New Release Books You Must Read
Want to see our picks for the best new release books? We have them all right here. You will not want to miss a single page of these books!
Of course, there are so many amazing books that come out each month, but these new book releases are the ones that we have read or will be reading (so you can always find a review soon). We have done all the hard work for you!
Be sure to come back often as we will be updating the page as soon as we find books we cannot wait to get our hands on!
2025 Book Releases
New January Books
Onyx Storm
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: January 21, 2025
More info: The Empyrean Series Book 3
Plot
There have been no leaks about the plot of this follow-up to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. If you want to catch up on all the info, check out our posts Fourth Wing Series in Order: 5 Fantasy Books to Obsess Over! and The Best Books Like Fourth Wing. Pre-order now to receive the gorgeous sprayed edges.
Let’s Call her Barbie
Author: Renee Rosen
Year: 2025
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This fictionalized history of the Barbie doll was fantastic! It’s the story of Ruth Handler and her famous creation – the Barbie doll! Showcase everything from conception to success to near failure, Rosen deftly weaves the doll’s history together with those on the team working on the doll.
Trigger Warnings
Eating Disorder, Cancer
Why Kirsten loves it
I’ve read quite a few histories of the Barbie, but the fictionalized version gets at the emotions behind the creation, the various struggles, and the effects the doll had on Ruth and Jack’s home lives.
I was sucked into the narrative and found myself flying through the 400+ pages in a matter of days. The book is a triumph of historical fiction!
Find this book in: Biographical Fiction
Good Dirt
Author: Charmaine Wilkerson
Year: 2025
Genre: Literary Fiction
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
In this powerful novel, Ebby Freeman is from a wealthy Black family who is haunted by tragedy—the unsolved shooting of her brother during her childhood along with the destruction of a cherished stoneware jar heirloom, known as Old Moe.
Years later, after being left at the altar by her fiance Henry, Ebby flees to France. While she’s there, she’s drawn back into the mystery surrounding her brother’s murder while simultaneously dealing with her disastrous would-be wedding day.
Sprinkled through the pages are chapters written by Ebby’s descendant, Willis, who escaped enslavement with the very jar that was destroyed.
Trigger Warnings
Racism, Rape (off-page)
Why Kirsten loves it
Like Black Cake, Wilkerson was able to capture my attention and hold me completely enthralled. I was drawn into each storyline and despite the book being nonlinear in format, I had no trouble keeping track of the various timelines, flashbacks, and flashforwards. Watching Ebby grow and deal with her trauma was profoundly moving. I truly can’t wait to see what Wilkerson writes next.
Find this book in: Books Set in France / Nonlinear Narrative
The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds
Author: Jennifer Moorman
Year: 2025
Genre: Magical Realism
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 14+
Plot
Josephine Reynolds is widowed at thirty-five and feels like her life is over as well. She lost herself in her marriage and now that her husband is gone, she feels like she has nothing left. She makes a wish that changes everything. Convinced that she needs a new start, Josephine’s sister sends her a link to their family home that has fallen into some disrepair and is for sale.
When Josephine finds the home’s original door, she installs it only to discover that she is transported back to 1927. There, she meets her great-grandmother, Alma, who runs a speakeasy out of the house’s basement. Soon Josephine discovers that by stepping into the past, she may have put her own future in jeopardy. Suddenly, things in the present begin disappearing like pieces of furniture and photos. She realizes that if she wants to save herself, she will need to save Alma as well.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a Husband (off the page)
Why Jackie loves it
Josephine’s grief at the beginning of the book is palpable and yet, it does not weigh the story down. As Josephine fights to save Alma, she also learns to fight for herself as well. I love the way the story developed and the touch of magic makes to story feel hopeful. This is perfect for historical fiction fans as well.
Find this book in: Magical Realism Books / Books Set in the 1920s
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Author: Grady Hendrix
Year: 2025
Genre: Horror Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
In 1970, Fern arrived at Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a home for wayward girls where pregnant girls are expected to have their babies in secret and give them up for adoption. Everything the girls do is monitored very closely from what they eat and when to check-ups, sleeping schedule, and when they will have their babies.
They are treated like pariahs with all autonomy removed and are expected to give their babies away and pretend like nothing ever happened. When Fern meets a librarian who gives her a book on witchcraft, everything is about to change. Now the girls try and rebel in the only way they can- with witchcraft.
Trigger Warnings
Statutory rape, rape, child abuse, gore
Why Jackie likes it
The witchcraft in this book is really secondary to the historical fiction part of this story. At times, it was difficult to read because the girls were so helpless. They had no control over any part of their lives. The witchcraft really is a metaphor for the lengths that these young women and girls went through to have control over their own lives. At times, the story was gory and in true Hendrix fashion, not for those who do not like horror.
