2025 is gearing up to be another incredible year for book releases. Here’s 5 traditionally published books I’ve already pre-ordered for this year. (Indie edition coming soon!)

Ambessa by C.L. Clark (February 18th)

I admit it, I used to be a filthy League player. I played League of Legends religiously between 2013-2017. A lot of my online friends eventually stopped playing it and without them, I fell out of love with the gaming experience. LoL players are some of the most toxic gamers online, even to this day (so I hear). Like a lot of ex-LoL players I watched and adored Netflix’s Arcane, and it re-ignited my love for the world and the Champions. When I found out they were releasing original LoL novels I was so hype! Ambessa is the second of these novels to be released, authored by C.L. Clark – best known for The Unbroken.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (March 18th)

Releasing just a month after Ambessa, we have the 5th Hunger Games novel: Sunrise on the Reaping. I feel like the fandom has been asking for Haymitch’s games to be novelised for years, even before The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was announced. (Read my review here). The Hunger Games was my LIFE in my mid-late teen years, even to the point where I watched “survival” videos by middle-aged American men on YouTube, just to give me a better chance in the arena (if the world did indeed go to shit and I’d have to fight… I’m worried that we’re getting there). I’m still shook that the book was announced at the same time as the movie. I don’t know how publishing and Hollywood were able to keep all of that a secret from us.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (May 6th)

A brand new fantasy story by Lord Grimdark himself! This is Abercrombie’s first release since the last First Law book came out back in 2021. I actually haven’t looked so much into the synopsis of The Devils, Abercrombie is just an auto-buy author for me at this point. I did pick up the sampler for this back at Gollancz Fest 2024, though I’m yet to actually read it. 😅 I first pre-ordered it back in November but have just cancelled that to pre-order the signed copy from Waterstones instead (as pictured, the OG cover is blue).

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (June 10th)

V.E. SCHWAB WROTE A VAMPIRE NOVEL. THAT’S IT. PRE-ORDERED STRAIGHT AWAY. I LOVE THIS WOMAN AND ALL HER BOOKS. AHHHHHHHH.

jkjk, here’s the blurb:

“Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 1532.
London, 1837.
Boston, 2019.

Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots.
One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild.
And all of them grow teeth.“

Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree (November 13th)

I swear this series has had some of the best fantasy covers in recent years. This is the 3rd book in the Legends and Lattes series. I actually bought LaL when it was still an indie release. Seeing how far its come and how overwhelmingly popular it is has been amazing to see. This series is so cosy and cute – it feels like those D&D sessions where you just replenish your potions and chill out in the local market town between major story arcs of your campaign. Though I have heard that there is very little baking or bread in this novel, maybe it could’ve been named something else?

And those are some of my 5 most anticipated books of 2025! Are any of these on your lists? Is there anything I haven’t mentioned that you’re excited for?

Happy reading 📚