Favourite Books of 2025

What would we do without our marvellous booksellers? They’re always on hand to give readers just the right book for any occasion. So as we near the festive season, and we think about gifts, who better as about their favourite Scottish books of the year. Here are some brilliant books from some of Scotland’s best booksellers!

Recommendations from Rebecca Wall at Night Owl Books, East Linton

Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman, by Callum Robinson

Robinson’s intensely readable memoir is stunningly written, and incredibly broad in scope. Part nature writing, part coming-of-age tale, Ingrained skilfully explores the relationship between fathers and sons, the challenges faced by small businesses, and the importance of craftsmanship in an increasingly digital world. A well-deserved winner of the Indie Book Awards for Non-Fiction 2025.

Cold Kitchen: A Year of Culinary Travels, by Caroline Eden

Journeying between the author’s kitchen in Edinburgh’s New Town and her travels to Central Asia, the Baltics, and beyond, Cold Kitchen is a mouth-watering exploration of the importance of food in our lives, and its ability to transport us across time and space without ever leaving the table. Divided into twelve chapters that chart the changing seasons of the year, each focusing on a single recipe and journey, this exquisitely written memoir is a must-read for anyone with an interest in food or travel.

The Mourning Necklace, by Kate Foster

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Foster’s writing any more than I already did, she released The Mourning Necklace, her third novel. Based on the true-life story of Maggie Dickson, a young woman who survived her execution by hanging in eighteenth-century Edinburgh, The Mourning Necklace is a moving historical novel that is bitingly relevant to our own times.

Recommendations from Lindsay Macgregor at Atkinson Pryce, Biggar

Witches: A King’s Obsession, by Steven Veerapen

This book provides a measured insight into the role of King James VI and I in igniting the witch-hunts which blazed across Scotland and England. It examines where our perceptions and stereotypes about witches emanated from and it explores, unflinchingly, how alleged witches were identified, tortured and punished.  As Veerapen states, it’s “a sobering reminder that history is not always a progressive march to enlightenment but frequently one which sees many stumbles, wrong turns, and reactionary waves of violence and brutality.”  I found it a fascinating read for anyone interested in early modern history, witch hunts, or the rationale behind the irrational.

How to Kill a Witch, A Guide for the Patriarchy, by Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi

This is another fascinating book about women accused as witches, rich in historical detail but also providing insights on the patriarchal context in which witchcraft accusations flourish.  The range of sources is impressive, including testimony from “experts” and witnesses, transcripts from trials, and portrayals of the women accused. I also appreciated the chapter on present-day witch hunts. It’s a harrowing read but the authors bring wit and compassion to a story which is as relevant as ever.

The Cadence of a Song: The Life of Margaret Fay Shaw, by Fiona J MacKenzie, 

This biography relates the remarkable story of Margaret Fay Shaw, the American-born musician and folklorist who documented and preserved the traditions, lore and songs of the Hebrides at her home on Canna.  The biographer, herself a noted musician with Gaelic fluency, brings knowledge and expertise to our understanding of Shaw’s life commitment, work and legacy. And I particularly appreciated anecdotes and insights from people who met and knew Shaw.  A very engaging read whether or not you’ve come across Margaret Fay Shaw before.

Recommendation from Elaine Sinclair at Daydreams Bookshop, Milngavie

Kitten Heels, by Margaret Cullen

It’s full of wonderful Glasgow charm and patter. In essence, it’s a coming-of-age tale dealing with dark issues which faced many communities living by the Clyde in the 1960s, but it brings hope and humour at the same time. A real wee gem of a book.

Recommendations from Samantha and Stephen at The Nairn Bookshop, Nairn

Drystone: A Life Rebuilt, by Kristie de Garis

With splashes of humour, this memoir skilfully sets out the difficulties of managing a childhood move from town to country, racism and bullying, and the traumas borne of an uncertain start in life. Never dwelling overly long on its powerful central image of drystone walling, this beautiful book illustrates how a shift in pace, embracing non-traditional work and family structures, and hard-won self-learning can make for a far more fulfilling life.

Fower Pessoas, by Colin Bramwell

A remarkable act of reimagining, this is translation, or rather transcreation, of Fernando Pessoa’s poetry into vernacular Scots is carried out with wit and playfulness, and with a cipher at its heart.

The River, by Craig A. Smith

An everyday epic, we meet protagonist Lachlan McCormack in a nursing home, then learn about his earlier life, drifting along with him. A brilliant book about how loss, love and shocks shape Lachlan’s life, with Scotland and its evolving politics as a gentle character in its own right.

Recommendation from Kirsty Smith at the RIAS Bookshop, Edinburgh

Art Deco Scotland by Bruce Peter

Beautifully illustrated with images and photographs from the HES archive and the author’s own collection this book is a comprehensive guide to architecture and design across Scotland in the interwar period. Alongside familiar buildings like Portobello Lido, the Dominion Cinema and Basil Spence’s Southern Motors Garage there is an impressive range of structures from all sectors documented within its pages. Some particular favourites are the surprisingly elegant power stations and colliery baths featured in the chapter on Industry and Energy and the fabulous story of the Bennie Railplane at Milngarvie.

Recommendations from Carly Penderis at The Wee Bookshop, Dollar

Muckle Flugga, by Michael Pedersen

I loved this lyrical explosion of a book . The prose rather like Michael himself just leaps joyously off the page and you can’t help smiling with delight. The narration is evocative and elemental and the story an intimate portrayal of love, loss, masculinity and island life. I adored this book.

Only Here Only Now, by Tom Newlands

A stunning debut novel. I devoured this book and fell in love with Cora the main character. Despite the setting amidst poverty grief and hardship it is hopeful and uplifting and written with such tender empathy – never patronising . I often still think of Cora and wonder what she is up to now …I’m delighted to hear there is a sequel on the way !