As 2025 wraps up, the FVRL Reading Advisers are taking a moment to look back at all the great books we read this year. Each of us picked one favourite book we couldn’t stop thinking about, and we’re excited to share our top picks with you. Whether you’re looking for something new to read or just curious about what caught our attention, we hope these books spark your interest and inspire your next read.
Reading Adviser Ava
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
“This author tried to make this book feel like hot chocolate, and it shows! Sweet pastries, a comforting setting, and a wonderful cast of characters make it the perfect fit for a low-stakes fantasy read.”
Reading Adviser Deanna
Gachiakuta (Manga Series) by Kei Urana
“The art style is phenomenal and unique. The facial expressions and graffiti are fantastic. It’s a dark fantasy that follows a boy who gets accused of a crime and sent to a trash-filled abyss. There, he finds belonging and family, and he fights alongside a ragtag group called the Cleaners. He also uncovers the secrets to using special powers to fight.”
Reading Adviser Erin
Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates
“I’m not much of a visual person, but Coates’ imagery of the mounting dread of each picture taken with the ghost camera creeped me out so much!”
Reading Adviser Natalie
Big Bad Wool by Leonie Swann
“I wish I had a smart, observant, intuitive and loyal flock of sheep who cooperatively solve mysteries that I'm too human to deduce the answers to. If you also sometimes want to live in a pasture near a chateau in France with your sheepy inheritance, try this book.”
Reading Adviser Noor
When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy
“I thought I knew what would occur going into this book, and boy was I wrong! Great plot, took me on an emotional rollercoaster. The writing is done so well, it articulates the needed intensity of the story.”
Reading Adviser Robyn
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
“I enjoyed so many cosy fantasies this year, but my favourite was Maiga Doocy’s enchanting debut novel Sorcery and Small Magics. A magical mishap binds flippant Leovander Lovage to dour Sebastian Grimm. They reluctantly head off together to find a counter-spell. Leo is the kind of character you simultaneously root for and are completely exasperated with. Grimm is his grouchy foil. My heart ached for both of their backstories. I could not put it down!”
Reading Adviser Sally
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
“A speculative thriller that will appeal to people who enjoy The Handmaid's Tale or The Power. When I first started the audiobook, I was enjoying it and thinking it reminded me of Yellowjackets or Beauty Queens. But it starts to become more intense and changes tone to a more Lord of the Flies, Handmaid's Tale intensity, and I could not stop listening to it. The way the characters evolve and the way the story changes and grows was just astounding, and I was so wrapped up in it.”
More of the Year’s Best
For more great suggestions, check out the FVRL Reading Advisers’ Best Reads list, where they share more of the best books (and a few DVDs) they discovered in 2025!
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