25 books for 2025
some books i want to read in 2025
A new year means a whole new year of reading, and after a pretty average reading year last year (ratings-wise), I’m hoping to read some amazing books in 2025 and find new favourites along the way.
Despite being a very organised person almost to the point of neuroticism, when it comes to reading I don’t like to set TBRs or pre-plan what I’m going to read. I’m a big mood reader, picking up whatever book takes my fancy at any current moment, and I think structuring my reading would take out a lot of the enjoyment.
This list is just a collection of books I would like to read in 2025 and brief reasons why I want to read them - but if I don’t get around to all of them, that’s fine too.
One of my 2025 reading goals is to primarily read from my physical TBR, so most of these books are ones I already own. If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to hear your thoughts on them so I can prioritise which to read first!
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A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara
The most daunting book on this list, and one that’s remained on my bookshelf for 4 years because, to be quite honest, I’m scared of it. So many people have tried to deter me from reading it, claiming it’s ’torture porn’ and the ‘saddest book ever’, but I have this need to say I conquered it without crying, so I will read it eventually. Maybe in 2025, but also maybe not.
Bad Taste - Nathalie Olah
I’ve always been interested in the hierarchies of taste and how they’re created, in fact part of my dissertation was about gendered hierarchies of taste in music. I’m also a leopard print apologist, so I’m hoping this book will give me some arguments to defend it.
Beloved - Toni Morrison
There’s a few authors whose catalogues I want to complete, and Toni Morrison is one of them. So far I’ve read The Bluest Eye and Sula, both of which were great, so Beloved feels like the best one to pick up next (especially as I already own it).
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage - Haruki Murakami
I went through a bit of a Murakami phase a few years ago, although I haven’t read any of his fiction in a while. I’m not the biggest fan of magical realism so I prefer his novels that lean away from that. Norwegian Wood is my favourite book by him, and I’ve been told this one is quite similar.
Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver
This book won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2023 Women's Prize for Fiction, so it sounds like a must-read. Lately I’ve been leaning towards longer books like this (my edition is 560 pages), as I’ve really been enjoying slowing down and spending more time with characters in one novel.
Didn’t Nobody Give A Shit What Happened To Carlotta - James Hannaham
Another book I’ve had on my shelf for years now. It’s been praised for its depiction of the experience of incarcerated people and its memorable trans woman of colour protagonist. I’ve also heard it’s pretty funny, which will be a nice respite from the bleak novels I’m usually drawn towards.
Empire of Pain - Patrick Radden Keefe
After reading and loving Say Nothing, Radden Keefe’s narrative non-fiction about the Troubles and history of the IRA, I now have to read everything this man has published.
Enter Ghost - Isabella Hammad
Since reading the Isabella Hammad in conversation with Sally Rooney piece in The Guardian, I’ve wanted to read some of Hammad’s work. This was on a lot of people’s best books of 2024 lists, so it sounds like a great place to start.
Evenings and Weekends - OisÃn McKenna
Again, this book was featured on a lot of people’s favourite book lists from 2024. I also love Irish fiction, so I’m sure it could be a favourite for me too.
Freedom - Jonathan Franzen
After reading and loving Crossroads this summer (and waiting for its very anticipated sequel), I’ve been slowly making my way through Franzen’s backlist. I read The Corrections just before Christmas which was great, but I have a feeling I’ll enjoy this even more.
Fun and Games - John Patrick McHugh
One of my most anticipated 2025 releases, which I’m lucky enough to have received an advanced copy for! It’s Irish fiction and has a testimonial from Sally Rooney, which is all I need to know.
Giovanni’s Room - James Baldwin
Like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin is another author whose oeuvre I’d like to work my way through. I’ve been told Giovanni’s Room is a great place to start with his fiction.
Girlhood - Melissa Febos
Reading more essay collections is one of my reading goals for this year, and I’ve had my eye on this one for a while. The author is also a former dominatrix and a recovering heroin addict, so I think the book also includes some personal anecdotes about her experiences.
Greta & Valdin - Rebecca K Reilly
A frequent appearance on many 2024 best books from people whose opinions I trust. I’ve heard it’s a somewhat retelling of Franny and Zooey, so I might read that before picking this up.
Homesickness - Colin Barrett
I read Barrett’s debut novel Wild Houses earlier this year as part of my Booker Prize 2024 reading, which I really enjoyed and led me to want to read more of his work. I’m not usually the biggest fan of short story collections, but I liked his writing enough to give it a try.
Human Acts - Han Kang
Han Kang won the 2024 Nobel Prize for Literature, making her the first Asian woman to win and the first Korean. I also own The Vegetarian, but Human Acts sounds more interesting to me so I might read this one first.
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
I read a lot of non-fiction already but in 2025 I want to read more of it, and In Cold Blood is arguably one of the most famous non-fiction books of all time.
Martyr - Kaveh Akbar
Again, this is another book that I saw people raving about all 2024 and was a favourite of the year for many. The paperback comes out in the UK in February and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Pet - Catherine Chidgey
This has been on my bedside table TBR for months and I really don’t know why I haven’t read it yet. A tale of obsession set at a New Zealand grammar school? Sounds perfect.
The Colour Purple - Alice Walker
Another classic that I’ve been meaning to read for years. I’m also very intrigued to watch the recent musical adaptation that came out.
The Female Persuasion - Meg Wolitzer
I’ve owned this book for years but haven’t read it yet, so it’s time to get it off my TBR. I read Wolitzer’s Sleepwalking last year which was fine, I just wish I read it as a teenager when I was in the trenches of Tumblr and Sylvia Plath lore. Hopefully this one works for me.
The Piano Teacher - Elfriede Jelinek (trans. by Joachim Neugroschel)
A classic I’ve been wanting to read for years! I also want to read this so I can finally watch the film.
Thirst Trap - Gráinne O'Hare
Another one of my most anticipated releases for 2025! I love literary fiction about women in their 20s just trying to navigate life, which is exactly what this book sounds like. A fun cover too.
Universality - Natasha Brown
I loved Brown’s short debut Assembly and think it’s a book everyone should read, so I can’t wait to see what she does with this.
White Teeth - Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors, so it only seems right that I finally read White Teeth, a book many people claim to be her best.
This is lovely list! Giovanni’s Room became an instant favourite when I read it over 10 years ago - it’s about time I re-read it. I loved The Color Purple and thought In Cold Blood was very good, and I was in awe of White Teeth when I read it a couple of years ago - to think how young Zadie Smith was when she wrote it is astonishing. I also really want to read Homesickness and Empire of Pain but not sure I’ll get to them this year!
If you enjoyed The Corrections, I expect you will enjoy Freedom, and then Purity. Franzen is a little like Donna Tartt; a long time between books but they are all great and worth the wait. The Piano Teacher, at least the title anyway, reminded me of Ian McEwans’s Lessons. Another fine book from an author of consistently fine books.