2025 Book List

It's time for my third annual Book List. For the first time in my life, I actually wrote down every book I read throughout the year. I am also including some Best Ofs and my DNFs.

I hope you'll find some inspiration from this list. It should be no surprise that there are a bazillion talented authors out there.

Remember, having excess of books you have not read is tantamount to having investments. You never know when you will need them!

If you are able to buy your books, please patronize your nearest local bookshop. If you don't have a nearby local bookshop, try bookshop.org, which is a way to shop independent bookstores online. You can use this link to get 20% off.

So... here goes!

Best Fiction (tie)

Northwoods Daniel Mason

Night Watch Jayne Ann Philips

Best Nonfiction

When I Was Puerto Rican Esmerelda Santiago

Best Audio Book: 

Selling The Dream Jane Marie

Also Reads (* = another favorite)

Fun House Alison Bechdel

The Hunter Tana French

One Of Our Kind Nicola Yoon

Killing Moon Jo Nesbo

Poacher’s Son Paul Doiron

*Why Fish Don’t Exist (NF) Lulu Miller

Kala Colin Walsh

The Yellow House (NF) Sarah Broom 

All Boys Aren’t Blue (NF) George M Johnson

Safekeep Yael Van Der Wouden

Hallowe’en Party Agatha Christie

*A Partial History Of Lost Causes Jennifer Dubois

Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury

*Anita DeMont Laughs Last Xochitl Gonzales

*Martyr! Kaveh Akbar

*The Midnight Library Matt Haig

DNFs That I Will Probably Finish

The Barn Wright Thompson (NF audio)

Mystery Train Can Xue

Oribtal Samantha Harvey

DNFs That I Probably Won't Finish

Big Swiss Jen Beagin (didn't like)

Slow Horses Mick Herron (liked but true to the first season of the show)

Pulling The Chariot Of The Sun Shane McCrae (wanted to like, but just didn't)

Happy Reading in 2026! Whether you choose any of these books or not, reading books is more mentally stimulating and stress reducing than scrolling!