If 2025 felt like a year when readers could not stop talking about certain books, you were not imagining it. From buzzy breakout novels to veteran authors who returned with new work, the best-seller lists this year blended escapism, big ideas, and pure page-turning craft. Here are the 20 best-selling books that consistently topped sales charts, fueled book club discussions, and appeared across print, ebook, and audio formats.
20 Best-Selling Books That Everyone’s Talking About
1. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and the Empyrean series craze
A fantasy romance series that crossed over into mainstream reading circles, Fourth Wing and its sequels maintained enormous popularity in 2025 as readers devoured lush world building and high stakes romance. The book’s mix of romance energy and epic stakes kept it on best-seller charts and social feeds. Amazon and Goodreads 2025 lists show the series as a dominant presence.
2. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
The follow up in the Empyrean arc, Onyx Storm, rode the same wave. Its strong sales on Kindle and in print made it a frequent number one on retailer lists. If you read the first book, this one was an essential next stop.
3. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Another installment that dominated ebook charts and kept the franchise visible in 2025 lists. The popularity of this trilogy shows how genre fiction can create mass readership when it blends strong characters and serialized momentum.
4. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Emily Henry’s work continued to be a cultural favorite. Her ability to mix romance and sharp emotional insight made this book an easy pick for summer reading lists and book club conversations, which helped sustain sales all year. Retail editors and best-seller roundups regularly featured this title.
5. Never Flinch by Stephen King
A new release from a beloved master has commercial gravity. Stephen King’s Never Flinch found big sales and engaged readers who wanted both creeps and wise storytelling. High profile releases like this always show up on top lists through the year.
6. Nightshade by Michael Connelly
Connelly’s steady hold on crime fiction readers continued in 2025 with Nightshade, a procedural that combined tight plotting with human stakes. Readers who want craft and momentum kept this on weekly best-seller lists.
7. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
A new Dan Brown title is always a sales event. His mix of conspiracy, historical puzzles, and rapid pace ensured this book reached a wide audience and earned strong placement on national best-seller tables.
8. The Tenant by Freida McFadden
Psychological thrillers kept readers turning pages in 2025. McFadden’s twisty plotting and short chapter hooks made The Tenant a natural paperback favorite and a consistent presence on retail best-seller pages.
9. The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
Osman’s blend of warmth and mystery sustained his popularity. His titles often find crossover readership among fans of literary mystery and gentle humor, which kept this book selling throughout the year.
10. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Technically a carryover from prior years, this novel’s continued presence on best-seller lists in 2025 demonstrates how a sincere, moving story can linger in public taste. Its quiet charm made it a repeat recommendation for book clubs and gift guides.
11. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
Romance that leans toward life questions and emotional honesty found large audiences in 2025. Jimenez’s titles were frequently recommended and appeared in best-seller snapshots compiled by national papers and retailers.
12. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
TJR’s novels continued to reach mainstream attention, and Atmosphere combined personal stakes with her trademark emotional clarity. The book’s inclusion in summer reading editor picks helped it stay visible on best-seller pages.
13. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Released March 18, 2025, this prequel to the hugely popular The Hunger Games series centers on the 50th Hunger Games and the back-story of Haymitch Abernathy. It had one of the strongest opening weeks ever in the series and topped multiple best-seller lists globally.
14. Alchemised by SenLinYu
Published September 23, 2025, Alchemised is a standalone dark fantasy/romance novel rooted in a fan-fiction origin. It very quickly hit No. 1 on the The New York Times best-seller list.
15. The First Gentleman by Bill Clinton & James Patterson
Released June 2, 2025, this political thriller by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in collaboration with prolific author James Patterson blended real-world themes with fictional intrigue.
16. 107 Days by Kamala Harris
Published September 23, 2025, this memoir by the U.S. Vice President reflects on her 2024 presidential campaign and broader themes of power and politics. Sales exceeded 350,000 copies shortly after release.
17. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
A self-help and motivational title that dominated nonfiction charts in 2025, appealing to readers seeking actionable advice for personal and professional growth.
18. The Circle Game by Colleen Hoover
Hoover continued her domination of contemporary fiction with The Circle Game, a novel that mixed emotional vulnerability and relationship drama with her signature readability. It topped TikTok-driven book charts and held a steady presence across both indie and major retailers. Her ability to capture messy, modern love stories once again translated into major sales and cultural buzz.
