Looking for a great book? I've rounded up all my favorite books from 2025! These five stars cover a variety of genres, and the list includes both fiction to nonfiction. No matter your interests, there's a book here for everyone!
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Reading has been my favorite pastime for as long as I can remember, and I want to spread the love. So before we get too far into the new year, I thought I'd share a roundup of my favorite books from 2025. If you're looking for a great book to read in 2026, consider this list as your starting point!
According to Goodreads (you can follow me here), I read 121 books last year, which was equal to 34,591 pages. The shortest book I read was A Few Figs from Thistles, a book of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay (56 pages). I was inspired to read this after taking part in a New York Times poetry challenge (which was so fun, check it out!). The longest book I read was The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (774 pages, and one of my faves this year). Amongst Goodreads members, the most shelved (most read) book I read was The Women by Kristin Hannah, and the least shelved (least read) was The Last Visitor by Martin Griffin, both of which I enjoyed.
I read across different genres, and I like to alternate literary fiction with light-hearted romances and twisty thrillers, and I can't resist a dystopian plot line. The books that I tend to rate highest are often pretty dark. I'm sure this says something about me (lol), but mostly, I love a book that I keep thinking about long after I've finished reading it!
My favorite books this year were Taiwan Travelogue and The Dream Hotel. Two very different books, but each completely excellent and memorable in their own right. You can read more about these two books below, along with all of my other 2025 favorites!
My Favorite Books from 2025
Ready to get started? Below, I've rounded up 16 books that I rated five stars in 2025! Each book has a short overview and a review, and the list is organized in the order that I read the books (the most recent books are last). At the very end, I've also included a few honorable mentions that didn't quite make the five star cut, but that I thoroughly nevertheless.
Below the reviews, you'll find links to the books so you can find them out for yourself! If you'd like to see all of these novels in one place, don't miss the round ups that I created for on Amazon and for Bookshop.org.
Time of the Child by Niall Williams
About the Book: A baby transforms a small town in Time of the Child! Jack Troy was born and raised in Faha, but as the town's only doctor he's always been set apart from the community. His eldest daughter, Ronnie, grew up in his shadow, and having missed a chance at love, remains at his side. As the town prepares for Christmas in 1962, Ronnie and Doctor Troy's lives are turned upside down when a baby is left in their care. As winter passes, the Troy's lives, their understanding of their family, and their roles in the community are forever changed.
Why I Loved It: This was such a lovely, beautifully written book, and a heartwarming portrait of a small town and the people that live there! The story is definitely as bit of the slow burn, but I never felt like it dragged, and the characters (the doctor, his daughter, the boy who finds the child, and others) are all so well developed. This is the first time I've read anything by Niall Williams, but he has written two other books set in Faha (This is Happiness and History of the Rain), which I now feel compelled to read, as well. Note: This book is set during the Christmas season, but it would make a great read anytime of year!
Taiwan Travelogue by Shuāng-zǐ Yáng
About the Book: Taiwan Travelogue is a bittersweet story of love, language, history, and power! In 1938, young novelist Aoyama Chizuko is invited to Taiwan by the Japanese government that rules the island. Chizuko is there for a lecture series, but she has no interest in official banquets or the imperialist Japanese agenda. Instead, she wants to experience real island life and to taste as much authentic Taiwanese cuisine as her famously large appetite can handle. Soon Chizuru, a Taiwanese woman who is younger even than Chizuko, is hired as her interpreter. The charming and meticulous Chizuru (who is also an excellent cook) arranges Chizuko’s travels all over the island and makes her dreams of experiencing local food come true. As Chizuko grows infatuated with her companion, something causes Chizuru to keep her distance. It’s only after a heartbreaking separation that Chizuko begins to grasp what that “something” is.
Why I Loved It: I knew I was going to love this book from the minute I started reading it, and it didn't let me down! The basic premise is that the story you're reading is a novel written by a Chizuko after she returned home from Taiwain. This novel has been discovered years later and has gone through multiple translations. The story was wonderful and thought provoking on so many levels, from the evocative food descriptions to its nuanced look at colonialism, and I found it interesting from a historical perspective, too. Fun Fact: Taiwan Travelogue was the 2024 National Book Award winner for translated literature!
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
About the Book: In Orbital, six astronauts from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan have left their lives behind to travel through space. As they circle the earth for 24 hours, you glimpse their communications with family, watch them whip up dehydrated meals, float in gravity-free sleep, form bonds with one another, exercise to avoid atrophied muscles, and most of all, their observations of earth spinning below.
Why I Loved It: I listened to the audiobook version (highly recommend), and I thought this was such a beautiful book! There isn't much plot per se, instead the story revolves around each of astronaut's thoughts (touching on everything from their personal lives to politics to a devastating fire burning below) as they orbit the earth. Fun Fact: Orbital won the 2024 Book Prize!
Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
About the Book: Everything We Never Had looks at the interconnecting lives of four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and difficult father-son relationships. Watsonville, 1930: As Francisco struggles to earn a living in the fields of California, he wonders if he should have stayed in the Philippines. Stockton, 1965: Emil faces prejudice at school, works in his aunt's restaurant at night, and refuses to follow in the footsteps of his labor organizer father, Francisco. Denver, 1983: Chris is determined not to let his overbearing father control him, and an assignment on ancestral history sparks his desire to learn about Filipino history. Philadelphia, 2020: Enzo struggles with anxiety as a global pandemic breaks out and his abrasive grandfather Emil moves in. Tensions are high between his dad and his Lolo, but Enzo's daily walks with Lolo Emil make him wonder if he can bridge their decades long rift.
Why I Loved It: Everything We Never Had is a YA book, which I didn't realize before I starting it, but the story is incredibly poignant, and I'd recommend it for all ages. The book is also incredibly topical with the nightmare going on in the U.S. right now. I lived in San Francisco for many years (not too far from this novel is set), and Filipino culture is huge there, so the story's more personal look at the history of Filipino immigration was very interesting. And then there's interconnecting relationships between generations of fathers and sons, which was handled so well. A wonderful book on so many levels!
Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon
About the Book: Hello, Molly! is a candid, funny and heartbreaking memoir from comedienne Molly Shannon. Molly's world was shattered at age four when her mother, baby sister, and cousin died in a car accident with her dad driving. She had a complicated and tender relationship with her father, and grew up in a permissive home, which allowed her gift for role-playing and improvising to bloom. This memoir follows Molly as she creates her own opportunities and develops her daring and empathetic comedy, is cast on Saturday Night Live, and comes to terms with the legacy of her father.
Why I Loved It: I love Molly Shannon, but I didn't know much about her background before reading this book, which is filled with stories ranging from hilarious to heartbreaking. Molly had a truly one-of-a-kind a upbringing, and she's pretty much the definition of a go getter. This book is filled with amazing, inspirational, heartwarming, and at times, mind boggling tales. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, so you can hear the stories in her own voice!
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
About the Book: The Dream Hotel tells the story of Sara, who has just arrived at the airport from a conference abroad. As she goes through customs, agents from the Risk Assessment Administration pull her aside. Using data from her dreams, their algorithm has determined that she's at imminent risk of harming her husband. For his safety, she must be kept under observation for 21 days. Sara is held at a retention center, along with other female dreamers. As the women try to prove their innocence from different crimes, each deviation from the center's ever-changing rules extends their stays, leaving them no closer to release. One day, the arrival of a new resident disrupts the facility's order, and leads Sara on a collision course with the companies that have deprived her freedom.
Why I Loved It: I can't resist a dark, dystopian novel, and The Dream Hotel definitely delivered. From the start, this book had me hooked. First, there's Sara's story, which is heartbreaking and incredibly angering. Yet it never seems too farfetched. Then there's the deeper, eerier implications of racial profiling, the prison industrial complex, erosion of personal autonomy, surveillance, and technology. This isn't sci-fi, this is reality, and we've already signed away so much of our privacy on various apps, through facial recognition, and more. These things makes our lives easier, but what is the tradeoff? This book gave me so much to think about!
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
About the Book: In The God of the Woods, it's August 1975, and a camp counselor has awoken to discover the empty bunk of Barbara Van Leer. Barbara isn't just any 13 year old though, she's the daughter of the family who owns the Adirondack camp. And she isn't the first Van Laar to disappear. Her older brother vanished 14 years ago and was never found. A panicked searched begins, unveiling the secrets of Barbara's family and the blue collar community working in its shadow.
Why I Loved It: There are so many levels to this wonderful novel, which is a combination of mystery / thriller and historical fiction. There's the mystery of what happened to Barbara and her brother. Then, there's the family drama, and their relationship to the community. The book is told from multiple perspectives, and each one brings so much to the story. It's bit of a slow burn, but I found that I couldn't put it down.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
About the Book: The Goldfinch tells the story of Theo, who at 13 miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a friend's wealthy family. Bewildered by his strange new Park Avenue home, and tormented by a longing for his mother, Theo clings to a small, mysteriously captivating painting that reminds him of her. As an adult, Theo moves between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He finds himself alienated, in love, and drawn into the center of a narrowing and increasingly dangerous circle.
