2025 has flown by at the speed of light for everyone here at LoveReading. It's been a busy year for us, with our online bookstore with social purpose going from strength to strength. 

This Autumn we smashed the amazing milestone of raising a massive £100,000 for schools. That's much needed money that helps to get more books into the hands of children, simply from you choosing to shop with us. Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year, and thank you for helping us raise the next generation of readers. Here's to more fundraising milestones in 2026!

As well focussing on purpose not profits, we’ve been inundated with some fantastic books that we've had the pleasure of sharing with you. Hopefully we've helped you find (at least) one or two of your favourite books of 2025. At LoveReading we adore books. It's all in the name - we love reading. We believe that reading is one of the most powerful ways to enrich lives and when you’ve got the right books in the right hands, the ripple effects are real. That’s why each year we spotlight our Star Books: the titles that stand out amongst the thousands published each year. In a world where reading time competes with screens, short form content, and constant demands, having a curated, high-quality list of “best of the year” books matters. Reading matters. Because it change lives.

For 2025, our Star Books list spans genres, age-ranges and moods - so whether you love liter­ary fiction that lingers, thrillers that keep you up at night, romance that gives you hope, or non-fiction that changes your view of the world, you’ll find something here. And critically for our work at LoveReading4Kids (helping our cash-strapped schools access reading-for-pleasure books), every time you buy from us you are making a difference to schools across the UK, helping create the next generation of readers. All at no extra cost to you.

Below we've highlighted a selection of standout titles from 2025’s Star Books offering, with commentary on what makes each one shine. Think of this as both celebration and inspiration. These are all absolute stars. Keep scrolling to reminisce on what a brilliant year for books it's been, and maybe add the ones you might have missed onto your wishlist?

The Best Literary Books of 2025

Starting off with the literary fiction books we've loved this year. We'd be remiss if we didn't highlight Flesh by David Szalay: Our March 2025 Literary Pick, and recent Booker Prize Winner for 2025, it’s been described as “consummately compelling… a cuttingly moving story of transformations, accidents (happy and otherwise) that lays bare cold-blooded truths about the human condition.” 

Sarah Hall's Helm was released in hardback in August and our expert reviewer Liz Robinson loved it as a "Soul-stirringly memorable and beautiful" read. Starring Helm, a ferocious, mischievous wind in Cumbria and a supporting cast of humans through the ages, this novel explores the relationship between nature and people.  

Heart the Lover by Lily King  was a Literary Pick of the Month that we loved. It's a “dazzling, aching, unforgettable beauty of a book." written with the precision of poetry and the emotional tide of an epic.

Darkly comic, Jess Shannon’s Cleaner debut unpacks mid-twenties angst with remarkable originality, humour and wit through sharing the unforgettable, offbeat story of a young woman’s relentlessly intense, itchily restless struggle to find purpose. As LoveReading’s Joanne Owen comments: it’s a “zingy zeitgeistsy story of identity, reinvention, loneliness and longing."

Scroll for more of our absolute favourites and purchase them with purpose.

The Best of Crime & Thrillers of 2025

Crime Fiction and Thrillers remain one of the most popular categories for readers. They bring plot momentum, suspense and often moral or social questions. Here are some of our faves of 2025:

The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths: “This start of a new series is one to grab with both hands, its fabulous balance of contemporary crime blended with time travel feels entirely and wonderfully possible!"

Already a much loved author by LoveReading, Chris Hammer's The Broken River was flagged in January 2025 as a Star Book. A masterclass of small-town mystery and jaw-dropping twists, it has “multiple threads spinning through the decades in a small Australian community beset by secrets, intrigue and murder.” 

More recently, Quantum of Menace by two time LoveReading Guest Editor Vaseem Khan was featured as a November 2025 Books of the Month list and as a Star Book. It’s a "gloriously and fiendishly entertaining" fresh spin on a familiar franchise as Q from the James Bond universe gets to be the star of the show. 

The Best Romance Books of 2025

One of the most enduring genres of literature, we adore a love story. 2025 was a standout year for romance fiction, seeing new gems from beloved names and exciting new voices adding their own twist to the genre. 

