They don't have to have been written this year, but what were the three best books you read this year? I'm hoping to add some really good ones to my TBR list for next year.
*I’m Your Man* by Sylvie Simmons (autobiography of Leonard Cohen) — this was a *chunky* 600 page book, but I was rapt all the way through it.
All of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles — hybrid gothic horror and queer romance that was so delightfully fun to read
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper — first in a trilogy about prostitutes in Pompeii in the years before the eruption.
Honorable mentions:
The First 15 Lives of Harry August — time looping fun
Isola by Allegra Goodman — spare, emotionally difficult but beautifully written survival story
The Names by Florence Knapp — A sliding doors style novel about domestic abuse
DistanceStrange5447 on
Cities of Salt by Abdul Rahman Munif. It’s about a Persian Gulf community in the 1930s and what happens to the people and land when oil is discovered by the Americans.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It follows a father/son as they traverse a burned America. It has a fairly unique style but I found it added to the story being told.
Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza: A heartbreaking account of what a sister went through to seek justice for the murder of her sister while navigating the challenges of the Mexican court system, and her journey through grief as part of the process. (non-fiction)
rainbowsforeverrr on
Isola is my favorite read of 2025.
I also really loved The Strange Case of Jane O and The Physician by Noah Gordon
Bulawayoland on
I can only recommend two: Demonology, by Rick Moody, and Born in Blackness, by Howard French. The first is a collection of short (and not so short) stories that I feel like I always want to have with me wherever I go, in case I need a reminder of my own humanity; the second I’m not done with, but it recasts the history of the Age of Discovery so dramatically that I feel like everyone ought to read it.
Now, the guy is not a historian! And so much of what he says — and there’s no way to know which pieces — must be taken with a grain of salt. But it’s awfully plausible, and until I hear otherwise I’m going to go on it as fact.
Jessie4747 on
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
Wellness, Kevin Hill
Real Americans, Rachel Khong
PsyferRL on
*Slaughterhouse-Five* by Kurt Vonnegut – Immediately became my favorite book I’d ever read before I even finished it. Was only my second book of the year way back in January, but it has held that title strong all year and hasn’t let go. For my money, it’s everything I could have wanted in a novel.
*The Count of Monte Cristo* by Alexandre Dumas – Perhaps my favorite story I’ve ever read. In contrast to Vonnegut above (which I view as exceptional writing), Dumas is an exceptional *storyteller*, and I loved every page of this one as I tore through all 1200+ pages in exactly 2 weeks.
*Annihilation* by Jeff VanderMeer (but really it’s the combination of the full Southern Reach series) – The most unique book series I’ve ever read, and something I wholeheartedly intend to reread many times over as time goes on. The atmospheric horror vibes are unlike anything else I’ve ever read, and VanderMeer’s writing style *really* works for me.
Honorable Mentions: *The Bone Clocks* by David Mitchell, *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller, *Snow Crash* by Neal Stephenson, *Jane Eyre* by Charlotte Bronte, *God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater* by Kurt Vonnegut, The Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik.
Particular-Treat-650 on
I’m Glad my Mom Died – Jeannette McCurdy
Isles of the Emberdark – Brandon Sanderson
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc – Mark Twain
Since you actually posted 5 I’ll also add:
Enlightenment Now – Steven Pinker
The Curse of Chalion – Lois McMaster Bujold
sjcs1 on
freshwater – akwaeke emezi
the eleventh hour – salman rushdie
flesh – david szalay (or maybe audition – katie kitamura)
chaunceychaunce on
I who have never known men – does some really interesting things with socialization and how that shapes a person
We are legion (we are bob) – awesome sci-fi. Just really fun. And there are 5, with more on the way!
The traveling cat chronicles/the goodbye cat – Get ready for some good crying.
Suspicious_Stop6722 on
No particular order:
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry- Got around to reading it finally and wow! In my top reads of all time.
Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa- About a Palestinian women reflecting on her life from solitary confinement, absolutely beautiful, believe it will be my fav for a while.
Don’t Forget Us Here by Mansoor Adayfi- Memoir about his time as a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay following the 9/11 attacks.
Honorable Mention:
King Rat by China Miéville and Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
WhiskerWarrior2435 on
*Bitter Orange* by Claire Fuller
*Our Endless Numbered Days* by Claire Fuller (my new favourite author!)
*Moonraker’s Bride* by Madeline Brent (really fun author to try if you like historical fiction that doesn’t take itself too seriously)
I also ready *Shadow of the Moon* by M.M. Kaye, which was ok but not as good as Far Pavillions. And DNF’d Nicholas and Alexandra (I know what was going to happen there…)
Shot_Simple_2645 on
The three best ones I read this year:
Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strutgatsky,
Widow’s Point by Billy and Richard Chizmar,
Dispossessed by Ursula K. le Guin.
