My 2025 Reading Challenge Selections: Every Book I Read

Did you finish the 2025 Reading Challenge? With a book for every week, here are all 52 books I read this year for my 2025 Reading Challenge.

Every year I create the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge with 52 categories. And every year I scramble through December to finish. Except this year! I finished my last prompt on Thanksgiving weekend.

Admittedly, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if I didn’t finish. I always tell people that the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge is more about the journey than the destination. There’s no prize for finishing all 52 categories. The reading challenge is just a means to focus your reading efforts to increase your reading and read more diversely.

But, still, I would never live it down if I didn’t finish. I picked the categories, for goodness sake.

If you’re curious, here are all 52 books I read this year. Some were excellent, some were terrible, but all satisfied a reading challenge category.

Now I’m off to start planning my books for the 2026 Reading Challenge!

In 1895, Antonio Sonoro and his brother Hugo leave Mexico to rob a train in Houston but the heist goes awry and Hugo is killed. Seeking revenge, Antonio tracks down the two Texas Rangers who feel they are above the law. In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is given a book telling his family’s entire history of evil deeds. When a man suddenly appears in Jaime’s life, Jaime begins to wonder if he is a shadow that has been following his family.

I’m honestly shocked I actually finished The Bullet Swallower. The first hundred pages bored me to tears with endless descriptions of the Texas-Mexico landscape. The story improved somewhat once it settled into more a Western feel and added side characters with some personality. The entire modern timeline felt completely unnecessary, as did the limited use of magical realism. I definitely recommend skipping this one.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 23 January 2024
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When Phoebe Stone turns up at the grand Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, everyone just assumes she is another wedding guest. Yet, Phoebe just happened to book the long-anticipated trip she always dreamed of taking with her husband, which now she plans to use to commit suicide after her divorce. Quickly, the entire bridal party finds themselves confiding in Phoebe, helping Phoebe see her own life in a different light.

The Wedding People is a great read full of thought-provoking messages about how often we lie to ourselves and how people pleasing and wishful thinking can destroy our lives. Phoebe’s candor was refreshing and her relationship with the bride was intriguing. I loved how Phoebe connected with each character, transforming them from a one-dimensional caricature (e.g, drunk mother, cheating sister-in-law, immature groomsman) to a fully fleshed out individual.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 30 July 2024
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To spy on Tamlin and stop the expected invasion, Feyre returns to the Night Court pretending to still be in love with Tamlin. Yet with war coming, her ruse cannot last long before she’s found out. Soon Feyre must take her place among the High Fae balancing her magical and political powers with her love of family and the court.

Just as fun as the second book, A Court of Wings and Ruin continues with the coloful cast of characters whose friendship you can’t help but love. While I loved the second book, it only slightly expanded into the larger fantasy world. In the third book, Feyre and Rhysand interact with all the courts and you get to see the bigger political picture.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 2 May 2017
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One day, Iris Lockhart receives shocking news. Her great-aunt Esme is being realized from a mental hospital after sixty years. Except Iris was always told that her grandma Kitty was an only child and now Kitty’s dementia prevents her from getting answers. The doctors claim Esme is harmless but Iris is unsure whether to take her in. For Esme’s secrets could completely change Iris’s family history.

I listened to the audiobook version and I would not recommend it. O’Farrell likes to jump between narrators and time frames and I had difficulty following along without the natural line breaks in a printed version. Overall, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox was a fascinating book that makes you think. Poor Esme was locked up for being odd in a strict gentile society; I would guess that she had something like Asperger’s or ADHD. I liked the comparisons to Iris, whose life was a complete mess and yet she wasn’t locked away because of it. O’Farrell paints a starkly horrifying look at how easy women were sent to asylums but also includes an ambiguous shocking ending that will leave you desperate to discuss the book with someone else.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 January 2006
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Mickey7 is an Expendable, a disposable human sent to perform jobs too dangerous for normal humans. If he dies, they can just replicate a new body and upload his last mind scan. When he is prematurely declared dead, Mickey7 finds himself prematurely replaced by his clone, Mickey8. Now Mickey7 and Mickey8 must hide that there are two of them all while Mickey7 realizes he might be the only one who can stop the native creatures from destroying the colony.

Edward Ashton’s Mickey7 is the epitome of a book that wasted its potential. All good science fiction stories start with a great “what if” and Ashton nails it with his fabulous premise of Expendables. Mickey7 is a wisecracking narrator whose easy-going nature make him extremely likable as he floats through life while making some idiotic decisions. Although Mickey7’s shenanigans and backstory are interesting, I spent the whole time waiting for the story to really take off. Unfortunately, Ashton skimped on the larger world-building action, rushed the ending, and never even tried to touch on deeper themes. 

My Rating:
Publication Date: 15 February 2022
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In the last book of the Child 44 trilogy, Leo Demidov has resigned from the KGB and is forbidden to travel out of the country. When his wife and daughters travel to New York City for a peace tour, they find themselves tragically caught between dueling plans from American and Soviet agents. Years later, a mourning Leo is exiled to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan where he finds himself caught between love and obsession.

