2025 top reads
This was a rough year for reading (and everything else, thanks trump). I read about a hundred books fewer than than usual and many were rereads and a whole lot were middle grade. But there were some highlights and some of them are even written for grown ups!
Vera, or Faith, by Gary Shteyngart: I recommend going into this book not knowing too much. It was very funny, dystopian, and lovely.
The Skandar series by A.F. Steadman: oh goodness I LOVED these. They are a great harry potter alternative because the author isn’t evil, and there are factions, and death, and friendship, and romance, and UNICORNS. Read them.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna: just a warm cozy hug of a book. I loved sinking into it.
Heartwood, by Amity Gage: maybe my favorite mystery of the year
The Impossible Fortune, by Richard Osman: I mean, it’s a Thursday Murder Club book, I ate it up and would read 100 more.
The Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series, by Vaseem Khan: these are just delightful mysteries set in Indian about a former cop with a baby elephant who….you guessed it….solves crimes
Run for the Hills, by Kevin Wilson: every single one of his books is so good, and so unusual, and so perfect
Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid: I think this is the only book that made me cry this year
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove, by Barbera Demick: just a fabulous nonfiction about twins who were separated under China’s one child policy, and one twin was adopted in the US. Absolutely fascinating.
The Medusa Protocol, by Rob Hart: is it a mystery series about former killer for hires who are in an AA type group? It sure is
Never Flinch, by Stephen King: I don’t like horror so I haven’t read much King but the Holly Gibney books are right up my alley, not too much horror
The Tell, by Amy Griffin: memoir about a woman who recovers memory of being sexually abused. Very compelling. The body keeps the score, etc.
Hang On St Christopher, by Adrian McGinty: I discovered this detective series set during the Troubles last year, and they are so good
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping, by Jesse Q Sutanto: sometimes you need an old lady solving murders
The Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen: and sometimes you need a whole bunch of middle grades about a 12 year old who also solves crimes
Kills Well With Others: and SOMETIMES, you need old ladies who are also retired assassins solving murders
Sir Callie and the Witch’s War, by Esme Symes-Smith: omg. Knights! Nonbinary and queer characters aplenty! Dragons!
This was a rough year for reading (and everything else, thanks trump). I read about a hundred books fewer than than usual and many were rereads and a whole lot were middle grade. But there were some highlights and some of them are even written for grown ups!
Vera, or Faith, by Gary Shteyngart: I recommend going into this book not knowing too much. It was very funny, dystopian, and lovely.
The Skandar series by A.F. Steadman: oh goodness I LOVED these. They are a great harry potter alternative because the author isn’t evil, and there are factions, and death, and friendship, and romance, and UNICORNS. Read them.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna: just a warm cozy hug of a book. I loved sinking into it.
Heartwood, by Amity Gage: maybe my favorite mystery of the year
The Impossible Fortune, by Richard Osman: I mean, it’s a Thursday Murder Club book, I ate it up and would read 100 more.
The Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series, by Vaseem Khan: these are just delightful mysteries set in Indian about a former cop with a baby elephant who….you guessed it….solves crimes
Run for the Hills, by Kevin Wilson: every single one of his books is so good, and so unusual, and so perfect
Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid: I think this is the only book that made me cry this year
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove, by Barbera Demick: just a fabulous nonfiction about twins who were separated under China’s one child policy, and one twin was adopted in the US. Absolutely fascinating.
The Medusa Protocol, by Rob Hart: is it a mystery series about former killer for hires who are in an AA type group? It sure is
Never Flinch, by Stephen King: I don’t like horror so I haven’t read much King but the Holly Gibney books are right up my alley, not too much horror
The Tell, by Amy Griffin: memoir about a woman who recovers memory of being sexually abused. Very compelling. The body keeps the score, etc.
Hang On St Christopher, by Adrian McGinty: I discovered this detective series set during the Troubles last year, and they are so good
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping, by Jesse Q Sutanto: sometimes you need an old lady solving murders
The Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen: and sometimes you need a whole bunch of middle grades about a 12 year old who also solves crimes
Kills Well With Others: and SOMETIMES, you need old ladies who are also retired assassins solving murders
Sir Callie and the Witch’s War, by Esme Symes-Smith: omg. Knights! Nonbinary and queer characters aplenty! Dragons!
