fiction

From rowdy forest animals to wig-loving goths: These are the best children’s books of 2025
Children's books of the year

From rowdy forest animals to wig-loving goths: These are the best children’s books of 2025

The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
Books

The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts

Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Books

Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre

Top 5 Books for under-13s, chosen by children’s author Sophie Kirtley
Books

Top 5 Books for under-13s, chosen by children’s author Sophie Kirtley

The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
Books

The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors

A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
Books

A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction

The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
Books

The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture

Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog
Books

Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog

My aunt was a nun. Even she read Jilly Cooper’s bonkbusters
Paul McNamee

My aunt was a nun. Even she read Jilly Cooper’s bonkbusters

Top 5 seafaring books, chosen by award-winning writer Carolyn Kirby
Books

Top 5 seafaring books, chosen by award-winning writer Carolyn Kirby

House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk review – mushrooming magic
Books

House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk review – mushrooming magic

Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde review – a radical, gorgeous queer novel
Books

Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde review – a radical, gorgeous queer novel

Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal review – connections across the Indian diaspora
Books

Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal review – connections across the Indian diaspora

Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler review – speculative fiction with an emotional core
Books

Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler review – speculative fiction with an emotional core

The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley review – mind-bending revelations
Books

The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley review – mind-bending revelations

Small Rain by Garth Greenwell review – mortal reflections from a hospital bed
Books

Small Rain by Garth Greenwell review – mortal reflections from a hospital bed

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Use the Words You Have by Kimberly Campanello review – captivating poetic sensibilities
Books

Use the Words You Have by Kimberly Campanello review – captivating poetic sensibilities

The Ha-Ha by Jennifer Dawson review – a spry and contemporary overlooked classic
Books

The Ha-Ha by Jennifer Dawson review – a spry and contemporary overlooked classic

The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney review – an emotionally gripping psychological thriller
Books

The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney review – an emotionally gripping psychological thriller

Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronovitch review – weird happenings in the Granite City
Books

Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronovitch review – weird happenings in the Granite City