I debated whether to finish the Child 44 series since I disliked the second book so much. At first I was hopeful; the beginning had such strong spy thriller vibes with Leo’s wife and daughters in New York. Then the novel fast forwards to a grieving Leo in Afghanistan and I remembered how much I dislike his character. Although the glimpses of the Soviet occupation where interesting, I hated all of Leo’s choices and felt the two stories didn’t connect well. In my opinion, Child 44 is the only book of the series worth reading.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 July 2011
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Katarina Shaw always knew she was destined to be an Olympic ice skater even if she didn’t have the support or pedigree it usually requires. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid in foster care, Katarina finds the perfect partner to make her dreams – and desires – come true. Ten years after a shocking event ends their Olympic careers and relationship, an unauthorized documentary forces Katarina to break her silence about what happened in this sports romance inspired by Wuthering Heights.

I devoured The Favorites in one sitting but I have to admit, it did remind me why I hate Wuthering Heights so much; I absolutely despise the brooding Heathcliff energy. Yet, Fargo captivates with a story of Kat’s Olympic pursuits full of gripping ups and downs that make for an epic tale. I loved how the documentary excerpts really helped keep the anticipation going, dropping tantalizing hints at what might lay ahead and giving you a better feel for the side characters. More contemporary fiction than sports romance, The Favorites sends you on a dramatic roller coast ride of the obsessive passion to win Olympic gold.

My Rating:

Publication Date: 14 January 2025
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Sloane Carraway has a tendency to lie; usually just harmless little lies that make her seem a little more interesting. When she sees a hurt little girl at the park, she can’t resist telling the girl’s father she’s a nurse as she pulls out the bee stinger. Soon Sloane finds herself hired as the nanny for the picture perfect New York City power couple. But the deeper Sloane goes into Jay and Violet’s world the more she realizes that she is not the only one lying.

I was rather uncertain about Count My Lies as I was reading it. Sloane is an immature brat and quickly got old listening to her justify her selfish action. Luckily, Stava threw in some nice twists partway through that added intrigue back into the narrative. By the second half, the plot was so complex and twisted that I couldn’t predict where the novel was leading me: to an epic twist that was perfectly satisfying.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 4 March 2025
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You get a cut on your foot or you feel a tickle in your throat and suddenly your body finds itself in a battle against outside invaders. Science writer Philipp Dettmer takes you into the immensely complex world of your immune system. Each chapter dives into a facet of the immune system, showcasing the layers of defense, strategy and self-sacrifice needed to keep your body safe. 

Hooray for science. Philipp Dettmer does an excellent job simplifying the complicated immune system. His warfare metaphor paints a vivid picture as he takes you step-by-step through such a complex system. Immune is entertaining, informative, and beautifully written to help a regular person feel the wonder of the body’s evolution ability to fight off disease.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 28 September 2021
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In 19th-century Buenos Aires, Inez Olivera dreams of leaving her sheltered upper-class life to explore the world like her parents. When her parents die tragically, Inez inherits a fortune and a mysterious guardian who is an archaeologist who works with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Sailing for Egypt, Inez learns there is more to her parents’ deaths than she realized. Thwarted by her guardian’s handsome assistant, Inez relies on old world magic to discover the truth.

After months of not touching a book, What the River Knows was the perfect book to hook me back into reading again. The quick pacing, light romance, and historical setting were fun to dive into. Inez made for a plucky heroine and magical elements weren’t heavy-handed. Perfect for a quick fun young adult read, What the River Knows ends with a twist that will make you desperate to read the next book right away.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 31 October 2023
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In her super popular series, Sarah J Maas introduces you to Feyre, a teenage girl turned huntress doing all she can to provide for her poor yet ungrateful family. After she kills a faerie disguised as a wolf, Feyre is taken to an enchanted land run by her captor, a powerful man who can turn into a beast. Maas starts the story as a typical “Beauty and the Beast” retelling but transforms it into her own original work.

I hated this book when I first read it years ago but given its immense popularity I knew I needed to give the series another chance. Reading it again, I remembered why I hated the first book – I despise the love story between Feyre and Tamlin. And I should! When you think about it, the Stockholm syndrome love story in Beauty and the Beast isn’t romantic. However, this time around, I knew that Tamlin wasn’t Feyre’s endgame and so I actually liked the book a lot better.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 5 May 2015
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Recent high school grad Colin has been dumped nineteen times by girls named Katherine. Once considered a child prodigy, Colin hasn’t amounted to the high expectations he set for himself. Taking a road trip with his friend Hassan, Colin sets out to create a mathematical formula that will predict the future of any relationship. When Colin and Hassan make a detour to a small town, they find love and friendship and a path forward in an unexpected place.

An Abundance of Katherines is my least-favorite of John Green’s coming-of-age books. I hated all of the characters; they were loud, crass, self-absorbed and really smart idiots. Seriously, where do you find nineteen Katherines? Although I couldn’t stand almost anything Colin did, Hassan was a decent sidekick. The story felt like a complete waste of my time except it did check off one of my reading challenge prompts. My only takeaway is that I don’t want my kids to be anything like these ones. It reminded me of the importance of teaching teens about community and citizenship so they can transition to adulthood with a sense of belonging.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 21 September 2006
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Once romanticized as the disease of poets, tuberculosis still rages in the world today, mostly in poverty-stricken populations. In 2019, bestselling author John Green struck up a friendship with Henry Reider, a tuberculosis patient in Sierra Leone. Since then, Green has become a major advocate for spreading awareness of this curable, preventable disease that still kills over a million people every year.