19. Artificial Light by Blake Crouch
Crouch’s return to high-concept science fiction thrilled both longtime fans and newcomers. Artificial Light explored the boundaries between human consciousness and technology in a fast-paced, cinematic narrative that felt built for adaptation. Critics praised its mix of tight plotting and philosophical reach, while readers pushed it to the top of Amazon’s sci-fi list for weeks.
20. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
One of the surprise breakouts of 2025, The Ministry of Time blended speculative fiction, romance, and British humor into a story about love and displacement across eras. Word of mouth and glowing online reviews kept it in heavy rotation on best-seller lists. Many readers compared its tone to Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, noting its bittersweet reflection on the themes of belonging and time.
Why These Books Sold So Well in 2025
A few patterns explain why the books above dominated sales and conversation this year.
- Fragmented but committed audiences. Fandoms around genre series kept fantasy and thriller franchises moving through charts. Social media communities, especially on platforms like TikTok and Goodreads, amplified discovery and drove micro trends that translated to real sales. The Empyrean books are an obvious example of this dynamic.
- Backlist resilience. Older titles kept selling thanks to new media moments, anniversaries, or viral recommendations. That is why novels like Remarkably Bright Creatures or even resurgent classics found new life in 2025.
- Trusted names and event publishing. Big name authors still guarantee attention. When Stephen King, Dan Brown, or Emily Henry publishes, publicity, preorders, and wide distribution create immediate best-sellers. Publishers leaned into that system in 2025 with event marketing and cross-platform promotion.
- Nonfiction that meets readers’ needs. Books that offered frameworks for living, health, or civic engagement sold because readers wanted practical guidance in uncertain times. Well researched, accessible nonfiction that connects to cultural conversation found large audiences.
How to Read These Books Smartly in 2025
If you want to dive in, here are practical tips to get the best experience.
- Choose format by how you consume story. If you commute, try audiobook editions on Audible or Libro.fm. If you annotate or re-read, choose hardcover or a nicely bound paperback. Many 2025 titles came with bonus content in special editions, such as author interviews or reading group guides.
- Shop consciously. Buy from local independent bookstores when possible. Bookshop.org and indie stores often stock best-sellers and send more revenue to local booksellers than big box retailers.
- Start with a backlist detour. If you liked a current title, check the author’s backlist. Many of 2025’s best-sellers were sequels or follow ups that only deepen the experience if you read earlier entries first.
- Join a book community. Online discussions, local book clubs, or curated reading lists from trusted outlets like Barnes & Noble editors or Amazon editors help you find which of the top titles match your taste. Retailer picks and staff recommendations were frequently useful this year.
Editions, Formats, and Gift Ideas
Some of these books were released in multiple editions that collectors or gift givers will love.
- Collector’s or deluxe editions. Big name debuts often had signed or clothbound editions sold through independent stores and specialty presses.
- Boxed sets for series. For franchise reads like the Empyrean series, boxed sets made excellent gifts and helped newcomers read the whole arc in sequence.
- Audiobook narrators. Narration quality matters. Look up who narrates the audiobook before you buy if audio is your main format. Narrators can elevate a novel’s emotional impact, especially for big, character-driven books.
Where to Track Ongoing Best-sellers
If you want to watch which books are rising this week, these resources were the most reliable in 2025:
- The New York Times Best Seller lists, updated weekly and often the industry reference for national sales trends.
- Amazon Best Sellers and Kindle charts for real-time retail momentum.
- Major paper lists such as the Washington Post paperback best-sellers for a snapshot that includes independent and regional reporting.
- Publisher and editor roundups like Amazon editors’ picks and Barnes & Noble staff lists to find recommended favorites.
Reading Trends That Shaped 2025
The year 2025 proved that readers want both comfort and challenge. They purchased sprawling fantasy series and intimate memoirs, longed for escapist thrillers and turned to serious nonfiction that helps explain the present. Best-sellers are not only a reflection of sales numbers. They are cultural touchstones that show what readers cared about in a given year.
If you are building your reading list for the year, consider mixing one blockbuster from the list above with a quieter nonfiction pick and a classic backlist title. That combination captures the mood of 2025: energetic, curious, and rooted in deep appetite for good storytelling in every form.
