The Most Anticipated January 2025 Book Releases Unveiled

Looking for your next great read? Discover the hottest new book releases of January 2025! I'll share what I've read, what's on my must-read list, and the titles everyone is buzzing about this month.

---

[adinserter block="1"]

As you know, January 2025 is an exciting time for book lovers as a fresh year brings highly anticipated new releases from favorite authors and debut writers alike.

Readers are eager to kick off the year with inspiring, thrilling, or thought-provoking stories that set the tone for the months ahead.

Popular genres, book club picks, and buzz-worthy titles dominate the conversation, and bookworms don't want to miss out on being part of the latest literary trends.

Knowing what to read helps you discover captivating tales, join in community discussions, and stay up-to-date with the books that everyone will be talking about this year! So, let's GO!

January 2025 Book Releases List (Top 10)

• #1 - Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome #3), by Sarah Adams. 01/07/25
• #2 - The Stolen Queen, by Fiona Davis. 01/07/25
• #3 - The Three Lives of Cate Kay, by Kate Fagan. 01/07/25
• #4 - Beautiful Ugly, by Alice Feeney. 01/14/25
• #5 - Cross My Heart, by Megan Collins. 01/14/25
• #6 - What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange. 01/14/25
• #7 - Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix. 01/14/25
• #8 - Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3), by Rebecca Yarros. 01/21/25
• #9 - Good Dirt, by Charmaine Wilkerson. 01/28/25
• #10 - The Crash, by Freida McFadden. 01/28/25

In 2025, expect to see bestselling authors making waves across the most beloved fiction genres, including fantasy, romance, and more. Fans can also look forward to exciting additions to popular series, such as Onyx Storm, the third installment in Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing series. Be sure to add these anticipated reads to your TBR list!

Top 10 Most Anticipated January 2025 Book Releases

Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome #3) by Sarah Adams

In Beg, Borrow, or Steal, Emily Walker's carefully controlled world is thrown into chaos when her nemesis, Jack Bennett, returns to their hometown of Rome, Kentucky-newly single, her new colleague, and worst of all, her next-door neighbor. Jack is thrilled to be back, ready to renovate his home and work on his next mystery novel, but he also can't resist provoking Emily, whose secret life as a romance author is at risk of being exposed after a misfired email to their principal. Forced into an uneasy alliance to fix her mistake, Emily and Jack find their fiery rivalry giving way to undeniable chemistry, leading to a potential romance neither of them saw coming.

---

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

In The Stolen Queen, aspiring anthropologist Charlotte Cross is thrilled to join an archaeological dig in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, but her excitement is shattered by an unexpected tragedy.

Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is overjoyed to work with former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland as she organizes the renowned Met Gala, the city's most glamorous event of the year.

Now an associate curator for the Met's Egyptian Art Department, Charlotte is deeply engrossed in her studies of Hathorkare, a little-known female pharaoh dismissed by most scholars. But during the gala, disaster strikes when a priceless artifact disappears, and ominous signs suggest Hathorkare's curse might be real.

Determined to recover the stolen treasure, Annie and Charlotte form an unlikely team, their search leading them back to Egypt-a place Charlotte vowed never to revisit. To succeed, Charlotte must confront her haunting past, risking everything as they venture into a world of ancient secrets and modern dangers.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

In The Three Lives of Cate Kay, Cate Kay is a storytelling powerhouse, the mind behind a bestselling trilogy turned blockbuster film series, making her one of the most renowned authors of her time. But Cate Kay isn't real. She's a persona, carefully hidden from the public eye-until now.

Years ago, Cate and her best friend Amanda dreamed of leaving their troubled pasts behind to pursue stardom in California. But the day before their big move, a devastating tragedy derailed their plans, forcing Cate to flee and reinvent herself under a series of new identities. Now, after an unexpected revelation, Cate realizes that the only way to find peace is to return to the place she's been running from and confront the ghosts of her past.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

In Beautiful Ugly, author Grady Green is having the most surreal day of his life. Excited to share some big news, Grady calls his wife, Abby, while she's driving home. But their conversation is abruptly cut short-he hears her brakes screech, her car door open, and then silence. When he finds her car later near a cliff, the headlights are still on, the door is ajar, and her phone is inside. Abby, however, is gone.

A year later, consumed by grief and unanswered questions, Grady is unable to write or move forward. In a desperate attempt to heal, he retreats to a remote Scottish island. There, he's confronted with the unthinkable: a woman who looks exactly like Abby. They say husbands don't change, but wives do. Could this be the key to solving Abby's disappearance-or is it something far more unsettling?