Find this book in: January 2025 Book Releases
The Crash
Author: Freida McFadden
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: January 28, 2025
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Teagan is eight months pregnant when she leaves her old life. She gets in her car and flees to her brother’s house until she can figure out what to do but gets stranded in Maine after a car crash in a blizzard. She thinks she has been saved when a couple finds her and brings her to their cabin to wait out the storm. But as time goes by, she realizes she and her unborn baby are in grave danger, and she needs to find a way to escape. This pick from the January 2025 book releases is perfect for our list of Novels about Weather, Hurricanes, and Blizzards
New February Books
Famous Last Words
Author: Gillian McAllister
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: February 25, 2025
More info: Author of Reese’s Book Club and New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time
Plot
Camilla is a literary agent who is very excited to return to work after her maternity leave. But on the morning of June 21st, what is supposed to be her first day back, turns into the day that will change her life forever. Her Husband Luke is not at home when Camilla wakes up and he left a cryptic note.
When the police arrive at her house to tell her there is a hostage situation in London and Luke is the gunman. What she does next is critical because of what the note said. Gillian McAllister is the queen of “what would you do?” and this thriller from the February 2025 book releases is on my TBR. Check back to see my thoughts.
Life Hacks for a Little Alien
Author: Alice Franklin
Year: 2025
Genre: Fiction
More info: Perfect for lovers of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Age Range: 14+
Plot
Little Alien is a little girl who doesn’t see and understand the world the way other people do. When she sees a TV special that introduces the Voynich Manuscript, an ancient time written in an indecipherable language, she wonders if there could be other people like her. She begins research at the library in the quest to find the manuscript.
The book is narrated by an unknown narrator giving guidance to Little Alien as she tries to navigate the world
Trigger Warnings
Mistreatment of a neurodivergent child, not advocating for a neurodivergent child
Why Jackie likes it
I loved Little Alien’s view of the world and the creative narration of the story. The book is a reminder that we can all overcome hard things and keep moving forward. I also loved the word used in the book- the definitions and the grammar lessons as well.
As a speech-language pathologist, I had a very difficult time with the adults in the story. They were not advocates for Little Alien. The educators made me feel ill at times with the way they treated a neurodivergent child with selective mutism.
Find this book in: Books With Neurodivergent Characters
Harlem Rhapsody
Author: Victoria Christopher Murray
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: February 4, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling co-author of The Personal Librarian
Plot
Jessie Redmon arrived in Harlem in 1919 as the new literary editor of The Crisis. The is the preeminent magazine for Black people and she is the first woman to hold the position. W.E.B Du Bois is the founder of the magazine, Jessie’s boss, and lover. Jessie is determined to prove herself by finding brilliant writers. Soon she will discover that the cost of success is more than she bargained for.
Plot
I cannot wait to read this pick from the February 2025 book releases. It is part mystery, part historical fiction, and inspired by the true story of LĂ©vitan, a department store in Paris that served as a Nazi prison. When Louise discovers a box at a secondhand shop in London in 1958, she believes the content might hold answers to her friend’s death during the war. As she follows the clues to Paris, dark secrets come to light.
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales
Author: Heather Fawcett
Genre:n Fantasy
Release Date: February 11, 2025
More info: Emily Wilde Book 3 of 3
Plot
You can find the first book in this series on my list of Best Adult Fantasy Novels. It is a breath of fresh air as is the second book in the series. I cannot wait to read this pick from the February 2025 book releases. Emily Wilde is embarking on her greatest challenge yet as a dryadologist. She will be studying the faerie realm from the inside as the new queen.
Wendell is now her fiance and is taking his rightful place as king but his stepmother placed a deadly curse on the realm before disappearing. Wendell and Emily must use their combined magic and knowledge to save everything they love.
Plot
Maverick Dillan is a daredevil and extreme adventurer. If he invites you to the ultimate game of hide and seek, you cannot pass up that opportunity. But when players gather on Falcao Island and a storm comes in, the social media stunt turns deadly.
Adele, a single mother, must survive the deadly storm and battle for survival if she wants to return home to her kids. This pick from the February 2025 book releases looks perfect to anyone who loves a Locked Room Mystery or Novels about Weather.
Deep End
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Sports Romance
Release Date: February 4, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of The Lost Hypothesis
Plot
Scarlett is a platform diver at Stanford who is concentrating on getting into med school. Lukas is a swim captain working toward the Olympics and has no time for drama. The no-pressure fling they start seems like the perfect solution but they may be in deeper than they think. If you love Ali Hazelwood, this pick from the February 2025 Book releases is for you!
