Year archive

Best books of 2025

Books selected by independent literary juries and editorial teams in 2025, gathered into one transparent, source-linked reading list. The chronology uses the award year for prizes and list year for editorial recommendations.

Selections
398
Authors
397
Lists & prizes
16

Showing 97–144 of 398

2025Nonfiction

Endling

Maria Reva

NPR Books We Love

2025Fiction & literature

Fundamentally

Nussaibah Younis

NPR Books We Love

2025Fiction & literature

Girl Dinner

Olivie Blake

NPR Books We Love

2025Fiction & literature

Good Dirt

Charmaine Wilkerson

NPR Books We Love

2025Young readers

Hansel and Gretel

Stephen King, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

NPR Books We Love

2025Mystery & crime

Heartwood

Amity Gaige

NPR Books We Love

2025Poetry

History Matters

David McCullough, Dorie McCullough Lawson (contributor), Michael Hill (contributor)

NPR Books We Love

2025Science fiction & fantasy

Hungerstone

Kat Dunn

NPR Books We Love