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

In Cross My Heart, Rosie Lachlan dreams of finding her perfect match. A year after being left at the altar, she's back at her parents' bridal salon, longing for her own happily ever after. Having survived a life-saving heart transplant, Rosie is acutely aware of how fragile her second chance at life is. She suspects her donor was Daphne Thorne, the late wife of famous local author Morgan Thorne. Driven by curiosity-and something deeper-Rosie begins anonymously messaging Morgan through a service called DonorConnect, ostensibly to learn more about Daphne. But Rosie harbors a secret: she believes that with Daphne's heart, she and Morgan are destined to be together.

As their correspondence grows more personal, Rosie starts uncovering unsettling whispers about Morgan's past and his late wife's death. Could the man she's falling for be hiding a darker truth? And if so, could Rosie's fragile heart be in more danger than she ever imagined?

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange

In What happened to the McCrays?, Kyle McCray finds out his dad has had a serious stroke, he goes back to his hometown, Potsdam, New York. Kyle knows people there aren't happy with him because he left suddenly over two years ago, leaving behind his dad, his friends, his employees, and his wife, Casey. Casey, a well-loved teacher, is still upset and makes it clear she doesn't want him to stay. Kyle only plans to stick around long enough to help his dad get better.

As time goes on, Kyle realizes how much his leaving hurt everyone. When he's asked to coach the struggling middle school hockey team, he starts to feel connected to the town again. Kyle even thinks about staying, but that would mean he and Casey have to deal with the pain they've been avoiding for years.

What Happened to the McCrays? is a story about love, hope, and healing. It shows both sides of a broken marriage and how two people must face their past to move forward.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. In 1970, pregnant teen girls who are considered "wayward" are sent to Wellwood House in Florida, a secret place where families hide them until they give up their babies for adoption. Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives scared and alone, joining other girls with their own stories: Rose dreams of keeping her baby and running away, Zinnia hopes to marry her baby's father, and Holly, only fourteen, won't speak about what happened to her.

At Wellwood, strict adults control every part of their lives, but everything changes when Fern discovers a book about witchcraft. For the first time, the girls taste power-but power comes with consequences, and the cost may be more than they're ready to pay.

Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) by Rebecca Yarros

In Onyx Storm, after nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows the time for training is over. The real fight has begun, with danger closing in both outside and within their walls, leaving her unsure of who she can trust.

To protect Navarre, Violet must venture beyond the crumbling Aretian wards and seek allies in unfamiliar lands. Her journey will push her to her limits, but she's determined to protect everything she holds dear-her dragons, her family, her home, and the one she loves-even if it means guarding a secret powerful enough to destroy everything.

They need an army, magic, and strength, but most of all, they need the truth-a truth only Violet can uncover. A deadly storm is on the horizon, and not everyone will survive what's coming.

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

In Good Dirt, ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard a gunshot, and everything stopped. When she saw her brother Baz lying on the floor, surrounded by broken pieces of a centuries-old jar, her world fell apart.

The crime was never solved, and because the Freeman family was one of the few Black families in an upscale New England community, the case became a topic of public fascination. Eighteen years later, when Ebby's high-profile romance ends without explanation, the media turns its attention back to her family.

To escape, Ebby moves to France, hoping to leave her past behind, but it follows her. As she reflects on the tragedy, she remembers the stoneware jar, passed down through generations, that was lost that day. Little does she know, that jar holds more than just her family's history-it may hold the key to her future.

The Crash, by Freida McFadden

In The Crash, Tegan, eight months pregnant and feeling lost, decides to leave her troubled life behind and visit her brother to figure out her next steps. But on her way, she unknowingly drives into a blizzard. She never makes it to her destination.

Stranded in rural Maine with a broken car and a sprained ankle, Tegan begins to regret her decision. But then, a couple rescues her and offers her shelter in their cozy cabin until the storm passes. However, things soon feel off. What she thought was a safe place becomes something much darker, and Tegan realizes she may be in serious danger. Trapped in a dangerous situation, she must find a way to escape and protect herself and her unborn child.

Conclusion of The Most Anticipated January 2025 Book Releases

If you love new book releases as much as I do, I hope you enjoy this list of all the upcoming book releases that have caught my eye. This upcoming book releases list is frequently updated, so be sure to come back and check again soon!

Which January 2025 Book Releases are You Most Excited to Read?

What new books are you already dreaming about reading?

Let me know in the comments.

If you liked The Most Anticipated January 2025 Book Releases Unveiled, you may also like the following:

• Start a Reading Habit as a Busy Mom