Elizabeth’s Top Reads in 2025

My 2025 reads were all over the map. Some were released this year, some were from 40 years ago. Some were new purchases, some have been yelling at me from my overflowing bookshelves for too long. What I can tell you is that over the course of 2025, I had the good fortune of inhaling many excellent reads! I’ll share with you my favorites, and just one that left me scratching my head.

ELIZABETH’S 2025 FAVORITES

Since I’ve shared a group of book covers at the top, I won’t use up additional room with the individual images. Just their titles, authors, and some concise swooning because no one has time for my rambling.

WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy

I should have known that the author of Once There Were Wolves was going to write another beautifully enthralling tale. I loved learning about the seed vault. I loved how the impact of climate change was not debated, but instead was an undeniable and daunting presence. I loved the mystery, the raw nature, the love story, the ghosts, and the extraordinarily complex characters. Most of all, I loved the book’s message. This is a fantastic and beautiful read, and there’s a reason it was Indigo’s #1 Book Of The Year for 2025. I can’t recommend this enough.

MARY by Nat Cassidy

A horror story about perimenopause? Written by a man? I was ready to rage-review. What perspective could this male author possibly have? Then I started reading it and discovered that this book is the embodiment of female rage. It encapsulates how middle aged women are categorically dismissed and underestimated. It’s gory, disturbing, frightening and poignant. It made me cringe, laugh and scowl in fury – sometimes all at once. I understood the voice in Mary’s head. I believe all women do. Overall, this book isn’t for everyone. But it was for this woman. And if you read it, don’t skip the Afterword.

MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman

This novel is everything. It’s everyone. I don’t know how Backman does it. I don’t know how he captures humanity so perfectly. But he does, every time. I was devastated that this book had to end – I STILL miss these characters. Their capacity to love. Their willingness to be there for one another. This book is love, hilarity and hope all at once. I’ll never look at art the same way and I’ll never think of peekaboo the same way. I’m a better person having read this beautiful book. If you haven’t read this yet, please do your soul a favor and grab a copy today.

ELEANORE OF AVIGNON by Elizabeth DeLozier

This is an excellent debut novel. Taking place in 1347, it tackles a dizzying array of suffering. The Black Death (bubonic and pneumatic plague), midwives and herbalists being accused of witchcraft, the horrific blaming of Europe’s Jewish population for the pandemic… the pages blurred as I kept reading “just one more chapter.” The characters are a skillful mix of fiction and fact, and I especially enjoyed learning about Dr. Guy de Chauliac, whose humble beginnings did not stop him from becoming “the father of Western surgery.” The main character, Eleanore, is immensely likable and proud of her remarkable skills as a healer. I’ll always root for women who know their worth. Beautifully crafted.

LONESOME DOVE by Larry McMurtry

I almost gave up. I was approaching the 200-page mark of this tome and thought it was exhausting and dry. Hoarder Penny and I were buddy reading it and went back and forth with our complaints. Why do people love this? What in the world are we missing? What’s with the pigs?? Then a coworker saw the 858-page beast on my desk and remarked that it was one of his all-time favorite books. He said that Augustus McCrae was one of the finest characters in literature. I looked at him agog and said “seriously?”

“Keep reading,” he said. “Trust me.” So, I did.

And I learned why this won the Pulitzer. The characters, the adventure, the frontier, the cattle, the friendships, the wit, the love, the heartbreak. For lack of a better word, it’s epic. Don’t get me wrong. There are scenes that are tough to read. But this is a Western, and the narrative matches the terrain. And once I was finished, I was rewarded with a massive book hangover, grateful to my office friend for pushing me to stick with it. And he was right on the money. There’s only one Augustus McCrae.

THE GOLDEN DOVES by Martha Hall Kelly

I was so invested in this novel that by the story’s end, I was experiencing whiplash emotions. Aghast one minute and tearing up the next, I couldn’t get enough of WWII spies Josie and Arlette. This is a smart story that was inspired by real events and people, from the horrors of Ravensbruck to the infuriating U.S. program called Operation Paperclip. There’s plenty in this novel to infuriate readers, but there are also plenty of opportunities to cheer. The Golden Doves definitely deserves the page burner label.

