In terms of books, twenty-twenty-five appears to be a promising year. Already, many books have been announced and are drumming up anticipation. A full list of upcoming books is available on the Goodreads website, however below are a few of the most exciting to come from the group.
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong is expected to come out in May of this year. Ocean Vuong is the author of other well-known works, such as On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and Time Is a Mother. His new book promises to be just as impactful as his last, telling the story of a young man named Hai, who is ready to commit suicide but is stopped by a widow struggling with dementia. After becoming her caretaker, they develop a strong friendship based on empathy, which has a profound impact on Hai’s life and the people around him. Penguin Random House states, “Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life.” With a premise as powerful as his previous books, The Emperor of Gladness is likely to impress audiences in the same way.
Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey will be available on February fourth and has already received high praise from publications and readers alike. Eowyn Ivey’s previous work The Snow Child was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, which naturally leads to much excitement for her upcoming work. The book follows Birdie, a single mother, and her six-year-old daughter Emaleen, living in Alaska, trying their best to stay afloat. When the pair goes to live with Arthur, who despite being rather reclusive, develops a connection with Birdie, things turn out to be different than they seem. With the backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness, Black Woods, Blue Sky is a dark fairytale that demands the reader to, according to one reviewer (switterbug on Goodreads), “[e]xpect the unexpected.” This book will be appealing to those still enchanted by fairytales of youth, or those who enjoy getting lost in nature, and will most likely herald as much success as Ivey’s breakout novel.
Perhaps the true most anticipated novel of the year, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins is set to arrive on the eighteenth of March, and even receive a movie adaptation by the end of twenty-twenty six. The book will follow the story of an already well-known character, Haymitch, and his time in the arena of the annual Hunger Games games. Haymitch’s story has sparked curiosity since Haymitch was first introduced in book one, and remnants of his past were explored at some times but overall there is not a clear story of his past. Following the release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which served as a backstory for the corrupted President Snow, Collins is further expanding the Hunger Games world, adding complexity to her characters, and building upon the travesties of her dystopia. Avid readers of the series are further drumming up the anticipation, already flooding the Goodreads reviews to share their excitement, surely Sunrise on the Reaping will be one of, if not the biggest, books of the year.
While hundreds of books are expected to be released this year, some are more anticipated than others, for example, The Emperor of Gladness, Black Woods, Blue Sky, and Sunrise on the Reaping. However, it is a good idea to check out the works of lesser-known or new authors as well, for example, The Midnight Diamond by Anna Rasche, a York alumnus, which is currently in the works, following the release of her first book The Stone Witch of Florence. Hopefully, these newly reported titles will provide something to look forward to in 2025.
