So glad the 2025 reading year is over…
For some reason I still don’t truly understand, 2025 was rough, especially for reading. It was a year of evolving tastes and discovering values. It felt like everything was changing about the way I wanted to consume books, and what books I genuinely love consuming. Amid the changes, I was left floundering, sometimes wondering if I even like reading at all anymore—identity crisis, anyone?
In my next post I’ll be doing more of a deep dive and self-reflection on my feelings about how my reading went last year. But for now, despite it all, I still managed to find some stories that will stick with me forever, that changed my outlook on life, that become a part of me in some small way.
Above all else, I love showcasing books that have impacted me in a substantial way—whether they’re just pure fun and escapism or creating the deepest contemplative experiences (usually a combination of both).
Here are my favorite reads of 2025:
(in no particular order)
The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
This one made me remember why I love big, chunky books. Read this is you love a sweeping saga that explores complex family dynamics, generational trauma, systemic prejudice, and coming-of-age hardships. An incredible masterpiece of storytelling that I’ll be thinking about for a long time to come.
Thirst for Salt by Madelaine Lucas
A stunningly written deep dive into a relationship between a young woman and an older man, and also so much more than that. This book snuck in and stole my heart.
The Colony by Annika Norlin
This is a found-family story of misfits living on a nature conservation, reminiscent of the Ferngully, spanning from the 70’s to the 90’s. Messy situationships, communal living, and everyone with a past to hide, all make for trauma-fueled dramatics. Ultimately, it’s a story about redemption, purpose, and accountability.
The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya
This book is criminally underrated. The father-daughter relationship at the center of this story is messy, emotional, and compelling. It just had something special that stuck with me.
The Lamb by Lucy Rose
I devoured this incredible debut – a darkly-atmospheric, gritty coming-of-age within the most shockingly twisted mother-daughter relationship. You’ll feel every raw, desperate, disturbing detail deep in your bones. (All puns intended.)
The Midnight Knock by John Fram
Supernatural horror and cosmic dread woven into one unforgettable experience, it starts full-throttle insane and ends with existential terror. The interwoven threads are so expertly, intricately crafted, you’ll be taking notes trying to piece everything together.
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
Truly one of the best stories I have ever read, and one of the few books to make me actually sob. Bleak, yet hopeful, it’s written in an exquisitely evocative style and explores the disastrous effects of climate change and grief. You’ll lose yourself to this otherworldly island, with characters you’d die for and a plot you’ll want to live for.
The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff
A multi-generational story about a family affected by addiction, exploring the impacts of trauma. Another one to add to the short list of books that have made me cry real tears. The vastness of everything it contends with, and so deftly too, is incredible for such few pages.
The Lake’s Water Is Never Sweet by Giulia Caminito
Not an easy or pleasant read, it cuts at the heart of what it means to be human, the suffering and stumbling. It will make you confront the worst parts of yourself and realize you still deserve love and empathy. Read if you’ve ever felt an all-encompassing fury at the world and everyone in it. Read if you’ve ever felt like your life is completely out of control but you still grit your teeth and continue because you’ve accepted that it may never get better.
City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim
A masterpiece of storytelling with characters that feel intensely real, alive with emotion and depth. Their complex flaws and struggles connect deeply to the raw human condition. I was fully immersed in the fascinating world of ballet.
What were your favorite reads in 2025?
Let me know in the comments below!
