I already know that 2025 is going to be a great year for book lovers! Some great sequels and exciting debuts are coming out this year that I know you guys will be excited about too. Today, I’m sharing my most anticipated 2025 reads and why they’re worth your radar.
Hopefully, some of these stories catch your eye too. I know it will probably be a while before I get the chance to read most of these. As much as I hate to say it, right now I have way too many books that I need to try and catch up with and it’s a bit overwhelming. I know, YIKES! I just hope that I’m not the only one in this situation.

1. Anticipated 2025 reads: Sequels
I know most of these sequels you guys are going to be excited about! Or maybe you’ve never heard of them but are now wanting to get started on them. Whichever it may be I hope you wind up liking them.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

This is a series that I haven’t read yet and I know this one is a very anticipated 2025 read. I have been hearing about it for a while now through TikTok and Instagram and I have had so many people tell me that I should read it.
I have mostly been holding back from reading it because of all the hype that’s surrounding it. Usually, when I read a book that’s as hyped as this one is then I wind up not liking it. Maybe I’ll get to it one of these days.
Here is what Onyx Storm is about.
Violet has been at Basgiath War College for eighteen months and she has no more time for lessons.
There’s no time for uncertainty.
The battle has begun and the enemies are starting to close in outside of the gate but also within the walls. Violet has no idea who to trust.
Now she must take a journey out of the place where she lives to unfamiliar places to try and find allies. The trip is going to test her wit, luck, and strength, but she’s willing to do anything to save what she loves.
What do you guys think, should I read it?
Oathbound by Tracy

I wound up buying Legendborn a while back but I still haven’t gotten the chance to check it out yet. I know this one is a pretty popular series as well and I know I should get to it soon.
Here is what Oathbound is about!
Bree is officially alone. She removed herself from the Legendborn Order, cut herself off from ancestral connections, and turned away from the friends who didn’t understand the cost of her powers. It’s the only way to keep herself and the people she loves safe.
Her decision has come with a horrible price. She had to make an unbreakable bargain with the Shadow King who just so happens to be a shapeshifter who came to move between humanity and the demon world. In order for her to train her unpredictable abilities, she has to bind herself to do his bidding.
As people start to die and go missing, she starts to realize that she’s not able to run because her past will always find her.
2. Stunning Debuts to Watch
I know I’m not the only one who likes looking out for debut authors throughout the year. Debut authors sometimes brings out some of the best books of the year. Here are some that caught my eye!
When Devil’s Sing by Xan Kaur

When Devils Sing is one I’m adding to my anticipated 2025 reads.
For starters, I love the cover, and the story sounds right up my alley.
Here is what When Devils Sing is about.
Dawson goes missing and when he does he leaves behind blood in the hotel owned by Neera’s family. These disappearances aren’t uncommon in the small Georgia town of Carrion. It doesn’t help that every thirteen years a cicada returns from underground.
For Neera, Dawson is only another reminder that in this part of the South, the rich only get richer and nothing comes their way.
When she sets out to see if she can find Dawson or if he is still alive, she goes with Isaiah, Reid, and Sam. As they set off to find him they find themselves trapped in a mess of secrets and lies. Along with that, they find out that the rich in their area may have a terrifying source of power. How deep does all of this go? And can they escape its reach?
You are fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

I have to say that I love the cover of You Are Fatally Invited. I know people say to not judge a book by its cover but this is one I’m adding to my anticipated 2025 reads just because of the cover alone.
Here is what You Are Fatally Invited is about.
J. R. Alastor is a renowned anonymous author. When he hires former aspiring writer Mila to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine she jumps at the chance. Especially since she has an ax to grind with on the authors invited. Who is on the guest list? Six thriller authors, all of them masters of deceit.
Alastor and Mila have come up with a week of games. The games are trope-fueled riddles along with some jump scares. It’s a great cover for Mila to plan a murder. But when a guest turns up dead and she doesn’t even plan it, she finds herself stuck since someone is already one step ahead of her.
Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang

I added Julie Chan is Dead to the Anticipated 2025 reads because it sounds so interesting. I love the idea of twins switching places but the way this “switch” goes is insane to me. What twin in their right mind would do something like this?
I think that’s what makes this story so captivating and why I want to read it.
Here is what Julie Chan is Dead is about.
Julie Chan is a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose. She finds herself pushed into the glamorous world of her late twin sister, Chloe, a popular influencer. At a young age, they were separated and they were opposites and never really spoke. One of the few times they spoke Chloe initiated it by filming a video that went viral on finding her long-lost twin. When Julie finds Chloe’s lifeless body she takes the chance to live the life she has always envied.
Changing herself into Chole is a lot easier than she expected. She quickly adopts Chloe’s luxurious life. Now she has designer clothes, a strict skincare routine, and millions of followers. It doesn’t take long to realize that Chloe’s picture-perfect life was anything but.
Julie is haunted by her sister’s death and struggling to fit in with the influencer circle. She finds herself in challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloes’s exclusive group of friends. As things start to spiral, Julie uncovers forces that have led to her sister’s death and she now realizes she might be the next target.
Listen to your sister by Neena