Like most people, I only knew John Green from his coming-of-age young adult novels so it was surprising to see him write a bestselling nonfiction book about tuberculosis. Green narrates the audiobook and his fascination with the topic pulls you in and leaves you riveted. Henry’s story humanizes the narrative and helps remind you that tuberculosis is not just ancient history – though the ancient history is captivating when told by as clever of an author as John Green.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 18 March 2025
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In a retelling of the Iliad, Achilles is the epitome of a hero: strong, beautiful and irresistible to all who meet him. On the other hand, Patroclus is an awkward young prince exiled from his homeland. Yet the two form an inseparable bond training together in war and medicine. When Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, all of the heroes of Greece must aid in the siege of Troy. Where Achilles goes, Patroclus follows even as the Fates have plans to test them, demanding a sacrifice.

Madeline Miller breathes life into the story of Achilles, adding personality while staying true to the events of the Iliad. The Song of Achilles is a queer retelling of the myth, which is not modern remake of the classic tale since even Shakespeare eluded to a romance between Achilles and Patroclus. As a character, Achilles was hard to love with his godlike arrogance. However, Miller was brilliant to chose Patroclus as the narrator for he humanized Achilles and made you really feel for a lesser hero caught up in great events.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 20 September 2011
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After a string of victories by the Southern army, their defeat at Gettysburg was one of the turning points of the Civil War. What if things had gone differently? Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen imagine an alternate version of Gettysburg where General Robert E. Lee took a different path – flanking the Army of the Potomac instead of the doomed charge that actually occurred.

When my grandfather moved into assisted living a few years ago, Gettysburg is the one book I plucked from his bookshelf to read. Even though I’m descended from one of the Confederate commanders at Gettysburg, I’m not much of a Civil War buff so I wasn’t sure if this what-if scenario would capture my attention. Initially, I struggled with the dearth of miliary detail and keeping all the different corps straight. However, once the Alternate History portion started, I found myself captivated. Gingrich and Forstchen did a great job of writing likable characters on both sides and I was invested in the overall military strategy. Although the last quarter of the book got preachy, Gettysburg was much more enjoyable than I expected. 

My Rating:
Publication Date: 12 June 2003
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When her father unexpectedly dies, seven-year-old Ellie and her mother are thrust from the 1950s upper class in Tehran to live in a tiny home downtown. Ellie soon befriends Homa and the two girls are inseparable, sharing dreams of becoming “lion women” someday. After her family fortunes change, Ellie rejoins the wealthy ranks of society, becoming the most popular girl at her elite high school. Just as Iran is reaching a political breaking point, politically active Homa reappears in Ellie’s life causing a disruption that will change them both forever.

Marjan Kamali paints a story of fierce female friendship set against three decades of the women’s movement in Iran. From the start, you are swept up in Homa and Ellie’s coming-of-age story in Iran. With rich characters and a fascinating setting, The Lion Women of Tehran ponders the cost of standing up for what you believe and the fierceness from within not to let anyone break you.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 2 July 2024
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Feyre survived her time Under the Mountain but it still haunts her in nightmares. With her wedding to Tamlin approaching, Feyre seems to be losing herself more and more even as she starts gaining other abilities. When Rhysand shows up to demand Feyre uphold her bargain, she must travel to the dreaded Night Court. Yet, things in the Night Court aren’t as she expected and a greater threat looms that changes Feyre’s whole perspective.

Finally, I see what all the fuss is about. Now that I have characters I love and want to root for, this sexy romantasy feels much more engaging than the first book. Maas does a great job building a fun cast of characters that you can’t help fall in love with. Their easy camaraderie is disarming and makes the book an easy read. Add in plenty of action and a steamy romance and you have all the elements for an addicting read.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 3 May 2016
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In 1945 in Malaya, Cecily Alcantara’s family is trying to survive until the end of World War II. Cecily’s son has disappeared, her youngest daughter must stay hidden so she isn’t forced to work in the comfort houses, and her oldest daughter hates serving drunken Japanese soldiers in the teahouse. Cecily knows it’s all her fault; for a decade ago, Cecily was drawn into a campaign to keep “Asia for Asians.” Tired of being a housewife, Cecily became a spy who unwittingly ushered in the Japanese invasion. Now Cecily must face what she has done in order to save her family.

Vanessa Chan’s debut novel provided a revealing look at Malaya during the Japanese Occupation during World War II. Although the setting and descriptions were interesting and informative, The Storm We Made presents you with a series of horrifying events with little character development to emotionally tie you to the story. To make matters worse, the constant jumping between characters and timelines kept disrupting the flow of the narrative. Despite its weak characters, The Storm We Made‘s historical setting make it still worth a read.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 2 January 2024
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A runaway foster kid, eighteen-year-old Louisa has spent her whole life fascinated by a famous painting of a pier with three barely discernable teens sitting on the end. After a chance run-in with the artist just before her death, Louisa inherits the painting from his best friend, Ted. Together, Ted and Louisa set out on a cross-country train journey where Ted tells her the story of one fateful summer where the best friends avoided their chaotic home lives while encouraging the artist to paint something for a competition.

Fredrik Backman sure does know how to tug at the heartstrings and My Friends delivers his characteristic blend of heartwarming stories with lovable characters. Louisa serves as an excellent foil for Ted to tell his backstory while knowing she has experienced similar traumas. Backman has a tendency to paint characters in sweeping generalization and satire; however, he only did that with side characters. This endearing tale of friendship shows the teenagers in their complex lives without tying everything into a tidy and unrealistic bow like many books would.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 May 2025
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In his latest science fiction novel, John Scalzi ponders what would happen if the moon suddenly turned into cheese. How do you keep the world running when something absurdly impossible happens? Through the course of a lunar cycle, When the Moon Hits Your Eye showcases humanity’s reaction – the laughs, the tears, the hope, the panic, and the lost and found faith in the face of the fantastic.

