The Best Paperbacks of May 2025

Sometimes a short synopsis is all you need: A detective octopus helps a grieving aquarium employee solve the mystery of her missing son. It’s certainly unique in vessel, but the themes of coping, recovering and moving forward resonate whether you have two arms or eight.

From being an athlete himself, to training athletes for the highest level of competition, Jim Murphy has invaluable insights into how to get the most out of life. This book is the accessible, digestible account of exactly that.

The author of Every Summer After returns with a beach-read love story set on sandy shores. With sizzling romantic chemistry, this is disarmingly charming.

A story of personal and generational grief, family relationships and resilience. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a warm, uplifting novel about a young woman’s journey to discover who she truly is.

If you read The Wager and have a hankering for another seafaring adventure, look no further. The Wide Wide Sea details the life and voyages of Captain James Cook, killed by native Hawaiians in an uncharacteristic final act. This is the mystery of Cook’s final days, laid bare in riveting narrative fashion.

The entirety of our existence on this planet baked into a digestible dose of what history is all about — humanity. Perfect for readers of any age, this is a timeless, engaging account of pure fascination.

Lizzie and Hugh look like the perfect couple. But what if what we’re seeing isn’t the whole story?

Tension, romance and mystery boiled into a tumultuous read that sees one teenager up against a whirlwind of emotions and life changes. All she wanted to do was move forward, but is that even an option anymore?

This atmospheric reimagining of a Korean folktale follows Mina on a heroic journey through the Spirit Realm to appease the Sea God and bring her village peace once and for all. Great for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Amélie Wen Zhao.

The complete story of Bono, from his roots to his international impact. Great for fans of U2 and anyone curious about the person behind the voice.

This book will make you think twice before talking to your ficus — a fun read for indoor (and outdoor) plant people.

The kind of book that captures a sense of place and time and portrays it with exacting detail on the page. The place: the heart of consumerism in NYC. The time: mid-20th century. It’s an ode to the women who powered fashion and how their impact continues to resonate today.

Fans of Rachel Maddow will be delighted with her new dive into American history, this time digging into WWII and the handful of inspiring individuals who kept America on the right side. Surprising, and at times dark, this is a great read for fans of compelling and specific takes on history.

Of all the unconventional ways to critique capitalism, using the hot dog as a vessel might be the most unique. And we’re so grateful for it. Evocative and incisive, insightful and irreverent, Raw Dog is wholly its own thing.

A harrowing survival story, Left for Dead is the latest ship-based narrative nonfiction from Eric Jay Dolan. Set during the War of 1812, it is a captivating sea shanty for any fan of the high seas.

With strong representation, this romantasy with a monster-of-legend hook is the perfect blend of eerie and whimsical. It’s a modern monster story with a tender heart that is emotionally intelligent and engages in reality and the humanity of its characters.

Anxiety is unpredictable, difficult to understand and, in many cases, mentally and physically crippling. Here at last is a comprehensive and nuanced look at how anxiety really works, as well as actionable takeaways to truly defeating it.

Crime fiction by and about women, this mother-daughter narrative is satirical, emotional and chilling. It’s packed with layers of meaning and complexities.

An entertaining-as-hell debut about the coming-of-age search for love and meaning via family, friendships, education and, especially, pop culture. The result feels universal and entirely relatable to anyone who navigated heartbreak, obsessions, insecurities and inner demons while growing up.

A story about the benefits and consequences of wealth and the lengths we’ll go to run from our personal mythologies — this cast of characters will hold you for ransom until the very end.

Obsession, desire and pain are at war in this literary still-life that takes place at an isolated house in the 1960s, where memories still shape and haunt emotional boundaries. Beautifully written with exacting, atmospheric prose, this is a dynamic debut.

Violet may have survived her first year at Basgiath War College for dragon riders, but this epic adventure is just heating up. An electrifying follow-up to a brutally addictive fantasy.

City lights and an unrelenting heatwave set the scene for this swirl of characters — all on the verge — in this vivid novel perfect for fans of Naoise Dolan and Caroline O’Donoghue.

All Fours is a reminder of everything we love about Miranda July, starting with the questions she asks about how we live and what we value. It’s a bold and clever story of triumph and transformation.

While an unexpected ten-day hike might not sound like the start of a life-changing romance, you’ll be packing your bags as soon as you start reading You Are Here. This is a laugh-out-loud charmer.

Forbidden romance, female friendship, apt social commentary and so much more from romance superstar Kennedy Ryan.

With unexpected twists, unsettling turns and the kinds of characters McFadden has built her thriller kingdom with, this is a suspenseful page-turner with plenty of hooks.

Thriving in the unlikely space shared by high-octane assassinations and hilarious hijinks, Assassins Anonymous lives up to its unconventional concept and pulls no punches.

A former child star sets out to reclaim her present and future in the face of a past that left a big shadow. This more-than-a-love-story has the joyful tone of a rom-com but the heart of a meaningful journey to self-discovery.