I don’t know about you guys but this is another one that I kind of feel like I have to read. For starters, I love the cover. But the synopsis sounds interesting as well.
Here is what Listen to Your Sister is about.
Calla is twenty-five years old and she’s struggling with becoming the guardian of her brother Jamie. It’s overwhelming and she’s tired of making sacrifices to keep her family together. Sixteen-year-old Jamie is good-naturedly reckless. He’s usually fighting for what matters to him or being mischievous. It’s often at the same time. Their brother Dre promised to help raise Jamie, but like a typical middle child, he’s off doing his own thing.
When Jamie starts to spiral out of control at a protest, they must go on the run. They take refuge in a cabin that looks like it belongs in a horror movie rather than an Airbnb. Now the siblings face a new threat. Their sister always warned them about the nightmares she had. They should have listened to her.
Needy Little Things by Channelle

I actually got an advanced copy of Needy Little Things and I just started reading it not that long ago. So, far I’m enjoying it and it takes on a new perspective on “powers” people have. That is if you want to call this a power. I’m just not sure what else I would possibly call it since it’s so similar to psychics.
Here is what Needy Little Things is about.
Sariyah can hear what people need. It’s usually tangible things like a pencil or a phone charger. It’s an ability that only her family and her best friend, Malcolm, know about. She fulfills a need for her friend Deja, but she vanishes soon after. It makes her wonder if her ability is more of a curse than it is a gift. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that one of her friends has gone missing and she refuses to let her become another forgotten black girl.
She doesn’t trust the police or the media to do enough, so Sariyah and her friends try to figure out what happened and why Deja disappeared. When her mother loses her job and her brother starts facing problems with his sickle cell disease, trying to find the time seems almost impossible. Desperate for money, she decides to use her ability to earn cash. It’s a decision that may not only lead her to her friend but she may find herself in the same danger Deja found herself in.
4. Genre-Specific Gems to add to your anticipated 2025 reads
For fans of thrillers and horror, 2025 has a lot to offer. Here are a few standout titles:
Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner

I have to admit that I love the idea of horror books that take place in National Forests. I have found myself on the creepy side of TikTok which talks about the creepy things that happen in national forests. Now I want more of that from the books I read too.
Here is what Girl in the Creek is about.
The Clackamas National Forest has always been the breeding ground for evil, human and alien. There are the shadows of the creepy looming trees and the abandoned mines that are used to shelter serial killers. On the outskirts of the picture-perfect small town of Faraday, Oregon lies a ruined hotel. It’s drowning in mushrooms that experts can’t identify.
When Erin arrives in Faraday she’s there wanting to find out what happened to her brother. He disappeared in the forest years ago and it has haunted her ever since. Now someone else has gone missing, and when Erin finds her in the creek the girls disappear again but from the morgue. Days later the girl’s fingerprints show up at a murder scene. Erin needs to hurry and find out what happened to her brother because there’s a chance she might go missing next.
Salt Water by Katy Hays

I have an advanced copy of Salt Water as well but it’s taking me forever to get to it. Even though I’m very excited to read this one I feel like I’m going to have to push myself to read it only because there are other books that I kind of want to read more.
I kind of hate saying that though because the story does sound really good and I am interested in reading it, but I feel like I have to get my hands on other books.
Here is what Salt Water is about.
Sarah was found dead below the cliffs back in 1992. She left behind a 3-year-old daughter named Helen. There are suspicions that the Lingates are involved but it’s still ruled as an accident. Every year after the family comes back to prove that it’s true that it was an accident. On the thirtieth anniversary of her death, the Lingates return to their villa with a surprise… Sitting there is the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.
Old Soul by Susan Barker

Old Soul seems like one of those books that will kind of catch your attention from the very beginning. I love the idea of people meeting and they have some weird circumstances that connect them together.
I had to add Old Soul to the anticipated 2025 reads for that very reason.
Here is what Old Soul is about.
At the Osaka airport, two anguished strangers meet by chance. The more they talk to one another the more they discover a disturbing connection. Jake’s best friend and Mariko’s twin brother both died. They were 6,000 miles apart and it was both in brutal circumstances.
Both of them encountered a hypnotic, dark-haired woman sometime in the days before their deaths. The woman came looking for Mariko but then disappeared.
Jake has carried his loss and guilt for a decade. Now he finds himself wanting to follow the trail that Mariko is figuring out. It takes him across continents and centuries. It leads it back to many others who have died in strange, terrifying, and very similar ways.
At the center of it all is a woman. Her name might have changed but her purpose hasn’t and she’s already made her next choice.
A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury

