The Most Anticipated Books of 2025
- Janine Eaby
- Dec 30, 2024
- 7 min read
Looking to up your reading game in 2025? If you're searching for reading recommendations or looking to broaden your interests by reading genres you don't typically explore, take a look at the list of highlights from Goodreads' most anticipated books debuting in 2025.
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Contemporary & Historical Fiction
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
A historical fiction that caught my eye with its intriguing premise, featuring elements of mythology and curses.
Goodreads:
The latest historical adventure from Fiona Davis (The Magnolia Palace) jumps from Egypt’s Valley of the Kings circa 1936 to NYC’s Met Gala in 1978. It seems an artifact is missing from the Met and an immortal female pharaoh may be, well, mad about that. An aging scholar and the new intern are about to discover the lethal side of Egyptology.
Release date: January 7
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
This title caught my attention, together with the promise of mystery and dark secrets.
Goodreads:
If you like a little depth in your mystery-romance stories, consider this intriguing specimen from Australian author Charlotte McConaghy (Once There Were Wolves). With sea levels rising, Dominic Salt and his family guard the world’s largest seed bank on a tiny Antarctic island. When a mysterious woman washes ashore, agendas and secrets are revealed.
Release date: March 4
Mystery & Thrillers
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
Admittedly, I've already had my eye on this one, as it seems to pop up on social media all the time. Hopefully, it lives up to its hype.
Goodreads:
The ever-reliable British author Alice Feeney (Rock Paper Scissors) returns with the mystery of a missing wife, a baffled husband, a tiny Scottish island, and a mischievous promotional tagline: “Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t. Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.” It’s a notion so uncomfortable it has to be true.
Release date: January 14
You are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego
A thriller about... you guessed it: murder! What else would you possibly expect when six thriller novelists get together?
Goodreads:
A meta adventure in crime fiction, this debut from author Ande Pliego features a writers’ retreat gone terribly wrong. On a dark and stormy island, six thriller novelists assemble for a week of games and puzzles hosted by legendary author J. R. Alastor. The inevitable dead body appears—really and truly and quite messily dead. And the party is just getting started.
Release date: February 11
Fantasy
Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
Here's one where the cover artist did their job—and then some! The vibrant imagery made this novel stand out, and the promise of a legendary story crafted from Chinese mythology only intensifies my desire to read this.
Goodreads:
Inspired by Chinese mythology (and set in the same world as her Celestial Kingdom books) this standalone fantasy from author Sue Lynn Tan features a compelling new heroine—the resourceful leader Liyen. Pledged to serve the immortals who protect her kingdom of Tianxia, Liyen runs into trouble when she catches feels for the legendary God of War.
Release date: January 7
Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
For those who love a good fairytale retelling, there's good news. Meet the raw essence of The Beauty and the Beast with the backdrop of breathtaking Alaska. This one easily makes my to-be-read list.
Goodreads:
Author Eowyn Ivey, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her debut novel, The Snow Child, returns to the shelves with a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast set in the wilds of Alaska. A desperate single mother befriends a famous local recluse. But why are the locals trying to warn her away? For Birdie and her young daughter, Emaleen, the weirdness is just getting started…
Release date: February 11
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
I believe Water Moon may just take the cake for the most creative theme. What would you pay to escape your regrets?
Goodreads:
In one of the new year’s most creative fantasy visions, author Samantha Sotto Yambao tells the story of a mystical Tokyo pawnshop where visitors can sell their regrets and bad choices. Wouldn’t that be nice? When a mysterious visitor passes through, new owner Hana Ishikawa undertakes a dreamlike journey through the cosmos. Think of it as cozy fantasy with a mystery center.
Release date: January 14
Science Fiction
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
A fascinating tale of survival set against the backdrop of climate change disaster. Do I need to say more? Sold.
Goodreads:
The glaciers have melted, the coastlines have shifted, and New York City is now mostly underwater. Atop the Museum of Natural History, a community of survivors hunker down as yet another monster storm rolls in. This depressingly relevant debut from Chicago author Eiren Caffall is being compared to literary sci-fi like Station Eleven and Parable of the Sower.
Release date: January 7
The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve
I'm a bit of a sucker when it comes to a good time travel twist. The element of mystery in this sci-fi novel only ups the draw.
Goodreads:
Fans of time-travel tales and genre hybrids might want to check out the latest from author Dete Meserve (Kate Bradley Mystery series). A miraculous new tech company, Aeon Expeditions, enables people to revisit their past—but just for an hour, and just as an observer. That’s the plan, anyway. Meserve’s novel blends mystery plotting with sci-fi conjecture and some interesting thoughts about causality.
