Readworthy by BookBub This Month’s Best New Most Readworthy Fiction What were the absolute biggest, buzziest fiction releases of 2025? Readworthy has rounded up the novels you shouldn’t miss from this past year — and there’s something for every type of fiction lover. ---------------------------------- The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb This ‘heart-wrenching story of redemption’ (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) has stunned readers and critics alike - A <i>New York Times</i> bestseller and Oprah’s Book Club pick from the author of <i>She’s Come Undone</i> and <i>I Know This Much Is True</i> - After causing the tragedy that tears his family apart, a young man must adjust to his new life — where small acts of kindness help him find hope - Glowing reviews from Alice Hoffman and Andre Dubus III, who says, “I could not put down <i>The River Is Waiting</i>, and I predict that you won’t be able to either” Media Praise: Oprah's Book Club, Book of the Month, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, People, The Washington Post, Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6052?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-river-is-waiting-by-wally-lamb?... Heartwood by Amity Gaige You’ll be riveted by ‘the best thriller of 2025’ (<i>The Boston Globe</i>) - After an experienced hiker vanishes on the Appalachian Trail, a Maine game warden and a 76-year-old bird-watcher are determined to find her - Elin Hilderbrand raves, “I can’t recall the last time I’ve been so dazzled by a novel” - This unmissable Read with Jenna pick is perfect for fans of <i>The God of the Woods</i> Media Praise: TODAY Book Club/Read with Jenna, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6060?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/heartwood-by-amity-gaige-2025-04-16... The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai This Booker Prize finalist is ‘not so much a novel as a marvel’ (<i>The New York Times Book Review</i>) - Ann Patchett raves, “I wanted to pack a little suitcase and stay inside this book forever” - After first meeting on an overnight train, Sonia and Sunny find their lives repeatedly intersecting across decades and countries - An unforgettable <i>New York Times</i> bestseller and Kirkus Prize finalist Media Praise: Time Magazine, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, The Economist, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Financial Times, Harper's Bazaar, Bustle, Elle, Vulture, The Guardian, The Times, The Boston Globe, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6056?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-loneliness-of-sonia-and-sunny-b... Never Flinch by Stephen King ‘This is Stephen King at his finest, and an absolute must-read for his fans’ (<i>Booklist</i>) - The iconic, highly intelligent PI Holly Gibney faces off against a vengeful serial killer and a dangerous stalker - This propulsive #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestseller proves “he’s not the King for nothing” (<i>USA Today</i>) Media Praise: NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, Associated Press, USA Today, Slate, Vulture, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Salon, Paste, Variety, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6055?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/never-flinch-by-stephen-king?grante... Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Reese Witherspoon says her November book club pick has ‘twists that will shock you’ - This instant <i>New York Times</i> bestseller is “a suspenseful and moving must-read” (<i>Reader’s Digest</i>) - When a shipwrecked woman washes ashore on the storm-battered island of Shearwater, the Salt family takes her in — and soon, their world is upended - “It’s a ferociously smart read, timely and poetic, and had me gripped from the very first page” (Rachel Joyce, author of <i>The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry</i>) Media Praise: Reese's Book Club, Book of the Month, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Economist, The Washington Post, Town & Country, Scientific American, Bustle, Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Electric Literature, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6059?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/wild-dark-shore-by-charlotte-mccona... The Names by Florence Knapp One of 2025’s biggest debuts has glowing praise from Ann Napolitano and Elin Hilderbrand - Cora hesitates to choose her newborn son’s name — and ripple effects unfold across three possible futures… - A Read with Jenna pick and instant <i>New York Times</i> bestseller that “will linger with readers long after they finish the last page” (<i>Booklist</i> starred review) - “It’s one of those books that will make you irritable with anyone who interrupts you, but which you’ll finish wanting to press into the hands of a friend” (<i>The Times</i>) Media Praise: TODAY Book Club/Read with Jenna, Book of the Month, People, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Times, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6061?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-names-by-florence-knapp-2025-05... Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow This <i>New York Times</i> bestselling legal thriller ‘easily ranks among Turow’s best’ (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) - Now a retired judge, Rusty Sabich’s hopes for a quiet life are dashed when his wife’s son, Aaron, is accused of murder - A “master class in legal suspense” (<i>Booklist</i>) that captivated Kristin Hannah and David Baldacci - The can’t-miss sequel to <i>Presumed Innocent</i>, the inspiration for the hit Apple TV+ miniseries Media Praise: NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, Vulture, Chicago Tribune, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6057?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/presumed-guilty-by-scott-turow?gran... The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong Oprah Winfrey promises, ‘If you read the first chapter, you’re going to be hooked’ - After troubled 19-year-old Hai becomes the caretaker to Grazina, an elderly widow with dementia, their bond dramatically changes both of their lives - This sweeping Oprah’s Book Club pick and instant <i>New York Times</i> bestseller “soars to astonishing heights” (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) - “In writing this book, Vuong may have joined the ranks of an elite few great novelists” (<i>Los Angeles Times</i>) Media Praise: Oprah's Book Club, NPR, PBS, TODAY Show, CBS Mornings, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, Associated Press, Financial Times, Esquire, Vulture, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6058?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-emperor-of-gladness-by-ocean-vu... The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown <i>The Da Vinci Code</i>’s Robert Langdon is back in this smash-hit #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestseller! - Race through this page-turning adventure before the Netflix adaptation hits screens - Symbology professor Langdon travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture — where a missing person and a lost manuscript throw him into the center of a twisted conspiracy… - “A story is so riveting you’ll want to clear your calendar” (<i>USA Today</i>) Media Praise: NPR, Good Morning America, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, The Washington Post, Associated Press, Good Housekeeping, Vulture, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Times, Reactor, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6053?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-secret-of-secrets-by-dan-brown?... Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Trust Kristin Hannah: ‘You’ll barrel through this electric novel’ until the ‘pitch-perfect ending’ - A <i>Good Morning America</i> Book Club pick and instant #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestseller - When Joan becomes one of the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program, she finds love and unlikely friendship — but one shocking mission will change everything - The epic latest from the author of <i>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> is already slated for a film adaptation Media Praise: Good Morning America Book Club, Time Magazine, NPR, Good Morning America, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, New Scientist, Entertainment Weekly, People, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Financial Times, USA Today, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Los Angeles Times, The Times, Rolling Stone, Variety, Reactor, Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, BookPage Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/6054?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/atmosphere-by-taylor-jenkins-reid-2... ---------------------------------- Discover more Readworthy recommendations: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/collections/best-new-fiction-books?grante... ---------------------------------- You are receiving this Most Readworthy Fiction email because [email protected] is signed up for updates highlighting the best new releases in your categories. If you'd like to change the Readworthy emails you receive, you can update your categories here: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/settings/categories?granted_at=2025-12-10.... Purchases through our links may earn us a commission. If you'd like to update the retailer links included in Readworthy emails, you can update your format and retailer preferences here: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/settings/reading-preferences?granted_at=2.... 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