Best Books of 2020–2025: A Year-by-Year Guide to the Most Memorable Reads

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of books released each year, you’re not alone. Between critical darlings, viral social media hits, and quiet gems that slipped through the cracks, it’s easy to miss the best reads, even in a year as rich with literary talent as 2020 or as unexpectedly dynamic as 2025.

This guide walks you through the most talked-about, praised, and beloved books of each year from 2020 to 2025. Whether you’re a literary fiction lover, a nonfiction junkie, or someone just trying to read more mindfully in 2026, this year-by-year round-up will help you rediscover what made each year special, and maybe uncover your next favorite book.

Why the 2020–2025 Era Was a Golden Age for Books

The first half of the 2020s brought unprecedented shifts: a global pandemic, renewed social movements, and the explosion of BookTok and BookTube. As physical spaces closed, reading surged. Platforms like TikTok turned niche titles into bestsellers overnight, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin all found second lives through viral reader communities.

Meanwhile, literary fiction thrived with introspective, emotionally resonant storytelling. Authors like Percival Everett (Erasure, adapted into the 2023 film American Fiction), Lily King, and Brandon Taylor delivered nuanced explorations of identity, grief, and connection. Nonfiction also rose to the moment, with gripping memoirs (I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy), incisive social commentary (Caste by Isabel Wilkerson), and immersive science writing (Breath Taking by Sarah Schenck).

Now, as we begin 2026, let’s revisit the defining books of the past six years, one year at a time.

2020: Books in the Time of Isolation

When lockdowns began in early 2020, books became a refuge. Sales spiked globally, and readers turned to both escapism and meaning-making.

Top Fiction:

• My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh (a darkly comic novel that felt eerily prophetic)
• Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters , a tender, sharp exploration of gender, family, and love
• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett , a multigenerational story of race, identity, and the roads not taken

Top Nonfiction:

• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson , a monumental examination of racial hierarchy in America
• Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe , the Sackler family and the opioid crisis

This was also the year audiobooks saw massive growth, with platforms like Audible and Libby reporting record usage.

2021: The Rise of the Book Community

2021 didn’t just see great books , it saw the rise of reading as a shared social experience. Goodreads, Book of the Month, and especially TikTok’s #BookTok community turned books into cultural events.

Breakout Hits:

• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid , rediscovered and beloved anew
• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry , the start of a rom-com renaissance
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir , science, humor, and heart in deep space

Nonfiction standouts included Eighty Days by Alexis Schaitkin and Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott, which painted intimate portraits of overlooked lives.

2022: Literary Fiction in the Spotlight

While 2021 leaned into romance and nostalgia, 2022 gave us serious, beautifully written literary novels that dominated bestseller lists and prize shortlists.

Notable Releases:

• The Sentence by Louise Erdrich , a ghost story set in a Minneapolis bookstore during the pandemic and racial justice uprisings
• The Trees by Percival Everett , a satire-meets-mystery about racial violence and memory
• The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty , winner of the National Book Award for Fiction

Memoirs also had a moment: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin resonated with readers seeking emotional depth.

2023: The Year of the Adaptation

2023 was a banner year for books making the leap to screen. With shows and films based on literary works, more readers picked up the source material.

Must-Reads That Became Must-Watch:

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus , turned into an Apple TV+ hit starring Brie Larson
• All Fours by Miranda July , a bold, surreal journey that sparked intense reader discussions
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver , a modern retelling of David Copperfield that won the Pulitzer Prize

Nonfiction highlights included The Wager by David Grann and Lifeline by Julie Myerson , stories of survival, betrayal, and resilience.

2024: Global Voices Take Center Stage

Publishers and readers alike broadened their horizons in 2024, embracing translated works and international authors.

Standouts:

• Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree (translated by Daisy Rockwell) , the first Hindi novel shortlisted for the International Booker Prize
• Weatherhead by Ana Paula Maia , a gritty Brazilian novel exploring labor and class
• I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel , a daring, fragmented narrative about obsession and power

Domestically, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore captivated readers with its summer-camp mystery and 1970s nostalgia.

2025: The Year of Emotional Intelligence

As the world began to settle post-pandemic, readers in 2025 gravitated toward books that explored inner life, healing, and human connection.

Top Titles of 2025:

• What Language Is Her Silence? by Sharanya Manivannan , poetry and prose that examined grief and myth
• The Faculty of Dreams by Sara Stridsberg (re-released with newfound acclaim)
• Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang , praised for its quiet brilliance and emotional precision

Romance also evolved: authors like Xochitl Gonzalez (Anita de Monte) and Sarah Thankam Mathews (All This Could Be Different) blended love stories with identity, immigration, and economic struggle.

How to Discover More Great Books in 2026

Trends come and go, but your reading journey is personal. Here’s how to stay inspired:

• Follow independent bookstores on social media , they often spotlight underrated titles.
• Join a book club or online reading challenge (like #ReadMore2026).
• Try one book per month from a different country or language.
• Keep a reading journal to reflect on what you read , not just plot, but how it made you feel.

That last tip? It’s more powerful than you think. Journaling about books deepens your connection to them, helps you spot patterns in your tastes, and turns reading from a habit into a lived experience.

Want to track your reading journey, set goals, and remember every book you love?
Try Liryo , your personal reading journal app.
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