I’m not sure if this one is one that I’ll have to get to any time soon but I know that most of you guys would probably like to add it to your anticipated 2025 reads.
If you just so happen to read it make sure to let me know what you think!
Here is what A Mastery of Monsters is about.
August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester. Everyone seems to think that it’s because of the stress of college. August knows that her brother wouldn’t have left her voluntarily. Especially, not when their mother just went missing.
He left one clue and it was a letter saying to stay safe and to protect their remaining family.
After August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature, she realizes that her brother might be in bigger trouble than she thought.
The only person she’s able to find with a connection to the mysterious creature is Virgil Hawthorne. He only knows about them because he is one. If Virgil doesn’t find a partner to help control his nature, he’ll lose his humanity.
Virgil makes a deal with August, August has to join his society and partner with him. In return, he’ll help her find her brother. She is plunged into a deadly competition and a frightening reality.
Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou

This is another one that I’m not fully sure how I feel about. The story sounds interesting but I’m not sure if this is one that I have to get my hands on right away. I guess I’m not sure how I feel about having a main character that doesn’t have a name.
It’s a unique way of handling I guess and the story does sound interesting. If you do wind up reading it then let me know about this one too!
Here is what Sour Cherry is about.
In a mysterious apartment filled with ghosts, there’s an unnamed narrator who attempts to explain this to her child.
She wants the truth to become something beautiful and she feels the need to begin with a fairy tale.
She begins to pull together a fairy tale for her child. It’s a fairy tale that begins with a strange baby boy. His nails grow too fast and his skin smells of soil. When he grows from a boy to a man it seems like a plague follows him everywhere. Tragedy strikes in cycles. Wife after wife, every woman he touches becomes a ghost. These ghosts call out to the narrator as she tries to explain exactly what happened to her.
They all agree on one thing, a truth about this man, this powerful lord who loved them and led them to ruin.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

If you are a horror fan I know you are probably anticipating Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.
I’m going to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Grady Hendrix but I’m sure most of you guys are! So, I had to add the book to the anticipated 2025 reads. I may just have to give him a second chance and see if I like the book. Maybe I have just read the wrong one by him.
Here is what Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is about.
Loose girls. Girls who grew up fast. They call them wayward girls. They are all sent to the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida. It’s where unwed mothers are kept hidden by their families to have their babies in secret and then given up. It’s where they go to forget it ever happened.
Fern arrives at the home at just fifteen years old in the very hot humid summer of 1970. She’s pregnant, terrified, and alone. Under the eye of the very stern Miss Wellwood, she meets other girls in the same boat as she is. There’s Rose. She’s a hippie who is determined to keep her baby and escape to a commune. There’s Zinnia. She’s a musician who knows she will go home to marry her baby’s father. And then there’s Holly. She’s barely fourteen, mute, and no one knows who impregnated her.
Everything from what the girls eat to what they are allowed to talk about is controlled by the adults who claim they know what’s best for them. But then Fern meets a librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft. Now power is in their hands for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately, power can destroy as easily as it creates and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to pay.
Overgrowth by Mira Grant

Overgrowth has such a unique concept to it and I know at some point I’m going to have to try and get my hands on it. The funny thing is that I haven’t come across a book like this before so to me this is a pretty unique story.
I feel like this book is one of the more unique anticipated 2025 reads that’s coming out this year!
Here is what Overgrowth is about.
Anastasia Miller has been telling anyone who would listen that she’s an alien disguised as a human since she was three years old. The armada that left her on Earth will be coming for her. Since she was three years old, no one believed her.
Now there’s an alien signal from the stars being broadcast around the world. Humanity is realizing that they have already been warned and now it may be too late. The invasion is coming and Anastasia’s biological family is on their way to bring her home. Very few family reunions are willing to cross space just for one misplaced child.
5. Bookish Goals for 2025
It’s always really fun anticipating new releases and figuring out how to include them in my reading goals. Here’s how I’m planning:
- Read a new release every couple of months
- Get some of the new releases from the library
If you’re interested in some of my other goals you can find them here.
Conclusion:
There are so many anticipated 2025 reads! These are just some of the books that have caught my eye, but I’d love to know what you’re looking forward to. We’re going to make 2025 the year of unforgettable stories and new adventures.
Make sure to leave a comment below on your prediction of what books are going to be the biggest hit this year. If you like posts like this then make sure to join in on my newsletter so you can get more recommendations throughout the year.