If you’re looking to get into the reading scene, 2025 is a good year to do that. This year has some of the most anticipated reads that people are looking forward to.
- “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
This is probably the most anticipated book of 2025 as a whole. Everyone knows the famous series “The Hunger Games” that was made into a movie saga. In 2020, Collins released a prequel called “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” that followed the plot of the very first Hunger Games. The film was released in 2023 and became extremely popular. The next prequel will be set 24 years before the first Hunger Games book and will follow a young Hymitch as he competes in the 50th annual Hunger Games. You can get your hands on this book starting March 18.
- “Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry
If you are a fan of romance books, then you’ve probably become familiar with Emily Henry. The best-selling author and TikTok sensation is releasing another one of her swoon-worthy contemporary romances on April 22. The brief synopsis I found says that the novel will follow: “Two writers who compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.” The novel is also set to have the usual topics that make Emily Henry’s novels so loved, like romance, vacations and complicated family dynamics.
- “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Best known for her best-selling novels “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “Daisy Jones and the Six,” Taylor Jenkins Reid is releasing one of her beloved historical fiction and romance novels. The novel is set in the 1980s and follows Joan Goodwin, an astronomer who works in NASA’s Houston Mission Control Center. It’ll follow Joan’s journey and “the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.” The novel is expected to be released this summer on June 3.
- “Say You’ll Remember Me” by Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez is back with one of her classic rom-coms. If you like Emily Henry, you will like Abby Jimenez. Her newest novel, “Say You’ll Remember Me,” will be released on April 25 of this year. The novel follows Samantha and Xavier and what follows after a seemingly perfect and never-ending date. If you’re looking for a new rom-com author to expand your reading experience, I highly recommend Abby Jimenez.
- “Watch Me” by Tahereh Mafi
If you have been on BookTok in the last four years, you have heard of the best-selling series “Shatter Me.” After a five-year-long wait, we finally see more of the Shatter Me world in Tahereh Mafi’s newest book, “Watch Me.” The book will be set 10 years after the fall of the reestablishment in the last “Shatter Me” book. It will follow James, the younger brother of everyone’s favorite book boyfriend, Aaron Warner. It’s said that we will also get to see previously loved characters. The book will be released on April 15 of this year.
- “Caught Up” by Navessa Allen
The first book in this trilogy, “Lights Out,” was an unexpected hit in the book community last year. The underrated genre of a dark rom-com is expanded with Navessa Allen’s sequel to “Lights Out” called “Caught Up.” The book will follow Nico, a morally grey man living in a violent world, and Lauren, a shy girl who has grown into a beautiful young woman. When Nico finds out, he becomes even more obsessed with this. “Lights Out” may have been considered unhinged, but it was a hilarious book, and I will also pick up the second one. Of course, always read the content warnings before picking up the book on June 10.
- “Wild Side” by Elsie Silver
Elsie Silver took over BookTok last summer with her iconic small-town cowboy romances. “The Rose Hill” series is her newest series, and the third installment is coming out on March 4. “Wild Side” is an enemies-to-lovers, single-parent, marriage-of-convenience romance that follows Rhys and Tabitha. The two deeply hate each other, but will that change when they need each other the most? I cannot wait to find out since Elsie Silver is a gem of an author.
- “The Tenant” by Freida McFadden
Freida McFadden is known for her fast-paced, easy-to-read thrillers. Her newest release, “The Tenant,” coming out on May 6, follows Blake, who was abruptly fired from his job. That’s when he meets Whitney, who seems like a charming girl looking for a place to rent. As soon as she moves in, strange things start happening, and soon enough, Blake realizes that he may be in danger. You can always count on Freida McFadden to keep you on the edge of your seat.
- “King of Envy” by Ana Huang
The fifth book in Ana Huang’s “Kings of Sin” series will be released on April 29. The series seems controversial in that people either love it or hate it, but people are excited about “King of Envy” as it has a black female main character, something you don’t see often from non-black authors. It will follow Ayana, the New York “it girl,” and Vuk, a broody billionaire. Ayana is set to marry Vuk’s best friend, but the two seem drawn to each other instead. We’ll see if this book saves the series or ultimately deters people away.