We originally fell in love with Beth O’Leary's The Flatshare and in April she was a Guest Editor in time with the release of her latest book, Swept Away. Described by Liz Robinson as “original, bold, and absolutely gorgeous” adds a forced-proximity twist as this love story takes place in a houseboat lost at sea. 

A Romance Pick of the Month in Ask Me Anything by Bethany Rutter, problem pages and parties turn enemies to lovers in "a vibrant, big-hearted campus novel about confidence, connection, and the courage to be seen." 

Equal parts bravado, tenderness and humour, Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett was made a Star Book in March. Our Expert Reviewer Billy Lindon described it as "delightfully surprising, silly, and tender, this novel about a lesbian clown trying to seduce a successful magician is unlike anything else you’ve ever read – and you must".

The Best Romantasy Reads of 2025

Romantasy has helped the Science-Fiction & Fantasy category to its biggest year since records began, according to The Bookseller and 2025 kicked off with the highly anticipated third book in the Empyrean series, Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. It didn’t disappoint as we returned to the all consuming world of Violet and Xaden. 

L. K. Steven introduced us to the world of the Silvercloak with a unique and brilliant magic system and a “delicious, jaw-dropping” ending that made our content manager so giddy at the possibilities of what could happen next. “And then the Epilogue comes out of nowhere to deliver a final gobsmacking blow!” 

The Best of Speculative Fiction, Fantasy & Science Fiction of 2025

Speculative fiction allows readers to imagine alternative worlds, futures, and possibilities.

Made Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky is dark fantasy at its best. "Richly imagined and exquisitely drawn, a dark fairytale quality clashes with magic, survival, and corruption in this wonderful story of tiny puppet-like beings and mages," commented Liz Robinson.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gefuso, Liz Robinson shares: “This is such a gorgeous all-encompassing read, from the moment I started I knew this fantasy novel was going to become a favourite… A beautifully crafted, rather special novel that slides to and from the Time Space, a library of books containing memories, edited by chosen timekeepers and intelligence agencies from around the world."

Ken Liu is known for intelligent speculative fiction; All That We See or Seem offers both cerebral and thrilling reading in a speculative thriller that reaches into the near future with a race to locate a missing woman. This is the first book in an electrifying new series, "a mind-blowing exhilarating ride from start to finish". 

The Best of Young Adult Fiction for 2025

For younger readers (and older older ones who love a Young Adult read, that includes us!), we’ve read some YA crackers this year. 

We read Capitana by Cassandra James in February. “A swashbuckling, richly-imagined piratical adventure shot-through with personal conflict and themes of imperialism". This thrilling debut adventure sees a young woman fight pirates in the name of the law, with a story of intense conflict between family bonds and loyalties to its protagonist’s zealous dedication to her empire at its core.

Bex Hogan's Nettle swept us away to faery realms last year, and we return to the same world this year with her release of Owl King. "This entrancing treasure flutters with fairy tale magic, sisterly devotion, and the power of stories." proclaims Expert Reviewer Joanne Owen.

The Best Funny Fiction of 2025

Humour draws in readers who might otherwise shy away from heavier books. It encourages voluntary reading, laughter and connection - and is a key part of broadening reading habits. We love a funny read.

CWIP 2025 winner Fundamentally is a bitingly original, wildly funny and razor-sharp exploration of love, family, religion, radicalism, and the decisions we make in pursuit of connection and belonging. Nussaibah Younis is definitely one to watch.

Go Lightly by Brydie Lee-Kennedy is described by Billy Lindon as "Funny, perceptive and effortlessly engaging, Go Lightly explores the love triangle of a young performer. Are two half-relationships better than one?"

The Best Historical Fiction of 2025

Historical fiction gives readers a window into another time, an immersive setting and there have been absolutely stunning stories published this year. Rich historical setting, strong emotional arcs and deeply readable storytelling - all boxes ticked with aplomb.

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner is described by Liz Robinson as “a beautifully emotional and compelling novel… inspired by the true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during the Second World War”.

The Best Family Drama of 2025

Stories that centre families, relationships, conflict and reconciliation often resonate deeply. Among Friends by Hal Ebbott is a deeply thought-provoking novel that was chosen as a Star Book in June. "Emotionally astute and beautifully crafted, Among Friends delivers an unforgettable reading experience."

Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin's debut Ordinary Saints was shortlisted for the Women's Prize Discoveries award. It's "an original, moving, and gripping debut about an Irish lesbian who must grapple with her Catholic family’s campaign to have her deceased brother canonised as a saint"

The Best Diverse Voices of 2025

Reading from diverse voices (in terms of culture, identity, background) is essential in broadening perspectives, meeting diverse reader needs, and making reading inclusive. 

Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu is "powerful and provocative, this is a beautifully original and immersive journey into a young man’s life at the ages of 19 and 25". 

Our Managing Director Deborah Maclaren read The Best of Everything by Kit de Waal in April and declared it a Star Book - “bursting with heart, I need to read everything Kit de Waal ever writes.” 

The Best Horror Fiction of 2025

Horror might seem niche, but it has a passionate readership and can engage younger and older readers alike. It offers thrills, suspense and often explores psychological themesa powerful entry point for reading.

We featured House of Flies by Graham Masterton in October as a Star Book as well as a Fiction Book of the Month. A clergyman is murdered in his bed in the dead of night, triggering a chilling chain of events, each more bizarre and unnerving than the last. Our review? "Well now, that’s me thoroughly and fabulously creeped out, I am quite sure that the frantic buzzing of flies will be pursuing my dreams!"

2025 Series of Books We Loved

Number six in the fabulous Wyndham and Banerjee series by award-winning author Abir Mukherjee was delivered this year in the form of The Burning Grounds. "A murder investigation bleeds out into a movie set and the case of a missing woman in this fascinating and compelling historical crime novel set in Calcutta." (Liz Robinson)

Daughter of the Otherworld by Shauna Lawless, is the fourth book in the beloved Gael Song series: "Folklore, magic, and an intense battle for survival roars into vibrant energetic life in this rewarding novel set in Ireland during the time of the Norman invasion."

Best Non-Fiction Books of 2025

Reading for pleasure isn’t limited to fiction. Non-fiction that’s engaging, urgent or deeply human adds value to bookshelves everywhere and supports lifelong learning.

In the ground-breaking The Science of Racism, Keon West cuts through the divisive anecdotes and rhetoric with decades' worth of clear, factual, rigorous science. A Liz Robinson's Pick of the Month described as an “illuminating … a vitally important read” 

TikTok historian Jenny Draper's Mavericks breaks away from the history in our school books to highlight in trademark witty and irreverent style 24 fascinating figures sidelined by history. "Celebrating some of the most interesting people in history, Mavericks is a corker of a book and as entertaining as it is thought-provoking."

More recently Margaret Beaufort by Lauren Johnson was released in November. Survivor. Rebel. Conspirator. Matriarch of a dynasty. This book is "radiant with fresh insights and intellectual wit, this seminal biography of the Tudor matriarch is a thoroughly engaging must-read for buffs of British history."

Exploring the personal lives of some of the world's most loved poets, novelists and playwrights, A Literary Letter for Every Day of the Year by Liz Ison delves into the private worlds of these famous wordsmiths. “Spanning centuries and continents, this terrific tome provides literature lovers and biography buffs with plenty to ponder every day of the year."

What’s next?

For 2025, our Star Books list invites readers to explore new worlds (All That We See or Seem), reflect on human complexity (Flesh), dive into adrenaline (The Broken River), experience love and hope (Swept Away), challenge or expand understanding (The Science of Racism) and spark an understanding of the power of stories (Owl King).

Let’s help get those books into hands: into libraries, schools, homes, workplaces. Because when people choose to read—and when they choose great books—the impact is tangible.

Keep an eye on our Star Books at LoveReading page for updates throughout 2026. You can even explore our Preview for a glimpse of what's to come. We’ll be adding new titles, capturing monthly highlights, and ensuring our list stays fresh. Sign up to receive our newsletter to see the very best books we’ve adored and will be pressing into the hands of everyone we know, month in month out.

Scroll on to discover all of our Books of the Year 2025. Add them to your wishlist and share with your family as a nudge for present ideas or add them straight to your basket if you have the perfect person in mind. Shopping with us allows you to make a difference to schools that are close to your heart and in great need. We hope you enjoy these selections as much as we have.