2025 was a remarkable year for book lovers. From Amazon’s top pick to Nobel laureates, the year delivered exceptional reads. In 2026, searches for “best books 2025” remain high. Readers are catching up on titles they may have missed. Whether you love literary fiction or gripping crime, this list has something for you.
Critics from The New York Times, Amazon and Barnes & Noble have weighed in with their favourites. This guide rounds up the most acclaimed books of 2025 across multiple genres.
Amazon’s Best Books of 2025
Amazon Editors named Buckeye by Patrick Ryan as the No. 1 book of 2025. This multigenerational saga explores family dynamics in small-town Ohio. Editor Al Woodworth called it “a triumphant and timeless novel that you won’t want to end.”
The top five also included The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, a novel told through letters. The Boys in the Light by Nina Willner tells an extraordinary World War II story of survival. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong and Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy round out the top five.
Other top ten picks include Freida McFadden’s thriller The Intruder, Jen Hatmaker’s memoir Awake, and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere. Mary Roach’s Replaceable You and Kiran Desai’s The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny also made the list.
Barnes & Noble’s Best Books 2025
Barnes & Noble highlighted 30 fiction titles. Their list included three Kirkus Prize finalists: Megha Majumdar’s A Guardian and a Thief, Kiran Desai’s The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, and David Szalay’s Flesh.
In the mystery and thriller category, top picks included King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby and The Widow by John Grisham. Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben also featured.
The biography and memoir section included Arundhati Roy’s Mother Mary Comes to Me and Margaret Atwood’s Book of Lives. Lionel Richie’s memoir Truly and Cameron Crowe’s The Uncool also made the cut.
The New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2025
For the first time in its history, The New York Times Book Review selected 10 Best Books of the Year. This included five fiction and five nonfiction titles.
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann made the list. This novel follows Austrian filmmaker G.W. Pabst, who flees the Nazi regime for LA. The Times called it “a marvelous performance — not only supple, horrifying and mordantly droll.”
Flesh by David Szalay also earned a spot. The novel follows a lonely young man from a Hungarian housing project. He journeys to the upper echelons of British society.
A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar is set in near-future Kolkata. It follows a thief desperate to help his family. The novel creates a “deeply compassionate portrait of desperation and fear.”
On the nonfiction side, A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst tells a miraculous survival story. A couple stranded in the Pacific for 118 days. Mother Emanuel by Kevin Sack chronicles the 2015 Charleston church shooting.
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy is an unsparing memoir about her mother. There Is No Place for Us by Brian Goldstone exposes America’s “working homeless” crisis. Wild Thing by Sue Prideaux reexamines the life of artist Gauguin.
Scientific American’s Best Nonfiction 2025
Scientific American selected 10 standout nonfiction books. Empire of AI by Karen Hao topped their list. One editor called it “one of the most gripping nonfiction books I’ve ever read.”
Replaceable You by Mary Roach made the list again. This book explores human augmentation with Roach’s signature humour. She interviews people who have elected to have limbs removed.
Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green shatters misconceptions about the disease. Green shows how this illness remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease. His book combines history and science with deep passion.
They Poisoned the World by Mariah Blake investigates PFAS “forever chemicals.” Blake conducted over 600 interviews for this epic work. The book leaves readers “horrified and enraged.”
Kirkus Reviews’ Favourite Fiction of 2025
Kirkus fiction editor Laurie Muchnick highlighted several standout novels. Audition by Katie Kitamura examines the nature of storytelling. “In this searing, chilly, and psychologically profound story lies insight into some harrowing human questions.”
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang follows a graduate student who travels to Hell. She needs to bring back her dead advisor. Her motivation is a letter of recommendation. Kuang melds fantasy with academia’s problems.
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is a historical novel with a fantastical touch. During WWII, the US government requisitions a West Virginia hotel. Japanese, German and Italian diplomats are held there. The review reminds readers “why they fell in love with reading.”
The Dentist by Tim Sullivan kicks off a British mystery series. The detective is a white man on the autism spectrum. He has a high success rate but is hard to work with. The review calls it “deeply character-driven.”
ALA Reading List Awards for Genre Fiction
The American Library Association announced winners across eight genres. Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan won the Adrenaline category. This thriller ties Indigenous folktales to a missing persons case.
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig won Fantasy. In a world ruled by godlike Omens, a seer joins a young king’s retinue. These Heathens by Mia McKenzie won Historical Fiction.
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker won Horror. This novel merges folklore horror with timely social commentary. The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan won Mystery.
Didn’t You Used to Be Queenie B? by Terri-Lynne DeFino won Relationship Fiction. I Think They Love You by Julian Winters won Romance. Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz won Science Fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was the No. 1 book of 2025?
Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye topped Amazon’s list. This multigenerational saga follows two families in small-town Ohio.
What were The New York Times’ 10 best books of 2025?
Five fiction and five nonfiction titles made the list. These included The Director, Flesh, A Marriage at Sea, and Mother Emanuel.
What is the best thriller of 2025?
Freida McFadden’s The Intruder made Amazon’s top ten. John Grisham’s The Widow and S.A. Cosby’s King of Ashes also earned praise.
What is the best nonfiction book of 2025?
Replaceable You by Mary Roach appeared on multiple lists. Empire of AI by Karen Hao also earned top honours.
Where can I find the full lists?
Visit Amazon’s Best Books page or Barnes & Noble’s website. The New York Times also published its 100 Notable Books list.
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