Happy New Year!
Here is where I'll keep track of my reading for 2025!
My Reading List for 2025:
Books:
1. By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors of all time, and this book showed me once again why! In this emotional novel, she explores the idea that William Shakespeare might not be the author of all of his plays...which is apparently a very real historical theory. It is well-researched and the historical fiction is beautifully intertwined with the story of a modern-day female playwright and the continued challenges of sexism she faces. As usual, Picoult made me laugh and sob and I absolutely loved it!
2. Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
3. Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent
4. Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent
5. Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate
6. One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
7. Survive the Night by Riley Sager
I was able to guess the twist in this one, but I still loved it! A fun thriller, on par with Sager's other novels.
8. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan
I bought this book ages ago on a recommendation from John Oliver. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it!
9. Cosmogramma by Courttia Newland (Advent Calendar Box 2024 TEOTWRC)
The only thing that disappointed me about this collection of short stories is that for most of them, I wished it was a full book! There were some fascinating concepts and story starts that I would love to see fleshed out into a full novel.
10. The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson
This is the second book in the HMRC trilogy and it picked up right where the first one left off. It was so good! I hate that I have to wait for the third one to be released this summer.
11. Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by (January 2025 TEOTWRC)
If this book is turned into a movie I'm not sure I'll watch it as it was quite gory at times. But I loved the story about a "Fox News" type channel completely reprogramming and possessing those who watched it!
12. Black Widows by Cate Quinn
I enjoyed this one about the murder of a man with multiple wives, who all come under suspicion for his death.
13. For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing
14. Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer (Advent Calendar Box 2024 TEOTWRC)
This is the book that was the Christmas Day gift for the box in 2024. It took me a while to get around to reading it, and once I started, it took me a while to get into the slightly odd writing style. I enjoyed it, though I wish it had explored more of the discovery found at the end instead of finishing somewhat abruptly.
15. They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
16. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
17. The Village Library Demon Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner
This one came recommended from a friend as is described as "a cross between Murder She Wrote and Buffy the Vampire Slayer" which of course meant I had to read it immediately. It was quite enjoyable though I kept feeling like it should have been set in the UK rather than upstate New York!
18. The Mars House by Natasha Pulley (February 2025 TEOTWRC)
I think this book has firmly clinched the top spot as my favorite book club book of all time (so far at least!) It is far in the future where humanity has established a colony on Mars for generations, and what happens now that Earth is really so far gone that more and more refugees are going there. It is such a compelling story with so many allusions to current problems today!
19. The One by John Marrs
When the March TEOTWRC Book Club book came, the postcard warned that it was the 3rd in a trilogy, but stands well enough on its own. I started reading it and quickly realized I would absolutely need to read the whole series before I went on. It turns out there are actually 5 books in the "universe" so I bought them all from Waterstones and can't wait to dig in. It is rare that I buy actual books, but the one I started was so good I couldn't help myself. The One is the first in the series and gets it off to a cracking start - about a future where you can be DNA matched with your soulmate! I devoured this book in just 2 days.
20. The Passengers by John Marrs
21. The Minders by John Marrs
22. The Marriage Act by John Marrs
23. The Family Experiment by John Marrs (March 2025 TEOTWRC)
I'm so glad I read all of the previous books before this one, as one of the main characters was a fairly major character in The Passengers and it added more depth to his character. There were also some spoilers for a few of the other books! Like all of them, it was a fast read and a fascinating story. I really enjoy this little universe Marrs has created.
24. Her Last Affair by John Searles
25. The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand
To me, Elin Hilderbrand books are the perfect summer read, helped by the fact that they all take place on Nantucket! I'm trying to read them in order now, and this is her first published novel. Her writing style has evolved a bit and as I started with her later stuff, this one wasn't my favorite. But it was still enjoyable!
26. B of the Bang by Andrew Shanahan (Extra TEOTWRC)
Other books by this author have been huge hits with the book club, so this one was done as a special extra box. It took me a bit to get into the story, and Shanahan definitely has a unique writing style, but once I got into the story I enjoyed this one! It's about a service called "B of the Bang" that gives rich people a heads up to the apocalypse, and what happens when that alert finally comes!
27. Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
28. Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
29. The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand
This was another rough one by an author I usually like. I'm reading from the beginning of her large catalog and her early style isn't really to my taste. I'm sticking with it though, because they are enjoyable summer reads.
30. The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
I enjoyed this one all the way till the sudden abrupt ending! I wanted more closure.
31. The Horses by Janina Matthewson (April 2025 TEOTWRC)
This book club book was a slow burn, but I really enjoyed it. I sure hope there is a sequel!
32. The Tomorrow Project by H. Critchlow (May 2025 TEOTWRC)
This one was another fantastic read, Julie is on fire with her picks this year. Plus we got a first-edition hard copy with absolutely gorgeous sprayed edges.
33. The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary
Romance novels aren't really my thing, so I'm not sure why I went for this one! It has a cute concept, but I was annoyed by the typically quirky manic-pixie dream girl main character. The writing went back and forth between his and her perspective which was enjoyable, except the writing style for him was awful. It was meant to convey his personality, I supposed, but it cut out pronouns and prepositions and was super annoying. I just added them back in as I read.
34. Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand
35. A Death at the Party by Amy Stuart
36. Recursion by Blake Crouch
37. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
38. The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty
39. Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
40. The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
41. The Broken Ones by Ren Richards
42. Awakened by Laura Elliot (June 2025 TEOTWRC)
43. Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander
44. Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
45. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (July 2025 TEOTWRC)
46. People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield
A historical drama about a woman who thinks her husband might be Jack the Ripper. I enjoyed it!
47. Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour by Kate Fox
This book was published in 2004, so perhaps some things have changed in 20 years, or perhaps living in Wales really is that different, but I found much of this book not applicable to my experience here. I passed it on to some friends who have moved to England, so we'll see what they think!
48. The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner
49. Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena
50. The Girl Who Baptized Herself: How a Lost Scripture About a Saint Named Thecla Reveals the Power of Knowing Our Worth by Meggan Watterson
51. The Wedding People by Alison Espach
This was a departure from my thriller focus at the moment, but it was a wonderfully told story and I really enjoyed it.
52. The Vacation by John Marrs
53. The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
I read this book from start to finish on a plane ride from London to Toronto!
54. The Clinic by Cate Quinn
I enjoyed this unreliable narrator story about a woman who goes undercover at a rehab clinic to find out what happened to her sister who died there.
55. Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison
56. The Ancients by (August 2025 TEOTWRC)
This book was not one of my club favourites, but I did manage to read it, unlike September's book! (see the DNF list)
57. The House by the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Amy gave me the hard copy of this one when I was helping her organize. It's a lovely story set in a magical world, and I've already got the sequel ready to go on my Kindle!
58. With a Vengeance by Riley Sager
59. The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
60. Kill Them With Kindness by Will Carver (October 2025 TEOTWRC)
This one had mixed reviews in the group, but with healthy suspension of disbelief, I enjoyed it. It loosely follows the pandemic, and plays on conspiracy theories, but had a nice twist with a scientist with a good motive.
61. The Grace Year by Kim Ligget (November 2025 TEOTWRC)
This will top my book club list for the year. It's about a dystopian world (future? past?) hard to tell, where the patriarchy rules, and 16-year-old girls are sent to live in the wilderness for a year to "dispel their magic." I was hooked from the start!
62. The Wall by John Lanchester (December 2025 TEOTWRC)
I read this book in just two days, it was so good! It depicts a future dystopian UK where the whole country is surrounded by a wall to keep out "the others" and every young person has to serve two years on the wall. I would highly recommend this one!
63. Dust by Hugh Howey (TEOWTRC Extra)
The book club finally released the 3rd book in this trilogy and it was worth it! It was a great conclusion to the series and I'm even more excited for the Apple TV adaptation to continue.
64. Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
This sequel was magical and lovely!
65. The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis
I loved this thriller that wove stories from the past into the present in a very compelling way.
66. Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
67. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
We are boycotting the movie for this but I really wanted to know the story. The book wasn't available at any of the libraries I have access to, so I used some Waterstones credit to buy a hard copy. And then had to get the whole trilogy. It's a slippery slope! The book was fabulous though.
68. The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden
This wasn't quite as good as the first, but I still enjoyed it and read it in just two days!
UBI Reading List:
1. Give People Money: The Simple Idea to Solve Inequality and Revolutionize Our Lives by Annie Lowrey
2. Utopia for Realists and How We Can Get There by Rutger Bregman
3. The War On Normal People: The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income is Our Future by Andrew Yang
Audiobooks:
1. Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah
2. The Girl in the Castle by James Patterson & Emily Raymond
3. Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
4. Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay
5. A Good House for Children by Kate Collins
6. Alias Emma by Ava Glass
7. Make Me a Liar by Melissa Landers
9. Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin
10. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
I meant to read this book years ago, and I don't think I ever got around to it. I'm glad I finally did! This is also the book that made me realize I much prefer to read my fiction and listen to my non-fiction. Listening to non-fiction makes it feel like a podcast, and I find it easier to dip in and out of than fiction. So going forward all my audio books will be non-fiction, and it will help me finally get throught that large TBR pile!
11. 10-10-10 by Suzy Welch
Suzy Welch was a guest on Gretchen Rubin's podcast, talking about her latest book and her research on values. I went looking for the new one but only found this one, published in 2009. The overall concept is excellent - framing choices you make in life by how they will effect you in 10 minutes, 10 monthes and 10 years. But some of the examples and stories were extremely dated and made me cringe.
12. 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
One of the speakers at the Superintendent's Conference this year referenced this book, and I immediately got on the waitlist for it at the library. I really enjoyed it and it gives you a lot to think about!
13. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
This was a fun little read about finding your purpose in life. Also an interesting look at what it means to continue serving that purpose your whole life, maybe never retiring! Something many ministers do...
14. The Brain Fog Fix: Reclaim Your Focus, Memory and Joy in Just 3 Weeks by Dr. Mike Dow
15. The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker
I always love reading about minimalism, although I have recently decided to drop this author since he went on the Sean Hannity show.
Did Not Finish:
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses
This is my first DNF of the year. I know it's a huge hit, and I tried reading it because so many friends have, I even borrowed the copy I tried from Amy. But I just could not get into it! I'm not a big fan of fantasy or romance novels, and mashing the two together did not make it better. I gave up after about 30 pages.
2. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
I was excited to read this book because it is set in Iowa, but the start was slow and I just couldn't get into it. It's supposedly a thriller but it started with some child abuse which I did not enjoy reading about. So I moved on to other things!
3. Juice by Tim Winton (September 2025 TEOTWRC)
This is only the second time I had to DNF a book club book, but this one committed the mortal sin of not having any quotation marks. They exist for a reason, publishers! I struggled through one previous book club book that did this, but I just did not have the time or patience for this one. The premise sounded interesting, but within 2 pages I found it nearly impossible to follow without proper punctuation. So I let myself off the hook and just opened the presents instead!