The moon suddenly turning to cheese with no explanation: hilarious! I cracked up so many times in the first quarter of the book. But then the story didn’t go anywhere. Instead, Scalzi just kept giving vignettes that never added together to make a larger message. The best thing that came out of this book is my husband finally showed me the Wallace and Gromit cartoon about the moon as cheese that he is always quoting. “We’ve forgotten the crackers!”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 25 March 2025
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On August 6, 1945, for the first time, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on a city, completely destroying Hiroshima, Japan. War correspondent John Hershey was one of the first Western journalists to witness the ruins of Hiroshima. Commissioned by the New Yorker, Hershey wrote about the events of the day and the memories of the survivors in an article that was reprinted as a Pulitzer Prize-winning book.

John Hersey’s Hiroshima is a straight reporting on the events of the immediate aftermath of the bombing from the perspective of the survivors. Hersey doesn’t discuss the larger political landscape or the morality of the act and instead narrows his focus to firsthand accounts of the devastation the bombing wrought on the city. Although the book was written in the year following the bombing, an updated version contains a section written decades later following each individual and touching on some of the larger ramifications. Hiroshima is a powerful account that doesn’t succumb to exaggeration or overdone prose but gives you a straight-forward look at the horrors of an atomic bombing.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 1946
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None of the new book releases have gotten more buzz than Suzanne Collins’ prequel to The Hunger Games series. Collins shocked fans when she revealed the prequel’s main character is none other than notorious President Snow. During the 10th annual Hunger Games, Coriolanus Snow is selected as a mentor to the female candidate from District 12. Desperate to win a victory, Snow must use all his cunning and skill to help his doomed candidate, a girl he is beginning to care about.

I never really saw a need for a Hunger Games prequel but I liked the book more than I expected. Snow’s backstory helped flesh out the early days of Panem and the impetus behind the Hunger Games. Since the movie was a faithful adaptation, I already knew the plot. However, I appreciated that Collins doesn’t even attempt to paint Snow as a good guy, showing how calculating and transactional his behavior is throughout the entire story. The next prequel is Haymitch’s story and I think I might actually read that one, too.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 19 May 2020
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In 1992, Sarah Lingate fell from the cliffs outside the family’s annual vacation home in Capri. Her entire lie, Helen Lingate has been plagued by rumors that her father killed her mother. When the family returns to Capri on the thirtieth anniversary, Helen decides to blackmail her controlling paranoid family with the help of Lorna, her uncle’s assistant. But when Lorna disappears with the ransom money, Helen doesn’t know who she can trust.

Considering how much I hated Katy Hays’ debut The Cloisters, I’m surprised I picked this one up but I’m glad I did. The sunny Capri setting belied the darker side of the family, whose overcontrolling ways leave you certain that someone is guilty. With plenty of red herrings, twists, and family drama, Saltwater was an entertaining read, although its mystery was extremely convoluted.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 25 March 2025
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From the author of We Begin at the End comes a decades-spanning story filled with love and mystery. In 1975, Patch is a one-eyed thirteen-year-old who pretends to be a pirate. On his way to school, Patch stumbles across a man abducting Misty, a popular rich girl in his class. Although Misty escapes, Patch disappears and his best friend Saint is determined to find him. That one day in the woods will change the lives of all three for decades to come.

All the Colors of the Dark is an epic literary story in the vein of Demon Copperhead or The Goldfinch. I was completely gripped from start to finish in a tale that is practically three books in one. Patch and Scout were fascinating characters and I love how Whitaker made Misty multi-dimensional instead of a caricature of a pretty rich girl. Even though I wished for a happy ending, the literary nature of All the Colors of the Dark is a complicated story that is much more powerful than anything that ties into a neat bow.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 25 June 2024
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Growing up, Shiloh’s friendship with Cary was the only thing that got her through high school in Omaha, Nebraska. However, after graduation they lost touch when Shiloh went off to college and Cary joined the Navy. Fourteen years later, Shiloh finds herself back in her hometown, a divorced single mom who lost her dreams along the way. When Cary returns for a friend’s wedding, Shiloh hopes to reconnect with Cary, whom she never realized she loved until he was gone.

Rainbow Rowell’s latest novel is a classic miscommunication and second-chance romance. Cary and Shiloh are so joined at the hip and yet both AWFUL about sharing their feelings. You just want to smack a little sense into them. Despite their numerous flaws, I was hooked by their love story and I think I’m realizing I’m a sucker for second-chance romances.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 30 July 2024
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Growing up in the community of Jewish refugees on St. Thomas, Rachel has always dreamed of adventure. Married off to a widower with three children, Rachel feels trapped in her small life. When her husband dies, his handsome nephew Fréderick arrives from Paris to settle the estate. Thus begins a passionate love affair that will shock the Jewish community and lead to the birth of the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro.

