- - Literary Hub Names the 2 Most Critically Acclaimed Books of the Year

Meredith GordonDecember 17, 2025 at 12:32 AM

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Photo by David Levenson on Getty Images

Are you enjoying book awards season?

Many of the publishing world’s most prestigious end-of-year lists, including The New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2025 list and Amazon’s Best Books of the Year list, have named their picks for the best fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, and more this year. Literary Hub, also known as Lit Hub, one of the leading online literary publications focused on books, writing, authors, and literary culture, just announced its picks for the best books of 2025. The platform curates its list by reviewing top book awards and best-of lists from across the literary landscape to determine which books were the most critically acclaimed of the year based on awards, list appearances, and critical reception.

Literary Hub editor Emily Temple refers to the platform’s roundup as The Ultimate List, writing, “I have arrived to present to you the Ultimate List, otherwise known as the List of Lists—in which I read all (or at least many) of the Best Of lists on the internet and count which books are recommended most.”

She continues, “This year, I processed 58 lists from 49 outlets, which collectively recommended more than 1,300 different books (…help). Ninety of those books made it onto five or more lists, and I have collated these for you here, in descending order of frequency.”

The Most Critically Acclaimed Books of 2025

Just two books appeared on 21 best-of lists this year, the most of any titles in 2025. Those books are The Loneliness of Soniaand Sunny by Kiran Desai and Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. Featured on 20 lists and coming in a close third is Katie Kitamura’sAudition.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

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Longlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize in Fiction, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny was also shortlisted as one of the six finalists for the prestigious award. Desai’s deeply emotional novel was additionally named a finalist for the 2025 Kirkus Prize in Fiction, among numerous other best-of lists this year.

The novel follows two young Indian protagonists, Sonia and Sunny, as they navigate love, family, and friendship across India and the U.S. It explores themes of class, race, history, and the search for identity in a modern, globalized world.

The book was also named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, The Washington Post, NPR, Time, Oprah Daily, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, Harper’s Bazaar, The Globe and Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Elle, Library Journal, Libby, and Chicago Public Library.

The Washington Post calls it “a magnificent saga,” while novelist Ann Patchett praises it as “a spectacular literary achievement. I wanted to pack a little suitcase and stay inside this book forever.”

Related: Goodreads Reveals Its Most-Read Book of 2025

Mother Mary Comes to Me

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Noted for its lyrical prose and intimate examination of faith, grief, and personal history, Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy is a memoir that blends spirituality and lived experience into a deeply reflective narrative about belief and belonging. Roy explores her lifelong relationship with faith through the figure of the Virgin Mary. The memoir traces her childhood, family dynamics, and cultural background while navigating loss and the search for meaning during moments of vulnerability.

Mother Mary Comes to Me appeared on Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2025 list, was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2025, was a Barnes & Noble Book of the Year finalist, was named Foyles Book of the Year 2025, and received a Goodreads Choice Award nomination for Memoir.

Literary Hub was founded in 2015. Known for its annual and seasonal Best Books lists, Literary Hub is widely regarded as one of the most influential digital platforms in the book world.

Related: Reese Witherspoon Names Her Favorite Book of 2025: ‘That One Made Me Cry’

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