Why I Loved It: The Goldfinch (which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014) is the first book I've read by Donna Tartt. Clearly, I'm a little behind on the times here, but I've become a fan. This book started off a little slow for me (partly due to a lapsing library loan), but once I really dove in, I fell in love! This is a story of family and belonging. Theo's character is just so well developed, and I really ached for him, even as he made mistake after mistake. I read this book shortly before I visited The Netherlands this summer, and I actually got to see the painting in person, which was the perfect way to wrap up this amazing story!
Change the Recipe by José Andrés
About the Book: Change the Recipe is filled with life lessons from José Andrés, a Michelin-starred chef with over 40 restaurants, author, television host, and founder of World Central Kitchen (a nonprofit dedicated to feeding the hungry after natural and man-made disasters). Andrés draws on a his lifetime of experiences, from kitchen to conflict zones, to share stories and teachable moments that are funny, touching, and insightful. Each one animated by the belief that food can bring us closer together, and the conviction that each of us can change the world for the better.
Why I Loved It: I'm a huge fan of José Andrés. He's an amazing chef, and the World Central Kitchen is a wonderful, impactful organization. This short book is just as inspirational as he is! It's filled with bite-sized, timely essays, each with an actionable message or life lesson. Read it and be inspired, or pass a copy on to someone else. It would make a great present for new grads!
Woodworking by Emily St. James
About the Book: Woodworking follows the story of a trans high school teacher who befriends the only other trans woman she knows: her student. Erica Skyberg is thirty-five years old, recently divorced, and trans. She hasn't told anyone yet, and Mitchell, South Dakota isn't exactly bursting with other trans women. Erica keeps to herself, teaching by day and directing community theater at night, until she meets Abigail Hawkes. At 17, Abigail is Michell High's resident political dissident and Only Trans Girl. She plays the role faultlessly, if reluctantly, and she's annoyed by the idea of spending her senior year secretly guiding her English teacher through her transition. Yet Abigail remembers the uncertainty and loneliness that comes with transitioning, and she isn't the only one struggling to shed the weight of others' expectations.
Why I Loved It: What a great book! It was sometimes sad, often funny, and ultimately heartwarming. This book is about accepting yourself and finding community, and it's so well done. Erica and Abigail are both such well developed characters, as is everyone else in the book. Abigail especially won my heart with her sass though. She's such a teenager, but one you'll love! I listened to the audiobook, and I'd highly recommend it.
Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestew
About the Book: In Someone Like Us, Mamush has abandoned a once-promising journalism career to start a new life in Paris. There, he meets and marries Hannah, a photographer who shows him the possibility of finding love and family. Five years later, with his marriage is on the verge of collapse and his toddler son facing a rare disability, and he's drawn back to the close-knit Ethiopian community in Washington, DC where he grew up. It's still home to his stoic, implacable mother, and to Samuel, a larger-than-life father figure whose ceaseless charm and humor have covered a harder, more troubling truth. On the day Mamush arrives home, Samuel is found dead in his garage, prompting him to take an unexpected journey across America searching for answers to questions he'd been told never to ask.
Why I Loved It: If you enjoy literary fiction and an unreliable narrator, you need to read Someone Like Us. It's a painful look at the immigrant experience, mixed with substance abuse and mental health issues. This books leaves you on slippery footing (kind of like Mamush and his journey). The story and timeline are hard to follow at times, and you may end up with more questions than answers in the end. Ultimately, I just went with it and gave in to some confusion (I think that's kind of the point), and I ended up loving the book.
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
About the Book: Heartwood is the story of an Appalachian Trail hiker who goes missing in the Maine woods. Valerie Gillis is 200 miles from her final destination when she mysteriously vanishes. Alone in the wilderness and struggling to keep going, she pours her thoughts into letters to her mother. Leading the search to find her is Beverly, a Maine State Game Warden. Then there's Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, who becomes an unexpected armchair detective. As the perspective shifts between the three women, a puzzle emerges and the frantic search to find Valerie intensifies.
Why I Loved It: The clock is ticking, and tension is high in Heartwood. This book gripped me right from the start, and I loved how the story was told through multiple perspectives (it really gave more depth to the missing person story). The characters are well developed, and I especially loved Beverly, the game warden. While the book was a bit of a slow burn, and the mystery take a while to unfold, this novel never dragged for me. I listened to the audiobook, and it was excellent!
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
About the Book: Beth and Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. When Beth's brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, the gunshot alters the course of the lives. The dog belongs to Gabriel, a man who Beth loved and who broke her heart as a teenager. He's returned to the village with his son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth so much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident. As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, she must make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.
