by Calling all bookworms! We’ve compiled a list of treasure troves that’ll transport you to different worlds, evoking strong emotions and leaving you pondering long after you finish reading.
From the thought-provoking prose of Arundhati Roy’s latest masterpiece to the captivating storytelling of Sanjena Sathian’s delightful new book. We’ve curated a list of the latest book releases of 2025 that you wouldn’t want to miss!
A Home to Haunt by Sudeshna Shome Ghosh
An ode to the Bengali contemporary tales of haunting, Sudeshna Shome Ghosh blends the spooks with another great Bengali love: wanderlust. Our hero, Poltu, believes he’s heading to a hill station with his uncle, but the holiday takes a surprising turn when a train of full ghosts arrives at their station. Poor Poltu is not only the passenger on this train, but now he has to find new homes for the ghosts in one night. Poltu meets sentient taxis, learns cricket anew, and discovers a new side of Kolkata in this rollicking adventure.
On the Brink of Belief, edited by Kazim Ali
Edited by renowned thinker and poet, Kazim Ali, On the Brink of Belief is the latest anthology of South Asian queer writing. It collects the myriad voices of rising LGBTQIA+ writers from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Together, they destroy arbitrary lines, demystify shame, and reframe what it means to be queer in the South Asian context where society hinges on erasure and false binaries.
Covert by A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani, and Neil K. Aggarwal
Asad Durrani and A.S. Dulat are back after the massive success of The Spy Chronicles with psychiatrist Neil K. Aggarwal. Covert takes you into the heads of the two spymasters. It delivers into their professional and personal trajectories that trace the extent of their national identities. Expertly moderated by Aggarwal, the conversation turns to a remarkable and forthright appraisal of the two nations’ peacebuilding process. Providing profound insights into the shadowy realm of subterfuge and negotiation, Covert is a must-read for those interested in South Asian amity and peace.
How to Forget by Meera Ganapthi
Meera Ganpathi’s How to Forget is a meandering journey through love, childhood, longing, and loss. Told through communal and personal impressions and memory, the book chronicles lives as an act of walking. These journeys usually follow similar paths but end at unexpected destinations. An elephant wanders in Nilgiri tea estates, a woman faces the night, prawns are doused in chilli oil, a lost childhood, and the discovery of solitude by walking through 55 timelines and cities. With insightful and gentle observations, Ganpathi offers a break from the chaotic cities and the clamouring thoughts in this new book release in India.
The Elsewhereans by Jeet Thayil
Jeet Thayil, author of Narcopolis and shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize, is back with another genre-defying work. This novel is a combination of a memoir, travelogue, family saga, photographs, and ghost story, unfolding across decades and continents. The story takes you from the backwaters of Kerala to the metropolises of Paris, Bombay, Hong Kong, and more. Jeet Thayil, in The Elsewhereans, maps how separation shapes the restless lives of those who stay and those who leave.
Learning from Silence by Pico Iyer
Pico Iyer is among the most prolific travel writers of our generation. Learning from Silence is his monastery travel experience, where he received many lessons in patience. These monastery retreats are where he found himself alone but also found joy on the way. This new storybook in English offers a unique view of life in a monastery as Iyer taps into the intimate and personal to write a book that shows readers the true power silence holds.
Goddess Complex by Sanjena Sathian
Goddess Complex is as poignant as it is absurd among the latest books in India. A year after Sanjana Satyananda walked out on her husband, who’s a struggling actor, she keeps receiving calls from women seeking her advice on fertility and pregnancy. And the reason for her leaving her husband, Killian, behind? An argument about becoming parents. Sanjana resurrects her dissertation and crashes at her sister’s house as her peers obsess over motherhood, marriages, and mortgages. However, Killian goes missing and that’s when those calls start. It forces Sanjana to face the alternate reality of how life would have been if she wanted children.
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
Anytime Arundhati Roy writes a book, it’s destined to be the most captivating thing you could read. Mother Mary Comes to Me is also one of the most anticipated books of 2025. This is a tribute to her mother who passed away 3 years ago. At 18, Roy ran from her mother “not because I didn’t love her, but in order to be able to continue to love her”. An ode to Roy’s closest and most complex relationship, this memoir is equally disturbing and fascinating, humorous and moving.
Grab these exciting new releases–visit your nearest bookstore or buy books online in India from websites such as Oxford Bookstore.
Whether you’re a fan of romance, literary fiction, or thrillers, our list has you covered! So, grab a cup of your favourite brew and get cosy as the words transport you to new worlds!