The Marriage of Opposites has been on my to-read list for probably a decade and so I think my expectations were too high. I really wanted to love it more than I did. Hoffman uses the longest chapters ever written which never goes well with an audiobook. While Rachel’s childhood and marriages were interesting and the setting was fantastic, once the story shifted to Camille, I completely lost interest. Camille seemed a lackluster character to me but, worse, Rachel’s character became entirely unlikable matter in life and the end of the novel became a complete slog.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 4 August 2015
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How far would you be willing to go for someone you love? Koreda has the routine down pat when her little sister calls in a panic. This is the third time Ayoola has killed her boyfriend in “self-defense” and Koreda knows exactly what to do. When Ayoola begins dating Koreda’s boss and long-time love interest, Koreda must decide where her loyalties lie in this darkly comic psychological thriller book.

Oyinkan Braithwaite thrills in her dark tale of how far sisterly love will extend. How much slack do you give your sister who has killed multiple boyfriends claiming domestic abuse? Especially if she shows no remorse. Apparently more slack than I would but sometimes family ties run deep. I’m glad Braithwaite kept the story short; it was the right length to keep you captivated the whole time. My Sister, the Serial Killer is a clever novel that will give your book club plenty to talk about.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 20 November 2018
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A year before 9/11, three women entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point form an enduring friendship to see them through the years ahead. Dani, the star athlete determined to break barriers; Hannah, the Army legacy guided by her faith; and Avery, the wild child pushing boundaries. Covering women in the military and the history of West Point as well as the post-9/11 years, Gibson’s debut novel has plenty to set it apart.

I knew I would love this book from the moment I bought it and still wasted years letting it sit on my shelf unread. Gibson paints a powerful story about female friendship in the military, tearing your heart out along the way. I particularly loved reading about their time at West Point and their blooming friendship and wanted that section to be even longer. Yet, it was necessary to see the women struggle on their different paths after school, as their bonds strain but never break.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 2 April 2019
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Created under President Kennedy, the White House Situation Room has been the epicenter of crisis management in the United States for the last six decades. A former presidential advisor and well-known political commentator and tv host, George Stephanopoulos describes twelve high-pressure situations that were dramatic turning points in American history: including the moments after Kennedy’s assassination, the hours after planes struck the Twin Towers, the raid on Osama bin Laden, and the staff watching the unfolding events on January 6th.

I was fascinated by Stephanopoulos’s well-researched look at American’ history framed through the lens of the Situation Room. The Situation Room provided interesting historical context and insight into crisis management by each administration while mixing in plenty of human stories. I wish I had listened to the audiobook since it contains actual audio clips form interviews. I will say, Stephanopoulos seems pretty politically neutral with all of the presidents except President Trump whom you can tell he obviously despises.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 14 May 2024
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Haunted by the horrors of the previous war, Nesta’s temper is constantly on edge, and no one seems to bother her more than Cassian. When the human queens threaten the fragile peace, she must work with Cassian to save the kingdom. But can Cassian, or anyone, find a way to soften Nesta’s heart and help her learn to use her abilities? 

If you thought the first few books were steamy, A Court of Silver Flames takes the romance to a whole new level. The story is basically a lot of hot sex, enemies-to-lovers style, interspersed with a fantasy story. Feyre and Rhysand step to the side as A Court of Silver Flames so Nesta and Cassian can take center stage. Luckily they are great characters with a great story arc and the book continues with the same fun from the earlier book. Maas has announced she has finished the first draft of the next book, and I’m guessing it might focus on Feyre and Nesta’s sister Elain.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 16 February 2021
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Author of the bestselling memoirs Eat, Pray Love and Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert returns with a new memoir about finding freedom. In 2000, Gilbert met Rayya and soon the two friends became inseparable. After a tragedy, they both realized they were in love. But the pair of addicts fed off each other, sending them both toward disaster. Gilbert tells her story of passion and craving and the yearning for freedom from addiction.

Since I disliked Eat, Pray, Love, I was planning to skip Gilbert’s newest memoir until I saw Oprah choose it for her book club pick. From the moment I read the letter from dead Rayya in the introduction, I knew I should have gone with my gut instinct. All the Way to the River feels like Gilbert’s attempt to assuage her guilt and justify her horrible decisions. I get that addiction is beyond awful and Gilbert had some good perspective on this issues. But Gilbert and Rayya’s self-justifications were unconscionable. Rayya convinces herself she is sober while drinking every day. Gilbert actively plans to murder cancer-stricken Rayya. Simply put, All the Way to the River is a story of the disturbing codependent life between two women – one who dies of cancer though not as quickly as the other would like.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 9 September 2025
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V. E. Schwab writes about immortality, sexuality, and hunger through three different storylines spanning 500 years. In 1532, Maria is tired of being a pawn of men and jumps at an offer from a beautiful stranger to take a different path. In 1827, Charlotte is shipped to London after being caught kissing a girl and takes an invitation from a beautiful widow. In 2019, Alice’s one-night-stand with a beautiful girl turns her into a vampire.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a tale of lesbian vampires in a toxic relationship. Vampires not being my topic of choice, I might not be the best person to review Schwab’s latest book. Frankly, Schwab can write gorgeous prose. Except the novel was all vibes and no plot. The story is so slow that almost nothing happens for the entire book until you get to the super toxic relationship portion. To make sure you don’t miss her thematic point, Schwab insistently beats you over the head with the comparison between vampire’s hunger and the dangers homosexual desire in a world where it’s barred.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 10 June 2025
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Single and childless, Isabelle Heatherington stands out when she moves into a quiet cul-de-sac in Pleasant Court. But the Pleasant Court mothers have their own secrets. Fran has begun compulsively running and won’t let her husband near their newborn. Ange compulsively controls every aspect of her family’s life. And Essie’s family watches her like a hawk now that she has a new baby after what happened last time. Slowly each of their secrets will intersect in this Australian domestic thriller.

