40 of the most exciting books to read in 2025

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

This year will be a great year to discover new talent. A number of fascinating debut novels are on the horizon. What will appear in the new year is Confessions of Katherine Aileyfollows three generations of women between Ireland and New York, including a teenager orphaned by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It’s both intimate and ambitious, tackling issues such as sexual violence, abortion, and the immigrant experience. To write this book, Airey quit her job in London and moved to West Cork, where her grandmother was from. This isn’t the only exciting debut to come out of Ireland this year. The golden age of Irish fiction is turning into a gold rush, and many of this year’s most interesting debuts have come from the Emerald Isle.

Garrett Carr’s “The Boy from the Sea” The story begins in the 1970s when a baby boy is found abandoned on the shore of a coastal town in Ireland and taken in by a local fisherman. This is a big story about a small community, told in the collective voices of the town. Meanwhile, the award-winning Irish poet seaHewitt’s debut novel open, heaven a story about the pain and ecstasy of first love set in rural northern England, has already received enthusiastic praise from authors including Anne Enright, Kaveh Akbar and Helen Macdonald.

Based in Belfast Wendy Erskine She has already shown through two collections of short stories that she has an extraordinary talent for finding depth in the everyday. her first novel, benefactors (June) follows three women whose lives become complicated when their 18-year-old sons are accused of sexual assault, and who use all their privilege to protect them. He has also made the leap from being an acclaimed short story writer to a novelist. Roisin O’Donnell‘s debut work nesting (January) is the story of a young mother trying to start over after escaping an abusive relationship. Other notable debuts include: fair play to lorraine hegarty – it flips the murder mystery conceit – and Elaine Garvey’s “Wardrobe” Departmentthe coming-of-age story of a young Irish woman working in a London theater.

Florence Knapps first novel name (May) was the subject of a frenzied bidding war on both sides of the Atlantic. A tale of sliding doors, the story follows three versions of a mother’s life, each shaped by the name she gives her son, and explores how a single decision can have huge ramifications. lamb by lucy rose (January) offers something darker. This is a combination of folk horror and coming-of-age story about a girl who lives in the woods with her cannibal mother. meanwhile Adam Kay – Memoirs about his time as a young doctor, this hurtsAlthough he sold more than a million copies and was made into a TV drama starring Ben Whishaw, he remained in the medical world for his debut novel. particularly bad casewill be released in the fall.

A lot has happened since then ChimaManda Ngozi Adichie Her last novel, Americana, was published more than a decade ago. Sample Beyoncé’s song “Flawless”. Her long-awaited return to fiction shelves this March is sure to be one of the publishing events of the year. dream count An investigation into the lives of four Nigerian women during the pandemic.

taylor jenkins reid – Author of the bestselling Daisy Jones and the Sixth – loves looking back on the past and next decades in her books. atmospherewas released in June and is set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program. They are likely to be spotted on many sun loungers this summer. As well as the latest emily henryHer romance novels have sold over 10 million copies. her latest work, Great Big Beautiful Life‘ will be released in April.

stephen king I’m known for writing every day, and it’s certainly paying off. He has published over 70 books. his latest work, never falteris a crime thriller due for release in May and will feature his recurring character Holly Gibney. Another prolific writer, Ann Tylerwill release his 25th novel in February. 3 days in June The film follows a woman as she spends her daughter’s wedding weekend. Richard Osman is also rapidly establishing a rich back catalogue. In the fall, we’ll be back with the fifth installment of the Thursday Murder Club series (the first in five years).

This year brings new works by several authors whose previous works have made a big impression. Here’s who we hope will be able to follow up on that success: natasha brown‘s debut novel Assembly topped many best of the year lists in 2021. Her second work is universal Exploring the Results of a Journalist’s Viral Long Reading (March) appears to be similarly celebrated. Also, in that month, tori peters stag danceDetransition, is the sequel to Baby and won the 2021 PEN/Hemingway Award for Best Debut Novel. Her new book explores transgender past, present, and future in four interconnected stories.

Ocean Vuong‘s 2019 debut, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, was a huge hit with both critics and TikTok. This spring he emperor of joy (May), the story of an unlikely friendship between a 19-year-old man and an elderly widow.

