From the bestselling author of cult favorite Butter comes another, singular perspective of modern women. There’s Eriko, who has a seemingly perfect life, but who has also never had a real friend. She creates an opportunity to “run into” lifestyle blogger Shoko, and it feels like she’s finally gotten what she’s always desired. But then the controlled chaos in Shoko’s life becomes less controlled, and Eriko kind of…becomes obsessed with the other woman. —Erica Ezeifedi

This is a new kind of coming-of-age tale. One that dibbles in Sally Rooney realness and dabbles in Ottessa Moshfegh weirdness. Vicky is our main girl, whose obsession with death has carried her from living above an NYC Chinatown funeral parlor to working at a start-up for bespoke urns. She’s well acquainted with the transience of all things, which may be why she struggles to connect with people other than her only friend, Jen. But then she shakes the table: a dating app romp ends in her getting involved with a throuple that includes an artist and a labor organizer. The love she receives from the dynamic really suits her, but doubt still manages to creep in before long. —Erica Ezeifedi

In January, the TV series His & Hers started airing, adapted from Alice Feeney’s book of the same name. A couple weeks later, Feeney’s new thriller released—so it’s no surprise it’s gotten a lot of attention. This follows a woman who returns to her home one day to find her key no longer fits the lock, and the woman who opens the door claims to be her husband’s wife. It promises to be a “mind-bending marriage thriller.” This was read by 16,000 Goodreads users this week and has a 4.1 average rating.

This turned out to be the sleeper hit of 2025: it has kept growing in popularity, seemingly just from word-of-mouth recommendations. Recently, Katie Couric named it the first pick for her new book club. It’s about a woman who has written letters daily her whole life. When someone from her past writes back, she has to reevaluate a painful period in her life and find a way to forgive. This was read by 19,000 users this week and has a 4.5 average rating.

The latest McFadden thriller is about an advice columnist who has been guiding the women who write to her through dealing with their lackluster or even abusive husbands. When she loses her job and realizes her husband is keeping secrets from her, she decides it’s time for her to take her own advice and get revenge. Almost 23,000 Goodreads users read it this week, and it has a 4.0 average rating.

This 2021 sci-fi novel from the author of The Martian is getting renewed interest thanks to the movie adaptation starring Ryan Gosling, which comes out March 20th. Like The Martian, Project Hail Mary is hard sci-fi about a man alone in space. Ryland Grace is a junior high teacher and former molecular biologist who becomes the unlikely last hope of life on Earth. It was read by 27,000 Goodreads users this week and has a 4.5 average rating.

This baseball romance novel is a spin-off of Liz Tomforde’s popular Windy City series. It follows Reese, the first female team owner in Major League Baseball. Despite her qualifications, she’s endlessly questioned, including by field manager Emmett. He sees her as cold, caring more about the business than the team. The more games they spend side-by-side, though, the more sparks fly between them. 27,000 Goodreads users read it this week, and it has a 4.5 average rating.