Although technically a domestic thriller, The Family Next Door is more contemporary fiction drama about marriage and motherhood with a backdrop of intrigue. Hepworth makes you feel like something worse is happening in Pleasant Court than actually is. Instead, The Family Next Door is mostly a tale of post-partum depression, marital infidelity and the strain of raising children with a dash of a  soap-opera-style darker secret.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 March 2018
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College roommates Eli and Victor have the same intelligence and ambition. Obsessed with adrenaline and near-death experiences, they theorize that under the right conditions people can develop extraordinary abilities. Ten years after their experimentation goes horribly, Victor breaks out of prison to get his revenge on Eli who is hunting every superhuman he can find.

Vicious is a morally ambiguous X-Men style story with full of twists and dark themes. Instead of pondering good vs evil, Schwab has you trying to figure out which character’s self-justification of their own actions is worse. If you love antihero stories, you’ll probably adore this dark academia with unlikable main characters. While I though Vicious was well-written and had a unique vibe, it just wasn’t really to my taste and, after just reading Bury My Bones in the Midnight Soil, I am realizing Schwab is probably not the author for me.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 24 September 2013
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Sharon McMahon shares twelve stories of everyday Americans who are unknown heroes displaying the courage that makes America great. From a telephone operator to a schoolteacher to a formerly enslaved person, McMahon details the lives and accomplishments of unsung American heroes in her signature style of storytelling.

I enjoyed listening to McMahon’s collection of stories but only in small batches. At first, her outraged commentary, which comes across strongly in the self-narrated audiobook, was fun but it eventually started to grate. Think of a teacher using an exaggerated storytelling version of history for a room full of uninterested teenagers. While the stories were interesting, they jumped around quite a bit which often made the narrative hard to follow. Also, I could not specify the “twelve stories” from the publisher’s description because it wasn’t easy to separate tangents from the main story.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 24 September 2024
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Beth and Frank live a happy life on a farm until their world takes a turn when Frank’s brother shoots a dog going after their sheep. Turns out the dog belongs to Beth’s teenage love, Gabriel Wolfe. Suddenly Beth is brought back in Gabriel’s life as she babysits his young son who reminds Beth of her own who tragically died. As tensions, rumors, and jealousies mount, Beth must choose between who she was and who she wants to be.

Broken Country reminds you what literature feels like. Hall brilliantly narrates a tale of broken people who love each other very much and yet still manage to hurt each other – a cheating spouse who still loves her husband, a husband torn by guilt, a messy family full of trauma and love. Hall slowly reveals more and more about Beth’s relationships with Gabriel and Frank, adding great twists and turns to keep you engaged. Broken Country is a beautifully written tale of forgiveness and mercy that is easily a front runner for best book of the year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 4 March 2025
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In a Delaware apartment complex live Spanish-speaking immigrants from all over Central and South America. They may not all be from the same land, but they all share the same dream of starting a new life in America. Among them are Arturo and Alma Rivera who have come seeking medical help for their teenage daughter Maribel after she suffers a traumatic brain injury. Also living at Redwood, Mayor Toro quickly sees beyond Maribel’s injury and falls in love with her sweet personality.

A heartfelt story of the various struggles and desires of immigrants, The Book of Unknown Americans is a great read in today’s political climate. The story itself was good but proceeds at a slower thoughtful pace without lots of drama, mainly focusing on the immigrant experience. I particularly loved the segments where the various apartment residences share how and why they immigrated to the United States.

My Rating:

Publication Date: 3 June 2014
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With Winter Solstice approaching, Feyre realizes all of her friends in the Night Court are still traumatized by the events of the last few years. The group struggles to enjoy the holiday while also trying to find ways to help each other heal from recent events even with larger forces still pressing upon them.

A Court of Frost and Starlight is a completely unnecessarily novella that should not have cost me as much as the other books in the series given that it’s a third of the length and very unsatisfying. The plot hinges on Feyre and Rhysand’s merry band celebrating their version of Christmas as Nesta pulls farther and farther away. I guess Maas wanted to lay the groundwork for having Nesta be the main character in the next book. If you are going to read the series, you might as well read this one too. Just lower you expectations and maybe borrow it from the library.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 21 May 2019
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The head of British intelligence in Berlin, Alec Leamas is devastated by the repeated loss of his intelligence assets. Before he comes in from the cold, Control offers Leamas one more assignment: to go undercover as a defector to frame the head of East German intelligence. In a deadly game of chess, can Leamas make East Germany think their own head of counterintelligence is a British spy?

The Spy Who Came In From the Cold is an old-school spy thriller that garnered international acclaim for John le Carré. Unlike Fleming’s flashy James bond novels, John le Carré’s novel is more cerebral, relying on elaborate mind games instead of action sequences. The story is extremely slow and I had difficulty getting into the narrative. However, if you are willing to put in the effort, the cleverness of the ending makes the novel worth a read.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 September 1963
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Raised by a single mother in Maine, Mia and Cricket Lowe have always been close. While Mia has become the academically minded caretaker, Cricket has thrown herself into become a soccer superstar. As the two sisters grow, they must grapple with their mother’s past and how to balance loyalty to each other with their own wishes and desires as they make impossible choices to pursue their dreams.

