This year has flashed by and it’s nearly over. What are everyone’s top reads for this year (this doesn’t mean they were published in 2025, just read by you in 2025).
My top adult reads this year:
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
City Boy by Herman Wouk
Shane by Jack Schaefer
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis
An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Top children’s books of the year:
The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
My Side of the Mountain and Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L.Holm
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Top Nonfiction:
As You Wish by Cary Elwes
Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
by Neon_Aurora451
6 Comments
It wasn’t published in 2025, but The Guncle was my top read. That book gave me the most cathartic and healing cry I’ve had all year. Cannot recommend it enough.
Top fiction for me was “I Cheerfully Refuse” by Leif Enger
It’s been a good year. The Story of the Stone (AKA Dream of the Red Chamber), by Cao Xuequin was my top read, with several others right behind including The Old Gringo, by Carlos Fuentes, I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman, and East of Eden, by John Steinbeck.
The frozen river,
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt,
River of Doubt by Millard,
The Kite Runner,
Stoner,
A Fine Balance,
The Nickel Boys,
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane,
A Fever in the Heartland by Egan,
Their Eyes Were Watching god by Hurston,
Sailing True North by Stavridis,
Elder Race by A Tschaikovsky,
West with Giraffes by Rutledge,
The Women by Hannah,
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Jaswal,
The Traveling Cat Chronicles,
Monstrilio — Gerardo Samano Cordova
Lonesome Dove — Larry McMurtry
Cowboys are my Weakness — Pam Houston
A Tale for the Time Being — Ruth Ozeki
Sky Daddy — Kate Folk
Death Valley — Melissa Broder
Careless People — Sarah Wynn-Williams
A Walk in the Park — Kevin Fedarko
The Safekeep — Yael van der Wouden
James — Percival Everett
The Heart in Winter — Kevin Barry
Lonesome Dove, Monstrillio, Sky Daddy, and A Walk in the Park are going on my all-time list.
The Remains of the Day – Ishiguro (A+++)
James – Percival Everett
Into Thin Air and Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (non fic)
Endurance – Alfred Lansing (non fic)
The Razor’s Edge – W Somerset Maugham
Nothing to Envy – Barbara Demick (non fic about N Korea)
The Blind Assassin – Margaret Atwood
I Who Have Never Known Men – Jacqueline Harpman
Crossing to Safety – Wallace Stegner
North Woods – Daniel Mason
Talented Mr Ripley – Patricia Highsmith
Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier
The Safekeep – Yale Van Der Wouden
We Have Always Lived in the Castle – Shirley Jackson
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead – Olga Tokarczuk
Educated – Tara Westover (non-fic)
Demon Copperhead – Kingsolver
The Sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes
East of Eden – Steinbeck