book reviews

I didn’t count how many books I finished this year but it was a ton so here are the best books I read in 2025! Have you read any of these? And what were your favorite books of the year? Please let me know so I can add them to my list!

My Favorite Books of 2025

Atmosphere

I love nearly all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’ novels and this one was no exception. She writes emotion and love so well that you can connect so much to the characters’ feelings in a meaningful way. Joan has been obsessed with space since she was a little girl and has devoted her life to her dream of working for NASA. Becoming an astronaut is her ultimate goal but Joan would be happy with any proximity to space that she can get. She finally lands her dream job of being one of the first female scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program. The small but tight group of men and women in the program become like a family to each other. And when it’s time to finally launch, those bonds will be tested in the most powerful way.

Get your tissues out because you may shed a few tears as I did but the story is absolutely beautiful. It did take me a bit to get into it so stick with it if you aren’t immediately engrossed in the story. It builds momentum is the best way.

The Last One at the Wedding

This book was truly a wild ride in the best way!! Frank is estranged from his daughter, Maggie, but has reconnected with her after she calls him to invite him to her wedding. Maggie is marrying the son of a successful billionaire and seems so happy about her upcoming nuptials. However when Frank begins to ask Maggie more about the family she is marrying into, Maggie is very vague and does not want to share too much. When the wedding weekend arrives, Frank hopes he can connect with the fiance’s parents and get to know them better but that isn’t possible. The mother hides herself away in a hotel room and the father is very guarded and private. Frank is worried that Maggie is making a huge mistake but Maggie doesn’t see it. This story will keep you guessing until the very last page!

Kill For Me, Kill For You

There is a twist in the middle of this book that completely turned the entire story upside down! I absolutely love when that happens! Two women suffer horrific events and find themselves together in a support group hoping to find comfort and companionship. Amanda and Wendy end up meeting for drinks after group one evening and share bits of their stories to each other. A friendship begins but soon turns dangerous when the idea of killing for each other so as to give each an alibi comes up and a plan is formed. But the plan does not turn out well. And secrets are revealed that will have your mouth on the floor from surprise.

The Friend Zone

An absolute adorable rom/com type book that will make you feel all the things. I love Abby Jimenez books and this is actually a three part series that I read in succession. This is the first part of the series. Though you can read each book alone and still follow the storyline easily. Kristen is helping to plan her best friend’s wedding while becoming recently engaged herself. Her fiance is deployed. So the distance makes things difficult but they have made it work for years. That is until Kristen meets the friend of her best friend’s soon to be husband named Josh who she feels she has an instant connection with. The only problem is her relationship status andddd a major health complication that could prevent Kristen from ever having children. You will laugh and cry throughout this entire book. It’s soooo good!

The Happy Ever After Playlist

This is the second book of the series and follows the life of Kristen’s best friend, Sloane, whom she was helping to plan her wedding. Without ruining anything, it follows Sloane’s life after some tragic life events and how she finds her way back to happiness.

The Arrangement, The Amendment, The Atonement

I am part of a psychological thrillers book FB group and someone posted asking for book recommendations with twists that left your jaw on the floor. This series was recommended time and time again so I had to dive in. And let me tell you…….the twist that comes in the first book literally left me speechless!!! Whoa! It’s best to read the entire series and read them in order to really get the full effect.

Ainsley and her husband Peter have been married a long time but have hit a rough patch in their relationship. So Ainsley suggests something shocking and asks Peter if he would be ok with trying an open marriage. Each one would be allowed to date whomever they want but they must never speak about it at home. Peter isn’t sure he is ok with this. But he wants to do whatever he can to fix his marriage so he agrees to it. But shortly after each of them begin seeing someone else, an event occurs that forces them back to each other for comfort. However, that comfort doesn’t last long when a massive jaw-dropping secret is revealed. Trust me you will not guess this twist!!

When Cicadas Cry

This is a simple “whodunit” kind of story with an easy-to-follow plot line. But the ending had my jaw on the FLOOR! Wow, wow, wow! A white woman is found beaten to death in a rural church in South Carolina. A black man named Sam Jenkins was found at the scene kneeling over her body covered in her blood. Sam claims he came here to deliver documents that she requested but when he arrived she was nearly dead. He called 911 after trying to resuscitate her but was unable to save her life.

In a state and county already steeped in racial tension, Sam was instantly arrested and charged with her murder. Sam’s uncle hires a lawyer he hopes will represent Sam in the best way and provide him with the best chance at being exonerated. In most mysteries, I can normally guess the ending or the perpetrator at some point. But I was completely blindsided with this. Complete shock in the best possible way! If you love a good mystery, this book is a must read!