2024 books
Best Of:
We Solve Murders- BASICALLY A PERFECT BOOK. Mystery by the guy did Thursday murder club
Somewhere Beyond The Sea- BASICALLY A PERFECT BOOK. Cerulean Chronicles #2 and just as charming and delightful as the first.
Death At The Sign Of The Rook- A PERFECT BOOK. Newest Jackson Brodie which I do think is my all time favorite series.
Shark Heart- I promise you you’ve never read anything like this before.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches- BASICALLY A PERFECT BOOK. Just charming and delightful. I might reread it now.
Honorable Mentions:
Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl- super charming YA.
Southern Man- newest Penn Cage. These books are long and dense, but they’re quite good.
Detective Sean Duffy books- really liked this series set in Ireland during the Troubles.
The Return of Ellie Black- terrific mystery
I Was A Doctor in Auschwitz: book written by a woman who was, well, you know, not too long after the war. Might be the most upsetting book I’ve ever read, but an important one.
Think Twice- the return of Myron Boltair, a character I’ve been reading for at least twenty years and am always happy to see.
The Hunter- Tana French is always perfection.
The FunJungle books- this series is for like fifth graders but what can I say, I thought it was awesome.
One Way Back: A Memoir- Christine Blasey Ford and the laughter indelible in the hippocampus is never far from my mind.
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven books- delightful
Relinquished: the Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood and The Child Catchers: Reacue, Trafficking, and the New Gospel of Adoption- these really changed my thinking about adoption
Alex Mack books- they’re for kids. I watched the show as a kid. Whatever, they were worth the eBay buy.
Blessed Water: Sister Holiday #2- these mysteries starring a nun are some of my favorites.
The Mimi Lee books- cozies with a talking cat that I liked a surprising amount
Margo’s Got Money Troubles- a delight from start to finish
Guilt in Ginataan- new installment of what might be my favorite cozy series
The Grey Wolf- newest Gamache. I gobbled it down.
How to be Safe- I am honestly still not sure if I liked this book, but I am still thinking about it
The Message- a must read to see how Israel has laundered their incredible crimes into something palatable
Consent: a Memoir- woman who married her professor. Thoughtful about consent and responsibility and changing language.
Full List:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/252807?shelf=2024&sort=date_added&order=d
We Solve Murders- BASICALLY A PERFECT BOOK. Mystery by the guy did Thursday murder club
Somewhere Beyond The Sea- BASICALLY A PERFECT BOOK. Cerulean Chronicles #2 and just as charming and delightful as the first.
Death At The Sign Of The Rook- A PERFECT BOOK. Newest Jackson Brodie which I do think is my all time favorite series.
Shark Heart- I promise you you’ve never read anything like this before.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches- BASICALLY A PERFECT BOOK. Just charming and delightful. I might reread it now.
Honorable Mentions:
Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl- super charming YA.
Southern Man- newest Penn Cage. These books are long and dense, but they’re quite good.
Detective Sean Duffy books- really liked this series set in Ireland during the Troubles.
The Return of Ellie Black- terrific mystery
I Was A Doctor in Auschwitz: book written by a woman who was, well, you know, not too long after the war. Might be the most upsetting book I’ve ever read, but an important one.
Think Twice- the return of Myron Boltair, a character I’ve been reading for at least twenty years and am always happy to see.
The Hunter- Tana French is always perfection.
The FunJungle books- this series is for like fifth graders but what can I say, I thought it was awesome.
One Way Back: A Memoir- Christine Blasey Ford and the laughter indelible in the hippocampus is never far from my mind.
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven books- delightful
Relinquished: the Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood and The Child Catchers: Reacue, Trafficking, and the New Gospel of Adoption- these really changed my thinking about adoption
Alex Mack books- they’re for kids. I watched the show as a kid. Whatever, they were worth the eBay buy.
Blessed Water: Sister Holiday #2- these mysteries starring a nun are some of my favorites.
The Mimi Lee books- cozies with a talking cat that I liked a surprising amount
Margo’s Got Money Troubles- a delight from start to finish
Guilt in Ginataan- new installment of what might be my favorite cozy series
The Grey Wolf- newest Gamache. I gobbled it down.
How to be Safe- I am honestly still not sure if I liked this book, but I am still thinking about it
The Message- a must read to see how Israel has laundered their incredible crimes into something palatable
Consent: a Memoir- woman who married her professor. Thoughtful about consent and responsibility and changing language.
Full List:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/252807?shelf=2024&sort=date_added&order=d
