The New and Most Anticipated Books You Need
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5 Exciting Second Fantasy Novels Coming in 2025
A bazillion books are published every year (which is a number I just made up), and publishing really loves to talk about debut novels, the darlings of the book world. But having a debut release is a thing that can only happen for an author one time. Where’s all the love for the second novels (and third and fourth and…) that come out? There are waaaay more of those.
So today’s list contains five exciting upcoming fantasy books that are the authors’ second novels. There are three sequels and two standalones, and all five were on many big lists of extremely anticipated books coming in 2025. Are you ready for a helping of seconds?
12 of the Most-Anticipated Trans & Nonbinary Books Out in 2025
There are so many exciting books by and about trans and nonbinary people coming out this year, and I’m sure we’ll find out about even more in months ahead. I struggled to put together this list because of the abundance of options to choose from! So please, don’t consider this a complete list of new trans and nonbinary books out in 2025; I’ll be talking about many more in the Our Queerest Shelves newsletter throughout the year.
The Best New Book Releases Out January 28, 2025
In the realm of fantastical fiction, there’s Gate to Kagoshima by Poppy Kuroki, a historical romantasy set in Japan; and On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres, a queer YA fantasy in which the titular Noche turns into an owl at night to escort the dead to the afterlife. Sci-fi lovers will appreciate We Are Dreams in the Eternal Machine by Deni Ellis Bechard, which explores AI and the meaning of human existence; while people looking for a little chuckle will dig Kira Jane Buxton’s contemporary and Italy-set Tartufo.
As for the featured books below, just about all of them are on someone’s “most anticipated books of 2025” list, and some are even on multiple lists. They have long-held family secrets, off-kilter girl stories, and amorphous blobs.
The Most Anticipated Book Club Books of 2025
The book clubs I’m a part of plan things as the months go by, which I like, but I can see the pros of both ways. Planning ahead gives people ample time to order books and read them if they can. You could even plan more robust activities around the books if you want more of an immersive experience. Depending on the book, you could have themed brunches and maybe even book-relevant group museum trips.
On the other hand, planning books as you go helps people pivot as their interests change, and it’s always nice to be flexible. No matter your planning method, the books I’ve gathered below are all especially book club-friendly picks from our Most Anticipated Books of 2025 list. There’s plenty to talk about within these books, which have examinations of family trauma, hellish dark academia, and a zany half-sibling road trip.
The Most Anticipated Books In Translation of 2025
Last year was an astonishingly good year for literature in translation, and after poring over catalogs and galleys, I’m thrilled to say that it’s only going to continue in 2025. In a year of uncertainty, I’ll take that small silver lining. I’ve highlighted some of the best 2025 new releases in translation, and because there is so much to choose from, I’ve added notes for others you should seek out as well! There’s something for everyone this season, with new novels, thoughtful nonfiction, stunning short story collections, and much more.