Nothing beats a new book in your hands.
From raw memoirs to electric fiction, 2025 has served up some unmissable reads.
Here are the best books of 2025.
Bread of Angels – Patti Smith
The punk poet laureate returns with a memoir that glows with insight, love, and loss. Smith reflects on childhood, art, family, and grief with her signature wit and lyricism.
Honest, intimate, and alive, it’s Patti at her most vulnerable and powerful.
BREAD OF ANGELS
PATTI SMITH
The Emperor of Gladness – Ocean Vuong
Vuong’s second novel is a tender, raw exploration of unlikely friendships and chosen family. When 19‑year-old Hai is saved from suicide by elderly Grazina, their bond transforms both lives, navigating love, grief, and survival on society’s edges.
Lyrical and heartbreaking, Vuong’s prose is as piercing as ever, reminding us why he’s one of literature’s most electric voices.
THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS
OCEAN VUONG
Night People – Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson’s raucous memoir Night People takes us behind the decks of ’90s New York, tracing his rise from outsider to musical mastermind.
Packed with wild parties, iconic artists, and the city’s electric nightlife, it’s a heartfelt, unfiltered celebration of creativity, music, and the nights that shaped a legend.
NIGHT PEOPLE
MARK RONSON
No One You Know – Dave Rowntree
No One You Know by Dave Rowntree is Blur like you’ve never seen them. Packed with candid backstage chaos, hotel shenanigans, and studio snapshots, the drummer’s exclusive photos capture the band’s thrilling early years.
Personal stories and unseen moments make this a rare, intimate peek behind the rise of a Britpop legend.
NO ONE YOU KNOW
DAVE ROWNTREE
The Eagle & The Crow – JM Field
Every now and then, a quietly powerful and necessary work comes along – one that should be compulsory reading for all. The Eagle and the Crow by JM Field is exactly that. A stunning blend of lyric essay, philosophy, and deep First Nations knowledge, it unpacks the cyclical strength of Gamilaraay kinship systems—resilient structures that resisted missionary erasure.
Field weaves language, culture, and mathematics to chart a path for social revitalisation, revealing how time, place, and connection pulse differently through Indigenous eyes.
THE EAGLE & THE CROW
JM FIELD
Lee Gordon Presents… – Jeff Apter
Before Gudinski or Chugg, there was Lee Gordon – loud, brash, and decades ahead of the game. In this electric new bio, Jeff Apter dives into the wild life of the man who brought Sinatra, Buddy Holly, and even Lenny Bruce to Aussie stages.
Gordon singlehandedly rewired the nation’s cultural DNA – nightclubs, drive-ins, discotheques, roller derby – all him. A fast-living pioneer who burned bright and bowed out early, Gordon was the chaos agent who made Australia big-time.
LEE GORDON PRESENTS…
JEFF APTER
Oasis: The Masterplan – Kevin Cummins
Oasis: The Masterplan is a photo book that looks at how Oasis shaped their identity in the lead-up to Definitely Maybe. Shot by Kevin Cummins during the first half of 1994, it captures the band as they figured out their look — from posing in Manchester City kits to messing around in London and the Netherlands.
There’s input from Noel Gallagher and plenty of never-before-seen shots, offering a clear view of how image and sound worked hand in hand. It’s not overblown or romantic — just a sharp, well-documented snapshot of a band learning how to be a band.
OASIS: THE MASTERPLAN
KEVIN CUMMINS
Bodypedia – Adam Taor
Bodypedia dives deep into the weird, wild world of your body’s lesser-known parts – from the acetabulum to the zygomaticus major. Adam Taor serves up nearly 100 bite-sized stories that mix science, history, and bizarre trivia.
Ever wonder why goosebumps exist or what Isaac Newton was thinking when he poked a needle in his eye? This book unwraps all that and more, spotlighting the strange tales behind your anatomy.
With sharp insights and killer illustrations by Nathalie Garcia, Bodypedia flips the script on how you see your own insides – celebrating the odd, the clever, and the downright freaky stuff lurking beneath your skin.
BODYPEDIA
ADAM TAOR
First Nations Classics Series Three – MaryAnn Bin-Sallik, Tara June Winch, Paul Collis, Bill Dodd
The First Nations Classics series is a vibrant celebration of Indigenous storytelling, bringing together powerful voices that have shaped Australia’s literary landscape. Spanning memoir, fiction, poetry, and more, this collection revives timeless works, many of them winners of the prestigious Unaipon Award, ensuring their stories resonate with new generations.
