Book Releases I’m Excited to Read in 2025
I can’t believe how quickly 2024 flew by—anyone else feel like it was over in the blink of an eye? But here we are, at the start of a brand-new year, and I’m already eagerly planning my 2025 reading list. As always, there’s no shortage of exciting releases to look forward to, and I’ve pulled together a selection of the books I’m most thrilled to dive into this year. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list, and let’s be honest—my ever-growing TBR pile (looking at you, 100 unread books on my shelves!) means I may not get to them all. But hey, that’s half the fun, right? Here are 25 books for 2025 …
1. Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
Expected 7 Jan 25
In a standalone romantic fantasy set in the world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Liyen, a young ruler poisoned and thrust onto a precarious throne, must defy the immortals, forge a dangerous alliance with the ruthless God of War, and risk her heart to save her kingdom from unspeakable peril.
2. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Expected 14 Jan 25
A group of pregnant teenage girls sent to a strict home in 1970s Florida discover an occult book that gives them newfound power—at a price that may be paid in blood and all the witchy vibes!
3. Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
Expected 14 Jan 25
In a hidden Tokyo pawnshop that hides in plain sight as a ramen restaurant, where people trade their deepest regrets, new owner Hana Ishikawa must team up with a mysterious stranger to journey through a mystical world and recover a stolen treasure, her missing father, and the truth … erm yes plz.
4. We Could Be Rats by Emily R. Austin
Expected 28 Jan 25
A moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination.
5. The Lamb by Lucy Rose
Expected 30 Jan 25
Margot and Mama have lived by the forest since Margot can remember, waiting for ‘strays’ to knock on their door in which they’ll offer wine and a warm place to stay before satisfying their own dark needs…
6. The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake
Expected 11 Feb 25
From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king with an enemies to lovers romance.
7. The Girl You Know by Elle Gonzalez Rose
Expected 18 Feb 25
In this dark academia thriller, Luna infiltrates her late twin sister’s elite boarding school to uncover the truth behind her death, navigating dangerous secrets, forbidden emotions, and a world where breaking the rules comes with deadly consequences.
8. The Amber Owl by Juliet Marillier
Expected 25 Feb 25
Stasya with her rare gift for animals, lives in an isolated farming village on the edge of the mysterious Heartwood Forest until Stasya raises her voice in protest she is removed from her beloved home and transported to court – a different world.
9. Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
Expected 25 Feb 25
Hall and Oates is on the jukebox, and Percy—who has no talent for music, just lots of opinions about it—can’t stop herself from overanalysing the song, whilst the guy beside her at the bar, fellow student Joe Morrow, is a songwriter and he could listen to Percy talk all night.
10. Creep: A Love Story by Emma van Straaten
Expected 25 Feb 25
From a blistering new voice in dark literary fiction, an unsettling portrait of loneliness, obsession, and identity which if a stranger was left alone in your house, how well could they truly get to know you—enough to fall in love with you?
11. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
Expected 4 Mar 25
On a remote island near Antarctica, a family grappling with isolation, loss, and secrets must confront a mysterious woman washed ashore during a violent storm, as rising tensions and buried truths threaten their mission to protect the world’s largest seed bank.
12. The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
Expected 4 Mar 25
A woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance and determine who is most likely to commit a crime
13. Flesh by David Szalay
Expected 1 Apr 25
From Booker Prize finalist David Szalay, a propulsive, hypnotic novel, about a man whose future is derailed by a series of events that he is unable to control.
14. Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata and Ginny Tapley Takemori
Expected 24 Apr 25
From the author of the bestselling literary sensations Convenience Store Woman and Earthlings comes a surprising and highly imaginative story set in a version of Japan where sex between married couples has vanished and all children are born by artificial insemination.
15. Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
Expected 29 Apr 25
A darkly original horror novel, a crime scene cleaner haunted by her sister’s murder, inner trauma, and vengeful ghosts must confront a serial killer targeting East Asian women and the brutal violence of a pandemic-era world.
16. Sleep by Honor Jones
Expected 3 May 25
When a newly divorced young mother brings her daughters back to the house where she grew up, she has to reconcile the secrets of her own childhood with the person she’s become, and is still becoming.
17. Let Them Stare: A Novel by Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy
Expected 20 May 25
From Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness and #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy comes a heartwarming tale of friendship, love, and self-discovery, as gender-nonconforming teen Sully teams up with a ghostly drag queen and their crush to uncover their small town’s hidden secrets—and maybe find a reason to stay.
18. Dan in Green Gables: A Graphic Novel:
A Modern Reimagining of Anne of Green Gables by Rey Terciero and Claudia Aguirre (illustrator)
Expected 3 Jun 25
Fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart-Álvarez navigates life on a rural Tennessee farm, grappling with his queerness, a conservative community, and the meaning of home and identity.
19. Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon by Annie Mare
Expected 3 Jun 25
Two women fall in love across timelines five months apart, forcing them to navigate parallel universes and fight against fate to find a version of their story that doesn’t end in tragedy.
20. Flashlight by Susan Choi
Expected 3 Jun 25
A novel tracing a father’s disappearance across time, nations, and memory, after Louisa is found washed up by the tide, barely alive, and her father has vanished.
21. A Girl Walks into the Forest by Madeleine Roux
Expected 10 Jun 25
Midsommar meets The Shadows Between Us in this alluring mash-up of horror and fairy tale from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux, where a girl must embark on a harrowing journey through a deadly forest filled with otherworldly creatures, supernatural forces, and one maniacal villain who will stop at nothing to bring her down
22. Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner
Expected 15 Jul 25
An atmospheric and eerie story about a Pacific Northwest forest that seems to be devouring all who enter such as the one drowning in mushrooms and fungus.
23. Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
Expected 5 Aug 25
From sci-fi visionary and acclaimed author Annalee Newitz comes Automatic Noodle, a cozy near-future novella about a crew of abandoned food service bots opening their very own restaurant.
24. What Hunger by Catherine Dang
Expected 12 Aug 25
A haunting coming-of-age tale following the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, Ronny Nyugen, as she grapples with the weight of generational trauma while navigating the violent power of teenage girlhood, for fans of Jennifer’s Body and Little Fires Everywhere.
25. Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Expected 26 Aug 25
In this dark academia, two rival graduate students must journey to Hell to rescue their professor’s soul, confronting ancient myths, forbidden magic, and their own haunting pasts—at the potential cost of their futures and their lives.
And there you have it—my list of 25 books I can’t wait to dive into in 2025! Which books are you most excited about? Are you looking forward to any that aren’t on this list? Share your most anticipated releases in the comments—I’d love to hear from you. Here’s to a fantastic year of reading in 2025!