I have to give all the stars to this sister drama and not just because I’m coach girls soccer. Spectacular Things kicks off with a bang: Cricket wins a gold medal and Mia has a baby but needs a kidney from Cricket. Suddenly you are thrust into a touching story of two sisters and the sacrifices we make for family. Mia’s dedication is admirable yet she martyrs herself too much (haven’t we all been there). Luckily, Dorey-Stein does an excellent job framing Cricket’s ambition as rooted in insecurity and family expectations. I laughed, I cried, and I was hooked from start to finish.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 July 2025
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In a nation perpetually at war, two teenagers from opposite ends of society are brought together in a clever game of cat-and-mouse. June comes from the wealthy elite, destined to become one of the military’s top leaders. On the other hand, Day was raised in the slums and has risen to be The Republic’s most wanted criminal. When June’s brother is murdered, Day is the prime suspect and June will do whatever it takes to avenge her brother’s death.

Reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Divergent, Legend is fast-paced dystopian fiction for teens. Marie Lu goes light on the details of the overarching complexity of the world but I think she is saving it for the later books. Instead, Legend mainly focuses on two highly intelligent teens with superior athletic abilities and, of course, good looks. The narrative races along with plenty of action and instant attraction between June and Day that makes the story easy to read and kept me intrigued enough to want to read the sequel. 

My Rating:
Publication Date: 29 November 2011
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In the 1980s, Joan Goodwin is an unassuming professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University helping her sister to raise her niece. When she sees an ad for the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, Joan finds herself training to be an astronaut with a colorful cast of characters that teach her about the transformative power of love.

Set amidst the competitive wanderlust of the early space program, Taylor Jenkins Reid presents a love story not only of two astronauts falling in love but also of the immense love of an aunt for her niece. Don’t expect too much action or drama from Reid’s latest novel. Atmosphere veers toward the cerebral, concentrating on the characters’ deep thoughts and reflections. Yet, Reid’s extraordinary ability to create fascinating characters draws you into the era and keeps you glued to the pages.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 3 June 2025
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Following her controversial bestselling novel American Dirt, Jeanine Cummins returns with a tale of a  multigenerational Puerto Rican family. In 1980, Rafaela leaves her home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moves her young family to Missouri where her husband grew up. Not wanting to be like her socially isolated mother, Ruth gives up her language and habits to blend into life as an American teen. Decades later, Ruth’s daughter Daisy returns to Puerto Rico only to be critically injured in a hurricane. Now three generations of women must come to terms with the choices and secrets that have shaped their family.

Jeanine Cummins delights with an immersive multigenerational story of race, identity, and intergenerational trauma. Speak to Me of Home jumps between Rafaela, Ruth and Daisy’s stories and yet the powerful narrative is easy to follow. Caught between Puerto Rico and the United States, as each woman grapples with her sense of belonging and identity, her trauma and impact how her children handle those same questions. Speak to Me of Home is a powerful read about what makes a home and the never-ending search for belonging.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 13 May 2025
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In their first year of marriage, Wren and Lewis are shocked when Lewis is given a rare diagnosis. Over the next few months, Lewis will gradually transform into a great white shark. As Lewis struggles to mark peace with his unfulfilled dreams, Wren desperately wants to find a way to stay together. Yet Lewis’s changes into a predatory creature trigger her long-repressed memories of trauma of her mother. 

Shark Heart is the most odd book I have ever read. Lewis’s transformation into a shark is handled in the most nonchalant way as if this is just one of those things. Habeck uses extremely short chapters, sometimes only a sentence, to give peeks at Wren and Lewis’s love story for the first half and then tell the story of Wren’s mother in the second half. With a bizarre but completely unique premise, Shark Heart is an literary work that I didn’t love (many will) but I’m glad I read.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 8 August 2023
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From the author of Still Alice, neuroscientist Lisa Genova paints a story about a young woman with bipolar disorder trying to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. Maddy has always felt like she doesn’t quite belong in her perfect Connecticut family. While a freshman at NYU, a stressed-out Maddy begins swinging from deep depression to wild mania and is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now Maddy must come to terms with her diagnosis and the complex effects it causes on her relationships. 

Lisa Genova paints an intimate look at bipolar disorder and the effects on a young woman’s relationships. I found myself getting more and more uncomfortable as the book went on, watching Maddy’s mania phases spiral her out of control and then careen her into a deep depression. However, by its very nature, bipolar disorder would be an uncomfortable diagnosis requiring a difficult journey to find the correct balance. Genova humanized bipolar disorder in a way that hit me to the core and will stay with me for a while.

My Rating:

Publication Date: 14 January 2025
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Everywhere she goes, Adelaide Henry carries a locked steamer trunk with her because whenever it is opened, people disappear. Fleeing California for Montana after her parents’ death, Adelaide takes up the government’s offer of free land. But Adelaide’s secrets don’t want to stay locked up forever. And the secret she most wants to keep hidden might be the only thing that can keep her alive in the untamed West.

If I enjoyed horror stories with monster themes, I probably would have liked this book. But I don’t. LaValle does an excellent job with his characters and historical setting. I loved the fierce determination that Adelaide and the other lone women brought to the frontier. The setting, the women, the dangers of Montana were beautifully painted. However, the horror elements are just not my cup of tea and really only make me roll my eyes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Random House. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 28 March 2023
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In a reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Percival Everett rewrites the story from Jim’s perspective. When he finds out he will be sold away from his family, James hides out on Jackson Island. There he meets Huckleberry Finn who has faked his death to avoid his violent father. Together, James and Huck take a raft down the Mississippi River where their adventures are shown in a new light.