The Perfect Daughter

My jaw was ON THE FLOOR at the twist in this book. It took me completely by surprise in the best possible way!

Penny is a 16 year old with an unknown traumatic past and has developed multiple personalities to deal with her experiences. Penny was adopted into a loving home but still struggles with demons from her past. When Penny is found at the home of her birth mother, covered in blood and standing over her mother’s lifeless body, she has no recollection of how she got here and what happened. The evidence against her is damning but Penny’s family is fighting to give her the best possible chance of an acquittal. They hire an amazing lawyer and try to get her care from a licensed professional that can understand Penny’s mental challenges. This book will keep you hooked from the very beginning and stun you with the revelation at the end.

What Happened to Nina

This book is loosely based on the Gabby Petito case and was one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a LONG time. Simon and Nina are a young couple in love and go away for a few days to Simon’s family’s cabin to enjoy some time together. When Simon returns home but Nina never does, Nina’s parents are frantic and want answers as to her whereabouts. Simon claims he and Nina broke up during their trip and he left her at the cabin. When Nina’s parents arrive at Simon’s house for more answers, Simon’s parents stonewall them and stand by their son’s story. The suspense in this book isn’t from the actual event in question but the search for getting justice kept me on the edge of my seat. I could NOT put this book down from start to finish!

Beautiful Ugly

I had absolutely NO idea where this book was going and was actually finding it a bit dull at times. But something told me to stick with it and I was so glad I did! The last 1/4 of the book was a whirlwind and left me speechless!

Grady is grieving the unexpected loss of his wife in a tragic car accident that is still unexplained. To deal with his grief, Grady retreats to a remote Scottish island where his book agent offers him her cottage to use to help him heal. While using this cottage, Grady is trying to write his next novel but is finding it so difficult to begin. In addition to his writer’s block, the residents of the island are quite strange and he can’t seem to figure out why he doesn’t feel welcome here. Trust me, stick with this book because the ending is totally worth it!

The Violin Conspiracy

This book is equal parts beautiful and heart breaking all at the same time. Ray is a black boy growing up in rural North Carolina with a home life that isn’t setting him up for success. His grandmother is his biggest supporter and believes he is destined for greater things. She gifts him an old fiddle that was his grandfather’s and this sparks a love of music for him almost immediately. That violin becomes his ticket away from his current life and opens doors he never knew were possible. When he decides to have the violin appraised, he discovers that it is a rare priceless model that is worth millions. And what was once seen as his key to freedom becomes the thing that could ruin him. The story explores so many difficult topics but in the most graceful and beautiful way. It’s truly a must read.

Small Great Things

This is one of those books that was absolutely beautiful from start to finish. I loved every single bit of this book and envy anyone who is reading it for the first time.

Ruth is a labor and delivery nurse at the Yale New Haven hospital in Connecticut. She has been a stellar employee for nearly 20 years and is beloved by her patients and fellow staff members. During her shift one evening, she cares for a white supremacist and his wife who demand she be taken off their care because she is black. The hospital complies with the man’s request and Ruth feels betrayed that her hospital didn’t stand behind her. But a few days later, her unit is short staffed. And Ruth is left alone with the man’s child who goes into cardiac arrest. Since she has been forbidden to touch the child, Ruth must make a crucial decision. Sadly the outcome of this decision leads to a fate Ruth could never imagine.

Pictures of You

This book took a bit to get into and I was about to abandon it. But I decided to keep going and finish a few more chapters. Thank goodness I did because I ended up LOVING the entire story! Evie wakes up in the hospital after a horrific car crash to find out she has lost her memory and can’t remember anything past her first 16 years of life. She doesn’t remember getting married, who her husband is and why they got into a car crash. Things are made worse when she finds out that her husband has died but doesn’t feel sadness for him because she can’t remember their relationship.

The only person who can seem to help Evie make sense of her new reality is her high school best friend Drew. She recalls how much she adored Drew and how they were so close as teenagers. But the incidents that occurred following high school up to the present day removed nearly every person she loved from her life. Evie is now trying to put the pieces back together with Drew’s help. But the reality is so much more devastating than Evie wants to know. The beginning is a bit slow and hard to follow at times. But stick with it because it all comes together in the best way!

