Our Titles Featured in Publishers Lunch’s "The Best Lists of 2025"

We’re proud to celebrate the Penguin Random House titles recognized in Publishers Lunch’s “The Best Lists 2025”. Drawing from 55 “votes” across an array of literary sources, including critics’ year-end lists, major award nominees, and bookseller and librarian picks, Publishers Lunch compiled lists of  10 standout titles in various genres from this past year.

On the 2025 list, many Penguin Random House titles were honored across the fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books categories.  In fiction, AUDITION by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead) scored the top book of the year.

We extend a warm congratulations to our teams and authors whose work earned this incredible distinction and made 2025 a year to remember!

FICTION

AUDITION by Katie Kitamura
Editor: Rebecca Saletan, Riverhead

THE LONELINESS OF SONIA AND SUNNY by Kiran Desai
Editor: Robin Desser; David Ebershoff, Hogarth

A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF by Megha Majumdar
Editor: Jordan Pavlin, Knopf

THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS by Ocean Vuong
Editor: Ann Godoff, Penguin Press

ATMOSPHERE by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Editor: Jennifer Hershey, Ballantine

NONFICTION

A MARRIAGE AT SEA by Sophie Elmhirst
Editor: Jynne Dilling, Riverhead

ONE DAY, EVERYONE WILL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THIS by Omar El Akkad
Editor: John Freeman, Knopf

KING OF KINGS by Scott Anderson
Editor: Bill Thomas, Doubleday 

SEARCHES by Vauhini Vara
Editor: Acquired by Lisa Lucas, edited by Denise Oswald, Pantheon

MURDERLAND by Caroline Fraser
Editor: Sara Bershtel, Penguin Press

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Picture Book

DON’T TRUST FISH, by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat
Editor: Kate Harrison, Dial

ISLAND STORM, by Brian Floca, illustrated by Sydney Smith
Editor: Neal Porter, Neal Porter Books

Middle Grade

THE POISONED KING by Katherine Rundell
Editor: Nancy Siscoe, Knopf Children’s

Young Adult

DEATH IN THE JUNGLE by Candace Fleming
Editor: Anne Schwartz, Anne Schwartz Books