my 2025 books

Time to break down my 2025 books; and as I was looking through some of these books and realized how many random stories I read this past year - mostly from findings available books at the library app and Libby app. I highly recommend using the "let's go online shopping" energy to "shop" for available books at your local library app or on Libby. 

I started off the year reading Michelle Obama's "The Light We Carry", and once again Michelle showed how graceful she is. Worth the read. 

If you are experiencing a reading-slump, I highly recommend The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. This historical novel is involving, beautiful and deeply touching. Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors and all her books are so well researched. I am slightly worried about the movie adaptation for this book, as this was one of the best World War II books I read in a long time; hoping the adaptation does it justice! 

How To Say Babylon by Safya Sinclair is my favorite memoir of 2025. I did not know much about Jamaica's history, and Safya shared much of her life story and how the Jamaican culture shaped her early years. Having read this book a few months before Jamaica was hit by the catastrophic Hurricane Melissa made my heart ache deeply. I very highly recommend this memoir - both if you are already a memoir lover or wants to get into the genre. 

Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez and American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins are both very interesting reads for the current political landscape, the first being a memoir and the latter a novel. 

Woodworking by Emily St. James was a heartwarming read. This story has a special place in my heart.  

 

Out of (reading) order here, but The Dutch House by Ann Patchett is a beautiful, long novel - it spams through multiple generations - and it took me out of a reading slump as well. Beautifully written, it is read by Tom Hanks on the audiobook version. 

bell hooks always so essential, and The Will To Change was one of my favorite non-fictions of 2025. I have been recommending to everyone since I finished.  

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison was my favorite romance of the year - it was refreshing and fun to read. I read this one early summer, and it made me want to read romances all the time. Unfortunately, that unfolded into some not-so-good reads and a little slump moment. 

I am a big fan of Emily Henry and read one of her older books "A Million Junes" - it was a sweet, quick read with some fantasy aspects (very different from her most recent stories). 

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler was also fun and quick. 

Now, from the Taylor Jenkins Reid books I read in 2025: Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto is Back and Atmosphere. I need to say, my favorite is Carrie Soto. I know many people are praising on Taylor most recent book, Atmosphere, but my unpopular opinion is that this is probably my least favorite of her stories - still worth reading; I am giving a 3 out of 5 stars - it is not bad, just not my favorite. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an amazing author.

If you are a mystery fan, my 2025 list only has a couple, but I highly recommend The Only One Left by Riley Sager. I hadn't read a good mystery in a while, and this one was very entertaining (kept me on my toes till the very end). 

Dark Wild Shore has been living rent-free in my mind since I read it earlier in the year. One of those stories you will not forget. I think I first saw the book on Goodreads and it took a while for the hold to be ready at my library, but it was worth the wait. 

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie new novel was released early in the year, and I snagged a copy from the library very quickly. Other releases from 2025 include new Emily Henry's Great Big Beautiful Life - this one I had to wait for a while on hold for a copy of the e-book. 

                    

I know I was late to the game, but I read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer (my last finished read of the year), and it deserves its popularity. Such an incredible non-fiction. 

I am also trying to pick up on U.S classics, so this year I read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Wrinkle in Time and Jungle. I am mostly listening to the audiobooks when it comes to classics, and I recommend for anyone trying to read them (for the first time or since middle school). This idea was from a friend, and I totally agree that audiobooks can make classics better. 

If you are a fan of Geraldine Brooks books, I recommend her memoir "Memorial Days" - she writes about the unexpected passing of her husband. It is short and personal. I was already a big fan of her work, and now I have a new level of respect for her. 

75 books. Some very good stories and some very crazy ones. 

Please feel free to comment if you want to know about any specific book on my book list (pictures) that I did not mention on the post. I might make more specific posts for some of these stories!