It’s that time of the year again—looking ahead to new book releases!
This is starting to look like an annual tradition for me. If you like this list, check out Most Anticipated Books for 2025.
Reader CentralThe Most Anticipated Books of 2025
Contemporary/Historical Fiction
Vigil by George Saunders
Coming: January 27
Jill Blaine is tasked with ushering souls into the afterlife. But she might get more than she reckons with her latest charge: the powerful K.J. Boone. Vigil takes on the tolls of capitalism and a reckoning for a lifetime spent, whether in the pursuit of good or evil.
A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman
Coming: March 3
Enter the barren landscape of Western Australia in 1958, and a family facing tragedy. Follow an isolated family and the secrets they keep to survive.
Mystery/Thriller
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
Coming: January 20
Alice Feeney is again on my 2026 book radar after Beautiful Ugly in 2025.
What would you do if you returned from a run to find a woman who looks exactly like you living in your house?
“One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.”
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
Coming: April 7
A locked-room mystery revolving around six authors on a private island, rushing to complete the ending to a book in 72 hours. Oh, and did I mention there’s murder? Time’s ticking, better start writing.
Fantasy
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
Coming: February 17
As a kid growing up on Magic Tree Housebooks, I love this premise:
Alexandria Watson is struggling to make ends meet. Her love of books leads her to a hidden library, where she teams up with the librarian to jump through books to escape an emerging danger that threatens the hidden library and everyone it’s ever helped.
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty
Coming: May 12
If I read only one book from this list, THIS IS IT. I loved The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. I love all of Shannon Chakraborty’s historical fantasy.
Feared pirate Amina al-Sirafi collects artifacts for the mythical peris. But when they send her to collect a spindle capable of rewriting fate from a sorceress on an unescapable island, Amina finds she has more to contend with than foul weather and old enemies. The peris are playing a game—one not everyone is eager to let her solve.
Sci-Fi
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
Coming: May 5
Isako is ready to retire when a competitor offers her one last mission. This samurai space opera is filled with corporate espionage and secrets that can alter the fate of humanity.
Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel
Coming: September 15
A near-future story of America engrossed in civil war leaves a lasting impact on Ari—a figure with a not-so-innocent past who must piece together a new sense of reality.
Readers are promised a “new mind-bending story of crimes committed and loves lost across space and time.”
Horror
The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
Coming: April 21
Macy Mullins takes a job from a Craigslist listing. It’s only three days. Three days of caring for a house along the Oregon coast. But what looks like an innocent job turns into something more sinister.
Follow the Rites…
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
Coming: April 21
This book features a dual narrative between modern-day Lee Turner, fleeing to his father’s house in Japan, and 1877 samurai Sen, hiding in exile.
“One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.”
Young Adult
The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin
Coming: February 17
The small village of Reverie owes its survival to the Starmaker—a mysterious immortal who pulls sunlight over the peaks of the Lost Range for the village. When the Starmaker senses powerful magic in Aurora Finch, she is pulled to his isolated castle, where she must uncover what he is hiding or face being left in an endless winter.
Nonfiction
This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History by Beverly Gage
Coming: April 7
Take a road trip with 13 destinations and 13 defining moments in America’s history. Explore the highs and lows of a young nation on the verge of celebrating 250 years.
You found Dovan, the book dragon.
Looking for your next read? Check out Beyond the Water’s Edge by Janine Eaby—A clean, young adult portal fantasy.
Happy reading!
Janine Eaby is the author of Beyond the Water’s Edge—a Young adult fantasy book series influenced by her faith, love of nature, and desire for adventure. Ideal for fans of portal fantasies to other worlds like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
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