Greater Victoria Public Library shares most borrowed books of 2025

There was no shortage of page-turners in 2025, according to Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL).

As December nears its end, GVPL has released its annual list of the most borrowed books of the year. 

This list highlights what titles captured the community’s attention across print, ebook and audiobook formats throughout 2025. 

From January 1st to November 30th, GVPL says library users borrowed over 3.1 million physical items and more than 2.5 million digital titles. 

Once again, digital borrowing increased this year, showing the continued upward trend seen over the past several years.

Despite digital formats booming, print borrowing has always remained strong, says the library.

“Our community continues to demonstrate a remarkable appetite for reading in all formats,” said Maureen Sawa, CEO, GVPL. 

“By presenting rankings separately for print, ebook, and audiobook, we can see how people are engaging with stories in different ways and better understand how the library can serve evolving community needs.”

See the most borrowed titles below:

Print fiction

1. The Women by Kristin Hannah
2. The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
3. All Fours by Miranda July
4. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
5. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
6. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
7. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
8. The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue
9. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
10. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Print non-fiction

1. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
2. Fire Weather by John Vaillant
3. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
4. At a Loss for Words by Carol Off
5. Outlive by Peter Attia
6. The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
7. Ducks by Kate Beaton
8. Value(s) by Mark Carney
9. Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
10. 5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver

ebook fiction

1. The Women by Kristin Hannah
2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
3. The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
4. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
5. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
6. The Wedding People by Alison Espach
7. The Waiting by Michael Connelly
8. James by Percival Everett
9. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
10. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

ebook non-fiction

1. 1. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
   2. The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
   3. Lonely Planet Japan
   4. Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
   5. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
   6. Atomic Habits by James Clear
   7. Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari
   8. The Tell by Amy Griffin
   9. The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver
   10. At a Loss for Words by Carol Off

 Audiobook fiction

1. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
2. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
3. Quicksilver by Callie Hart
4. The Crash by Freida McFadden
5. The Women by Kristin Hannah
6. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
7. The Tenant by Freida McFadden
8. The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden
9. Orbital by Samantha Harvey
10. House of Earth and Blood, Part 1 by Sarah J. Maas

 Audiobook Non-Fiction

1. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
2. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
3. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
4. Atomic Habits by James Clear
5. Becoming by Michelle Obama
6. Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
7. The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
8. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
9. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
10. From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

Kristin Hannah’s The Women was the most borrowed book in both print and ebook fiction. This marks the second consecutive year The Women has been able to hold the top spot.

As The Women is based on historical fiction, other titles in this genre also dominated the print fiction list, with Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf, Emma Donoghue’s The Paris Express, James McBride’s The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club also topping this year’s lists.

In print non-fiction, Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation was also the most borrowed title for a second consecutive year. 

The rest of the non-fiction list reflected a growing interest in current events, communication and social themes. 

This year’s non-fiction list featured several Canadian authors, including John Vaillant and Carol Off ranking prominently. 

According to GVPL, audiobook borrowing showed the greatest divergence from other formats. 

Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm managed to top the fiction list with more than twice the checkouts of the next highest title. 

“Audiobooks are shaped by narration, online discovery, and cultural conversation in ways we do not see as strongly in print or ebooks,” said Rachel Rogers, coordinator of collections and technical services, GVPL. 

“Full cast and duet narrations, as well as titles trending on social media, are driving interest, and these trends help us plan future collections to meet what our community wants.”

In 2025, GVPL says they welcomed more than 20,500 new cardholders and that the rising cost of living is a contributing factor to increased interest in library membership.