If you are looking for a guaranteed page-turner, look no further. In 2025, I read 24 books, and these five reigned supreme! From mystery and horror to drama and coming-of-age, these books have earned a coveted spot on your TBR!
Nightb*tch by Rachel Yoder
Content Warning: Violence towards animals and body horror
Goodreads Rating: 3.42
“How evil to praise women for giving up each and every dream.” Nightb*tch by Rachel Yoder is a novel that will pull you into its weird and fantastical world. I’ll have to leave my synopsis short and sweet because there’s not much more I can say without spoiling the novel. This book follows the story of an unnamed mother, whose newfound maternal instincts lead to shocking, nighttime canine transformations.
Nightb*tch is weird in the best way. Steeped in metaphors surrounding womanhood and motherhood, you will be left staring at the wall in thought more than once. I feel that the weakest part of this novel is its ending, but after having a few months to marinate on it, I actually quite like it. It’s one of those books I want everyone to read so that we can all discuss it together—so get reading!
If this description piqued your interest, but reading is not your thing, Nightb*tch also got a film adaptation. The movie came out in 2024 and stars Amy Adams, but I haven’t seen it, so I can’t attest to its quality. Nightb*tch has a runtime of 1 hour and 39 minutes and is available to watch in Canada on Disney+.
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Content Warning: Domestic violence and abuse, racism, homophobia, and murder
Goodreads Rating: 4.29
“Who deserved to live here? Who deserved a second chance? Who deserved to call themselves a citizen of this big, flawed, complicated country?” I’m not often drawn to whodunit-type books, but this is one you absolutely have to check out! The Briar Club by Kate Quinn shares the lives of the housemates of the Briarwood House, leading up to and after a gruesome murder has occurred.
One of the things this book does phenomenally well is the use of perspective. You do not know who has died, and you do not know the murderer, but you begin to learn piece by piece the series of events through the switching perspectives of the housemates—you even get to see the perspective of the house itself. This changing point of view allows me to sympathize with characters I originally thought of as villains. Definitely a must-read novel!
P.S., This book is available for free through Kindle Unlimited!
Bunny: A Novel by Mona Awad
Content Warning: Violence towards animals, body horror, death, and drugging
Goodreads Rating: 3.46
“The real world lady, it’s out there. Do you even know that? You’re going to have to get back to it sometime.” Bunny: A Novel by Mona Awad recounts Samantha Heather Mackey’s final year of her Master of Fine Arts degree at the prestigious Warren University. After being placed in a writing workshop with a group of clique-y girls who refer to each other with the shared nickname “Bunny,” Samantha receives a coveted invite to their renowned Smut Salon. As she becomes further and further enmeshed in the world of the Bunnies, she begins to lose friendships and perhaps even her grip on reality.
What can I even say about this novel? Wow. Just wow. This book is the perfect balance of horror, magic, and humour, which will keep you guessing until the very end. Even the ending, which in my opinion was brilliant, leaves a little bit up to the imagination. I cannot recommend Bunny enough; in fact, I’ve already recommended it to around ten of my friends. After receiving the newly released sequel, We Love You Bunny, for Christmas, I cannot wait to see what happens next in the world of the Bunnies!
Almond: A Novel by Sohn Won-Pyung
Content Warning: Violence towards animals, injury, death, bullying, and ableism
Goodreads Rating: 4.14
“Even though my brain was a mess, what kept my soul whole was the warmth of the hands holding mine on both sides.” Almond: A Novel by Sohn Won-Pyung, translated from Korean to English by Joosun Lee, is a quick slice-of-life novel that follows the story of Yunjae. Yunjae was born with a condition called alexithymia that makes it difficult for him to feel fear or anger. After witnessing his mother’s and grandmother’s gruesome murder, 16-year-old Yunjae must learn how to navigate love, friendship, and life as a whole.
Only being 251 pages in length, with a quite conversational tone (likely due to the translation), I absolutely flew through this book. The main character and the relationships portrayed in this novel are what make it unforgettable. Almond: A Novel is a beautiful story that touches on ideas of us all having so much in common despite often feeling like outsiders.
More good news: this novel is also available for free through Kindle Unlimited!
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
Content Warning: Racism, rape, cheating, domestic violence, suicidal ideation, disordered eating, and drug use and abuse
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
“‘I’m direct,” Big Swiss admitted, ‘because I don’t care if people like me. I distrust people-pleasers. They seem phony to me, and dangerous.’” Though it is nearly impossible to choose, I think this might be my favourite read of the year. Big Swiss by Jen Beagin follows the life of Greta, who works as a transcriber for a local sex therapist. She soon becomes obsessed with one of the new clients, a married woman whom Greta gives the nickname “Big Swiss.” After recognizing her voice in public, Greta becomes close friends with Big Swiss, purposefully evading the topic that she has been eavesdropping on her private therapy sessions.
This novel stood out to me as it is absolutely hilarious—I mean, I was literally laughing out loud. I was glued to the pages, finishing the whole book in just a few short days. I also enjoyed the way that the main character, Greta, slowly delves into and commits to her lies, becoming willing to do anything to maintain her friendship with Big Swiss. This contrast of humour with Greta’s unreliable and morally questionable actions makes this a super unique and compelling story.
Light a few candles, turn your lamps on, and get your bookmarks ready! If you give them a chance, these books are sure to become your five-star reads of 2026!