The Best Books To Give The Readers In Your Life For Christmas 2025
It’s one month to Christmas and if you’re seeking the perfect book to place under the tree, we’ve got you covered. From gripping YA and transportive fantasy to heart-fluttering romance and immersive historical, our gift guide features something for every bookish personality.
Books For Young Adults:
Murder High by Lauren Muñoz
An annual murder mystery game at Dr. James Everett School of Criminology turns fatal when the student playing the victim is found poisoned in the greenhouse. As the authorities open an investigation, crime junkie Dulce Castillo and her friends team up to solve the murder. With a dark academia backdrop and a cast of young amateur sleuths, Murder High is a fun and twisty whodunnit that will keep readers invested right up to the end. (Hot Key Books)
A Beautiful Evil by Bea Fitzgerald
Having already delved into the tales of Hades and Persephone and the legendary Fall of Troy, Bea Fitzgerald’s third Greek mythology reimagining puts Pandora in the spotlight. This delightful grumpy/sunshine fantasy romance sees the first human woman made by the gods grappling with both her purpose and her heart when the husband she was created to love doesn’t love her back. A story that’s as witty and hopeful as it is inventive and perceptive. (Penguin)
Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton
In the cursed Kingdom of Aragoa, the punishment for magic is death. So when Vandenberghe Academy student Viola Sinclair’s deadly shadow magic is discovered, an assassin is sent to kill her. The assassin in question is Roze Roquelart, entitled prince, arrogant fellow student and Viola’s mortal enemy, who has seven days to complete his assignment or he’ll be the one to die instead. Cue deadly threats, dark secrets, devious double crossing, and a deliciously dangerous enemies-to-lovers romance. (Bloomsbury YA)
Books For Fantasy Readers:
Brimstone by Callie Hart
Undoubtedly the most anticipated romantasy to hit shelves this month, Brimstone reunites readers with newly crowned Queen of the Blood Court Saeris Fane and brooding warrior Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate as they battle to save their friends and stop the darkness falling across their realm. The second book in the Fae & Alchemy series absolutely lives up to the hype, and when a book looks like a piece of gilded treasure (we’re talking metallic edges, character art endpapers and a hidden foil cover), it’s bound to be adored by all Callie Hart fans. (Hodderscape)
Wrath of the Dragons by Olivia Rose Darling
In this thrilling and epic sequel to Fear the Flames, fated lovers Cayden Veles and Elowen Atarah must gather all their strategy and strength as they fight to hold on to the power they’ve gained, or risk losing everything. A story of revenge, redemption and yearning, Wrath of Dragons will have readers swooning at the chemistry between its central characters throughout. Team it with the first book for the ultimate dragon romantasy gift. (Zaffre)
Holly by Adalyn Grace
Returning to the gothic infused world of Grace’s Belladonna series, Holly is a festive fantasy novella with beautiful full-page illustrations. Set after the events of Wisteria, Grace’s yuletide tale delivers a haunting new mystery that sees Signa and Aris working together to uncover what happened to a group of volatile spirits that are threatening to ruin Blythe’s perfect holiday plans. Escaping into these books is always a delight and having the magical gang back together feels like a Christmas gift in itself. (Gollancz)
Books For Romance Readers:
The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold by Ally Carter
Seeking a fun rivals-to-lovers rom-com with action, drama and a kiss-or-kill dynamic between its two protagonists? Look no further than the second instalment in Ally Carter’s Blonde Identity series which sees two spies joining forces in order to stay alive. With dual perspectives and flashbacks to the past, Ally Carter’s latest is just as bingeable and entertaining as its predecessor. (Pan)
The Second Chance Cinema by Thea Weiss
What if the love of your life could watch the story of your past? This is what happens when Ellie and her fiancé, Drake, stumble upon a late-night cinema showing that’s inexplicably playing a reel of their formative memories. But as the scenes on screen inch closer to the present, revealing secrets on both sides, the couple must decide if seeing their pasts changes their future together. A cosy romance with a dash of magic that explores the complexities of memories and love. (HQ)
Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey
When you pick up a Tessa Bailey novel, you can expect an irresistible contemporary romance full of spice, swoons and all the best tropes. That’s certainly true of Pitcher Perfect, which sees a playboy hockey rookie and a driven softball pitcher forming a fake relationship at a family wilderness competition. The ultimate flirty, feel-good book with the perfect balance of heart and humour. (Avon)
Books For Historical Fiction Readers:
Introducing Mrs Collins by Rachel Parris
Ever wondered what happened to Charlotte Lucas after she married Mr Collins in Pride and Prejudice? Rachel Parris’ sequel to Jane Austen’s classic novel is a tale of love, loss and second chances, putting Charlotte at the centre of her own story and allowing her to be the heroine readers have always wanted her to be. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth, this is the ideal book for all Austenites. (Hodder & Stoughton)
A Lady’s Handbook of Espionage by Katrina Kendrick
Ronan Callahan is Her Majesty’s most lethal weapon. Isabel Dumont is the underworld’s most wanted mastermind. Thrust into an uneasy partnership, these two masters of deception must work together to dismantle a powerful criminal empire and stop a dangerous plot. Darker than your average historical romance – and all the better for it – A Lady’s Handbook of Espionage is an unputdownable tale of spies and seduction. (Aria)
The Scent of Oranges by Kathy George
This year has provided plenty of riveting retellings, among them is Kathy George’s reimagining of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, told from the point of view of sympathetic and maligned Nancy. An evocative story of love, sacrifice and the power of compassion, The Scent of Oranges delves into the character’s harsh upbringing, her complicated relationships with miserly Fagin and mercurial Bill Sikes, and her path to redemption with cherubic orphan Oliver. (HQ)
The Best of the Rest:
Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley – Illustrated by MinaLima
Capitalising on the recent success of Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, MinaLima’s exquisitely designed hardback is brimming with special features. Alongside the full colour illustrations are 3D interactive elements and fold-outs including an excerpt from Victor’s diary and an expanding map of Europe. It’s almost too beautiful to actually read! (Harper)
The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen
Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas. But with six days to go, he doesn’t have the money to pay for it. A last-minute job offers a solution: transport a sofa to the northernmost town in Finland. But this isn’t any old sofa, as Ilmari soon discovers. This suspenseful tale of a desperate father’s journey across the frozen landscape is filled with Tuomainen’s trademark dark wit and unexpected thrills. Another winner from the Finnish author. (Orenda Books)
Sense and Situationships by Satu Hämeenaho-Fox
It’s over two hundred years since the legendary author left the world and her iconic words still resonate with readers. In Sense and Situationships, Jane delivers her typical sharp-witted, no-nonsense advice on today’s romance and modern dating dilemmas. From ghosting to courtships to bagging your Mr Darcy, Jane will see you right. (Bantam)
The Book Of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
Hayley Gelfuso’s sweeping speculative novel follows a woman who is saved from the Nazis when her father pushes her through a mysterious doorway into the Time Space – a vast magical library where the memories of everyone who has ever lived are stored in books. Opening in Nuremberg in 1938 and shifting between America in the 50s and 60s, and ‘Somewhere in the Time Space’, this is a moving and unmissable debut. (Atlantic Books)