New March Books
Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Genre: Historical Mystery Romance
Release Date: March 4, 2025
More info: Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing
Plot
Beth and Frank are happily married as long as the past stays in the past. When Ben’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, they realize the dog belongs to Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s ex. Now Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life and dangerous secrets from the past come to light. This pick from the March 2025 book releases is a love triangle that will make Beth choose between the woman she was and the woman she is now.
The Love We Found
Author: Jill Santapolo
Genre: Romance
Release Date: March 18, 2025
More info: The Light We Lost #2
Plot
This is the long-awaited sequel to the Reese Witherspoon book Club pick and Bestselling book, The Light We Lost. It’s been ten years since Gabe has been gone when Lucy finds a piece of paper in a box of photos. It is an address in Rome. She buys a plane ticket to follow one last journey and discover Gabe’s secret. She is let to Dr. Dax Armstrong, a New Yorker living in Italy. He immediately brings her to a place she has not thought about since Gabe left. Kirsten and I have this book on our must-read books from the March 2025 book releases.
Killer Potential
Author: Hannah Deitch
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: March 18, 2025
More info: Debut Novel
Plot
I cannot wait to read this debut novel from the list of March 2024 book releases. Evie Gordon was a scholarship kid at an elite university and had big plans. But instead, she finds herself drowning in debt and working as an SAT tutor for LA’s wealthiest families. When she arrives for her lesson in Beverly Hills, she finds the parents murdered and a woman crying for help in the closet. Soon, they are suspects and wanted for murder.
The two are at the heart of a nationwide manhunt and they must find the real killer. But the press is going crazy over the story and Evie is finally getting the notoriety she always wanted.
Plot
Florence Grimes is thirty-one years old with a ten-year-old son named Dylan. After the failure of her girl band, she is broke and single but devoted to her son. When Alfie Risby, Dylan’s bully goes missing during a school trip, Dylan becomes the prime suspect. Now, Florence has to find Alfie and clear her son or she risks losing him.
Plot
Joannie has not been on a date in seven years when she goes to Johnny’s house for dinner for a first date with her daughter in tow. When a billionaire crashes his hot-air balloon in Johnny’s pool, it turns out to be Jonathan, Joannie’s childhood crush from summer camp. Now, Joannie, Johnny, Jonathan, and his wife Julia are stuck together is a story of lust, money, and who wants who.
Sunrise on the Reaping
Author: Suzanne Collins
Release Date: March 18, 2025
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Age: 12+
More info: Prequel to the Hunger Games
Plot
This prequel to the Hunger Games is Haymitch’s story. It is the 50th annual Hunger Games and in honor of the quarter quell, twice as many tributes will be selected. Haymitch just wants to make it through the day and be with the girl he loves and instead, he is sent to the capital where he is determined to fight and win.
New April Books
The Sirens
Author: Emilia Hart
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: April 1, 2025
More info: New York Times bestselling author of Weyward
Plot
I cannot wait to read this book from the April 2025 book releases. This story is told in three timelines. Lucy is in 2019 and wakes up after dreaming about strangling her ex. When she arrives at her older sister’s house, Jess is nowhere to be seen. Lucy listens to strange stories of men missing at sea and women’s voices in the waves of the water. Searching for answers about her dream and her sister’s whereabouts, Lucy begins to read her sister’s diary.
The story is also told from Jess’s POV in 1999. In 1800 twin sisters, Mary and Eliza, are forced into a convict ship bound for Australia. The further out the sea they go, the more they feel the call of the water. This is a story about the bonds of sisterhood and is at the top of my TBR. You’re pissing me
This is Not a Game
Author: Kelly Mullen
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: April 8, 2025
More info: Debut Author
Plot
This locked room mystery from the April 2025 book releases is on Kirsten’s TBR and I cannot wait to get my hands on it as well. Addie is getting over a bad breakup after her boyfriend dumped her and cut her out of the deal for a video game they made together. When her grandmother, Mimi, gets an invitation from Jane Ireland to attend a charity auction, it is the perfect excuse to have Addie join her. When they get caught in a storm, and everyone is trapped at the mansion, no one is worried until Jane’s body turns up. Mimi and Addie now must rely on their skills to ensure they are not the next victims.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Author: Marie Bostwick
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Plot
It is 1960 and Margaret Ryan seems to have it all. But the house, husband, three kids, and prestigious neighborhood don’t feel like enough. Margaret decides to start a book club as an excuse to meet the newest neighbor and soon they discover that they want more from the life they have been told is the American dream. The friendships from the book club will help them through an unforgettable year.
