It’s that time of year again… the time of the all-important ‘books of the year’ lists, which curate some of the best-loved reads of the past twelve months. Below we’ve rounded up a festive list of all our titles we’ve spotted recommended in publications. You can get more information on each title, and shop the full list, here.

The Appletree Animal Agency, Katya Balen

The Day of the Roaring, Nina Bhadreshwar 

After Party, Dean Browne

Three Revolutions, Simon Hall 

Wild Thing, Sue Prideaux 

Dangerous Miracle, Liam Shaw

Those Who Are About To Die, Harry Sidebottom 

 

Wild Thing, Sue Prideaux – Top 10 Books of 2025

 

 

Letters from the Upside, Katya Balen – Best Children’s Books

Fair Play, Louise Hegarty – Best Crime & Thrillers

 

Fun and Games, John Patrick McHugh 

 

The Great Auk, Tim Birkhead

After Party, Dean Browne 

Injury Time, David Goldblatt

 

Wild Thing, Sue Prideaux – Best Biographies

Super Natural, Alex Riley – Best Science

 

Those Who Are About To Die, Harry Sidebottom

 

Injury Time, David Goldblatt

 

Otherlands: An Illustrated Journey, Thomas Halliday

 

Fun and Games, John Patrick McHugh

 

The Sun Rising, Anna Whitelock 

 

Deep House, Jeremy Atherton Lin

Fair Play, Louise Hegarty 

The Place of Tides, James Rebanks

 

Injury Time, David Goldblatt

 

An Archive, Edmund de Waal 

The Secret Public, Jon Savage

How To Kill A Witch, Claire Mitchell & Zoe Venditozzi

 

Lower Than The Angels, Diarmaid MacCulloch

 

The Good Father, Liam McIlvanney

Fun and Games, John Patrick McHugh

Bad Friend, Tiffany Watt Smith

The Sun Rising, Anna Whitelock 

 

Fun and Games, John Patrick McHugh

 

The Bridestone, Sally Gardner

Monsterland, Nick Jubber

War Babies, Chris Manby

How To Kill A Witch, Claire Mitchell & Zoe Venditozzi

 

The Cut, Richard Armitage – Best Crime & Thrillers

Letters from the Upside, Katya Balen – Best Children’s Books

Mary at 90, Mary Berry – Best Food & Drink Books

A Life and A Half, Chris Bryant – Best Politics Books

Nature’s Genius, David Farrier – Best Popular Science Books

The Brain at Rest, Joseph Jebelli – Best Personal Development Books

Dangerous Miracle, Liam Shaw – Best Popular Science Books

Those Who Are About To Die, Harry Sidebottom – Best History Books

How To Kill A Witch, Claire Mitchell & Zoe Venditozzi – Blackwell Scotland’s Book of the Year & Best History Books