PROJECT HAIL MARY & THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir

I’m late to the Weir party, but am happy to now be an enthusiastic member of his fan club. I listened to Project Hail Mary (listening to this is a MUST because Ray Porter’s performance is jaw-dropping), and I read The Martian. Both were excellent stories packed with science, dry wit and emotion. I cheered for the protagonists and fretted about their journeys. If I had to choose a favorite between the two, I’ll admit that I’m Team Rocky all the way (Project Hail Mary). Fist bump!

ANGEL DOWN by Daniel Kraus

This book is gory chaos. Truth be told, I wavered what to rate it the entire time I was reading it. The format (one continuous sentence tied together with commas and the word “and”), was an unwelcome adjustment. Can’t say I loved it. But after a while, I understood why Kraus wrote it that way. It’s effective in communicating the bloody mayhem of WWI. The yelling, the confusion, the rapid fire of life in the trenches – he paints an unromantic and realistic picture of war. And the angel. My goodness – the angel. She was absolutely fascinating. I loved how she was depicted. And the book’s message (including that interesting ending) was not lost on me. How can one redeem oneself when surrounded by violence? Will man ever exist peacefully? This book might give you whiplash, but it will also make you think.

THE TRUE TRUE STORY OF RAJA THE GULLIBLE (AND HIS MOTHER) by Rabih Alameddine

I was sorry this book had to end. When it was over, I wondered what I was going to do without Raja’s musings, his mother’s unapologetic gift for prying, Madame Taweel’s goons, or the “brats” from Raja’s classrooms. This book perfectly meshed love, history, forgiveness, acceptance and sarcasm. Few books make me laugh AND cry, but this one managed it. Believe the hype. This novel is worth your time.

VERA WONG’S GUIDE TO SNOOPING ON A DEAD MAN by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Don’t let the cute cover fool you – there’s nothing sweet about this mystery. This tale tackles a dark topic; one that is both current and eye opening. What is sweet, however, is Vera. She’s tough, outspoken, nosey, clever, stubborn, and exceptionally good at solving the unsolved. But what she’s particularly good at is bringing people together. Her “family” has grown even more with the second installment in the series, and each one of the characters is better off because of Vera’s shrewd eye and love.

THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS by Katherine Arden

This was a quiet book that had been sitting on my shelf, ready for when I needed something a little different. Shame on my procrastination because this turned out to be a jolting WWI tale, a narrative of wonderful friendships, a heart-swelling love story, and a macabre glimpse of the ghostly underworld. I’m not even sure how she made all of that work so perfectly together, but she did, and she did so with beautiful prose. Loved this book!

And finally – the novel that closed out my 2025 reading:

THEO OF GOLDEN by Allen Levi

This novel came out of nowhere and still managed to wreck me. What a thought provoking and beautiful testament to the kindness of people. How is it that this was Allen Levi’s debut novel?? This book has been touted as a chronicle of creative generosity, and I couldn’t summarize the plot better myself. Does this book have Christian undertones? Yes, but don’t let this dissuade you from picking it up if you are not religious. This is a heartfelt, quiet, and lovely read, and it will make you cry while bolstering your faith in humanity. Glad I chose this to close out 2025. Consider my spirit lifted!

ELIZABETH’S 2025 LEAST FAVORITE BOOK

I don’t like to give bad reviews. Authors work tirelessly on their stories, and I can’t stand it when I REALLY don’t like a book. But there was one novel that I tackled this year that I did not enjoy. This was a no for this reader.

I’m sorry. But Ew. I understand why readers think this author’s writing is beautiful. It’s flowery and descriptive. But these talents are not helpful if you have a weak stomach. Believe the reviews that say this book is violent and grotesque. The story is based on a real person, but I think I could have gone my whole life happily not knowing a thing about him. Skilled prose, yes. Story I want to revisit, no thank you.

And those are my reading highlights for 2025. There were other notable novels (The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith was a terrible mess but The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro was lovely), but I’m sure you don’t want to sit through pages of my bookish rants. Suffice to say that reading this year was a welcome escape, and a warm hug that waited for me each evening. I hope books meant something special to you too.

Happy Holidays, and wishing you 5-star reads in 2026!