When you’re working in the publishing industry (like I am), there’s a good chance you’re looking months, seasons, sometimes even years into the future. There’s an INCREDIBLE lineup of amazing books coming in the first half of 2025, so I wanted to share some of my most anticipated reads coming from January to April of 2025.

Preordering is a great way to support your favourite authors, as well as to show them and their publishers your excitement for a book. From a new book in the world of The Hunger Games, to brilliant and lush romantic fantasies, to thoughtful, researched explorations and criticisms of our culture, to brilliant and moving works of historical and contemporary fiction — I bet there’s something on this list for you!

NOTE: Publishing dates may change for the books below.

JANUARY

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

I’ve raved about Sue Lynn Tan’s Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology several times, and I’ll rave about it again! It’s one of my favourite fantasy series of all time. So, when I heard Sue was writing a new book set in the same world, I was THRILLED. Immortal is a standalone romantic fantasy about a young ruler fighting to protect her kingdom. Full of dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and dangerous bonds, this is a breathtaking story of magic, betrayal, and love.

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

S.F. Williamson’s A Language of Dragons is the perfect new read for fans of Fourth Wing and Babel. Set in London, in 1923, this is a world where dragons soar through the skies, and protests constantly erupt on the streets. Vivian Feastherswallow isn’t worried though. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. However, by midnight, Viv has started a civil war… This is an epic, sweeping young adult fantasy for lovers of Dark Academia, enemies-to-lovers, and slow-burning romances full of twists and turns. 

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

Kate Fagan’s The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a brilliant debut following Cate Kay, a bestselling novelist, who’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, she doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events, or given interviews, and her real identity has been kept secret… until now. As a young adult, Cate and her best friend had dreamt of escaping their difficult homes, and becoming movie stars… until a tragedy destroyed their dreams, and Cate’s been on the run ever since. However, after a shocking revelation, Cate must return home after years of hiding from her past.

Love Me by Marianne Power

Society still sets the gold standard for successful living as being married, and having kids. When Marianne Power turns forty, she’s left wondering why this picture-perfect life is so elusive, and if it’s what she ACTUALLY wants, or just thinks she SHOULD want. First, she leans into the alternatives — self-love, sisterhood, even self-marriage… but she can’t help but wonder if she’s actually avoiding confronting her real fears about commitment, relationships, and sex. In this memoir, she sets off on her own journey to see if she can have a full life without marriage or kids.

Babylonia by Costanza Casati

Costanza Casati’s Babylonia is a brilliant and unforgettable historical epic, weaving together mythology and ancient history, reimagining the story of the Assyrian Empire’s only female ruler, Semiramis. Once an orphan, raised on the outskirts of the empire, no one could have imagined Semiramis’ future would involve becoming a queen, a commander, and a warrior of mythical proportions — although one largely forgotten by history. Full of dazzling prose, and rich and lustrous worldbuilding, this is a beautifully imagined historical epic for lovers of mythology, history, and those that our stories often forget. 

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

Nnedi Okorafor’s Death of the Author is a brilliant new story for fans of Yellowface. When Zelu suddenly loses her job, and her latest novel is rejected – all in the middle of her sister’s wedding, her entire life is upended. Then, she decides to take a risk that will soon define her life — a science fiction drama about androids and AI, as well as the extinction of humanity. Part literary fiction, part afro-futurism (told in chapters from both Zelu’s life and from within her book) — this is a brilliant and complicated book about what it means to be human.  

The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao

Kritika H. Rao’s The Legend of Meneka is a brilliant story that combines Hindu mythology and romantic fantasy, as it reimagines the famous story of Meneka, a celestial dancer who must seduce a human sage. Meneka has been training as a weapon, enthralling her marks with powerful illusions, helping the king of heaven in his quest for power, even as she craves her own freedom. This is a romantic and lush story about a woman, torn between love and duty, as she discovers her own powers.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm is the highly anticipated third book in Rebecca Yarros’ bestselling romantasy series. The battle has REALLY begun. Enemies are closing in, both from within their ranks, and from outside their walls, and with this, it’s impossible to know who to trust. Now, Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards, in order to seek allies from unfamiliar lands. However, this trip will be harder than she can imagine, testing every ounce of her strength as she tries to save everything she loves. 

FEBRUARY

Bibliophobia by Sarah Chihaya

Sarah Chihaya’s Bibliophobia is the perfect book for obsessive readers, the ones who understand that some books can utterly DESTROY you. These are the kinds of books Sarah calls “Life Ruiners”, and Bibliophobia is a searing and funny story of survival and difficulty, told through books. In this book, Chihaya explores her identity, her mental illness, and the power with which books can affect us.

We, The Kindling by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek

Otoniya J. Okot Bitek’s We, The Kindling is a concise, powerful, and devastating novel centered around the schoolgirls in Uganda who survive capture by the Lord’s Resistance Army. In the 1990s, girls as young as eleven were abducted from schools and homes, and thrust into the horrors of war, by the Lord’s Resistance Army. They were faced with long, dangerous journeys, violence, and underage marriage. Many didn’t survive, and those who did, bear great trauma from their years of forced servitude. In this novel, we meet Miriam and Helen, two survivors, now in their twenties, and still haunted by their past. This is an unflinching, devastating story, full of pain, care, and life.

