I read 33 books this year, down from 38 last year, which was already an all-time (well, since 2006ish) low. OK! For comparison, from 2006 until 2023, I read between 50-90 books per year. I’ve thought a lot about why I’m reading less these days and I don’t really have an answer. I WANT to read like I used to and I don’t know if it’s that the books have changed, or that I have changed, or something else. Who knows? Anyway! Of these 30 books, here are my top four.
Translations, by Brian Friel. This is actually a play that Miriam read for uni and then recommended to me. I loved how it helped me understand things about Ireland that I have slowly been catching on to, but didn’t quite know yet, if that makes sense. Like “oh yes, the place names in Ireland do seem to be somewhat haphazardly translated into English, wonder why” and then this play tells you why. It tells you a lot of other things, too! Fascinating, and a quick read.
Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy. What a thoughtful book! It’s dark and moody and made me wonder a lot of things, like what our responsibility is to the earth, and animals, and our children. Oh and also there’s a chilling mystery situation going on.
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove, by Barbara Demick. You would think that a story about Chinese twins separated as babies and then one is adopted to the US and then as teenagers they are reunited would be interesting because, OBVIOUSLY. But this book was interesting in really surprising ways! Demick is never afraid to make her books nuanced and even a bit uncomfy but she respects the reader enough to give us the unflinching truth rather than something that fits in to a pre-existing narrative we might like more.
Divine Rivals, by Rebecca Ross. Anne Shirley + Gilbert Blythe vibes in a pseudo-WW1/Greek Gods setting. Mmmhmm.
Other distinctions:
I absolutely LOVED the experience of re-reading Into Thin Air, the first three books of the Twilight series, and The Five.
Of the books i read in 2025, the best cover award goes to: Lovely War, by Julie Berry (which, now that I think about it, is ANOTHER WW1/Greek Gods mashup book, in addition to Divine Rivals)! Look, I know we’re not supposed to be doing the headless/almost-headless-woman thing on book covers anymore but this feels more intentional and almost whimsical.
Best title: hmm, I have seen different versions of this book that was originally published in 2024 but didn’t seem to gain traction until late 2025. My version had the title A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story and I found that really amusing and alluring. Other versions have the title as Maurice and Marilyn, which is just ok.
Logorrhea books: Sterling and I talked at each other for DAYS about Finland at War 1939-1945. The Five, although a re-read, ended up being the framing device for an entire trip to London with my old college roommates and that was INCREDIBLE.
Themes: well, apparently I read THREE books set in actual or kinda World War I, with a Greek Gods crossover element. Otherwise, the main theme seems to be history and historical fiction. I have a soft spot in my heart for Dramatized Wikipedia Entry books and there were definitely a few of those this year, alongside more richly and originally drawn historical fiction-y books.
I only DNF’d one book this year: Say You’ll Remember Me, by Abby Jimenez. Just wasn’t for me.
I’m approaching 50/50 when it comes to hard copy vs. Kindle format, which is interesting! I’m still reading slightly more often on my Kindle compared to hard copy, but it’s close.