This curated pack features four standout titles: Aboriginal Women by Degrees, a heartfelt exploration of academic journeys; Broken Dreams, Bill Dodd’s moving memoir of resilience; Dancing Home, Paul Collis’s gripping tale of identity and return; and Swallow the Air, Tara June Winch’s lyrical coming-of-age story. Each book is reintroduced by contemporary Indigenous writers, bridging past and present with wisdom and warmth.
A testament to the enduring power of First Nations storytelling, this series is a must-read for anyone seeking truth, beauty, and connection
FIRST NATIONS CLASSICS: SERIES THREE
MARYANN BIN-SALLIK, TARA JUNE WINCH,
PAUL COLLIS, BILL DODD
Crowded House’s Together Alone – Barnaby Smith
Barnaby Smith’s Crowded House’s Together Alone is a vivid exploration of the band’s 1993 masterpiece, blending music, place, and myth into a psychogeographic journey.
The book delves into Neil Finn’s bold choice to record at Karekare Beach – a wild, moody backdrop that seeped into the album’s DNA – and the transformative chaos brought by producer Youth, whose pagan-inspired methods clashed with Finn’s precision. Smith retraces the band’s footsteps, weaving personal pilgrimage with sharp analysis of songs like ‘Private Universe’ and ‘Fingers of Love,’ capturing the album’s haunting beauty.
A must-read for fans of Crowded House’s most poetic, spiritually charged work.
CROWDED HOUSE’S TOGETHER ALONE
BARNABY SMITH
Doom and Bloom – Campbell Walker
Campbell Walker (aka Struthless) delivers a refreshing antidote to modern despair with Doom and Bloom, a self-help manifesto for transforming life’s mess into creative fuel.
Blending sharp wit, raw vulnerability, and a mix of ancient wisdom and modern science, Walker maps the journey from paralysing doom—where everything feels hopeless – to bloom, that magical state of effortless creativity. With actionable insights and his signature humour, he reframes struggle as fertile soil, proving growth begins when we dig deep. Equal parts inspiring and practical, Doom and Bloom is the guide we need to navigate darkness – and plant the seeds of a brighter, more creative life.
DOOM AND BLOOM
CAMPBELL WALKER
Julie Chan Is Dead –Liann Zhang
Julie Chan Is Dead is a juicy, jet-black thriller about influencer culture, identity theft (the stylish kind), and what happens when you accidentally step into your twin’s very curated, very lucrative life.
Julie didn’t mean to steal Chloe’s identity – she just wanted to call 911. But with one unlocked phone, she’s suddenly living her sister’s dream: brand deals, followers, Belladonnas, and detox teas.
Now all she has to do is keep up the act… and stay alive. Equal parts creepy and clever, it’s Talented Mr. Ripley meets Gossip Girl, if Serena had a secret twin and a body count.
JULIE CHAN IS DEAD
LIANN ZHANG
Call of the Owl Woman – K.M. Huber
Call of the Owl Woman weaves Peru’s Andean cosmovision into a spellbinding coming-of-age tale. Set in sixth-century Nasca, 15-year-old Patya resists her healer lineage – until a deadly earthquake thrusts her into a world of danger.
With sorcerers and priests battling for power, she must embrace her hidden strength to save her brother from ritual sacrifice. Rich in mysticism and adventure, this story immerses readers in a vivid, earth-centred spirituality, where self-doubt gives way to destiny. A mesmerising journey of courage and magic.
CALL OF THE OWL WOMAN
K.M. HUBER
Fahrenheit-182 – Mark Hoppus
Fahrenheit-182 is a candid, witty, and deeply personal memoir from Mark Hoppus, the iconic bassist and co-founder of blink-182.
From his turbulent childhood – marked by his parents’ divorce, constant moves, and an evolving identity—to finding his musical soulmate in Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge, Hoppus recounts his journey with humour and heart. The book captures the rebellious spirit of ‘80s punk rock, the meteoric rise of blink-182, and Hoppus’s private struggles with anxiety and public battle with cancer. A must-read for fans, Fahrenheit-182 is an inspiring tale of resilience, creativity, and never giving up.