Jam__00 on
Fiction:
Horse
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
Kindred
Notable Mention: Before We Were Yours
Non-fiction:
Cry of the Kalahari
The Boys in the Boat
Becoming Dr. Seuss
Notable Mention: Rocket Men
13 Comments
Mine:
*I’m Your Man* by Sylvie Simmons (autobiography of Leonard Cohen) — this was a *chunky* 600 page book, but I was rapt all the way through it.
All of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles — hybrid gothic horror and queer romance that was so delightfully fun to read
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper — first in a trilogy about prostitutes in Pompeii in the years before the eruption.
Honorable mentions:
The First 15 Lives of Harry August — time looping fun
Isola by Allegra Goodman — spare, emotionally difficult but beautifully written survival story
The Names by Florence Knapp — A sliding doors style novel about domestic abuse
Cities of Salt by Abdul Rahman Munif. It’s about a Persian Gulf community in the 1930s and what happens to the people and land when oil is discovered by the Americans.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It follows a father/son as they traverse a burned America. It has a fairly unique style but I found it added to the story being told.
Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza: A heartbreaking account of what a sister went through to seek justice for the murder of her sister while navigating the challenges of the Mexican court system, and her journey through grief as part of the process. (non-fiction)
Isola is my favorite read of 2025.
I also really loved The Strange Case of Jane O and The Physician by Noah Gordon
I can only recommend two: Demonology, by Rick Moody, and Born in Blackness, by Howard French. The first is a collection of short (and not so short) stories that I feel like I always want to have with me wherever I go, in case I need a reminder of my own humanity; the second I’m not done with, but it recasts the history of the Age of Discovery so dramatically that I feel like everyone ought to read it.
Now, the guy is not a historian! And so much of what he says — and there’s no way to know which pieces — must be taken with a grain of salt. But it’s awfully plausible, and until I hear otherwise I’m going to go on it as fact.
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
Wellness, Kevin Hill
Real Americans, Rachel Khong
*Slaughterhouse-Five* by Kurt Vonnegut – Immediately became my favorite book I’d ever read before I even finished it. Was only my second book of the year way back in January, but it has held that title strong all year and hasn’t let go. For my money, it’s everything I could have wanted in a novel.
*The Count of Monte Cristo* by Alexandre Dumas – Perhaps my favorite story I’ve ever read. In contrast to Vonnegut above (which I view as exceptional writing), Dumas is an exceptional *storyteller*, and I loved every page of this one as I tore through all 1200+ pages in exactly 2 weeks.
*Annihilation* by Jeff VanderMeer (but really it’s the combination of the full Southern Reach series) – The most unique book series I’ve ever read, and something I wholeheartedly intend to reread many times over as time goes on. The atmospheric horror vibes are unlike anything else I’ve ever read, and VanderMeer’s writing style *really* works for me.
Honorable Mentions: *The Bone Clocks* by David Mitchell, *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller, *Snow Crash* by Neal Stephenson, *Jane Eyre* by Charlotte Bronte, *God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater* by Kurt Vonnegut, The Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik.
I’m Glad my Mom Died – Jeannette McCurdy
Isles of the Emberdark – Brandon Sanderson
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc – Mark Twain
Since you actually posted 5 I’ll also add:
Enlightenment Now – Steven Pinker
The Curse of Chalion – Lois McMaster Bujold
freshwater – akwaeke emezi
the eleventh hour – salman rushdie
flesh – david szalay (or maybe audition – katie kitamura)
I who have never known men – does some really interesting things with socialization and how that shapes a person
We are legion (we are bob) – awesome sci-fi. Just really fun. And there are 5, with more on the way!
The traveling cat chronicles/the goodbye cat – Get ready for some good crying.
No particular order:
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry- Got around to reading it finally and wow! In my top reads of all time.
Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa- About a Palestinian women reflecting on her life from solitary confinement, absolutely beautiful, believe it will be my fav for a while.
Don’t Forget Us Here by Mansoor Adayfi- Memoir about his time as a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay following the 9/11 attacks.
Honorable Mention:
King Rat by China Miéville and Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
*Bitter Orange* by Claire Fuller
*Our Endless Numbered Days* by Claire Fuller (my new favourite author!)
*Moonraker’s Bride* by Madeline Brent (really fun author to try if you like historical fiction that doesn’t take itself too seriously)
I also ready *Shadow of the Moon* by M.M. Kaye, which was ok but not as good as Far Pavillions. And DNF’d Nicholas and Alexandra (I know what was going to happen there…)
The three best ones I read this year:
Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strutgatsky,
Widow’s Point by Billy and Richard Chizmar,
Dispossessed by Ursula K. le Guin.
Fiction:
Horse
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
Kindred
Notable Mention: Before We Were Yours
Non-fiction:
Cry of the Kalahari
The Boys in the Boat
Becoming Dr. Seuss
Notable Mention: Rocket Men