2025 in Reading
Everyone else has an end-of-year book list. Now I do, too?
For obvious reasons, 2025 as a year is hard to put into words. Bad, very bad. Fill in the blank examples of <bad> here.
But as a reading year, I had a good one. The older my kids get, the more I’m able to become myself again as a reader (and also get more satisfaction and enjoyment out of the books I’m reading to and with them). I won’t bother you with a “best books” list, because a) December is already chock full of them; b) as an author, I’m always kinda sad when my books aren’t on these lists, even when I did not actually publish a book in the past year! And also c) What’s a best book, anyway?! Books are so subjective! Read what you love!
But since I had a good reading year, and since people often ask me what I’m reading, here’s a list of my favorites from 2025. (Like Barack’s list, only… less useful for these authors’ sales.) Some of these were celebrity book club picks, others fell into my hands by the good luck of what was on the library shelf in front of me. I am not cool, I just read what draws me in. Plus, bonus content, some of my kids’ favorites from this year, too.
A note on methodology: I keep a note in my phone with a running list of what I’ve read, author demographics, and indicate what I loved or REALLY REALLY loved. I do not keep track of books I started but didn’t finish, because I am a huge believer in life’s too short to slog through a book. This year, I read 30 books so far (there are still 2 weeks left!), not including the books I read to my kids, which is not a lot by the standards of many book people but whatever, it’s not a competition. Of those, 21 were written by women; 11 by authors of color. I read a whole 5 books this year by white dudes, which is a LOT for me, but my data is skewed because 3 out of 5 were by Bruce Holsinger. I was on a Bruce Holsinger kick.
Anyway. Here are some of my recent favorites, according to random categories:
Favorite Book That Left Me Totally Gutted:
Easy, hands down, Megha Majumdar’s A Guardian and a Thief. I read this in one day, which never happens anymore. I’ve already gushed about it in a previous Substack. I liked but didn’t love her debut novel, A Burning, and I am always inspired and reassured when I observe authors’ writing getting better over time. Huzzah for improving at your craft! The publishing industry loves a debut, but man, a killer sophomore novel really seems like something to celebrate.
Runner-up in devastation:
As I recently observed to my friend Liz (who had just informed me that A Guardian and a Thief was a little too brutal for her; see above, books are subjective), I have a high tolerance for devastation in my reading, so I have a lot to choose from for this category. Runner-up goes to Black River by Nilanjana Roy. This book opens with the murder of a little girl, so consider yourself warned.
Favorite Book About Being Lost in Nature:
Heartwood by Amity Gaige. Remarkably, Amity Gaige’s writing about being lost in the woods is so good that it almost made me want to hike the Appalachian Trail. (I said almost.)
Runner-up for beautiful brutal settings:
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. I’m sort of fascinated by Antarctica, and I have recurring dreams about large aquatic mammals, so this book, rich in both, was right up my alley. McConaghy’s prose is sometimes a little too poetic for my taste (again, see above, books are subjective!), but holy wow did she do a powerful job bringing this place to life. Loved it, immediately gifted it to my dad (who I have been keeping in great books by women for years now, you’re welcome, Dad!)
Favorite Book About Motherhood:
Tough category, folks. I read a lot about mothers. Winner probably goes to All the Mothers by Domenica Ruta. What mother hasn’t conducted a thought experiment about what life would look like if she lived in a cozy house with a bunch of other mothers and their children? This isn’t that, exactly, but it’s close, and it’s a delight.
Very close runner-up:
Wreck by Catherine Newman (the sequel to Sandwich, a book I loved in 2024). Catherine Newman really gets motherhood, at least a particular subset of anxious progressive white New England motherhood, and what can I say, I’m the target market. Also, in Wreck, the narrator describes her daughter as a child as a “demented battering ram” of feelings. I’ve never read a sentence that better describes my five-year-old, and I won’t soon forget it. I love it when an author sears some words into my brain.
Favorite Book Written by a Man:
Our Beautiful Boys by Sameer Pandya. I am not that interested in teenage boys, tbh, and not at all interested in football. This book should not have been an obvious winner for me. But, my god, I loved it.
Runner-up among men:
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger. As I mentioned, I was on a Bruce Holsinger kick.
Finally, a few more quick hits:
Favorite book about robots and the publishing industry: Death of the Author (Nnedi Okorafor)
Favorite book about ice skating: The Favorites (Layne Fargo)
Favorite book for after you’ve watched The White Lotus: The Grand Paloma Resort (Cleyvis Natera)
And in case you’re still looking for a last minute gift for a young reader in your life, some recs from my kids:
From My 8-year-old Who Loves Greek Mythology and Graphic Novels:
The Olympians (all of them) by George O’Connor. These are dark and very violent graphic novels about Greek gods and goddesses. What can I say, anything that brings my kid to reading is a-okay by me, and she’s been hooked on these for a while.
Greeking Out by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes. These are the companion books to the Greeking Out podcast, which my kids LOVE. Admittedly, Greek mythology is full of pretty questionable content, and I spend a lot of time irritating my children by being like, “PAUSE. It sounds like Poseidon is not respecting Demeter when she says she’s not interested in him. No means no!” But anyway. They love these stories, and again, see aforementioned, anything that brings my kid to reading…
Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter. For a complete change of pace, this is a sweet and not at all violent or inappropriate graphic novel about a kid who desperately wants a pet but has a lot of allergies. My reluctant reader has read it like 5 times. Winner.
From My 5-year-old Who Loves Animals and Weird Scary Things:
The Magnificent Book of Dangerous Animals by Tom Jackson and Val Walerczuk. This book ticks both those boxes! If you, too, have a child who wants to read about how many humans on average are killed by geography cone snails per year, this is the book for you!
The Magnificent Book of Sharks by Barbara Taylor and Val Walerczuk. This book has some illustrations that are so creepy that my kid closes her eyes and skips over them. But we still can’t get enough. Sharks!!
Who Would Win? by Jerry Pallotta. Every children’s librarian will tell you how popular these books are, and my house is no exception. Who would win in a battle, a Komodo dragon or a king cobra? (I freakin’ love Komodo dragons.) Admittedly, most of the animals pitted against each other in these books don’t even live on the same continent, but let’s call it nonfiction-adjacent.
Dory Fantasmagory: Center of the Universe by Abby Hanlon. I can’t leave Dory off this list, even though it’s not about animals or weird scary things. We all love this series about a quirky kindergartner with a wild imagination, and the seventh book did not disappoint. A must read, must gift series.
Finally, this is not a rec from either of my children, but as you’ve probably heard by now, my new middle grade novel, Maple for the People, is coming out on January 6! If you have an 8-12 year old in your life, would you consider gifting them the first Maple story, Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen, with a preorder for a signed copy of the sequel?? Library requests are also MUCH appreciated!!
And if you live near me, I’ll be at Porter Square Books in Cambridge on January 9 at 7pm for the book launch. Some reading, some book signing, some smart kids asking me tough questions, and themed snacks. It’ll be so fun! I’d love to see you there. (RSVP to PSB if you can make it!)
Now, obligatory self-promotion aside: What books did you love in 2025? Share your favorites in the comments!
I just finished Megha Majumdar’s “A Guardian and a Thief” - wow! What an excellent read. I was gripped wanting to know what was going to happen next. Majumdar’s writing is excellent! Thank you for sharing your recommendations!
I loved "Sandwich" and also read "We All Want Impossible Things," which was almost as good, but not quite, IMO. I have "Wreck" on my library request list. Other personal favs from this year include "Martyr!" "Margot's Got Money Troubles," "All Fours," and "Something Wild."