My Top Books of 2025
Alright, before I share how many books I read in 2025, it’s important I start with this statement: It does no matter how many books you read in a year. I read a lot - it’s literally my job. Your life likely looks very different from mine and from others. If you’re beating yourself up over how many books you read compared to others, please remember that reading is supposed to be a joyful act. It’s not a competition. If you read one book last year, you are a reader and that is something to celebrate. That said, I’ll be sharing tips soon on how you can read more based on my own experience, if reading more is a goal you have for yourself.
Okay, now that we have that out of the way, I read so many great books in 2025 and I can’t wait to share my favorites with you! Last year I read 97 books, which was a mix of audiobooks, physical books and a few digital ones on my Kindle. I tend to read contemporary, romance, lit fic, queer books and fantasy books, but I read a little bit of everything last year. My reading moods tend to be emotional, reflective, dark and tense.
(By the way, I get all of this information from Storgraph, the app I use to track my books. You can follow me there: @readinginclt).
It’s impossible for me to choose a top book of the year. Narrowing it down to my top 5 books for the new That’s Novel Books podcast, Books and BS, was only possible when I included full series and one honorable mention, which my co-host Eboni let me know was definitely cheating.
The best I can do for you is a top 16, which you’ll find listed below. Click on the titles for my thoughts on each!
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This remains one of my thriller reads of 2025. It’s written like a true crime documentary that prioritizes the perspective of the victims rather than glorifying the serial killer. The story was engrossing and also makes you want to absolutely rage against the patriarchal system. This is one of my go-to recommendations for folks looking for a book they can’t put down.
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This might just be one of my favorite memoirs of all time. Patric Gagne is a diagnosed sociopath, and in her memoir she explores her childhood, when she first starts to realize she’s different from other kids, all the way to adulthood, when she begins to rage against the lack of mental health support for sociopaths and create her own path in the psychiatry industry. It’s unflinchingly honest, fascinating and extremely well-written.
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This duology is an absolutely incredible, eerie, masterful dystopian story. I devoured both books and will easily count them as some of my favorite books of all time. Octavia Butler has written a dystopian novel so realistic it’s downright creepy. I loved the inclusion of the main character’s daughter’s perspective in the second book, which really took that story to the next level as a sequel. Everyone should read these books.
Get Parable Of The Talents.
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This historical fiction was a powerful look at the practice of forced sterilization on young Black girls in the 60s and 70s. It’s a heavy topic that was written about so mindfully and with a cast of imperfect characters that felt incredibly real. I can’t wait to read more by this author.
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Yes, all three books currently published are on the list, and no, I will not be narrowing it down further. This series is absolutely one of the best fantasy series I’ve ever read, and the way I am desperate for book 4 is insane. The magic system? Incredible. The characters? Perfectly complex. The love triangle? The only good love triangle I’ve ever read. If you like fantasy, this series is a must read.
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This is one of those books that will stick with me forever. I loved Abulhawa’s story telling, the exploration of radicalism in Palestine, and the ending was the cherry on the top for me. The main character is both problematic and inspirational, and you find yourself rooting for her in all things. This is a phenomenal book for someone who loves literary fiction.
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It’s official: this is the book that made me cry the most in 2025. It’s also easily my favorite Hunger Games novel. Haymitch’s story was heartbreaking and beautiful and so much better than I ever could have expected. Everyone should read this series in publication order. Just have your tissues ready for this one.
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This was the year I finally read every Taylor Jenkins Reid book, so I can say with some authority that this is the best one she’s written yet. It was also a strong contender for the book that made me cry the most. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more emotions in such quick succession as I did reading the last 20 pages of this book. This was a masterpiece and I can’t wait to see what she follows it up with.
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Angela Davis is one of my favorite nonfiction writers. She’s masterful at breaking down complex subjects in a way that is informative and interesting. She’s also incredible at tying in historical events and movements to what we are still facing today. That’s the exact purpose of this book: this collection of her speeches and essays all focus on Palestine, Black Lives Matter and Ferguson and the historical roots they have in other movements. Anyone who’s looking to learn more about these topics (and get approximately 10 other book recommendations at the same time) should pick this one up.
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This book made me laugh out loud and also rage. As the second book I’ve read by Kirsten Miller, it solidified her as an auto-read author for me (The Change by her is one of my all time favorite novels and currently resides on our staff recommendations table). Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books follows a woman who creates a book banning committee in her small town and begins a little free library with what she’s deemed as “appropriate” books - but then someone swaps all the books in the dust jackets for banned books without her knowing. Chaos ensues, secrets are exposed and this small town will never be the same. The topic is incredibly timely. I’d recommend this to anyone frustrated with the world today but who wouldn’t mind a humorous take on it all.
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I simply could not put this book down when I read it. It follows a biracial teen and unenrolled tribe member who has a past full of scandal thanks to her parents and who’s never quite felt like she fits in. When her best friend is killed by her boyfriend, and the murder/suicide is suddenly linked to other local crimes involving the tribe, she finds herself going undercover for the FBI to get to the bottom of the troubles her tribe is facing. I’d strongly recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a murder mystery.
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Earlier this year I was diagnosed with ADHD, and suddenly so much made sense in my world, but I was also grappling with the diagnosis as well and what it meant for me, a 32-year-old woman who went undiagnosed for so long. Enter this book, in which Matilda shares her own story of late diagnosis alongside anecdotes of her own life, deep research on ADHD (and the lack of ADHD research for women and people of color). I’ve never felt so seen in a book, and I actually asked several of my friends and family to read it so they could also understand me a bit better. I’d recommend this for anyone who has ADHD, thinks they have ADHD or loves someone with ADHD.
We’re still waiting to receive copies, but I read this via audiobook through my local library.
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This was one of my last reads of the year and I am so glad I finished 2025 with such an incredible book. This stunning novel follows a 24-year-old gay man who has returned home to his small religious town because he is dying of AIDS and wants to do so near his family. Every chapter of this book packed a punch in the most heartbreaking, beautiful ways. Strongly recommend this one!
Need other recommendations? Ask me for some ideas!