Release date: May 20
Horror
The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li
I always admire immersive and grand arching stories that weave separate narratives together; extra points if they do so over generations.
Goodreads:
Spanning three generations (and two narrative timelines), the adult fiction debut from Christina Li combines classic gothic tropes with the dark side of Hollywood glamour. There’s a crumbling old Southern California mansion, a reading of the will, and two Chinese American families caught up in what may be supernatural developments. Movie star Vivian Yin, it seems, was keeping some secrets…
Release date: May 6
Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce
The horror category would be remiss without a good old tale of a haunting. Something in the Walls promises a chilling story of a young girl tied to a malevolent witch.
Goodreads:
Child psychologist Mina has just agreed to help a 13-year-old girl who insists she’s being menaced by an ancient witch. As it happens, the girl’s family lives in a remote village with superstitious locals. These seem like red flags, frankly. U.K. author Daisy Pearce delivers atmospheric folk horror in the vein of Midsommar or the old-school weird fiction of Arthur Machen.
Release date: February 25
Romantasy
The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard
Another story incorporating aspects of mythology—this time Indian and Persian—creating a mix that's sure to be unique.
Goodreads:
For a cool twist on the typical romantasy recipe, consider this novel from genre-hopping author Amalie Howard, who typically works in historical romance and YA. The Starlight Heir draws from Indian and Persian mythology and introduces a new epic heroine—Suraya Saab—who happens to be the realm’s greatest bladesmith. When Suraya is invited to court, romance and intrigue ensue.
Release date: January 7
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker
I can't wait to see what the final cover will look like. This is the sequel to When the Moon Hatched, and I've added both to my to-be-read shelf.
Goodreads:
Author Sarah A. Parker earned a 2024 Goodreads Choice nomination for the first book in her Moonfall series, When the Moon Hatched. This sequel story, due in October, continues the adventures of rebel assassin Raeve and bounty hunter Kaan. Readers of the first book recommend Parker’s lively dialogue and world-building details, including an innovative magic system and a lunar spin on dragon lore.
Release date: October 7
Young Adult
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
The premise of this novel heavily hints at a millennia-old curse binding the protagonist and antagonist. This one makes the list just to see what unique way the author uses to set the reader on edge as we see how and if the heroine survives.
Goodreads:
Teen Evelyn’s got a very big, very unusual conundrum, namely that she’s been reincarnated through a thousand lifetimes, always fated to kill or be killed by a specific supernatural being named Arden in each one. Usually by her 18th birthday. With that deadline fast approaching in her current life, which she happens to like very much, Evelyn’s running out of time to figure out why she and Arden are bound together in this very big, very unusual way.
Release date: March 4
Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi
The Shatter Me series gets a new installment this year. I actually envy this brilliant cover design that distinguishes this series while so readily tying each book together.
Goodreads:
Fans of the dystopian Shatter Me series will be stoked to hear that author Tahereh Mafi is back in the game. Set around 10 years after the fall of the Reestablishment, the book follows younger brother James Anderson as he infiltrates the prison on Ark Island. Also on hand: Rosabelle Wolff, a pitiless assassin linked with a powerful synthetic intelligence.
Release date: April 15
Nonfiction
The River's Daughter by Bridget Crocker
It can be hard to jump back into the realm of reality after fantasy and sci-fi. Even so, this title won my vote due to its air of adventure.
Goodreads:
Hard-won wisdom from the realm of rivers: This unique memoir from world-renowned whitewater rafting guide Bridget Crocker explores the notion that nature’s wild things can nurture, too. Crocker’s vivid adventure writing is rooted in her chaotic childhood, where the Snake River was the only reliable environment she had. The River’s Daughter should appeal to fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild or Tara Westover’s Educated.
Release date: June 3
Protocols by Andrew D. Huberman, ph.D.
I'm hoping for a bit of a scientific read in this one. I'm one for new techniques if there's data to back up the claims. Nevertheless, Protocols seems like a step up from the traditional self-help books that the well-intentioned reader may inadvertently hoard.
Goodreads:
Presented in a results-oriented format—An Operating Manual for the Human Body—Stanford neuroscientist Andrew D. Huberman provides a regimen of exercises and techniques for improving mind, mood, and body. It’s all about protocols, and Huberman’s program is designed to rewire the nervous system using evidence-based strategies.
Release date: April 22
Did you find your next read? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Covers and book descriptions are used from Goodreads. You can find their full list here.
Janine Eaby loves to read, write, and garden. She is the author of the Beyond the Water's Edge fantasy book series and enjoys experimenting with poetry.
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