2025’s Most Borrowed Titles from New York Library

The year is coming to an end soon and if the Christmas decorations weren’t indication enough, the end of year lists should be. Today, we will be looking at the The New York Library’s Most Checked Out Books in 2025. Keep reading to find out the most checked out books by New Yorkers!

While it may be called the New York Library, they don’t cover all five boroughs. Brooklyn and Manhattan have different branches and that should let you know just how big these boroughs are. In future articles, we can focus on those lists because they are different.

The New York Public Library provides millions of free books and other services to millions of New Yorkers. They are essential and help many people get access to books and other materials they otherwise couldn’t. Support you local libraries as much as you can. You can see the full list below!

The New York Public Library’s Most Checked Out Books in 2025

• James by Percival Everett
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
• All Fours by Miranda July
• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
• The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
• The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Funny Story by Emily Henry

James

With so many amazing books to check, I am happy that thousands of people have been reading James by Percival Everett. This novel is perfect in my opinion and it and deserved to win the National Book Award for Fiction, and the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

While there was some controversy surrounding the Pulitzer Prize award, I am glad that it did end up winning it. After seeing this novel everywhere, I knew I had to read it no matter what. And still it surpassed all of my expectations. If this novel didn’t make the list, then I would have been furious. 

James is a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and gives James the voice he always deserved. Everett tells us of James’ story and from his point of view and it is an amazing and well written novel.

James is a slave in Hannibal, Missouri and tries to take care of all the slaves at the plantation. But one day, James discovers that he is going to be sold soon and separated from his family. He has no plans to go along with this and instead runs away. But he is discovered by Huckleberry Finn who is also planning to run away.

If you had to read one book that was released in 2024, then this is the one I recommend. There are a bunch of others I would recommend after but James is just that good for me to put it anywhere but first on my list.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

If you haven’t read a novel by James McBride, then you are missing out on one of the most gifted writers out there. His story telling, character building, and plot have made him one of my favorite authors. His novel The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store won the Kirkus Award, and was Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s book of the year.

Moshe and Chona Ludlow live in Pottstown in the 1920s and the 1930s. They own the local theater that has a dance hall and a grocery store named The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.

One day, The Ludlows are asked to hide a young Black deaf boy named Dodo from authorities by Nate Timblin. Timblin works at the grocery store and is a trusted friend of Moshe.

The Ludlows shelter Dodo from the town physician who is a part of the Ku Klux Klan and is avoided by the Black residents of Pottstown. The novel follows the relationships between the Ludlows and the Black residents as they try to protect Dodo from the racist policies and people living in Pottstown.

Conclusion

Most of the list is filled with romance novels and unfortunately I am not the biggest romance fan. That is why I haven’t read many of the books on this list and don’t see myself reading them anytime soon. Still, I recognize these novels from the numerous lists and bookstores that I have seen them in constantly.

These are the New York Public Library’s most checked out books of 2025! The list includes a bunch of books released in 2024. But it also includes books that have been trending all year. Everyone should make use of their public libraries and support them however they can.

I think this is a great list to find your next read. These books are popular because readers are enjoying them. I’ll also be covering more lists from the New York Libraries. Until next time, happy reading!

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