Why I Loved It: What a heart wrenching story! You know right from the start that things are going to go really wrong, but just how is the question. This story alternates between multiple timelines: the past, when Beth and Gabriel met and fell in love; the present, when Gabriel re-enters the picture and the aftermath of that; and finally, a trial that's taking place in the future. As you read, the full picture of what has happened is revealed, and everything gets tied together.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
About the Book: Prophet Song presents a terrifying and shocking vision of a country sliding into authoritarianism. On a dark, wet evening in Dublin, scientist and mother-of-four Eilish Stack answers her door to find two officers. They're from Ireland's newly formed secret police, and they want to question her husband, a trade unionist. As Ireland falls apart, and the government turns toward tyranny, Eilish's loved ones and life as she knows it disappear before her eyes. How far will she go to save her family? And what (or who) is she willing to leave behind?
Why I Loved It: This was a truly gripping and scary read. Things go from bad to worse fast in Prophet Song. At time, I wanted to shake Eilish, tell her to wake up, and save her family while she still can. But what would we do in the same situation? It's impossible to say. This is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time, because there are so many real life parallels (Syria, Gaza, Iran, the worldwise rise of right wing radicals, and more). Not to mention, the extremely slippery slope we're on here in the U.S. Very dark and intense, but definitely worth reading.
Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
About the Book: Stay with Me is the story of a marriage, and the forces that threaten to tear it apart. Married couple Yejide and Akin met and fell in love at university. Though many expected Akin to take several wives, he and Yejide have always agreed: polygamy is not for them. But after four years of marriage, and after consulting fertility doctors and healers, trying strange teas and unlikely cures, Yejide is still not pregnant. She assumes she still has time, until her family arrives with a young woman they introduce as Akin's second wife. Furious, shocked, and livid with jealousy, Yejide knows the only way to save her marriage is to get pregnant. She finally does, but at a cost far greater than she could have dared to imagine.
Why I Loved It: This heartbreaking book is filled with dark, painful secrets, and they're slowly revealed through unexpected plot twists as the novel progresses. I enjoyed how the story alternated between Yejide and Akin's perspectives as their love is fractured. Both face many societal pressures, although predictably, Yejide takes the blames for the couple's childlessness, no matter what lengths she goes to for a baby. Nigeria's political turmoil was an interesting backdrop to the story (which spans from the mid-1980s through 2008), as well. The ending had me in tears!
Cape Fear by Nadia Davids
About the Book: In Cape Fever, a young maid finds herself entangled with the spirits of a decaying manor and the secrets of its enigmatic owner. It's 1920 in a small city in an unnamed colonial empire (presumably Cape Town), and Soraya Matas believes she has found the ideal job as a personal maid to Mrs. Hattingh. Her beautiful, but crumbling home is located in The Muslim Quarter, not far from where Soraya lives with here parents. Soraya settles into her new role, soon discovering that house is alive with spirits. While Mrs. Hattingh awaits her son's visit from London, she offer to help Soraya keep in touch with her fiancé by writing letters on her behalf. So begins a strange weekly meeting where Soraya dictates and Mrs. Hattingh writes, a ritual that binds the two women to one another and eventually threatens the sanity of both.
Why I Loved It: This unsettling book weaves a dark, gothic web filled with manipulation and painful secrets. I listened to the audiobook, and the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere was palpable. You really feel Soraya's growing unease as the spirits appear, she falls victim to Mrs. Hattingh's whims, and she's increasingly isolated her from her family and community. Mrs. Hattingh is also a well-rounded character. She's manipulative and unlikeable, but it's hard not to sympathize with her as she desperately awaits her son's visit (will her ever show up?). Once the letter writing starts, everything begins to unravel. I though the ending was so clever and satisfying.
Honorable Mentions
I read a lot of other books in 2025 that I loved, but didn't rate five stars. One that stands out most is the post-apocalyptic What We Can Know by Ian McEwan, which I cannot stop thinking months after finishing it. I also loved The Antidote by Karen Russel, a book that's filled with strong women. I was lucky enough to see the author speak at the San Antonio Book Festival, which was so cool! The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichel is super atmospheric, and I'd say, a must read for foodies (though a bit too much meat for this vegetarian, lol), especially if you're visiting Paris anytime soon. It definitely enhanced my visit! Annie Bot by Sierra Greer was surprisingly heartfelt and had me rooting for a robot. I learned a lot about the Scottish Clearances in Clear by Carys Davies, which was brought to life by a heartbreaking cast of characters. Finally, I was so sad to learn of Sophie Kinsella's passing. I've always loved her books and have a soft spot for the Shopaholic series. It seemed fitting to reread the Christmas Shopaholic in December, and I enjoyed it even more the second time. The audiobook is so good!
Looking for More Amazing Books?
Searching for more book recommendations? Check out My Favorite Books from 2024 and The Best Books I Read in 2023! If you're looking for seasonal books, I've also created a list of Winter Reads on Bookshop.
