From dystopian futures and fantasy kingdoms to cold-case mysteries and Nintendo adventures, readers and media lovers across the Thompson-Nicola region showed eclectic tastes in 2025.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library has released its annual list of the most borrowed titles of the year, tallying checkouts from all 14 library locations, including its Mobile Library. The list highlights the Top 10 titles across multiple categories, from children’s and young adult books to adult fiction and non-fiction, DVDs and video games.
Leading the pack overall was The Waiting by Michael Connelly, which earned the title of the most borrowed item across the entire library system in 2025.
Kids, Teens and Adults All Found Favourites
In children’s books, familiar names dominated. Jeff Kinney claimed two of the top three spots with Big Shot and Hot Mess, while Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot took the top position, reflecting its continued popularity with young readers—and its crossover appeal, echoed by its ranking among the top DVDs.
Young adult readers gravitated toward stories tackling big themes. Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping claimed the number one spot, followed by Sarah J. Maas’s fantasy favourite A Court of Thorns and Roses and Alan Gratz’s climate-focused novel Two Degrees.
Non-Fiction Trends and Page-Turning Fiction
Adult non-fiction readers leaned toward titles exploring psychology, society and self-improvement. Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory was the most borrowed non-fiction book, with Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation and Malcolm Gladwell’s Revenge of the Tipping Point close behind.
In adult fiction, mystery and historical storytelling proved popular. Michael Connelly’s The Waiting topped the list, followed by Kristin Hannah’s The Women and Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf.
More Than Just Books
Reflecting the evolving role of libraries, TNRL also highlighted its most borrowed DVDs and video games. Topping the DVD list was Horizon: An American Saga, Chapter 1, with Deadpool & Wolverine and The Wild Robot rounding out the top three.
On the gaming side, Nintendo titles reigned supreme. Luigi’s Mansion 3 was the most borrowed video game of the year, followed by Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Mario 3D World & Bowser’s Fury.