The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake

Elly Blake’s The Forest King’s Daughter is a delicious young adult fantasy romance. Once upon a time, a young forest princess befriended a lonely demon boy. But then the demon queen and the forest king declared war. Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army. When battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, they are forced to travel together to a place that they thought only existed in stories. Meanwhile, their childhood friendship turned bitter rivalry turns into something different…. something unexpected, even as dangerous threats continue to grow. 

You Didn’t Hear This From Me by Kelsey McKinney

Kelsey McKinney is the co-host of the popular podcast Normal Gossip, and old and new fans alike will enjoy this delightful exploration of our culture’s obsession with gossip. Weaving together journalism, memoir, and cultural criticism, this book explores everyday storytelling in all its murkiness. Why is gossip considered a sin? And how can we better recognize when gossip is being weaponized against the oppressed? Why do we think we’re entitled to every juicy detail of a celebrity’s life, just because they’re a public figure? This book looks into the heart of gossip — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Perfect Victims: And the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed El-Kurd

Mohammed El-Kurd’s Perfect Victims is a timely and brilliant affirmation of the Palestinian condition as resistance and refusal. Combining testimony, history, and reporting, this is a simple and powerful ode to Palestine and its people. Rather than asking the oppressed to be the perfect victims, this book forces the reader to forgo deference and condemnation, and look Palestinians in the eye.

All the Parts We Exile by Roza Nozari

Roza Nozari’s All the Parts We Exile is an insightful memoir tracing a queer Muslim artist’s journey toward radical self-acceptance, even through her exile from her ancestral home. As the youngest of three daughters — the only one born in Canada after her parents’ emigration from Iran, Roza began her life seeking belonging. From her early years, she shared a passion for Iranian cuisine with her mother, craving stories of their ancestral home. Together, they share their own truths — her mother’s own experiences from protesting to her ambivalence about marriage, and Roza’s experiences coming to terms with her own queer identity. This is a memoir of mother and daughter, and a story that beautifully explores the grief around the parts we exile, and the joy of those we hold close, in order to be true to our deepest selves.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

Omar El Akkad’s One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This is a thoughtful, sharp, and powerful book that critiques Western imperialism and neoliberalism, and offers a passage through collective grief into collective action. This book is a reckoning with what it means to live in the west, in the heart of imperialism. It’s a breakup letter with the west, one we’re watching all over the US (and Canada), from college campuses, to city streets. While this book was devastating, it also offered a path forward — through the grief, desolation, devastation, and range, and towards a new, better future. One of hope and community, and most importantly, love.

 

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

Holly Brickley’s Deep Cuts is an immersive and nostalgic book for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six, and the indie music scene. Percy Marks is a music aficionado — one with no talent for music, but definitely a lot of opinions about it. Joe Morrow is a songwriter, and he could listen to Percy pontificate forever. When Joe asks Percy for feedback on one of his songs, the results start a partnership that spans the course of years — igniting their passion, and crushing their egos. Is their collaboration worth the cost? Or is it holding Percy back from finding her own voice?

MARCH

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Clare Leslie Hall’s Broken Country explores the deadly consequences of a love triangle in an English farming village. When her brother-in-law shoots a dog who has been terrorizing their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. The dog belonged to Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teen. As Beth is pulled back into his life, tensions in the village are rising. Beth and her husband, Frank, are happily married, but when the truth comes out, things spiral out of control, with deadly consequences. This is a sweeping and powerful story about the legacies of first love.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

Ava Reid’s Fable for the End of the World is a gorgeous and thrilling standalone dystopian romance for fans of The Last of Us, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. After encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society. Inesa and her brother live in a half-sunken town, where they barely scrape by. Unbeknownst to them, their cruel mother has accrued massive debt, enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’ livestreamed assassination spectacle: The Lamb’s Gauntlet. Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, and as a product of neural reconditioning, she’s been honed into a weapon, trained to track and kill the sacrificial lambs. However, deep in the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything. Is there more to Inesa’s life than just survival? Is Mel capable of more than just killing? Is there something deeper between them than hate?

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Amal El-Mohtar’s The River Has Roots introduces us to two sisters who can’t be separated — even in death. In a small town, on the edge of Faerie, there lives the mysterious Hawthorn family. They tend and harvest the enchanted willows, honouring an ancient oath to sing to them, in thanks for their magic. None are more devoted than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees. However, when Esther rejects a forceful suitor, and instead chooses a lover from the land of Faerie, it’s not just the sisters’ bond that’s at risk, but also their lives.

