Isabella Whiley, Brittany Holness, Kelsey Liddell and Malerie Thiel
This has been an exciting year for trends in the book community. With the year coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to explore our favourite bookish news, recommend books that you can add to your New Year’s TBR and recommend gift ideas for the book lovers in your life (or even as a treat for yourself).
News
No yearly round-up of publishing trends would be complete without a shout-out to romantasy, the sexy subgenre taking readers and social media by storm. A combination of fantasy and romance, this fast-growing category features plots that follow romantic relationships set in magical worlds with mythical creatures. Romantasy has grown in popularity so quickly that it now boasts its own page for recommendations on the Waterstones website, was featured in conversation at this year’s London Book Fair and was included as its own separate category in Goodreads’ Choice Awards. With Rebecca Yarros set to release a new book in her best-selling Empyrean series in January (read on for the details) and new authors continuing to emerge, it’s a safe bet that romantasy will continue to flood TBRs and social media feeds in 2025.
A hopefully lasting reminder of the impact that romantasy and romance have had on the reading community is the opening of the UK’s first brick-and-mortar Book Lovers Bookshop based in Edinburgh. Founded in 2024, they are a queer and disabled-owned space that focuses on uplifting diverse stories and ensuring romance novels never find themselves hidden among the shelves of mainstream bookstores ever again.
Aside from growth in the reading of certain genres, more book lovers have begun collecting books and adding special editions to their home libraries. Several subscription services have partnered with indie and traditionally published authors to enhance their books with new covers, artwork and merch, making receiving a new book much more exciting. These book boxes have been introduced for several different genres so that readers can opt for one that is particularly tailored to their interests. It will be exciting to see how these subscription services will grow in the new year and what books will be next on the long list of signature/limited editions.
This year has also had exciting developments for those employed within the publishing industry. One key initiative from New Writing North, a charity organisation dedicated to developing creative careers in the North. They hope to create the first national centre for writing based in Newcastle, attempting to remove the barriers for those wanting a start in the industry but cannot access the opportunities centred around London. From writers to hopeful publishers, this is a promising step in opening up the industry for more talented individuals.
Book Recommendations
The new year is all about change and embracing new goals. There are several upcoming releases that might entice you from your favourite genres or a genre that you have always wanted to dip your toes in. Here are some of the ones that the trends team recommends.
If you’re in the mood for a contemporary romance, look no further than Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, which is set to be released in April 2025, or Beth O’Leary’s new novel Swept Away, also due to be released that month.
For fans of the Hunger Games, the good news is that we’re getting another novel based on the second Quarter Quell and its Victor, Haymitch Abernathy. Sunrise on the Reaping is expected to be publihshed on 18 March.
And if the news of a new Rebecca Yarros book got you excited, save the date for Onyx Storm, the third book in the Empyrean series out on 21 January.
Gift Guide
As we head into the festive period, panic-buying presents for loved ones begins. If you have another bookworm in your life or desperately need a secret Santa idea, these gifts may give you some inspiration.
Why not give them a Blind Date with a Book? This gift can be incredibly thoughtful as it can be tailored to the reader's favourite genre, tropes and more. Either grab the crafting essentials and wrap your own book, including a blurb on the front with some key information, or head to Etsy for numerous options with individual designs and styles.
Maybe one of your New Year’s resolutions will be learning to annotate your books. An annotation kit equipped with highlighters, sticky notes and colourful tabs may be just what you need.
Another easy gift idea is an LED book light. The new books you intend to buy can be illuminated so you can read them whether it’s night or a dreary morning. Amazon or Etsy have wonderful catalogues from which to choose.
Or, if you want to give someone’s home library a professional touch, why not buy them a book embosser? There are loads of options online to ensure it fits their reading aesthetic perfectly and gives you another opportunity to support a small business.