Don’t Let Him In

This book took me a bit to get into and there are quite a few characters to keep straight but I ended up LOVING IT! I was so engrossed in the story that I was yelling at the characters throughout the book because I was so annoyed at their behaviors. Which honestly is the best because it means I am INVESTED!! Nina and her adult children are grieving the loss of her husband and their father when they receive a gift from an old coworker sending his condolences. Nina doesn’t know this man, Nick Radcliffe, but is grateful for the gesture and thoughtfulness.

Nick and Nina begin chatting after this and a casual romance develops. Nina’s daughter, Ash, while happy for her mother is wary of Nick and his intentions. Unbeknownst to her mother, Ash decides to dig into Nick’s past. And find out exactly who he is and how he knew their father. The path of discovery that Ash stumbles down will unearth a decades long con that threatens to ruin so many people’s lives if they knew the truth. This isn’t a fast-paced page turner but it kept me on the edge of my seat nonetheless!

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Everything I Read in November/December 2025

1. Intermezzo

This had been on my TBR (to be read) list for more than a year so I finally decided to give it a go. Sadly, I could barely get through a quarter of it and had to decide not to finish. It is painfully slow and I could not get into it which was such a disappointment because it was given such great reviews. I usually love a book about family dynamics and the nuances that come with that. But unfortunately, this was one of the few exceptions. Rating: DNF

2. The Wasp Trap

A typical mystery thriller that kept me entertained but was nothing groundbreaking. LOL Six friends come together to celebrate the life of their deceased professor who brought them all together. They all had worked with him building a dating website based on psychological testing decades ago. But before the dinner can begin, events occur that make all the friends decide if they can really trust each other. The stakes become high and lives are at risk if they can’t be truthful about what happened decades earlier. It will keep you guessing throughout the book and is an easy read. Rating: 8

3. The UnMaking of June Farrow

Between this book and Intermezzo, it put me into a big reading slump and I didn’t finish as many books as I normally do because I read so many in a row that I didn’t enjoy. This had also been on my TBR list for nearly two years. But I had to abandon it halfway through because I was not enjoying it at all. It’s a bit fantasy mixed with real-life which I do sometimes enjoy. But the pace was way too slow for my liking. Rating: DNF

4. Confessions

What a different book. Not bad, not amazing but really different. The author is actually a former Japanese home economics teacher and current homemaker and wrote this book in her spare time. I believe the book was written in Japanese and translated into English. So there is some context that does get lost in translation in my opinion. But that being said, it became an international bestseller so I was really curious to read it!

Yuko is a middle school teacher that is dealing with the tragic loss of her 4 year old daughter under suspicious circumstances. Her daughter died on the grounds of the middle school where Yuko works so Yuko decides to hand in her resignation because of the immense trauma she is dealing with. During her last day at the school, she decides to tell her class the details of her daughter’s accident and claims that it was an intentional act. And the people responsible for the act are two of her students sitting in her class. It’s a quick read though I truly had no idea where the story was going until the very end. I enjoyed it though it is not like anything I have ever read before. Rating: 7.5

5. Broken Country

I have seen SO many amazing reviews on this book and was really excited to dive into it. Sadly, it was really hard for me to get through and took me forever to finish. While I did enjoy the ending, the story to get there dragged on and I lost interest many times.

Beth and her husband run a small farm and live a quiet life. But this has not always been the case and the tragic events that occurred many years ago drove them to this solitary existence. When Beth’s former boyfriend moves back to town and into the property next to hers, she is forced to face some unresolved feelings and secrets that she doesn’t want anyone to know. There is quite a twist near the end that really shocked me and I ended up enjoying the last quarter of the book. But sadly, it was not a favorite overall for me. Rating: 7

6. Strange Sally Diamond

This book did finally bring back my reading mojo so to speak so I am grateful for that! LOL It’s a wild story and has tons of twists and turns which I always love. Sally Diamond was adopted but the story of her early years is not entirely clear and has been kept for Sally for most of her life. Sally’s birth mother was kidnapped and help captive for nearly a decade by a man in the area, a successful dentist at that! Sally’s mom gave birth to two children while in captivity, one of those children being Sally. When Sally and her mother were finally rescued, the trauma was very difficult for medical professionals to manage.

There were two people, a married couple, who became part of her care team and were the most involved in helping Sally recover from this ordeal. They ended up adopting Sally but did not share the details of her childhood to hopefully protect her. After Sally’s father passes and she disposes of his body in an unconventional way, Sally is thrust in the media spotlight and she learns of the details of her early years. Soon after, Sally begins receiving mail from an unknown person that she believes has a connection to her past. The story switches back and forth from the present to the past in a seamless way and really helps to build up the suspense in a captivating way! Rating: 8.5

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