexual assault and who use all their privilege to protect him. So is the leap from famous short story writer to novelist Roisin O'Donnellwhose debut Nested (January) tells the story of a young mother trying to make a fresh start after escaping an abusive relationship. Other noteworthy debuts include Fair Play by Louise Hegarty – which subverts the conceit of the murder mystery – and “The Wardrobe” by Elaine Garvey departmenta coming-of-age story about a young Irish woman working in a London theater.

Florence Knapp's first novel name (May) was the subject of a wild bidding war on both sides of the Atlantic. It's a sliding doors story that follows three versions of life, each shaped by the name a mother gives her son, and explores how one decision can have huge ripple effects. lamb go through Lucy Ross (January) offers something darker—a mix of folk horror and coming-of-age story about a girl who lives in the woods with her cannibal mother. at the same time Adam Kay – His memoirs recount his days as a junior doctor, this will hurt yousold over 1 million copies and was adapted into a TV series starring Ben Whishaw, whose debut novel left a lasting impression on the medical community, A particularly disgusting casein autumn.

A lot has happened since then chimaTomb of Ngozi Adichie Her last novel, Americanah – published more than a decade ago – was written by Sample from Beyoncé's song “Flawless”. Her long-awaited return to fiction bookshelves this March is sure to be one of the publishing events of the year, dream count Explore the lives of four Nigerian women during the pandemic.

Taylor Jenkins Reed – bestselling author of Daisy Jones and the Six – enjoys looking back at the past few decades in her books, as well as her next, atmosphereReleased in June, it is set against the backdrop of the space shuttle program in the 1980s. It's likely to be on many sun loungers this summer. The latest news will also come from Emily HenryHis romance novels have sold more than 10 million copies. Her latest work, great great beautiful lifeout in April.

stephen king He is known to write every day, and it certainly pays off – he has published over 70 books. His latest work, never back downDue out in May, is a crime thriller starring his recurring character Holly Gibney. Another prolific writer, anne tylerreleased her 25th novel in February. three days in june Follow a woman through her daughter's wedding weekend. Richard Osman is also rapidly building an extensive back catalog – this fall he returns with the fifth installment in the Thursday Murder Club series (in five years).

This year there will be new books from several authors whose last books made a lasting impression. Those hoping to continue this success include Natasha Brownher debut novel Assembly topped many 2021 best-of-the-year lists. Her second work is universality (March), which explores the consequences of a journalist’s viral long-read piece, appears to be equally popular. It also came out that month Tori Peters stag danceIt is the follow-up to “Change, Baby,” which won the 2021 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. Her new book explores the past, present and future of transgender people through four interconnected stories.

Wang HaiyangTheir 2019 debut album Our Brief Magnificence on Earth was a huge success with critics and on TikTok. He returns this spring Happy Emperor (May), tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a 19-year-old man and an elderly widow.

There's another sequel to Owen Welsh's Trainspotting in the summer. 2001's “Porno” followed “Renton, Spud, Sickboy and Begbie” 10 years after the original novel was published, while 2018's “Dead Man's Pants” comes some time after that (a prequel “Skagboys” was also published in 2012), while “Men in Love” goes back in time to the events immediately following the conclusion of the cult classic in 1993. The boys are trying their best to get off drugs and find romance. Don't expect a sentimental love story from Wales, though. Speaking of sequels, glyphsisters novel Ali SmithDystopian novel of 2024 grifwhich will launch in the fall.

new title from Curtis SittenfeldThe author of American Wife, Prep, and Romantic Comedy is always something to look forward to, and this year she brings us a new collection of short stories called Show without telling (February).

It may be the start of the year, but many 2025 books are already making waves in the literary world. February, Emile McBridemake a bold appearance A girl is a half-formed thing Winner of awards including the Women's Prize for Fiction, she returns with her fourth book. The city changed its face It tells a passionate love story that took place in London in the 1990s. Another famous Irish writer, Colum McCanna new novel is coming out in March. twist See a reporter sent to investigate a network of cables deep under the sea.

David Salaiof Meat (March) follows the decades of a teenage boy's life, from growing up in communist Hungary to achieving great wealth in London. It has already been called a masterpiece, receiving early praise from writers including Samantha Harvey, Rachel Kushner and David Nichols.

Katie Kitamura Barack Obama is one of her fans and has quietly built a reputation as one of America's finest contemporary writers. In April, she continued her critically acclaimed last novel Intimacy with auditionsIt tells the story of a theater actress whose life is upended after she meets a young man for lunch.

In May, you can look forward to work by Eric Puchner dream countryA gorgeous, gripping epic that chronicles the transformation of friendship, family and the surrounding landscape over 50 years. It has been hailed by some as the next great American novel. The latest version also launched in May edward st aubynAuthor of novels by Patrick Melrose. he brought parallel linestells the story of the collision of fates of several completely different characters.

In recent years, there has been a trend among writers to re-create classics, such as Percival Everett's “James” and Barbara Kingsolver's “The Devil's Copperhead.” exist housekeeperin autumn, Rostriman Discover the inspiration behind Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. A film adaptation starring Uma Thurman and Anthony Hopkins is already in production.

I also go out in autumn, Damian Barr's “The Two Roberts” is an imaginary story inspired by the lifelong love affair between two real-life Scottish artists, Robert Colquhoun and Robert McBride, whose contemporaries included Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon.

The new year begins with a publication: the memoirs of a current pope. Hope: The Autobiography of Pope FrancisThe book, published globally this month, took six years to complete and the 88-year-old pope called it “the story of a journey of hope.”

If the pope's memoirs contain little insider gossip, the other two books certainly contain a lot. March, former editor of Vanity Fair Graydon Carter publishing when everything goes wellin which he recalls life in the magazine’s glamorous golden age. Expect tons of names. Another New York icon – albeit from the UK – is a restaurateur Keith McNallyHe transformed Manhattan's dining scene with legendary restaurants such as The Odeon, Minetta Tavern and Balthazar. He also lived a pretty extraordinary life, from his days as a child star to his devastating stroke a few years ago. McNally isn't shy about voicing his opinions on social media, so we're hoping he'll voice his opinions in his book as well. promising title I regret almost everythingdue in May.

Bill and Melinda Gates both published memoirs this year. exist the next day (April), Melinda Gates reflects on how she dealt with some of the biggest changes in her life while working source code (February), her ex-husband went back to his youth, recalling how he first fell in love with computers and what happened before he became a huge success.

There seems to be nothing left to write about The Beatles, but John and Paul: A Love Story in Song by Ian Leslie (March), promises to tell the Lennon/McCartney story through 23 songs, engaging and comprehensively explored.

The book's title is inspired by a classic Beatles track and will welcome the Booker Prize-winning novelist in September Arundhati Roy Published her first memoir, Virgin Mary comes to mewhich will focus on her complicated relationship with her late mother. A slew of big-name celebrity memoirs will also be released this fall, including from Sylvester Stallone, Lionel Richie and part two Cher's life story.

Away from show business, this year we saw a brave book by the late Ukrainian author victoria amelina. When Russia invades her homeland in 2022, Amelina transitions from novelist to war correspondent. Tragically, she was killed in a missile attack in July 2023 at the age of 37, but her photos, diaries and interviews with women involved in the conflict are collected in Observing women's perspectives on war: Diaries of War and Justice (February), and forward written by Margaret Atwood.