Well, so far, the most read books on Goodreads in 2025 look very similar to the most read books in 2024! Before you scroll down, try to guess which three authors have titles in the top five. If you’ve been following this series, you can definitely get them all.
Because these are familiar titles, I’ve also included the most read books in three countries across the world. This time, we’re looking at the reading habits of Goodreads users in Brazil, Indonesia, and Norway. There is some overlap with the global list, but there are also titles uniquely popular in each country, including one that isn’t available in English: the Portuguese book Ainda estou aqui by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, which is one the most popular titles in Brazil at the moment.
As usual, the global list of the most popular books on Goodreads doesn’t include many authors of color. Approximately 98% of the authors with books on the top 50 list are white. (Relatedly, I recommend reading about The Unbearable Whiteness of the Goodreads Choice Awards.) I’ve included a couple of excellent books by BIPOC authors that came out this week at the end of this list, but if you’d like recommendations in your inbox every week, sign up for Book Riot’s In Reading Color newsletter!
#5:
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. MaasThree of the top five books this week are from romantasy series. Sarah J. Maas may “only” be in fifth spot on this list, but she has 12 titles in the top 50. A Court of Thorns and Roses was read by more than 20,000 users this week and currently has 3.4 million ratings on Goodreads, with a 4.2 average rating. Brazil: Ainda estou aqui by Marcelo Rubens Paiva Indonesia: Animal Farm by George Orwell Norway: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas |
#4:
The Boyfriend by Freida McFaddenFreida McFadden is the reigning queen of thrillers, and she has two titles in the top five this week. This is her newest title. It had more than 28,000 readers on Goodreads, with a 4.0 average rating. Brazil: Funny Story by Emily Henry Indonesia: Laut Bercerita (The Sea Speaks His Name) by Leila S. Chudori Norway: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden |
#3:
The Housemaid by Freida McFaddenThis is the first book in Freida McFadden’s Housemaid series, followed by The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching. It was read by almost 32,000 Goodreads users this week, with a 4.3 average rating. Brazil: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Indonesia: White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky Norway: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros |
#2:
Iron Flame by Rebecca YarrosRebecca Yarros has claimed two of the top five spots of the week with her Empyrean series. Book three, Onyx Storm, comes out on January 21st. Iron Flame, book two of the series, was read by over 32,000 users this week and has a 4.4 average rating. Brazil: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden Indonesia: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Norway: Brightly Shining by Ingvild H. Rishøi |
#1:
Fourth Wing by Rebecca YarrosThe #1 most read book on Goodreads this week was Fourth Wing, the first book in the Empyrean series. This romantasy series about a dragon-riding academy is one of the most popular in the genre. Fourth Wing was read by more than 46,000 users this week and it has a 4.6 average rating. Brazil: A Cabeça do Santo (The Head of the Saint) by Socorro Acioli Indonesia: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa Norway: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros |
Two New Books Out This Week You Should Know About
Unfortunately, the most read books on Goodreads tend not to be diverse by any definition of the word. So, here are a couple of new books out this week that deserve wider readership.
Homeseeking by Karissa ChenThis book is starting 2025 with a buzz. In it, Suchi’s and Haiwen’s childhood friendship sweetens into teenage love in 1940s Shanghai, and it seems like their futures are laid out in tandem. But then Haiwen secretly signs up for the army to spare his brother from the draft, and that shared future is fractured. Their lives diverge for decades, except for one day when Haiwen is grocery shopping in LA, looks up, and sees Suchi. It feels like they have a second chance at what should have been, but all of the living they’ve done weighs on them, and it’s not clear that they will be able to make something new and worthwhile. —Erica Ezeifedi |
The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. WarrenOpera singer Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield has performed on renowned stages, even putting on a performance at Buckingham Palace. Eliza, born into slavery but adopted by a wealthy woman who raised her in the shelter of a Quaker community, has lived a relatively charmed life. But then her mother dies and her white cousins contest her inheritance, leaving her with few choices. Her mother always wanted her to pursue her gift for music, and when a performance on a steamboat in Buffalo sets her on a path toward stardom, she leaps at the chance. But for an educated, free Black woman, even fame and success are not enough to convince everyone she deserves the remarkable life she builds for herself. —Rachel Brittain |
If you’re looking for more buzzy books, check out The Bestselling Books of the Week, According to All the Lists.
Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.