FAHRENHEIT-182
MARK HOPPUS
The Master of Drums – Elizabeth J. Rosenthal
The Master of Drums is the electrifying first biography of Gene Krupa, the trailblazing drummer who ignited the Swing Era, revolutionised jazz, and inspired generations of rock legends. From his working-class roots in Chicago to his meteoric rise with Benny Goodman’s band and beyond, Krupa’s explosive talent and showmanship made him a global icon.
Elizabeth J. Rosenthal delivers a vivid, meticulously researched portrait of Krupa’s highs, lows, and boundary-breaking collaborations – like his partnership with trumpeter Roy Eldridge. Packed with rare photos and a foreword by Slim Jim Phantom, this book celebrates a percussion pioneer whose beats still echo in music today. A must-read for jazz and rock fans alike
THE MASTER OF DRUMS
ELIZABETH J. ROSENTHAL
John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs – Ian Leslie
Ian Leslie’s John & Paul is a revelatory deep dive into the bond that birthed The Beatles’ magic – a love story, a rivalry, and a creative explosion rolled into one. From their teenage meeting in 1957 to Lennon’s tragic end, Leslie paints an intimate portrait of two geniuses who fused grief, joy, and raw talent into timeless art.
With fresh recordings and footage, he strips away myths, revealing their musical dialogue as a lifeline – even post-breakup, their songs pulsed with regret, wit, and unspoken affection. John & Paul isn’t just a biography, it’s a euphoric, heart-wrenching celebration of collaboration. The Beatles’ story, but like you’ve never felt it before.
JOHN & PAUL: A LOVE STORY IN SONGS
IAN LESLIE
Neuromancer – William Gibson
William Gibson’s Neuromancer – the groundbreaking 1984 debut that defined cyberpunk – gets a lavish new edition from The Folio Society, just in time for its AppleTV+ adaptation.
With sleek illustrations and premium craftsmanship, this release is a must for fans of The Matrix or Cyberpunk 2077.
Gibson’s razor-sharp prose, neon-noir thrills, and eerily prescient corporate dystopia still dazzle decades later. A triple-crown winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Awards, Neuromancer remains a visionary classic, predicting our digital age with uncanny precision. Whether you’re a first-time reader or a longtime devotee, this edition is the ultimate way to experience the future, then and now.
NEUROMANCER
WILLIAM GIBSON
The Next Day – Melinda French Gates
Melinda French Gates gets real in The Next Day — a raw, reflective dive into life’s inevitable transitions.
From parenthood to heartbreak, career shifts to personal awakenings, Gates unpacks the beautiful mess of change with honesty and humour. It’s less a celebrity memoir, more a human handbook for when life sideswipes you. Sprinkled with wisdom from poets and thinkers she’s turned to in tough times, this is the kind of book you pass on to a mate in crisis. Gentle, brave, and quietly defiant, The Next Day reminds us all that even endings have their own kind of light.
THE NEXT DAY
MELINDA FRENCH GATES
Fair Play – Louise Hegarty
Fair Play by Louise Hegarty is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that keeps you on edge from start to finish. Abigail’s birthday celebration for her brother Benjamin turns deadly when he’s found murdered the next morning. As secrets unravel and suspicion grows, the house transforms into a locked-room puzzle, with every guest a potential suspect.
Hegarty masterfully blends suspense and intrigue, drawing readers into a world where nothing is as it seems. As Abigail digs deeper into the mystery, she uncovers unsettling truths about her brother’s hidden life. A chilling, thought-provoking read that will leave you questioning everything.
FAIR PLAY
LOUISE HEGARTY
YOKO – David Sheff
Bestselling author David Sheff offers an intimate and revelatory biography of Yoko Ono, drawing from their decades-long friendship and in-depth interviews with her, along with her family, friends, and close collaborators.
From her childhood in war-torn Tokyo to her groundbreaking work in the avant-garde art world, Sheff reframes Ono’s legacy, often misunderstood as the woman who ‘broke up The Beatles.’
This compelling narrative explores her life as an artist, musician, feminist, and activist, revealing her resilience and incredible contributions outside of her relationship with John Lennon. Yoko is a moving and powerful testament to a misunderstood icon.
YOKO
DAVID SHEFF
The Summer Guests – Tess Gerritsen
The Summer Guests is the fast-paced, page-turning thriller from the bestselling author of The Spy Coast.
