ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Who better to tell you about the best books of 2025 than the folks at the local bookstores of Western North Carolina? From queer vampires to epistolary charmers, read on for our local booksellers’ favorite reads of the year.

The best books of 2025

“Deep Cuts” by Joe Clarke and Kyle Higgins

Artwork by Juni Ba, Danilo Beyruth, Toby Cypress, Diego Greco, Helena Masellis, Igor Monti, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and Ramon K Perez

“This anthology has a diverse team of artists breathing life into this vibrant stand alone graphic novel. ‘Deep Cuts’ is a historical fiction anthology about jazz music across the 20th century that explores the shifting challenges of the industry, the magic of finding those perfect chords, and the way jam evolves into a composition, and the way a composition evolves over time. The characters are inspired by real life musicians and moments in history, and each of the six issues stories are set in a different era, from 1917 to 1968. Each short story is matched with a unique artist and includes sheet music original songs written by Chicago jazz composers for each chapter. ” – Allison Jenkins, Comic Envy

“The River Has Roots” by Amal El-Mohtar

“A spell-binding tale of love, magic, and sacrifice. This novella is a breathtaking and poetic fantasy that weaves together the delicate threads of duty, family, and the dangerous allure of Faerie. The author’s prose is rich and lyrical, which made me feel as if I were standing right next to the character as the story unfolded. It quickly became one of my favorite books I’ve ever read!” – MacKenzie Taylor, Highland Books

“The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans

“Written through a series of letters, both to and from Sybil Van Antwerp, this epistolary novel takes you into the life of a feisty, smart, and stubborn 70+ year old woman. I finished feeling like I was a recipient of her letters for years. Buy yourself a set of stationery when you finish, because you will want to write letters to everyone.” – Jayme Case, Highland Books

“The Ferryman and His Wife” by Frode Grytten

“What makes a life? At the end of yours, what will you remember most? What will you cherish? On the last day of his life, Nils Vik boards his boat and recalls his many years and those he shared them with. Full of beautiful prose and achingly tender moments, this Norwegian translation was my favorite book of 2025.” – Leslie Logemann, Highland Books

“Harlem Rhapsody” by Victoria Christopher Murray

“Murray’s historical fiction novel does a wonderful job of shedding light on the legacy of Jessie Redmon Fauset, who was an influential literary editor for The Crisis, the literary magazine for the NAACP, and a mentor to young Black writers like Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes. Readers are transported to the Harlem Renaissance, as they witness Redmon Fauset’s literary accomplishments in this tale of love, ambition, and professional recognition in the face of racism and sexism.” – Tamara Olmedo, Cuentos y Café BIPOC Bookstore

“Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil” by V.E. Schwab

“‘Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil’ by V.E. Schwab is definitely my favorite release of the year. Coined as a ‘toxic lesbian vampires’ novel, this story is one about loneliness, female rage, grief, queer desire, autonomy, and above all, hunger. Hunger for love, hunger for power, hunger to control the narrative that, for women, has often been controlled for them by men or a society. Hunger to belong, both in a space and in a body. The characters are authentic and brutal, the writing truly exceptional, and I’ll be thinking about this ruby gem of a novel for a long while yet.” – Lindsay Johnson, Willbloom Books

“Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo” by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta

“While the Absolute Batman’s initial debut wasn’t in 2024, we simply couldn’t NOT mention the hottest comic of 2025, now out in trade paperback form! Every time we receive a restock, they sell out fast, and for good reason! Seeing Batman stripped of his resources and finances that afforded him the gadgets we’re used to seeing him with, it’s the super villains with the financial backing, and we get to see what Bruce does when he’s forced to contend with that with only his wit and engineering skills to rely on. It’s a fresh take on a classic hero, and it’s safe to say Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta knocked it out of the ballpark!” – Bird Pace, Morgan’s Comics

“Spectators” by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon

“We simply couldn’t forget to add this in, not only for the unique, well-told story but for the beautiful hand-painted art! This story was a unique take on a supernatural romance, all about (as Brian Vaughan puts it) the different ways we obsessively watch sex and violence, and takes a hard look at both. The story, taking place in a ghost-filled New York City hundreds of years in the future, focuses on a voyeuristic woman who died in our present day and a gun-toting man who died in the distant past. They meet each other just in time to observe what may well be the end of the (living) world. The art itself, hand-painted by Niko Henrichon, is stunning and eye-catching, and the fact that Brian Vaughan (author of bestselling comic ‘Saga’) wrote this story makes for an unforgettable tale that had us hooked from the very start!” – Morgan Albritton Layton, Morgan’s Comics