Another year done and dusted—which means another Goodreads Reading Challenge (hopefully) smashed. Here are the titles that Go-To HQ spent this year obsessing over, endlessly recommending, and spending way too much time thinking about.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
—Ailish, Brand Content Executive
Deeper, grittier, more vulnerable than your average beach read, but with all the heart, humour and charm of one. Is there any better place to explore life, love, and bravery than at a lavish wedding in Rhode Island with strangers? Apparently not! I devoured this book in early 2025, and it's stayed at the top of my list ever since. Go! Read (preferably at a beach).
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
—Jess, HR Manager
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a beautiful, bittersweet story about two friends who meet as kids and reconnect in college, bonding over their shared love of video games. It’s tender, clever, and quietly devastating, full of joy, and deep connection, but also loss, missed chances, and the ache of loving people imperfectly. It broke my heart in two and left me quietly reeling—the perfect kind of bittersweet. I highly recommend this book - it will stay with you for a looong time!
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
—Leonie, Chief Marketing Officer
I really enjoyed Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The 1980s space-program setting pulled me in straight away. I was a teenager then, so the time felt instantly familiar to me, but such a unique setting for a story. The characters really got me hooked with lots of messy ambition, bad timing, and big feelings. It’s emotional and dramatic without ever getting cheesy, and there’s this steady tension that keeps you turning the pages because you have to know how it all plays out. It would make a perfect holiday read.
Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton
—Holly, Content Coordinator
My book of the year is Gravity Let Me Go. Trent Dalton writing a full-blown murder mystery crime fiction wasn't on my bookish bingo card but boy, am I glad he did. The tension was brilliant (lots of couldn't-put-it-down moments) coupled with his trademark Aussie humour that often had me chuckling out loud. I’ll read anything Trent Dalton writes but as someone who LOVES crime fiction, this one was a real treat.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jaqueline Harpman
—Anita, Graphic Designer
I loved this book for its eerie, stripped-back beauty and the way it builds tension with almost nothing—just silence, fear, and questions. I was holding my breath until the very last page.
Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
—Kate O, Graphic Designer
Witty, furious, and impossible to put down. Fundamentally flips the ISIS bride narrative on its head — part satire, part heartbreak, all guts. Nussaibah Younis’s debut is one hell of a ride through belief, bureaucracy, and being a woman in the mess of it all.
The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis
—Liz, Senior Graphic Designer
Bret Easton Ellis’ The Shards feels a bit like a fever dream. Set amongst the lavish Hollywood lifestyle of ‘80s teens, The Shards takes a dark turn as a string of disappearances are reported in the papers and a new arrival in town sparks suspicion. Ellis blurs the line between reality and imagination as our protagonist (a young Bret Easton Ellis!) slowly unravels. Also quick, read it now, before it’s turned into a tv show next year!
Funny Story by Emily Henry
—Mary, Business Support Executive
Emily Henry once again proving she can bottle tenderness and humour in the same chapter. A cosy, awkward roommates to lovers journey set in a small town that feels like a warm hug and a deep breath. Perfect for a weekend escape and a gentle reset!
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
—Mollie, Community Coordinator
A bit messier and more moving than your average family drama, Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors was one of my standout reads of 2025. It follows the lives of four very different sisters as they each navigate grief, addiction, identity, and the beautiful, chaotic mess of sibling relationships
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
—Chiara, Content Creator
I picked up this book thinking it would be a silly, beach read for a weekend away, I mean a book about a teenage mum discovering and using OnlyFans to fund her new life, surely that wouldn’t become my book of the year? Right?! Wrong. This book took me on such an unpredictable, wonderful journey and never shied away from serious topics like teenage motherhood, addiction, complicated parent relationships and of course the risks that come with selling one's body online. Each character was unique and coloured so wonderfully, AND have since been confirmed to be played by the likes of Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman and Nick Offerman in the upcoming Apple adaptation. So quick, get in now and you can say, “I actually read that before the show came out”!
Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar
—Kitty, Content Executive
A calibre of debut novel that makes me wildly jealous. Martyr! follows newly sober, orphaned Iranian-American Cyrus as he embarks on a new artistic project to explore the complex phenomenon of historical martyrs. The novel changes timelines and perspectives, creating a totally enthralling portrait of Cyrus’ family and the immigrant experience. I don't intend on shutting up about how obscenely good this was anytime soon.
Anything romantasy
—Kerry, Group Product Manager
2025 has all been about romantasy and acronyms for me! ACOTAR, FW, TOG, CC and TBK (I've read others but they don't really work with the acronym thing). My only non Romantasy recco is a plain old romance—Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld which was an excellent palate cleanser to all the wings, dragons, fae warriors and spice!
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