The 10 Books you NEED to have on your 2025 TBR

As we have finally reached 2025, a year that's surely going to be every bit as complicated as the previous one, we all crave some good distractions or learning opportunities. Because a dose of escapism and education never hurt anyone, our team here at The Unseen has compiled a list of ten books we thoroughly enjoyed and can recommend to you for the new year!

1. My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

Set in 1957 in Brighton, the novel tells the story of the school teacher Marion, who falls in love with the local policeman, Tom. Tom, however, explores his feelings with another man. Due to the laws and norms at the time, they couldn't express their feelings openly, leading to an increasingly escalating series of events. If you crave historical drama and good LGBTQ+ storytelling and representation, you can`t do anything wrong here. In 2022, a film adaptation titled „The Policeman“ starring Harry Styles as Tom premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

2. She Comes Undone by Wally Lamb

Shocked by the betrayal of her father, who leaves Dolores and her mother for another woman, both of them are forced to leave their old lives behind and move to Rhode Island to stay with her difficult grandmother. Beginning to feel depressed, Dolores starts to isolate herself and gain weight, sending her down a spiral of bullying and episodes of mental health crises. This coming of age tells a tale that's both heartbreaking and inspiring.

3. Every Man for Himself and God Against All by Werner Herzog

The landscape of German filmmaking is as depressing as it is comical. Werner Herzog, however, is a man standing out like a shining beacon in the raging sea. Internationally acclaimed as a legendary director, he has imprinted himself into the pop-cultural landscape. Starting with his upbringing in a poor village post World War II, he writes about his start as a filmmaker and all the insanity the public associates with him now. Here, you can read his first-hand accounts of his plan to drag a ship over a mountain in the depths of a rainforest, his ongoing, near-murderous rivalry with actor Klaus Kinski, and his multiple near-death experiences. This book tells a fairly unique story of a man who only comes every thousand years or so.

4. Women Don`t Owe You Pretty by Florence Givens

Written by this phenomenal writer, illustrator, and influencer, the book is a takedown of the patriarchal ideas surrounding relationships and the worth of women. Beneath the umbrella of an intersectional framework, this piece of feminist literature analyzes themes of (internalized) misogyny, heteronormativity, rape culture, and how we view the topic of sexual intimacy regarding women. It also gives warning signs regarding toxicity and abuse in relationships, as well as advice on how to deal with these complicated issues and your own self-perception. It`s definitely a must-read if you want to make yourself familiar with feminist theory.

5. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

This autobiography tells the story of the formative years of the American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. Framed as a coming-of-age tale during the Jim Crow era in the southern United States, the book explores incidents of racism, trauma, and how to navigate these heavy topics without letting them define you. Written around the power of self-love, community, and literature, it`s an inspiring read of an incredible and talented human being from which we all can learn a thing or two.

6. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney

In a time in which exploitation, migration, the rise of a new yet old fascist movement, and the increasing severity of climate change are in the public consciousness, it`s important to understand the historical and geographical foundations on which this capitalist system is built. Walter Rodney's groundbreaking analysis regarding the colonial practices of European countries on the African continent, is not only a fascinating if depressing read, it`s also an important tool to understand and analyze today's problems that are plaguing the continent.

7. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

This book took the internet by storm as a fantasy and self-help novel. Set in a kind of purgatory after-life, Nora Seed finds herself in a library after attempting suicide. Being unhappy with herself and the choices she made, she gets the opportunity to see and experience different versions of her life in an attempt to make it right. As a deep dive into existential questions of the meaning of life and how to live it in the best way possible, it may help a lost soul to come to terms with one's place in this ever-expanding universe.

8. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

The Atlas Six is another book that has become a favorite of BookTok. Being part one of a trilogy, it follows a group of six young magic users with unique capabilities who have the opportunity to join the highly secretive Alexandrian Society. As a member, they would have power, wealth, and influence beyond their wildest imaginations. They each have one year to prepare for their potential initiation, during which they have access to the archives of the secret society and must do their own research on various topics of impossibility. The catch, however, is that only five of them can join. This Dark-Academia novel is a must-read for all who crave mysteries, romance and multiple perspectives.

9. Hyperion by Dan Simmons

On the brink of war with the nation of Ousters, the rulers of the Hegira system of planets send six pilgrims to the outback world of Hyperion in a last ditch effort to win what´s coming. There they'll find the soon opening Time Tombs, structures that travel back in time while everything else moves forward. They are guarded by a mysterious being of immense power called the Shrike. All bring with them a story. It`s a monomental read on the very nature of religion, artifical intelligence, the human condition and poetry, dealing heavily with the works of John Keats. Hyperion is a deeply philosophical Science-Fiction novel, that is as unnerving as it is riveting.

10. The Stormlight-Archives Series starting with The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

On the world of Roshar which is regularly plagued by horrific storms, the human nation of Alethkar is locked into a war atop the shattered plains with the mysterious race of the Parshendi , who have killed their king nearly five years ago. His brother Dalinar Kholin desperately tries to find a way to unite the squabbling nobles, for he knows that a bigger threat will come soon. In the war camps, there is Kaladin, a man doomed to die, yet refusing to do so, all the while trying to save his comrades oppressed by a cruel system. In the city of Kharbranth, young Shallan takes up an apprenticeship, all while planning to rob her mentor to save her family. This epic high fantasy series is unlike any other fantasy novel out there, dealing with topics of mental health, justice and the very nature of oaths and honour. Presenting a unique take with an alien planet and an intricate magic system, it is a big recommendation for all who want to fully disappear into the books they read.

HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE AND WANT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

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