St. Louis librarians’ best books of 2025 -STLPR

Culture & History

St. Louis on the Air

The best books of 2025, chosen by St. Louis librarians

By Emily Woodbury, Published Dec. 3, 2025 at 5:00 a.m. CST

The cold, snowy days and long nights of winter are prime time for curling up with a warm, soothing drink and a good book.

Whether you’re in search of a gift idea, a book to read during holiday travel or a good story for a cozy staycation, St. Louis Public Radio’s 2025 book list has you covered.

On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, we talked top titles with the people who select books for libraries in St. Louis and St. Louis County: Jennifer Alexander, collection development librarian at St. Louis County Library, and Lauren Brickey, manager of collection development at St. Louis Public Library. Community members also shared their picks on Reddit and Facebook.

St. Louis librarians’ best books of 2025

Their favorite reads are listed below, including brief notes from each of them.

JENNIFER ALEXANDER’S LIST:

FICTION

“Automatic Noodle,” by Annalee Newitz

“Four robots work together to create tasty food for humans. Their challenges: getting supplies, finding customers, robot-phobia and navigating laws on robot-owned businesses. This delightful tale offers wisdom on problem-solving, building teams and the joy of chosen work.”

“A Guardian and a Thief,” by Megha Majumdar

“This near-future novel set in Kolkata introduces characters who are fighting for survival and working to protect their families. As their stories intersect, it becomes clear that one character’s salvation will mean the other’s downfall. This is a fable-like tale of love, hardship and community.”

“The Wilderness,” by Angela Flournoy

“Intertwining stories of five Black women finding their way into adulthood create a deeply moving portrait of friendship. Over the course of 20 years in New York and Los Angeles, Desiree, Danielle, January, Monique and Nakia face both the universal hardships of growing up and the specific challenges of 21st century America.”

“Heart the Lover,” by Lily King

“This beautiful and moving novel presents a story of a college romance and all that comes after. King beautifully evokes the sincerity and confusion of young love while reminding readers that love, heartbreak and drama persist beyond youth.”

Continue/Read Original Article Here: St. Louis librarians’ best books of 2025 | STLPR

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