Book Recommenations for 2025

As in years past, in 2024 I had a resolution to read at least 52 books, one for each week of the year. This was, of course, not a consistent, chapter-a-day schedule, but I still managed to read 62, counting several repeats. Of these dozens, a few stood out. So if you’re looking for a book to open the new year, here are some I would recommend:

1. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Technically, this book is cheating, as I had already read it several times in 2023. Last year, though, I reread it for about the tenth time, and it only reinstated my love for it. This story is, at times, agonizingly confusing, but the payoff is worth it in the end and it's short enough to read in a day or so. It is a speculative fiction piece that addresses concepts of identity, reality, and insanity, set in a realm made entirely of a large house of halls filled with marble statues and flowing rivers, known fondly as the House. The book follows the adventures of its main character (who never names himself, but is called many things), who is committed to exploring and chronicling the House. If you’re a fan of surrealism and the concept of reality, this is a book to try.

Pages: 272

2. Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

This book is the sequel to the thriller/mystery novel The Firekeeper’s Daughter (also a very good book), but can be read independently, as their plots are unconnected. Similarly to Boulley’s first book, Warrior Girl Unearthed is a thriller that deals with concepts of racism and identity, from the lens of Ojibwe teenager Perry Firekeeper-Birch (niece of the main character of the previous novel). Intertwining subplots of family drama and romance, it focuses on repatriation efforts (to return stolen Indigenous bodies to their tribes for burial rights) and related historical contexts but emphasizes ongoing issues of oppression and grooming in modern society. 

Pages: 400

3. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward 

In a story combining intertwining stories of the 1940s and 2010s, this novel focuses on the wider themes of racism and generational trauma, specifically the ongoing pain of past violence. The story follows thirteen-year-old protagonist, Jojo, growing up in a biracial, drug-abusing household in Mississippi, and his interactions with both his family. It chronicles the struggles of their survival in a racist, violent world, but quickly takes on a deeper meaning, as Jojo can see and hear ghosts of the past, which come to show the pain and trauma held by his family. With song-like writing, Ward combines ghost stories with modern life and tells a story of hope and resilience.

Pages: 285

4. Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo 

Part fantastical, part realistic, this book is written in verse, with a poetic structure telling a cohesive story. It focuses on a first-generation Muslim American teen named Nima, tangled in two cultures and uncertain in her own identity. Through songs and photos, she learns about her parents' former life and creates an alter ego, Yasmeen. She is convinced that persona represents a better her, one where her parents never left their home country, but is soon forced on a journey to truly understand the possibilities in that alternative. Dealing with themes of immigration, culture, and identity, this novel poetically details the inner conflict of being oneself.

Pages: 224

5. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 

A vaguely sarcastic, comedic work of science fiction, this book details the work of a group, the Kaiju Preservation Society, and their work to protect a fragile ecosystem. The twist? This ecosystem is in a parallel world, free of humans and ruled by massive nuclear-dinosaur-style monsters. Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, it follows the story of an ex-delivery driver turned KPS worker, and the groups’ efforts at protection. Though a much more lighthearted read than many of the books on this list, it does delve into issues of profiteering and environmental protection. Really, though, it is a work of escapism, in the form of a parallel universe full of giants.

Pages: 272

6. Into the Light by Mark Oshiro 

Combining religious cults, family, and the foster care system, this mystery novel provides a social commentary in the form of likable, if obnoxious, characters. Relationships between characters are complex and ultimately paint a picture of the reality of surviving, not just the photogenic parts. Manny, a homeless teenager thrown out by his adoptive parents, searches for his sister Elena. Hitchhiking across the country, he interacts with all types of people, good and bad, but ultimately discovers allies and a newfound family. Ending on a hopeful note, the story addresses issues of coercion, manipulation, racism, and the foster care system, and emphasizes the human need for connection.

Pages: 448

7. The House by the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune 

This book has a diverse cast of characters, which is apt considering it follows the work of Linus Baker, a case worker for DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth). The book is full of similarly unoriginal acronyms and intriguing characters, specifically children living in an isolated island orphanage, and Linus’s work on an extended assignment there. Each character is unique and intriguing, and the novel raises questions of nature vs nurture and internalized and systemic prejudice. More than anything, though, it focuses on the idea of family, acceptance, and belonging.

Pages: 416

8. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I read this book in my English class, and while it wasn’t the first time I’ve enjoyed or even loved a class-assigned novel (The Color Purple is definitely worth reading), it does stand out as a book I would recommend from this year. Spanning from the 1970s into the early 2000s, the novel details the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, in Afghanistan as it cycles through seemingly endless eras of violence. The story is depressing, involving grief, loss, rape, control, abuse, and oppression. In the end, however, the main message is one of hope and resilience and proves that connection is worth living for.

Pages 372

9. A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee 

Though it has a very similar name to another book on this list, and is similarly rooted in themes of oppression and feminism, Chee’s novel is a fantasy, set in an intricately created world of demons, monsters, and spirits. The worldbuilding of the book is immaculate, set in the strictly hierarchical world of Awara and complete with footnotes detailing etymologies of any fantastical words or names. Inspired by Japanese folklore, this fairytale-like story follows an ordinary (if a bit incompetent at staying quiet and unnoticed) servant girl who is cursed by a demon. Miuko slowly begins to transform into the demon who cursed her, she steps out of expectation and adventures in search of a cure. Along the way, she interacts with countless spirits, humans, and gods alike, and discovers lessons of belonging and independence.

Pages: 384