It’s time to share my favourite books I read in 2025! In total, I read 329 books in 2025 and vastly enjoyed many of them. This made this list a series of incredibly difficult decisions, but I managed to whittle it down to twenty titles.
All of these are listed in no particular order, moving through four groups of five books from my top 20 overall.
Oathbound by Tracy Deonn
The Legendborn Cycle is one of my all-time favourite YA series for its incredible characterisation, themes explored and arcs across the books so far, complete with intricate world-building. It is just such an epic tale and with each book, Deonn has elevated her world even more. This is a powerhouse of a book and I am so excited to see what comes next.
The Killer Question by Janice Hallett
This is a fiendish book that will give you whiplash with its incredibly smart plotting and twists that catch you off guard. As usual Hallett wists an unusual narrative format to pull you into this twisty and layered mystery packed to the brim with surprises. This is definitely not a pub quiz you’ll forget anytime soon.
Wish You Were Her by Elle McNicoll
This was a phenomenal return to Lake Pristine with a heartfelt romance at its core. It was a real ray of sunshine and a phenomenal book that celebrates the power of love and literature. McNicoll continues to cement her status as a must-read author across her work.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
We return to Panem for Haymitch’s story in a brutal, bloody and timely look at the ways narratives are constructed by those in power and used as propaganda. This is a book that wielded nostalgia as a weapon in a deeply angry reminder of just why this series is a household name.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab
Schwab absolutely smashes it out of the park in this beautifully written, considered dark fantasy novel about grief, revenge and trying to fill the endless hunger inside. There is a messiness and complexity to the book that adds such depth and texture to the narrative. It is raw and real in its interpersonal dynamics, even with the supernatural element.
Human Remains by Jo Callaghan
I could have put the entire Kat and Locke series so far in this slot because I binged the three existing books and discovered a new favourite in 2025. This is such a brilliant series that makes the most of its incredible premise and keeps you on your toes, the ending of Human Remains being a particularly brilliant twist of the knife. I cannot wait to see how it all ends in Body of Lies later this year.
How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson
This is destined to be one of the thrillers of 2026 and I would highly recommend adding this to your TBR sooner rather than later. It is such a tight cat-and-mouse game that keeps you guessing throughout and will have you riveted until the very last page. A formidable debut from a writer to watch.
Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen
This concluded one of my favourite YA trilogies with just as much heart and humour as the first. It is such an inventive fantasy series with a focus on introspection and character development, as well as fantastically constructed and twisty mystery plots that make you race through the pages.
Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke
This was incredibly gripping with a unique slant and a story that you cannot tear yourself away from. It’s a thriller that holds nothing back and sears you with its thought-provoking narrative choices. Do not let yourself miss this masterclass in pacing and tension.
Bury Your Friends by Benjamin Dean
This is a darkly hilarious book with such brilliant wit and timing that never breaks the tension, but still lets you chuckle. It is reminiscent of that wickedly sharp humour often found in slashers, poking fun at the form, tropes and also the audience at times. It defines compulsive reading and is a tour de force from an incredible author in the YA space.
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
This found a place to live in my heart. For me, it epitomised the potential of horror to explore the monstrosity of humanity; the ripple effects of violence on a setting and a community and the quiet horror grief can wreck on a family. It was an unforgettable and profoundly impactful book that I will treasure for years to come.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
Stephen Graham Jones delivers his unique spin on the vampire genre in this often raw and bloody epistolary novel that is infued with the monstrosity humanity is often capable of. It pays homage to the greats of the genre and offers something entirely new, soaked in the blood and violence of colonialism and the genocides that stain the soil of our world still.
The Lamb by Lucy Rose
This was everything I love about horror – unflinching, unsettling and lingers on your mind long after the final page. The voice and characterisation was arresting and I have been unable to forget that ending since. Rose has rightly received much praise for this, all very deserved. I’m excited to see what she does next.
Kill Creatures by Rory Power
This is a sensational and unputdownable YA thriller that is destined to keep you in its clutches until the early hours. I fell for the premise, where you know from very early on that you are dealing with a narrative that is going to flip the script and make bold, interesting and unexpected choices. Power capitalises on this and delivers an arresting and enthralling story that constantly builds the tension with stakes that soar sky-high.
Be Right Back by Bill Wood
It quickly assuages any concerns around a sequel curse and delivers another phenomenal story that you will not forget anytime soon. It is smart, slick and sensational with a wonderful continuation of the story kick-started in Let’s Split Up. Long may these books continue (I cannot wait for One Last Scare).
A Novel Murder by E. C. Nevin
This is a wickedly sharp and meta cosy crime novel based in the publishing industry and the conniving chaos it can contain. Nevin delivers a fantastically strong debut – a tongue-in-cheek cosy crime love letter to murder mysteries, while also critiquing some of the hallmarks of the genre.
Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy
This is a slick and unputdownable YA thriller that cements Cynthia Murphy as an undeniable force within the genre. For me, it’s a masterclass in plotting, pacing and tension for YA thrillers. It is a triumphant return to the halls of Morton Academy, which are as full of darkness and secrets as before.
One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford
This was was an impressively strong debut novel with a unique take on the zombie apocalypse. Through this speculative lens, Radford captures that aching gap of grief in such a compelling and truthful way. It is dark but there is a powerful truth in there that will resonate with readers. It has such an interesting slant on the apocalypse – what happens when the dust has settled a little and the world is starting to rebuild?
Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet
This is not the Little Women you may recognise. Right out the gate, Katie Bernet delivers a bold reimagining with a twisty YA mystery that keeps you guessing. It is paced fantastically and so well-constructed as it keeps the pages turning. I absolutely adored it and found myself getting lost in the pages until the early hours.
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
This is a brutal fantasy book that broke my heart. It had such an impactful ending that I will treasure, supported by the phenomenal characterisation and the way it explored this fascinating magic system. This is one you have to add to your TBR immediately or regret letting it pass you by.
A Short Book Lover 
I avsolutely loved kill creatures too! Such a nice twist on this type of stories
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