In this latest Martini Club adventure, Maggie and her gang of retired CIA spies are living the quiet life in the seaside town of Purity, Maine, enjoying some birdwatching and martinis. But when a teenager goes missing and a friend is suddenly the prime suspect, things take a turn for the worst. Acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau is thrown into a mess of petty crime and small-town secrets, and she’ll need the Martini Club’s help to crack the case. Together, they must unravel deep secrets and uncover the truth before more lives are lost.
THE SUMMER GUESTS
TESS GERRITSEN
The Nightmare Sequence – Omar Sakr and Safdar Ahmed
The Nightmare Sequence is a powerful and hugely relevant response to the atrocities in Gaza and beyond since October 2023.
Through poetry and visual art, Omar Sakr and Safdar Ahmed confront the violence committed against Arabs and Muslims, while critiquing the role of art and media in this crisis. Their collaboration examines the painful position of witness – caught between the exposure to relentless violence and the complicity of a society participating in it.
With a foreword by Palestinian American poet George Abraham, this harrowing work captures the intersection of art, politics, and humanity, offering a vital record for the future.
THE NIGHTMARE SEQUENCE
OMAR SAKR AND SAFDAR AHMED
Dressed In Black – Lisa Mackinney
The Shangri-Las were more than just a 1960s “girl group”—they were pioneers, delivering raw, emotionally charged performances that still resonate today. In Dressed in Black, historian Lisa MacKinney rewrites their history, cutting through decades of myth and industry-driven dismissal.
She lays bare the band’s struggles with Mafia-linked execs and a male-dominated industry that downplayed their artistry. Shadow Morton’s legendary productions may have shaped their sound, but it was Mary Weiss and co. who gave their songs life. With fresh evidence and sharp analysis, MacKinney makes a bold case for the Shangri-Las’ rightful place in rock’s hall of fame.
DRESSED IN BLACK
LISA MACKINNEY
Gutsy Girls – Josie McSkimming
Dorothy Porter was a literary force, best known for her queer crime verse novel The Monkey’s Mask. Behind her success was a complex family dynamic, especially with her sister, Josie McSkimming.
In Gusty Girls, Josie reveals the extraordinary lives of herself and Dot, from their tumultuous upbringing under their barrister father to the divergent paths they took — Dot in the Arts and love, Josie in evangelical Christianity and therapy.
With exclusive access to Dot’s diaries, Gusty Girls offers an intimate, raw story of sisterhood, rebellion, and creative power. A must-read.
GUTSY GIRLS
JOSIE MCSKIMMING
Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Pelt
The Book Everyone’s Talking About: Meet Marcellus, the World’s Smartest Octopus. If you haven’t curled up with that octopus book yet, what are you waiting for? Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures is the heart-stealing debut novel that’s got readers everywhere hooked. It follows Tova, a grieving widow working night shifts at an aquarium, and Marcellus, a grumpy but brilliant Pacific octopus who secretly knows what happened to her missing son.
With razor-sharp wit and an emotional gut punch, this one’s got big feelings and big tentacles. Readers are obsessed—its never too late to jump on a great read – just be prepared to fall hard for Marcellus. Read it now, thank us later.
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES
SHELBY VAN PELT
Unbury The Dead- Fiona Hardy
Best friends Teddy and Alice are fixers with flexible morals. While Teddy searches for a missing teen with her occasional sidekick Art, Alice drives a deceased billionaire along Victoria’s coast before anyone discovers he’s dead.
The narrative takes a sharp turn when a shocking discovery connects their seemingly separate missions, forcing the duo to confront their wealthy employers. As they peel back layers of deception, Teddy and Alice find themselves entangled in a web of secrets far more complex than anticipated.
This taut thriller explores loyalty, ethics, and the lengths people will go to protect reputations, all while delivering sharp-witted dialogue and unexpected twists. It’s a gritty adventure that examines the price of dirty work and the surprising strength of friendship in the face of danger.
UNBURY THE DEAD
FIONA HARDY
The house of my mother – Shari Franke
The world watched, captivated, as the Franke family’s YouTube channel 8 Passengers became a viral sensation, boasting over 2.5 million subscribers. But behind the seemingly perfect facade lay a dark and devastating truth.
In her powerful memoir, Shari Franke, the family’s eldest daughter, pulls back the curtain on the abuse she endured at the hands of her mother, Ruby Franke, and the horrific regime imposed by Ruby and her accomplice, relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt.
