
Books to read in 2025
Literary trends, new releases, and great classics to rediscover
February 3rd, 2025
If you haven't done it yet, or if you took January as a free, relaxed month to pause, get your bearings, and set a reading challenge, now is finally the time to put together your reading list for the year. To keep up with all the latest releases in 2025, we’ve got some reading suggestions for you. Between major anniversaries and film adaptations, you'll be glad to have read or rediscovered the following titles.
Jane Austen
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, it's the perfect occasion to read (or reread) one of the most important voices in English literature. Her works include Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion. Reading them transports you to late 18th-century England, where values such as family, marriage, and love were the foundation of a woman's social standing. However, her heroines are all searching for a form of emancipation that allows their feelings to break free from social conventions. This anniversary is the perfect opportunity to explore Jane Austen’s complete bibliography, including some lesser-known titles. Alternatively, you could go for a rewatch of all the films inspired by her stories.
Empyrean
It’s hard not to have heard of Fourth Wing, the first book in the romantasy saga Empyrean by author Rebecca Yarros. The story unfolds at Basgiath, the prestigious military academy for dragon riders. The protagonist, Violet Sorrengail, is forced to enroll, but there’s one major issue: students either graduate or die. The book's strength lies in its balance between a well-crafted fantasy world-building and a passionate love story, which is why it’s labeled as romantasy. The saga continues with Iron Flame, which, along with the first book, has been a massive success. Fans are thrilled with the direction the story is taking and even more excited about the recent release of the third volume. On January 21, Onyx Storm was released worldwide, and according to the author, two more titles are expected. The upcoming Prime Video series adaptation is also highly anticipated. I haven’t read this trilogy yet, but now I have no more excuses.
Frankenstein
In 2025, Netflix will release a new adaptation starring Jacob Elordi as the Creature, directed by Guillermo del Toro. The cast also includes well-known actors such as Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Christopher Waltz, Lars Mikkelsen, and many more. To fully appreciate this adaptation, what better time to read (or reread) this classic of Gothic literature? Mary Shelley was inspired by a nightmare in which she saw a student piecing together a creature that suddenly came to life. A fresh read of this masterpiece, especially after Poor Things by Alasdair Gray, could provide intriguing insights, drawing parallels between the two books.
At the Wolf's Table
This year, the film adaptation of Rossella Postorino’s novel At the Wolf's Table will hit theaters. The story follows Rosa Sauer, a woman forced, along with nine others, to taste the Führer’s meals. Three times a day, every day, she faces the risk of poisoning. In this atmosphere of coercion, these ten women become friends and rivals, forging alliances and betrayals, living in fear yet still falling in love. Despite everything, they never stop desiring, because desire is what makes them human. The story was reportedly inspired by Margot Wölk. The film is directed by Silvio Soldini.
Tudo é Rio
Among 2024’s must-reads, I highly recommend Tudo é Rio by Carla Madeira. This was one of the most beautiful books I read last year, and it deserves a place on your bookshelf. The story follows three characters—Venâncio, Dalva, and Lucy—whose passionate emotions manifest in physical forms throughout the narrative, from blood to tears. Love takes on a visceral presence, making it impossible to contain. This novel took Brazil by storm, establishing its author as a new literary sensation.
The Vegetarian
In 2024, South Korean author Han Kang won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Her writing has been described as crystalline and evocative, yet unsettling. Her books explore the haunting beauty of radical renunciation, guiding readers into the cracks of reality where dreams turn into nightmares. The Vegetarian tells the story of a woman who completely renounces meat, with the narrative becoming increasingly disturbing as it questions what truly binds us to life.
Visus
From art to advertising, faces are everywhere, capturing our attention. With over 600 color images integrated into his analysis, Riccardo Falcinelli offers an in-depth look at how faces have been portrayed throughout history. The shapes, material choices, and techniques used tell us a lot about the societies that created these works. Behind every portrait, there is something much deeper to uncover. This book is perfect for the endlessly curious—for those always seeking a fresh perspective on the world.
The God of the Woods
This book won the Goodreads Choice Award 2024 in the Mystery & Thriller category. Liz Moore masterfully crafts a gripping, noir-tinged novel about a missing girl and her wealthy family, already haunted by a similar tragedy in the past. A multi-perspective narrative about secrets and ambitions, social conflicts and power, regrets and second chances. This book is for those who have whispered a secret wish to a shooting star, for fans of The Secret History by Donna Tartt, for those who once found shelter under the branches of a fir tree during a storm, and for anyone who fondly remembers that fleeting moment of hesitation—like taking a deep breath before speaking, one last, sweet pause before revealing their true self to the world.
Lady Macbeth
On March 5, Ne/oN will bring Lady Macbeth to bookstores, a retelling by Ava Reid. The author is already known for her fantasy novels A Study in Drowning and Juniper & Thorn, which have found success in a genre that is increasingly sought after by readers. This new book reimagines the story of one of Shakespeare’s most infamous villains, developing her character and subverting traditional perspectives. The result is a portrait of an anti-heroine navigating a world steeped in witchcraft, where deadly power struggles, dark intrigues, and supernatural elements intertwine with a touch of romance.
Sunrise On the Reaping
If, like me, you grew up with the Hunger Games trilogy, you'll be thrilled to take a trip back in time. Suzanne Collins returns with a novel that delves into the past of Haymitch Abernathy, mentor to Katniss Everdeen, during the brutal Quarter Quell, where the number of tributes was doubled. As he fights to survive in the arena and protect those he loves, Haymitch discovers that the true battle extends far beyond the Games. An adventure filled with twists and deep themes such as social control and sacrifice. Collins further explores the roots of Panem’s rebellion. This is also the perfect opportunity to revisit the previous books in the series.