Refresh your reading challenge for 2025 with these delectable reads
2025 is just around the corner, which means it’s time to refresh your reading goals for the year—meaning, it’s also the perfect moment to scour for new books to read. Whether you’re looking for romance, thriller, horror or contemporary reads, there’s a slew of new books coming this year and in January 2025. And, as the year unfolds, we can’t wait to see what other literary works will be released. From Onyx Storm to The Crash and Water Moon, here are the books that any bibliophiles or newbie bookworms will love.
Are you looking for more exciting reads for the year 2025? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered here.
Here are the best new books of January 2025:
All The Missing Pieces
Catherine Cowles
Melding true crime and romance, author Catherin Cowles is sticking to her roots with this romantic suspense book. The novel follows Ridley Sawyer a true crime podcaster that covers cold cases all over the country until Sheriff Colter Brooks gets in her way. But, when Ridley gets in trouble, Colt unexpectedly becomes her guard dog and surprises him with her true self—propelling him into liking her more than he expected.
Release Date: 7 January
Steal My Heart
Laura Pavlov
Brimming with a slow burn, angst and banter, Steal My Heart is an enemies-to-lovers small-town romance novel. The book follows Easton Chadwick who ends up having to take his boss’s daughter, Henley Holloway under his wing—a ‘princess’ and his biggest distraction. But, when their work rivalry becomes foreplay, Easton can’t deny how witty, funny and beautiful she is. So, Easton must decide whether she’s worth breaking his number one rule: getting into a relationship.
Release Date: 9 January
Beg, Borrow or Steal
Sarah Adams
In this rival-to-lovers romance, two-feuding second-grade teachers, Emily Walker and Jack Bennett must ally to steal back a manuscript that has been accidentally sent to the principal, which may or may not reveal Emily’s literary side hustle. With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, there’s no denying that their rivalry might change and Jack may actually be one of the charming heroes Emily has dreamt up in her romance books.
Release Date: 9 January
Water Moon
Samantha Sotto Yambao
Hana Ishikawa inherits a pawnshop in this dreamy, picturesque fantasy where lost people can sell their life choices, sorrows and regrets. She didn’t anticipate having the store ransacked on her first day, one of the shop’s most precious acquisitions stolen, and her father missing. Then, unexpectedly a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, making her go on a magical quest to find what’s missing. Enchanting, adventurous and dreamlike, this is will entice any fantasy lovers.
Release Date: 14 January
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Grady Hendrix
From the author who brought you How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group, Grady Hendrix is back with another horrifying story that will leave you frightened. In this book, 15-year-old Fern has been sent to Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden to have their babies in secret. But, when Fern meets a librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft, things take a turn for all the Wayward girls and suddenly, they’re the ones with the power and not the stern Miss Wellwood.
Release Date: 14 January
Beautiful Ugly
Alice Feeney
In this gripping, dark thriller, a grieving husband, Grady, moves to a tiny Scottish island to get his life back on track after the disappearance of his wife. But, when he lands in that small town, he sees the impossible—a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. So, naturally, he takes off on a hunt to figure out what’s going on. A book about marriage and revenge, this will have you gripping the edge of your seat.
Release Date: 14 January
Once Smitten, Twice Shy
Chloe Liese
Reimagining Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, this romance book by Chlose Liese sees Jules and Will, two hopeless people when it comes to love. So, when they come across each other, they decide to practice romance., Except that as they continue practising they’re learning that there’s an irresistible attraction between them. Fun and cute, this is a great read if you’re looking for something lighthearted.
Release Date: 14 January
Onyx Storm
Rebecca Yarros
In the third book of the Empyrean series, Xaden and Violet discover that love can be deadly. Continuing from the epic finale of Iron Flame, Violet must keep a big secret that could destroy everything while battling it out with her enemies and seeking allies from unfamiliar lands. So, get ready to fly or die this January with this most anticipated book of 2025.
Release Date: 21 January
Phantom
H.D. Carlton
Sexy, desirable and dark, Phantom is another intoxicating novel by H.D. Carlton—the author that brought you Zade and Adeline. Following the footsteps of Haunting Adeline, this book sees a married woman of a manor being stalked by her very own phantom whom she never intended to be sprung into a whirlwind romance with. But, nothing can deny her from the attraction, especially when she’s trying to stray far away from her husband, a man she fears. Not for the faintest heart, this is a fun, dark romance read for those girlies who love red flags.
Release Date: 21 January
Spiral
Bal Khabra
Peppered with sweet and spicy, Spiral follows hockey player, Elias Westbrook who starts fake dating Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina to get the media off his back. But, when the fake-dating rules start getting flimsy, their connection also starts sizzling. So, before things spiral out of control, Elias and Sage must decide what is worth fighting for—their career or love.
Release Date: 28 January
The Crash
Freida McFadden
Chilling to the bone, The Crash sees pregnant Tegan who gets stranded in rural Maine when a blizzard strikes. When a couple offers her a room at a cabin, she desperately takes it, but what she didn’t anticipate was, putting herself in more danger. Her haven has been turned upside down and now she must fight for herself and her baby. This is an emotional story about motherhood and survival.
Release Date: 28 January
The Comeback
Rebecca Jenshak
The third book of The Holland Brother series is coming this month and we can’t wait to see what pushes Archer Holland into a relationship. The synopsis has yet to come out, but with hints from Rebecca, we’ve deduced that this will be a sports romance with a best friend’s sister trope, so expect to see tons and tons of angst.