Plot
Margaret Ives is an octogenarian who has not been seen in years. She invites two authors to stay with her for a month on a trial basis so she can decide who will write her memoir. Alice is waiting for her big break and Hayden is a Pulitzer Prize winning author. Margaret is giving each of them only parts of her story, but they cannot discuss anything with each other because of an ironclad NDA. A lot can happen in a month especially when the chemistry between them gets stronger by the day.
Watch Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Ya Fantasy
Release Date: April 15, 2025
More info: Shatter Me: The New Republic #1
Plot
The gorgeous deluxe edition of this book with a holographic foil jacket and special endpapers is available and it looks stunning! This is the first book in a new series in the Shatter Me world. James Anderson has managed to breach Ark Island (the refuge of The Reestablishment). He is in prison but that is not the point. His brother, Aaron Warner Anderson could never even get in! Roselle Wolff is a trained assassin whose every move is monitored. This is an enemies-to-lovers romance you won’t want to miss.
New May Books
Run for the Hills
Author: Kevin Wilson
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: May 13, 2025
More info: Bestselling author of Nothing to See Here
Plot
This is a Sibling Story like only Kevin Wilson can write. Madeline Hill has lived with her mom on their farm in Tennessee together since her dad left twenty years ago. When Reuben Hill shows up and informs her that he is her half-brother, she is surprised. She is even more shocked when Reuben tells her that there are more half-siblings and he intends to find them all. The two set off together to find who they are to one another and themselves.
Plot
Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella are known as The Five by podcasters, bloggers, and Tik Tockers after they go missing from a small private school in Northern California, on parents’ weekend. What happened to them? This is a thriller from the May 2024 book releases told from multiple points of view in the past and present and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
Plot
Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson have accomplished as much as they can as women in 1865. They have been corresponding with Sir Frances Austen, Jane Austen’s brother who is in his 90s and he has invited them to England. Nicholas and Haslett Nelson are brothers who are rare book dealers and have also been invited to England by Sir Francis Austen.
The sisters sneak away to sail to England without a chaperone. The Nelson brothers, Louisa May Alcott, Sara-Beth Gleason, and Justice Thomas Nash (A would-be chaperone) are all on the ship. I cannot wait to read this historical fiction pick from the May 2025 book releases.
Beach House Rules
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: May 27, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling author
Plot
I am being honest when I say there is nothing Kristy can write that I will not read! Every one of her books captures family relationships and dynamics like nobody else. This pick from the May 2025 book releases is no exception.
Charlotte Sitterly is put into the unwanted spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite when her husband is arrested for a white-collar crime and she and her daughter are locked out of their house, with no access to funds, by the FBI. When an acquaintance offers her a place to stay, Charlotte accepts, even if it is in a community of single mothers.
Charlotte and Iris are surprised by how much they are enjoying themselves until they discover a link between all of them. Was it a coincidence they ended up here? Will they use the skeletons in the closets of the other women to make their way back to the community they left?
Plot
Hooray! We are back on Fire Island and with any luck, Kirsten and I will be as well at some point this summer! Maggie May Wheeler is living her best life and is soon to be engaged when she finds a letter she wrote to herself when she was 13. She realizes that she needs to find her birth mother. The search leads her to Fire Island where her mother is a guest at a wedding. When a local invites her to the wedding as his date, she has to decide where her heart really lies. Kirsten and I both cannot wait to read this pick from the May 2025 book releases.
One Golden Summer
Author: Carley Fortune
Genre: Romance
Release Date: May 6, 2024
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Alice is a photographer who is uncomfortable being in the spotlight. She has been more comfortable behind the lens since the summer she was 17. She spent the summer at the lake with her nan and took a photo of three teens in a yellow boat and the picture changed her life.
Now, her Nan is recovering from a broken hip and Alice takes them back to Barry’s Bay so her Nan can recover. Alice immediately sees Charlie in the same yellow boat. She is shocked to see him and even more shocked that he sees her right back.
Plot
Jane Jackson is a former child star who was anything but glamorous as the butt of jokes on a popular sitcom. Now, to get her career back on track she has to convince her first kiss, Jack to write a song for a movie so she can star in it. So what if he is now the biggest pop star in the world. And the fact that her crush, Dan Finnegan is the cinematographer who has an in with Jack may be the least of her complications! I cannot wait to read my copy of this book and I will update you as soon as I have read it.
Expert Reading Tip
- Looking through a big list can be difficult so I narrowed down the choices to my top picks every month.
- Look for books that are in genres you love to read to help decide which new release books to add to your TBR
- Do you have an author you love? Check to see if they have new books coming out and add those to your TBR
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Epilogue
I hope I have narrowed down some choices to help you pick your next book. Are there new releases books that you are interested in reading? Let us know and we can give you more info!
