When selecting the top five books of 2025, I found myself in a dilemma. How was I supposed to pick and rate just five books? Originally, I attempted to curate a list of the top 25 books published in 2025, but I quickly realized that I had read two or three on this vast list and wouldn’t be able to offer my authentic thoughts. So instead, I settled for a mix. The list you’ll see is an agglomeration of noteworthy books published in 2025 and timeless books I read and loved in 2025.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
Ranking: 3.5/5 stars
Published on Mar. 18, 2025 and selling over 1.5 million copies in its first week of release, “Sunrise on the Reaping” was an extraordinary addition to “The Hunger Games” universe. Telling the backstory of Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss’ mentor in the original series, Suzanne Collins perfectly tied together so many characters and plot points across her previous books in ways that I never would have imagined. The story resonated with readers, sparking conversations both online and in person. Overall, I’m so excited to see the movie adaptation!
“Slow Dance” by Rainbow Rowell
Ranking: 5/5 stars
As someone who enjoyed Rainbow Rowell’s other works, I was expecting nothing less than phenomenal and wasn’t disappointed! “Slow Dance,” releasing its special paperback edition on June 3, 2025, tells the story of two best friends as they get to know each other again, years after a falling out. I found it to be a soft, sweet love story filled with yearning that I wish I could read for the first time over and over again.
“Katabasis” by R. F. Kuang
Ranking: 5/5 stars
I went into Aug. 2025 release “Katabasis” expecting it to be similar to R.F. Kuang’s “Babel,” but was instead pleasantly surprised at how different it was. While the themes of academia, obsession and rivalry are constant, the novel’s premise is something entirely new. The novel follows two undergraduate students as they journey through hell to save their professor, whom they accidentally killed. However, they soon realize they may be on the completely wrong path.
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell
Ranking: 4.5/5 stars
While “Animal Farm” certainly isn’t a new novel, I feel like its themes are incredibly relevant to contemporary American society. Exploring the corruption and inequality that followed the Russian Revolution through an allegory of animals living in a barn, “Animal Farm” serves as a cautionary tale for the dangers of the wrong person acquiring too much power. The book’s parallels to current events completely chilled me. I found it to be incredibly powerful and such a necessary read.
“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley
Ranking: 4/5 stars
“Frankenstein,” like “Animal Farm,” is another book on this list that isn’t quite contemporary. But I think Netflix’s “Frankenstein” film adaptation revives Shelley’s work to the point where it’s still deeply impactful in 2025, over two centuries after it was first published. I read the novel for Honors English 2 and was engrossed by its careful exploration of life, death and what it means to be human, which can still be applied today.
