Books Read in 2025

At the end of every month, I share my ‘reviews’ of books I read in 2025, and where I stand for the year relative to the goal of thirty-three, I set for the year. Many of you have written that you enjoy and appreciate my ‘book reviews’ (if you can call them that!), but I always struggle with not giving too much away and am also cognizant that my likes are not everyone else’s.

I am participating in the Goodreads Reading Challenge again this year. Last year, I read twenty-one books, though my goal was thirty-three. But if we count the eleven Charles Dickens and two Tolstoy audiobooks, I made it to thirty-four!

Here is my quick and dirty review of the books I read in 2025, with one to five thumbs-up. I recently added an ‘eye-roll’ emoji 🙄 for any book that doesn’t even deserve one thumbs-up!

And, if you are looking for good podcasts to listen to, here are some of my favorite podcasts.

What I’ve Read Thus Far This Year

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1. I thoroughly enjoyed The Running Grave, 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼the most recent book in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith, the pseudonym of J.K. Rowling. I am very attached to the two main characters and am anxious for them to realize their mutual, though as yet unrealized, love for each other while they solve mysteries and murders. Coming in at just under 1000 pages, it is a humdinger of a book. This one primarily focuses on the nefarious doings of religious cult.
2. I followed up with a lovely palate cleanser, Remarkably Bright Creatures, 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼by Shelby Van Pelt. When I first became aware of the book, I was put off by the talking octopus…just not my gig. But, after hearing many positive reviews, I put aside my prejudice against talking octopi and gave it a whirl. I’m glad I did. It was an easy read with lovely messages.
3. I just finished God of the Woods by Liz Moore. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼I really liked the story. I think she did a great job of flipping back in forth in time and with different characters. The characters were well developed. I don’t want to give anything away, but if you have read it, let me know your thoughts on the ending.
4. I enjoyed Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼The book is two stories about people who resided in the same house 150 years apart. While the time is different, at its core, it is the story of the people of that home struggling with the changing dynamic of their families and the world around them. It is very enjoyable and contains the characteristic writing genius of Barbara Kingsolver.
5. I finished reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼I’ve never read a Stephen King book, but it was highly recommended, and I enjoyed every minute! Long story short, if you could go back in time to prevent JFK’s murder, why wouldn’t you? It’s one of those books I discussed with other family members after reading it. It will undoubtedly make you think.
6. As someone who typically doesn’t read Science Fiction or Horror, I’m clearly stepping outside my comfort zone. Thus far, halfway through it, My Heart is a Chainsaw is a charming and heartbreaking homage to slasher movies (yes, I said charming).

What I’ve Listened To Thus Far This Year

I’ve treated myself to an Audible subscription. It is a bit of an indulgence for me, but I’m hooked and enjoying every dollar. Like any good story, the narrator makes a world of difference, and the narrators for these three are/were fantastic. I decided I would listen to every one of Charles Dickens’s books, which I did last year. I had never heard of many but enjoyed them as much as the well-known books.

This year, I’m continuing with Russian authors:

• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I did a good bit of research on narrators as I quickly learned that the narrator is equally as important as the written words. This narrator is pretty good.
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, narrated by Thandiwe Newton. She did an excellent job! This was a free version, so I was not optimistic, but she exceeded all my expectations! I printed out a list of main characters that I could refer to until I memorized them, which I highly recommend.
• I moved on to The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment and the Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky, which also have an EXCELLENT narrators.
• I just finished Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, read by Jeremy Irons. Wow! How had I never read or listened to it before? Nabokov is my kind of writer.
• Following Lolita, I listened to Despair and Pnin. I enjoyed them both, but they weren’t nearly as compelling as Lolita.
• Then I listened to Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev. A story of the changing relationships between fathers and sons as the world and society change around them.
• Listening to Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol. If you like Dicken’s Pickwick Papers, you’ll enjoy it. Many light-hearted moments.

So, what are you reading, or what have you read recently that you loved? Please pass the titles on to me; I always look for good books.

Happy Reading!

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!