Most Popular Books Published in 2025 (So Far), According to Goodreads

If you’re searching for the most popular books published in 2025, this curated list,directly based on Goodreads reader data, highlights the top 10 books that captured the most attention, ratings, and reviews from January to June.

The first half of the year has already delivered some truly memorable titles. According to Goodreads, readers in the United States have shown overwhelming enthusiasm for a wide variety of stories.

From dystopian thrillers and romantic dramas to innovative fantasy, there are books for all tastes.

Below, we explore each book’s premise, author background, and why it’s become a standout in 2025 so far.

The Top 10 Most Popular Books Published in 2025 (January to June)

To determine the most popular books published in 2025 so far, we relied primarily on real-time data from Goodreads. 

Our selection focused on titles released between January and July 2025, ranked based on a combination of factors: overall reader engagement (including number of ratings, reviews, and “want to read” adds), average rating scores, and strong visibility among U.S. readers. 

1. Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) by Rebecca Yarros

In the much-anticipated third chapter of The Empyrean series, Violet Sorrengail finds herself at the edge of a looming war. 

With alliances crumbling and danger closing in from all sides, Violet is forced to leave the safety of Basgiath and face a harsh, unfamiliar world beyond. 

Her mission: gather support, confront hidden truths, and protect everything she loves, including her dragons and the man she can’t lose. 

But as secrets surface, Violet realizes the fight isn’t just on the battlefield, it’s also within. 

Onyx Storm blends action, emotion, and fantasy with the kind of immersive storytelling that’s made this series a modern phenomenon.

2. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins takes readers back to the brutal world of Panem in this riveting prequel to The Hunger Games. 

Set during the 50th Hunger Games, the notorious Second Quarter Quell, we follow a young Haymitch Abernathy, who’s torn from his life in District 12 and thrown into a twisted battle for survival. 

As he faces the Capitol’s cruel manipulations and deadly arena challenges, Haymitch must dig deep to survive, fueled by love, heartbreak, and defiance. 

The novel paints a richer portrait of a fan-favorite character while exposing the darker layers of the Hunger Games universe.

3. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

In this witty and emotional novel, two writers with very different personalities are thrown into competition to win the rights to tell the life story of the mysterious Margaret Ives, a forgotten heiress with a scandalous past. 

Alice, an idealistic up-and-comer, and Hayden, a gruff Pulitzer winner, find themselves tangled not just in Margaret’s layered narrative, but also in each other’s lives. 

As secrets unfold and romantic tension builds, Great Big Beautiful Life it’s a reflection on truth, perspective, and the stories we tell about ourselves and others.

4. The Crash by Freida McFadden

Tegan, heavily pregnant and fleeing a chaotic life, drives into a snowstorm in search of peace, only to end up stranded and injured in rural Maine. 

Rescued by a couple who offer her shelter in their secluded cabin, Tegan initially feels safe. But isolation and unease soon set in as strange things begin to happen. 

Her saviors may not be who they claim to be, and the cabin begins to feel more like a trap than a refuge. 

The Crash is a tightly wound psychological thriller about survival, trust, and a mother’s fierce instinct to protect.

5. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Set in the early 1980s against the backdrop of NASA’s Space Shuttle program, Atmosphere follows Joan Goodwin, a quiet but brilliant physics professor who suddenly finds herself in astronaut training. 

What begins as a scientific pursuit quickly becomes a journey of personal transformation as Joan is tested physically, emotionally, and romantically. 

With a vibrant cast of characters and a sweeping historical setting, this novel explores ambition, identity, and the risks we take for love and meaning. 

Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers a stunning blend of science, heart, and atmosphere, both literal and emotional.

6. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Veterinarian Xavier Rush seems like the perfect man, until an awkward comment nearly ruins his chance with Samantha, a strong-willed woman facing serious family struggles. 

After one unforgettable night together, Samantha pulls away, believing there’s no room for romance in her life. 

But Xavier isn’t so quick to forget. As the distance between them grows, so does the memory of what they shared. 

Say You’ll Remember Me is a tender and heartfelt story about timing, forgiveness, and how love can persist even when life gets in the way.

7. Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

Scarlett Vandermeer is laser-focused on med school and recovering from an injury that could end her diving career. 

The last thing she needs is a distraction, especially not in the form of Lukas Blomqvist, Stanford’s golden boy swim captain. 

But when a shared secret pulls them into a secret relationship, sparks fly fast and feelings run deep. 

What starts as a fling soon grows into something more complicated. Deep End is a sizzling, emotionally rich romance set in the competitive world of college athletics, where ambition and attraction collide.

8. The Tenant by Freida McFadden

Blake Porter is desperate, jobless, broke, and trying to keep his home. When Whitney, a charming and mysterious woman, shows up looking to rent a room, it seems like the perfect solution. 

But things quickly take a dark turn. As unsettling events unfold, Blake begins to question his own grip on reality. 

The walls of his home whisper secrets, and Whitney might not be who she appears to be. 

With her trademark suspense, Freida McFadden spins a chilling tale of paranoia, secrets, and how the most dangerous threats are often closest to home.

9. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Photographer Alice returns to the lake where she once spent a life-changing summer, hoping to reconnect with her grandmother and find clarity. 

But when she runs into Charlie, her teenage crush and the subject of a photo that launched her career, old feelings resurface. 

As sunlit days and nostalgic memories blur with the present, Alice begins to wonder whether second chances are real.

 One Golden Summer is a tender and atmospheric romance about love, memory, and the places that shape us.

10. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

When a beloved farmer is found dead, the quiet village where Beth lives is shaken, and so is her marriage. 

The man from her past, Gabriel Wolfe, has returned, stirring up emotions and secrets long buried. 

As Beth’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel, so do the lies and betrayals that have haunted her for years. 

With shifting timelines and deep emotional stakes, Broken Country is a gripping blend of literary fiction, love triangle, and slow-burning thriller. It explores the fine line between love and regret, and the cost of keeping the past hidden.

 

These are the most popular books published in 2025 according to Goodreads, capturing the attention of hundreds of thousands (and even millions) of readers across the U.S. 

Whether you’re looking for your next page-turning thriller, touching romance, or thoughtful historical drama, this list reflects what readers are loving so far this year. 

And with six months still to go, 2025’s literary landscape promises even more surprises.

Also check out: Best-Selling Books in the US  July 2025’s Top 10 Reads.