Some of My Favorite Books for the Third Quarter of 2025

2025 has been an interesting year for books. I have enjoyed seeing all of the author collaborations that are publishing as well as more books that cross genres instead of fitting neatly in one particular category.

As she does each quarter, one of my favorite bookstagrammers Kelly Hooker of @kellyhook.readsbooks joins me on my podcast for a discussion about our full list of top reads for that quarter. This episode will run later in the month so be on the lookout for that.

Here are four of my favorites for the third quarter of 2025:

The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (speculative fiction) – This lyrical combination of dystopian intrigue and historical fiction grabbed me from page one. Set in a 1970s English small town, the book follows triplet boys who are the only remaining residents at New Forest Home, in the care of three women they call Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon, and Mother Night. Their small and controlled world consists of taking their medicine to fight off an unknown illness, doing their chores, and playing games. A sense of dread builds in the reader as the story unfolds; clearly something is amiss, but what exactly? The tension ratchets up until the unexpected and highly satisfying ending. While there is a mystery at the heart of the story, so much more is at play – the nature of truth and control, testing the bounds of morality, and the age-old debate over nature versus nurture. This book will thrill readers looking for unique reads, provocative premises, and page turners.

Departure 37 by Scott Carson (speculative fiction) – Departure 37 is a creative blend of thriller, historical fiction, and science fiction with an added nod to The Twilight Zone. The book opens when pilots across the country receive calls from their mothers, urging them not to fly; however, the reader quickly learns that none of the women actually made the calls. Meanwhile, in Maine, Charlie watches a mysterious balloon drift toward a famous wreckage near her home. These seemingly unrelated events are connected through time as the reader soon learns. Carson expertly weaves the two timelines together, alternating between present day and 1962, at the height of Cold War tensions and a secret government experiment involving disappearing planes. The end result is a haunting, high-stakes mystery that wraps in the themes of AI, surveillance, and the military-industrial complex – incredibly relevant for today’s world. This one is great for readers who like thought-provoking premises, genre mashups, and distinctive stories. 

The Killer Question by Janice Hallett (mystery) – Told completely in a mixed-media format through news reports, emails, pub trivia quizzes and notes, WhatsApp and text messages, police records, emails, and more, The Killer Question is an entertaining mystery with clever plotting that propels the story along. Set in and around The Case is Altered pub, located on an isolated road outside a small English town, the story follows new owners Sue and Mal who hold weekly trivia nights to draw in more pub customers. One evening, a visitor disrupts the trivia night and is found dead down the road from the pub later that evening. The unspooling of information through various documents allows the story to unfold in a way that keeps the suspense high as well as pulling the reader into the investigation in a unique and fun way. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. This one is a good fit for fans of the mixed-media format, trivia, humor, and fun mysteries.

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton (historical fiction) – One book connects three women in The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes, which spans three time periods. In 2024, Margo, who lives in London, is hired to find a rare book (only one copy exists) that is more than 120 years old. In 1966, Pilar is working as a librarian in Havana during the Castro regime, and she is tasked with protecting books, including a mysterious 60-year-old book, from the government. In 1900, Eva Fuentes visits the United States as an exchange student during a massive push for Cuban independence. After her trip to the United States, she writes the book that ties these women together. Cuban history is woven through all three timelines, and readers will love the immersive story and descriptive writing. The women’s stories tie together beautifully, something that can be tricky with three time periods, and the timeless appeal of a story about the power of books will resonate as well. The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes is for fans of 

unique settings, learning about other cultures and countries, and books about books.

I would love to hear your favorites so far of 2025. Feel free to drop them in the comments below.

For more book recommendations and bookish thoughts, see Cindy’s monthly Buzz Reads column, her award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast or follow @ThoughtsFromaPage on Instagram.