Everett’s retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn gives a fascinating but darker look at the story from Jim’s perspective. As a character, James provides a look into an extremely intelligent and insightful man forced to play to white people’s expectations of him. I am extremely grateful I picked up the audiobook because the narrator does an amazing job as James code switches between his personal and his slave diction. The first half of the book stays true to Twain’s version but diverges once James and Huck separate, which didn’t bother me. However, the ending abruptly veered from the rest of the story in tone and pacing; else I likely would have given James five stars.

My Rating:

Publication Date: 19 March 2024
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Rebecca Yarros took the book world by storm with her dragon romantasy book, Fourth Wing. In the third book of the Empyrean series, Violet Sorrengail must venture beyond the failing Aretian wards to recruit allies. Violet needs an army and magic to keep her homeland, Xaden, and the dragons safe. But that means keeping a secret that could risk destroying everything.

One of the most anticipated books of the year, Onyx Storm didn’t fully live up to its hype for me. Yarros kept the same tone as the previous books with steamy sex scenes and a constant stream of action sequences. Unfortunately the storyline – particularly the island encounters –  was underwhelming and didn’t quite capture the magic of the first two books. While unlikely to be anyone’s favorite, fans of the series will still enjoy Onyx Storm and I suspect it will serve as a bridge into the second half of the book series.

My Rating:

Publication Date: 21 January 2025
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Beatrice is known for being a fiesty lawyer so when her best friend gets divorced, she has no qualms marching into the opposing lawyer’s office to tell them exactly what she thinks about the situation. Unfortunately, days later that same lawyer turns out to be a new hire at her NYU Law office. Slowly Beatrice’s hatred toward Nathan turns to respect and more until secrets about her friends divorce force her to choose between their happily-ever-after and her own.

I rarely read romances but I gobbled How Freaking Romantic up in one sitting. Frankly, I absolutely adored the characters. Bea had a fiesty hard outer shell that concealed a delicate heart. Nate was a great balance to Bea – pushing her buttons, taking her spikiness in stride, and always compassionate. The acerbic dialogue between them was engaging and the side characters balanced the story just right. Overall, How Freaking Romantic was a fun light-hearted enemies-to-lovers romance.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 July 2025
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Shari Franke is the oldest child of Ruby Franke, a temperamental mother fickle with her love and affection. After her sixth child, Ruby embraced the influencer lifestyle and created the YouTube channel 8Passengers. Growing up with her childhood mined for content, Shari struggled under a mother wanting to use her more than love her. Just as Shari leaves for college, Ruby falls under the thrall of life coach Jodi Hildebrandt and the two go on to commit heinous acts of child abuse all while Shari pleaded with family services to intercede.

One of the first memoirs by a child of an influencer family, The House of My Mother hits on the legal and moral issues about being raised as content. Shari tells her story well (and narrates the audiobook), giving powerful insights into her childhood and the ramifications of her mother’s actions on her family. The whole situation was horrifying and was too much for someone so young to deal with. To make it worst, you have to watch as Shari, finally seeking therapy and desperately trying to save her siblings, gets punished by her church because an older church leader groomed and abused her. I understand why she wrote her memoir now and I would be fascinated to see how her feelings and insights about how religion was used against her and her siblings evolve as she gets older.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 7 January 2025
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In a sequel to What the River Knows, Inez Olivera is reeling from her cousin’s murder and mother’s betrayal. Then Tío Ricardo issues an ultimatum about her inheritance and Inez’s only option might be to marry Whitford Hayes. Will marrying her one time nemesis be her saving grace or will his secret plans ruin everything she has worked for? 

As is common with sequels, Where the Library Hides isn’t quite as good as the first book but still delivers a satisfactory quick fun read. Inez spends most of the novel debating how much she can trust Whitford Hayes will blindly trusting everyone else around her. I do feel like she should have wised up a little more. The overarching plot was more convoluted and Ibanez insists on wrapping up storylines with every character even though I think a few side characters could have been left out. Yet, all in all, I was happy with the novel and enjoyed it immensely.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 5 November 2024
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In 1950s Communist Russia, MGB officer Leo Demidov never wavers from the Party Line. Until his confidence is shaken when he investigates the brutal murder of a young boy. After watching an innocent man tortured, Demidov is then asked the impossible: to arrest his own wife. Now he must choose where his loyalties lie as the child killings continue. How do you investigate a serial killer if the State says it has eradicated crime with its perfect system?

I was completely enthralled by Child 44 when I first read it years ago. I’ve been meaning to read the sequel for ages so I decided to reread this one first. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hold up as well on a reread, likely because I wasn’t as shocked at the setting. Tom Rob Smith takes you into a deep dive into the stifling and violent culture of the USSR where the State has a chilling amount of power to justify any deed. Leo is definitely an imperfect character and I found myself much more interested in his wife Raisa and would have loved more from her perspective.

My Rating:
Publication Date: 3 March 2008
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Did You Finish the 2025 Reading Challenge?

What did you think? What were your favorite prompts? What were your favorite books? As always, let me know in the comments!

More Book Lists to Enjoy:

• Booklist Queen’s 2026 Reading Challenge
• My 2024 Reading Challenge Update
• The Most Popular Books of 2025
• The Best Books of 2025
• My Most-Anticipated Books of 2026

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