HPL Staff Recommends: Books We Loved 2025

The Helen Plum Library staff are always happy to share their top recommendations, whether you're looking for a book to gift to a loved one or something for your personal to-be-read list. From tried-and-true classics to under-the-radar new releases, here are our favorite books we read in 2025.

Suspenseful Stories

1. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney: A locked room mystery perfect for fans of And Then There Were None.
2. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney: A domestic thriller with a killer twist.
3. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: For anyone who likes their thrillers dark, this is an unnerving, vicious read with an ending you won’t forget.
4. Sleep by Honor Jones: This thriller tackles family dynamics and coming-of-age, with expert pacing and mood-setting.
5. Red Widow by Alma Katsu: For anyone who thinks they don’t like espionage, this will change your mind.
6. A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay: Perfect for fans of ghost-hunting reality shows.
7. One by One by Ruth Ware: A thrilling avalanche survival story and the perfect page-turner when you’re snowed in this winter.

Romances to Warm Your Heart

1. Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee: A queer, witty Regency romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton.
2. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake: A swoony and heartwarming opposites-attract romance that also touches on sisterhood and friendship.
3. Truth or Beard by Penny Reid: This steamy romantic comedy has both opposites attract and mistaken identity tropes, and you will fall in love with the characters.
4. Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner: This age-gap romance balances comedy and drama and will leave you with warm fuzzies.

Just Great Fiction

1. The Brothers K by David James Duncan: Sink your teeth into this 600+ page story about baseball, religion, morality, and family dynamics.
2. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: A classic that fully deserves the praise, this gothic romantic suspense novel is intriguing and impossible to put down.
3. The Big Nowhere by James Ellroy: Deeply flawed LAPD protagonists investigate brutal murders against the vivid backdrop of 1950s LA.
4. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai: Get your tissues… themes of love, loss, despair, and hope all come together in this beautiful, heartbreaking story.
5. Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult: A tale of growth and finding yourself set against the backdrop of COVID lockdowns.
6. Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski: A sweeping, emotional story about second chances, self-discovery, and the power of forgiveness.
7. The Secret History by Donna Tartt: The ultimate dark academia why-dun-it, equal parts horrifying and beautiful, this is a devastating exploration of class and wealth.
8. Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs: A twisty-turny tale of magic, power, and family that might just cast a literal spell on you.
9. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: Even if you don’t like sci-fi, you’ll love this captivating story about saving the world against all odds.
10. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson: A generational saga about trauma, family secrets, race relations, and the way money changes the lives of families.

Manga & Graphic Novels

1. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh: Funny and relatable depictions of depression and anxiety, perfect for fellow millennials trying to cope with life.
2. Reckless by Ed Brubaker: A hard-boiled detective story about a man who doesn't follow the rules and gets the job done.
3. Harleen by Stjepan Šejić: A gorgeous reimaging of Harley Quinn's origin story that humanizes her and The Joker.
4. Moriarty, the Patriot by Ryōsuke Takeuchi: A manga retelling of Sherlock Holmes from the perspective of Moriarty that’s surprisingly lighthearted and humorous. 

Nothing But the Truth: Nonfiction We Loved

1. Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile: A fascinating look at one of music's most revered artists, Carlile shares intimate stories of her life while giving readers insight into her songwriting process.
2. Book and Dagger by Elyse Graham: Narrative non-fiction that tells the story of developing a spy network of academics and librarians in Europe at the beginning of WWII.
3. Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future by Daniel Lewis: For nature lovers, this book shows how a small sample of trees has a profound influence on our world.
4. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann: Everyone has some idea of the profound historical and cultural significance of the arrival of Columbus, but this book delves into the far-reaching ecological effects of that event.
5. Crying in the Bathroom by Erika L. Sánchez: A memoir by a daughter of Mexican immigrants in Chicago that discusses serious topics like depression with a sense of humor.
6. How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur: A primer on how to live an ethical life, told in a funny and thought-provoking way.
7. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris: For fans of dry humor, Sedaris's stories are hilarious and heartfelt. Told in his voice on the audiobook, they hit even harder.
8. Dreaming the Beatles by Rob Sheffield: A collection of essays that earnestly and insightfully explores the Beatles’ legacy from their formation to their fanatical public reception.
9. Solito by Javier Zamora: An inspiring memoir of a nine-year-old’s journey from El Salvador to reunite with his parents.
10. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner: A beautifully and honestly written memoir that touches on grief, taking care of a terminally ill parent, maintaining traditions, and cultural identity.

Feast for the Ears: Audiobooks We Loved

1. The Devils by Joe Abercrombie: People who like The Lord of the Rings but wish it was funny with imperfect characters. Fantastic world-building with twisted humor and brutal action in a story where no one is truly good, but everyone is fun to root for.
2. World War Z by Max Brooks: Set in the wake of a zombie apocalypse, the story is a retrospective on what went wrong. The audio is a compilation of different types of storytelling: narrative, news reports, and "live" recordings.
3. What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown: A story told from the perspective of a girl raised by her father, who lives off the grid and becomes radicalized.
4. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke: For bibliophiles and fans of alternate history, a fantastical Victorian drama of manners.
5. The Favorites by Layne Fargo: This full-cast audiobook tells a tragic story of two young ice skaters who have the odds strongly stacked against them in every sense.
6. Conclave by Robert Harris: Different than the movie but equally compelling, this story of a papal conclave is gripping up to the very memorable ending.
7. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry: A dad-core classic and quintessential western that is classic for good reason.
8. Bog Queen by Anna North: Historical fiction with a gripping mystery, told in multiple narratives that combine to tell a meaningful, human story.
9. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: 1980s. Astronauts. Lesbians. What more could you ask for?

 For the Young (or Young at Heart)

1. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins: An epic fantasy adventure perfect for middle schoolers – an underrated series by the author of The Hunger Games.
2. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins: A must-read for Hunger Games fans, the new installment builds on the world and its characters and is an emotional roller-coaster.
3. Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix: Perfect for grades 5-7, or anyone who enjoys a historical fiction/sci-fi crossover.
4. Unseelie by Housman Ivelisse: A fast-paced fantasy duology that’s part heist, part trial story, with neurodivergent representation.
5. A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim: An East-Asian inspired fantasy novel with elements of Beauty and the Beast.
6. Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz: Perfect for high schoolers who loved Truly Devious or other murder mysteries, filled with twists and a bit of romance.
7. Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri: An award-winning true story of an Iranian refugee, for anyone who loves a good story told well, but especially an adult who wants to dip into children's lit.
8. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell: This fresh, epic adventure is reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia, but with far more dragons.
9. The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys: A historical, romantic page-turner about the Spanish Civil War.
10. The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith: It’s like Bridgerton but with fairies.
11. Darker by Four by June CL Tan: Perfect for fans of KPop Demon Hunters, this story pulls from Chinese folklore and features a group of demon-fighting teens.
12. It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini: A humorous account of a New York City teenager's battle with depression and his time spent in a psychiatric hospital.
13. Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao: Great for people who like a buddy comedy, spend too much time on social media, or want to read books with LGBTQIA+ representation.