With sharp insight and heartbreaking clarity, Shari exposes the toxic underbelly of influencer culture, detailing the severe control and manipulation she faced while her family’s distorted moral code played out for millions.
When Ruby and Jodi were arrested in 2023 on charges of child abuse, Shari’s one-word caption – “Finally” – marked the painful yet necessary end of her struggle. This memoir is not just a chilling look at the horrors of the 8 Passengers saga; it’s a story of survival, healing, and finding freedom.
THE HOUSE OF MY MOTHER
SHARI FRANKE
501 Essential Albums Of The 90s – Gary Graff
‘501 Essential Albums of the ’90s,’ curated by veteran music journalist Gary Graff and his team, serves as a comprehensive time capsule of this transformative decade in music history.
From the raw energy of grunge to the golden age of hip-hop, from the rise of alternative rock to the mainstream explosion of electronic dance music, each entry provides intimate details about the albums that shaped a generation.
The book doesn’t just catalog music; it captures the zeitgeist of the ’90s through album artwork and artist imagery, painting a complete picture of an era where musical diversity flourished.
Whether it’s Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind,’ Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic,’ or Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer,’ each album tells its own story within the larger narrative of a decade that forever changed how we experience music.
For both music enthusiasts and casual listeners, this collection serves as both a reference guide and a reminder of the last pre-digital decade in music history.
501 ESSENTIAL ALBUMS OF THE 90s
GARY GRAFF
The Harder I Fight The More I Love You – Neko Case
Neko Case has never done things by the book, and her memoir The Harder I Fight The More I Love You is no exception. In sharp, no-bullshit prose, she traces her journey from a dirt-poor childhood in rural Washington—where she was “raised by two dogs and a space heater”—to becoming one of music’s most revered voices.
Case peels back the layers of her life with the same raw intensity that fuels her songwriting, weaving together tales of loneliness, obsession, and the friendships that saved her. She captures the grit of growing up in “slummy, one-horse towns,” the escape she found in music and nature, and the battles fought to carve out space in a world that rarely makes room for outsiders.
Brutally honest and darkly funny, The Harder I Fight The More I Love You is a rallying cry for misfits, dreamers, and anyone who refuses to play by the rules.
THE HARDER I FIGHT THE MORE I LOVE YOU
NEKO CASE
Mood Machine – Liz Pelly
Spotify’s impact on music is put under the microscope in Mood Machine, a gripping investigation by music journalist Liz Pelly. Drawing on over 100 interviews with industry insiders and artists, Pelly unveils how streaming has transformed the way we listen to and value music.
From playlists packed with cheap stock tunes to the rise of payola 2.0, she exposes the cracks in Spotify’s two-sided marketplace, where listeners pay with data and musicians power the machine. Yet, amidst the chaos, Mood Machine spotlights artist-led movements fighting for fairer models—an urgent call to rethink the industry and reclaim music’s worth.
MOOD MACHINE
LIZ PELLY
Nobody’s Empire – Stuart Murdoch
Kickstart your reading list in 2025 with a debut novel from Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch. Set in early 1990s Glasgow, the story follows Stephen, a music-loving romantic newly diagnosed with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. As he struggles to navigate his illness, he meets others in similar straits, and together they form a support group that helps them face the world’s indifference.
Slowly, Stephen begins to write songs, awakening to a new possibility for his life. In search of something more, he and his friend Richard leave Glasgow for California, hoping the warmth and freedom of the West Coast will offer a fresh start.
With a poignant blend of melancholic beauty and hopeful optimism, Murdoch’s novel mirrors the emotional depth of his music. It’s a heartfelt exploration of friendship, struggle, and the pursuit of a life that makes sense, perfect for fans of his band and literary newcomers alike.
NOBODY’S EMPIRE
STUART MURDOCH
The Sunbird- Sara Haddad
Sara Haddad’s new indie bestseller is a testimony to the human spirit, both sincere and unforgiving in its approach to storytelling. Her hunger for words is never satisfied and you can truly feel this whenever you start a new page.
From malign weaponry and politics to catastrophe. Sara’s portrayal of deep loss and dispossession is second to none. The novel is a triumphant literary achievement and is a fit read for the ages.
To-the point, honest and sincere, it is truly a work of deep emotional connection. Both a heartbreaking story of loss and a stunning portrayal of exile all in one.