Sucker Punch by Scaachi Koul

Scaachi Koul’s first book was a hilarious and raw essay collection that dealt with race, body image, love, and growing up as the daughter of immigrants. When she started writing her second book, she assumed it would be more of the same. Instead, Covid-19 happened, the world went into lockdown, Scaachi’s marriage fell apart, she lost her job, and her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Packed with her signature humour and ferocity,  Sucker Punch is an essay collection about what happens when the life you thought you’d be living radically changes its course, and you have to forge a new path forward.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is — in my opinion — one of the best books of the last century, and I was thrilled to learn that Suzanne Collins was going to revisit the world in Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest installment in the series. Set 24 years before the events of the first book, as the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. In District 12, all Haymitch Abernathy wants is to make it through the day, and be with the girl he loves. But when his name is called he’s torn from everyone he loves, and shuttled to the Capitol with the other children — a young friend who’s almost a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch knows he’s been set up to fail, but he won’t go down without a fight.

The Life That’s Waiting by Brianna Wiest

For years, Brianna Wiest wished there was a book, an encyclopedia of feelings, with an index of her own problems.  This book didn’t exist, so Brianna wrote it. Within its pages, you’ll find chapters like “Read This When Your Heart Is Breaking and It Feels Like It Will Never Heal”; and “Read This When You Want to Change Your Life But Don’t Know Where To Start”. The Life That’s Waiting is intended to be a balm, for readers of all ages and experiences.

APRIL

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Abby Jimenez is back, with a tender and emotional love story. There might be no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush is EXTREMELY close. He’s a gorgeous veterinarian, sculpted like a god… perfect. But after what might be the most perfect date in living history, Samantha is forced to admit the truth — that her family is in crisis, and any kind of relationship would be impossible. So she asks Xavier to forget her — to remember their one night together as a perfect moment, and move on. But no amount of time or distance can make them forget a love worth remembering.

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake

Olivie Blake’s Gifted & Talented was described to me as Succession with magic, so I was IMMEDIATELY sold. Upon the death of their father, three siblings are forced to reckon with their long-standing rivalries, their dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of their unrealized potential. Thayer Wren is the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech, known as the father of modern technology. Any one of his telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfate throne… or at least they think so. On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins, but which Wren will come out on top?

The Guilt Pill by Saumya Dave

Saumya Dave’s The Guilt Pill is a feminist psychological drama for fans of The Other Black Girl and The Push. Maya Paterl has it all — her own startup, a doting and sexy husband, renown as an influencer, and now, a new baby. However, behind closed doors, she’s drowning. Her newborn is taking a toll on her marriage, her best friend isn’t returning her calls, and her company’s hanging on by a thread. The worst part? It’s all her fault — if only she was a better boss, mother, daughter, wife, friend…. maybe she wouldn’t feel so guilty all the time. Then, #Girlboss Liz Anderson introduces her to the ‘guilt pill’, an experimental supplement that erases female guilt. At first, it’s working brilliantly,  the perfect antidote to Maya’s self-blame and imposter syndrome, but as she falls deeper down the pill’s rabbit hole, her ruthlessness could threaten everything she’s built…

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Emily Henry is BACK with Great Big Beautiful Life, the story of two writers who compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a few plot twists up her sleeve. Alice Scott is an eternal optimist, dreaming of her big writing break, and Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. They’re both on Little Crescent Island for the same reason — to write the biography of the tragic heiress Margaret Ives. They both think it’s a great opportunity… but the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. They can’t swap these pieces, because of their ironclad NDA, and because of the inconvenient yearning that comes up every time they’re in the same room… But what happens next in their story?

The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika and Maritza Moulite

Sisters Maritza and Maika Moulite are back with The Summer I Ate the Rich, a delicious (lol) young adult horror story about revenge. Brielle loves to cook, but with a chronically ill mother, and bills to pay, becoming a chef is not exactly a realistic career path for her. When her bother suddenly loses her job, Brielle steps in, using her culinary skills to earn some extra money. The rich families who love her cooking praise her unique flavours and textures that keep everyone guessing. They probably wouldn’t if they knew the secret ingredient though… human flesh.

Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert

Sophie Gilbert’s Girl on Girl is a fierce and intelligent criticism of the early-aughts, and how pop culture turned women and girls against each other — and themselves. Written by Sophie Gilbert, a staff writer at The Atlantic, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, this book paints a devastating picture of an era of distinctly American excess, materialism, and power worship colliding with the culture’s reactionary, puritanical, and misogynistic currents. Exploring the ways women are treated in public, this is a brilliant indictment of misogyny and its pervasiveness in our culture.

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Ameema Saeed (@ameemabackwards) is a storyteller, a Capricorn, an avid bookworm, and a curator of very specific playlists and customized book recommendations. She’s a book reviewer, a Sensitivity Reader, a book buyer at Indigo Books & Music, and the Books Editor for She Does the City, where she writes and curates bookish content, and book recommendations. She enjoys bad puns, good food, dancing, and talking about feelings. She writes about books, big feelings, unruly bodies, and her lived experiences, and hopes to write your next favourite book one day. When she’s not reading books, she likes to talk about books (especially diverse books, and books by diverse authors) on her bookstagram: @ReadWithMeemz