Whether it’s a haunting memoir, game-changing nonfiction, or gripping thriller, the anticipation of what lies ahead of you as you turn a fresh page is unparalleled.
As 2025 unfolds, we’re in for an exhilarating literary journey. Here are the standout new releases of the year so far.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
