Writer Priyanka R Khanna Shares 20 Best Books She Loved In 2025

"One of my favourite reads this year. I love Megha’s sparse, vivid language and this novel that questions the circumstances that separate guardians from thieves and redefining maternal instinct is equally unsettling as it is deeply compelling."

"I found myself reading this powerful, deeply personal memoir nearly in its entirety one Sunday. A moving telling of a flawed, incredibly real mother-child relationship and how it impacted Arundhati, the person and the writer."

"I came across this online and was immediately drawn to the portrayal of the messiness of youth and the coming of age of three 20-somethings navigating life in Ireland."

"This book was fun! Set on Fire Island in New York, it had gossip, intrigue, and juicy drama, elements that I love. With a touch of murder."

"I read this novel a few years ago. This year, I found myself re-reading this love story spanning decades and finding it even more impactful this time around."

"If it wasn’t evident already, I am a total sucker for a good love story. Carley Fortune’s meet-cutes, nostalgia-inducing summer settings, and complicated relationships are totally up my alley. I recommend you start with Every Summer After, before getting to this one."

"Another contender for my favourite books of this year. I found this story especially poignant—the idea that a person’s name can define a future and life. It has moments that are difficult to read, but overall, it is a beautifully written story of destiny."

"I’ve been recommending this to all my friends, for its love triangle, dark secrets and propulsive storytelling."

"When people ask me my favourite book, I’m often flummoxed — how can I choose just one? But this is always on my rather long list. I recently recommended it to a friend, and went back to it myself, realising that this layered, thought-provoking book, first published in 1992, about a group of college students, is still as relevant today."

"I’m in the middle of writing my second novel, and as someone who didn’t study creative writing, I’m always trying to find ways to improve my craft. This book came highly recommended (its screenplay writing counterpart is considered the Bible) and has been very helpful in creating a structure."

"Before I started writing All The Right People, my friend and book sherpa Chinmayee recommended that I read this book. And so I went back to it again this year, while working on my new novel. You don’t have to be a writer to enjoy all of Lamott’s advice; it applies easily to daily life. Its core idea of taking things step by step (or bird by bird) is great advice in any situation."

"A mystery novel set in a summer camp in 1975, involving a secretive family whose daughter disappears, just like her brother had years before. This book had so much buzz surrounding its release, and it’s easy to see why."

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"As a former editor at Vogue, I had to pick up this clever book by another former Vogue editor, which talks incisively about the class, privilege, and the difference between the workhorses (the low rung staffers who put in the hours) and the showhorses (those with the right background and pedigree) in the golden age of print."

"Another random find online, this has a precursor, Brooklyn, which I haven’t read, but still found Long Island, of an Irish woman in America whose unspooling marriage forces her to understand herself and where she’s come from, riveting."

"Confession: this was the first novel by Murakami that I’ve read, and so I don’t know how it stacks up to his other books. Whether it was my first visit to Japan or the fact that this book had been lying on my bookshelves for years, I found myself intrigued by this tale of love and loss."

"I’ve read quite a few of Sittenfeld’s books (Prep is still my favourite) and though I don’t read short stories much, I quite enjoyed this collection that spans marriage, female friendship, and writing."

"Problematic author aside, I read the entire series when it first came out, and this year, my 10-year-old daughter began the series. I’m revisiting them with her, starting with the beautifully illustrated versions that are now available."

"My friend Megha recommended I read this lovely book of a young couple, who are trying to build their lives and home, away from family and friends, in a new country."

"When the rest of the world is a dumpster fire, escape momentarily into romance. That’s my solution at least. Emily Henry has created this entire universe that’s beloved by millions; everyone has a favourite, but mine is this one."

"Not going to lie, this account from a former Facebook exec is pretty terrifying about the problematic lean-in culture and the inner workings of this tech giant."

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