A sequel to Irving Welsh’s Trainspotting will be released in the summer. 2001’s “Porn” depicts Renton, Spud, Sick Boy, and Begbie 10 years after the original book, and 2018’s “Dead Men’s Trousers” depicts a later era (the first part “Skag Boys”) (also published in 2012), Men in Love goes back in time to select works. Here’s what happened right after the end of the 1993 cult classic. The boys are trying their best to quit drugs and find romance instead. But don’t expect a sentimental Welsh love story. Speaking of sequels, glyphsister novel of Ali Smithdystopia 2024 novel glyphis scheduled to be released in the fall.

New titles from Curtis SittenfeldThe author of “American Wife” and “Prep and Romantic Comedy” always has us excited, and this year she brings us a new collection of short stories called “American Wife.” Show “Don’t Tell” (February).

It may be the beginning of this year, but many books about 2025 are already making waves in literary circles. In February, Eimear McBrideits bold debut girls are mediocre The winner of numerous awards, including the Women’s Fiction Award, is back with her fourth book. The face of the city changes ” is a story of intense love set in London in the 1990s. Another famous Irish writer Colum McCanna new novel will be released in March. twist We see a journalist sent to investigate a deep-sea cable network.

david zarai‘s meat (March) follows the life of a teenage boy over several decades, from growing up in communist Hungary to making a fortune in London. The book has already been called a masterpiece, garnering early praise from authors such as Samantha Harvey, Rachel Kushner, and David Nichols.

Katie Kitamura He counts Barack Obama among his fans, and has quietly built a reputation as one of America’s best contemporary writers. In April she will publish a sequel to her acclaimed previous work. intimacy with auditionabout a stage actress whose life changes completely when she meets a younger man at lunch.

I’m looking forward to Eric Puchner’s event in May dream statea gorgeous and charming epic chronicling five decades of changes in friendship, family, and the surrounding landscape. It has been hailed by some as the next great American novel. The latest work will be released in May. edward st aubynAuthor of novels by Patrick Melrose. he’s coming back together parallel linesthe story of several very different characters whose destinies collide.

In recent years, we’ve seen a trend of writers reinventing old classics, such as Percival Everett’s “James” and Barbara Kingsolver’s “The Demon Copperhead.” in housekeeperout in the fall, rose tremaine Explore the inspiration behind Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. A film adaptation is already in the works, starring Uma Thurman and Anthony Hopkins.

It also comes out in the fall, Damian Barr’s “The Two Roberts” The work is an imaginary story inspired by the lifelong love affair between two real-life Scottish artists, Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBride, whose contemporaries included Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon .

The year begins with a publication, a memoir by a sitting pope. Hope: The Autobiography of Pope FrancisThe book, which was published globally this month, took six years to write and the 88-year-old Pope says it is “a story of a journey of hope.”

If the Pope’s memoirs turn out to contain little insider gossip, two more books promise to contain plenty of it. March, former Vanity Fair editor graydon carter publish When things go wellin which he reminisces about life during the magazine’s glamorous golden age. Expect lots of fame. Another New York icon is a restaurateur, albeit of British origin. Keith McNallychanged Manhattan’s dining scene with legendary spots like the Odeon, Minetta Tavern, and Balthazar. He’s also lived a pretty extraordinary life, from his days as a child actor to his devastating stroke a few years ago. McNally doesn’t shy away from voicing his opinions on social media, so I hope his book includes them as well. promising title regret everythingscheduled for May.

Bill and Melinda Gates are publishing memoirs this year. in the next day (April), Melinda Gates reflects on how she navigated the biggest change in her life. source code (February), her ex-husband looks back on his youth, reminiscing about his first love for computers and the events that preceded his huge success.

It may seem like there’s nothing left to write about the Beatles, but… John and Paul: A Love Story in Song by Ian Leslie (March) promises a compelling and comprehensive exploration of the Lennon-McCartney story told through 23 songs.

With a title inspired by a classic Fab Four track, September brings us the Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy published her first memoir, Virgin Mary comes to me” focuses on his complicated relationship with his late mother. There will also be a number of celebrity memoirs coming out this fall. sylvester stallone, lionel richie and the second half Cher’s life story.

A courageous book by a late Ukrainian writer far removed from the entertainment world will be published this year. Victoria Amelina. When Russia invaded her home country in 2022, Amelina turned from novelist to war correspondent. Sadly, she passed away at the age of 37 in a missile attack in July 2023, but her photographs, diaries, and interviews with women involved in the conflict have been collected in the following magazines: Women looking at war: A diary of war and justice (February), with a foreword written by Margaret Atwood.