PHOENIX- The Reading List Council has announced the 2025 selections of the Reading List, an annual best-of list comprised of eight different fiction genres for adult readers. A shortlist of honor titles, up to 4 per genre was also announced. The list was announced today during the Book & Media Awards Ceremony.
The 2025 selections are:
Adrenaline
Winner
“What Happened to Nina?: A Thriller” by Dervla McTiernan (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
When a college student vanishes on a trip with her boyfriend, his vague explanations spark a media frenzy with two sets of grieving parents at its center. In their small Vermont town, gossip, lies, and technology escalate the tension as everyone asks: What happened to Nina?
Read-alikes: “Finding Sophie” by Imran Mahmood; “Just Another Missing Person” by Gillian McAllister; “Playing Nice” by J.P. Delaney
Short List
“First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston (Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC )
“Hunted” by Abir Mukherjee (Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.)
“The Return of Ellie Black: A Novel” by Emiko Jean (Simon & Schuster)
“Smoke Kings: A Novel” by Jahmal Mayfield (Melville House)
Fantasy
Winner
“The Familiar” by Leigh Bardugo (Flatiron Books, a division and imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
Luzia Cortado, a maid in Renaissance Madrid, uses Jewish folk magic to ease her tasks. When she discovers Luzia’s gift, Luzia’s mistress pulls her into the family’s aspirational schemes. Her subsequent lessons with the mysterious Santángel lead her reluctantly into the dangerous machinations of the Spanish court and the Inquisition.
Read-alikes: “The Bear and the Nightingale” by Katherine Arden; “The Bird King” by G. Willow Wilson; “Black Sun” by Rebecca Roanhorse
Short List
“The Book of Doors” by Gareth Brown (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Long Live Evil: Time of Iron: Book One” by Sarah Rees Brennan (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“A Sorceress Comes to Call” by T. Kingfisher (A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“The Witchstone” by Henry H. Neff (Blackstone Publishing)
Historical fiction
Winner
“The Lion Women of Tehran” by Marjan Kamali (Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
In 1950s Tehran, Ellie and Homa form a quick friendship despite their different social classes. As the two grow older, the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point and tests their bond, until an enormous betrayal leads to earth-shattering consequences.
Read-alikes: The “Neapolitan” series by Elena Ferrante; “Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood” by Marjane Satrapi; “A Thousand Times Before” by Asha Thanki
Short List
“All We Were Promised: A Novel” by Ashton Lattimore (Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Briar Club: A Novel” by Kate Quinn (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Frozen River: A Novel” by Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Masquerade” by O.O. Sangoyomi (A Forge Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Horror
Winner
“Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Screenwriter Mischa advocates for the fan-favorite queer characters on his hit television show. When the studio urges him to kill them off to boost the algorithm, Mischa’s past horror creations come to life and haunt him across Los Angeles.
Read-alikes: “Patricia Wants to Cuddle” by Samantha Allen; “This Thing Between Us” by Gus Moreno; “The Z Word” by Lindsay King-Miller
Short List
“Diavola” by Jennifer Thorne (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“The Eyes Are the Best Part” by Monika Kim (Erewhon, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp.)
“The Night Guest” by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“We Used to Live Here” by Marcus Kliewer (Emily Bestler Books/Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC)
Mystery
Winner
“How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Novel” by Kristen Perrin (Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Frances Adams’s obsession with her own fortune-teller-predicted murder was dismissed for decades. When her body is discovered under mysterious circumstances at her rural English estate, the will reveals that Frances’s niece Annie will only earn her inheritance if she solves the crime.
Read-alikes: “Knives Out” (film); “Lavender House” by Lev AC Rosen; “Nine Liars” by Maureen Johnson
Short List
“Death in the Spires” by KJ Charles (Storm Publishing)
“The Murder of Mr. Ma” by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan (Soho Press, Inc.)
“A New Lease on Death: A Mystery” by Olivia Blacke (Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“Trouble in Queenstown” by Delia Pitts (Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
Relationship fiction
Winner
“The Twilight Garden: A Novel” by Sara Nisha Adams (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Winston and Bernice, warring London neighbors with a shared garden, receive a mysterious bundle of pictures of the neglected plot from its glory days decades before. Inspired, they slowly learn to put aside their differences to restore the community garden together.
Read-alikes: “All Together Now” by Gill Hornby; “Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows” by Balli Kaur Jaswal; “The Last Chance Library” by Freya Sampson
Short List
“Colton Gentry’s Third Act: A Novel” by Jeff Zentner (Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group)
“Family Family: A Novel” by Laurie Frankel (Henry Holt and Company, a division and imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
“How to Age Disgracefully” by Clare Pooley (Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC )
“The Wedding People: A Novel” by Alison Espach (Henry Holt and Company, a division and imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
Romance
Winner
“You Should Be So Lucky: A Novel” by Cat Sebastian (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
In 1960s New York City, hotheaded baseball shortstop Eddie is stuck in a career-worst slump and faces cold shoulders from his new team. When grieving journalist Mark is assigned to write about Eddie, their unexpected connection creates a spark that changes their lives.
Read-alikes: “Heated Rivalry” by Rachel Reid; “A League of Their Own” (television show); “Unfit to Print” by KJ Charles
Short List
“Between Friends & Lovers: A Novel” by Shirlene Obuobi (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Bull Moon Rising” by Ruby Dixon (Ace/Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“How to End a Love Story: A Novel” by Yulin Kuang (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Prospects: A Novel” by KT Hoffman (The Dial Press, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
Science fiction
Winner
“The Stardust Grail” by Yume Kitasei (Flatiron Books, a division and imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
Lapsed intergalactic art thief Maya reluctantly jumps back into action when her close friend Auncle asks for her help to retrieve an item that could save xyr species.
Read-alikes: “A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe” by Alex White; “Chilling Effect” by Valerie Valdes; “You Sexy Thing” by Cat Rambo
Short List
“Lost Ark Dreaming” by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
“The Mercy of Gods: Book One of the Captive’s War” by James S.A. Corey (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC)
“Service Model” by Adrian Tchaikovsky (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers)
The winners were selected by the Reading List Council whose members include eleven expert readers’ advisory and collection development librarians. The eight genres currently included in the Council’s considerations are adrenaline, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, and women’s fiction. However, the Council is adaptable to new genres and changes in contemporary reading interest.
The Council consists of Ann Cox, Ingram Content Group, chair; Hilary Albert, Mahopac Public Library; Marcie Beard, Provo City Library; Carmen Clark, Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library; Amy Dittmeier, Des Plaines Public Library; Andrea Gough, The Seattle Public Library; Stacey Hayman, Rocky River Public Library; Kara Krekeler, University City Public Library; Suzanne Krohn, Richmond Free Library; Karla Lucht, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Katy Schorling, Colorado State Penitentiary Library.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more at www.rusaupdate.org.