Happy New Year, friends! 2026 is here and I'm ready to share my favorite books of 2025. Overall, it was a very good reading year and I slightly exceeded my average pace of one book per week. I had a record number of rereads in 2025, including several classics, and initially decided not to include them when considering favorites... but I had to make an exception for The Enchanted April!
By the way, the cold beach above is in Connecticut. We're still here, but you'll be seeing photos of palm trees and seashells soon!
FICTION FAVORITES
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Heart the Lover by Lily King
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
(Vol 1-5 read, so far)
You Are Here by David Nicholls
Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
This Motherless Land by Nikki May
NONFICTION FAVORITES
A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan
by John Green
I have one more wrap-up post in the works. I'll share reading stats and reflections on 2025, plus my intentions for 2026. Look for that around mid month once we're back in Florida.
What was your favorite book of 2025?
Such a good list! I recently read The Correspondent (my book group is discussing it on Monday) and really enjoyed it. I've seen Fever in the Heartland on a number of lists (including mine). Happy 2026!
ReplyDeleteHelen - There were so many good books this year! Beyond my top two, it was tough to select fiction favorites. Nonfiction was much easier!
DeleteGreat list! I have The Correspondent on my TBR for this year and the Emma Lion Diaries are also high up on the list. Happy 2026!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I am confident you will love them both!
DeleteOK, you've convinced me to try The Enchanted April again. I think I tried to read it back in the early 2000s, but maybe now it will appeal to me more now than it did back then.
ReplyDeleteFrom your list:
The Correspondent - read and loved (may be my #1)
Heart the Lover - reading as soon as I re-read Writers & Lovers
Emma Lion books - will read just as quickly as my mom finishes them
You Are Here - reserving it at my library right now!
Bug Hollow - reserving at library
Everything is TB - reading for book group later this year
The other nonfictions I'll save for November. Glad you had such a good year of reading!
Les - I think I've read The Enchanted April three times now, but this was the first time I actually read it in April. It was also a buddy read, so that all added to the experience. You Are Here was a read/listen combination for me (the audio has 2 narrators and was excellent) and I blasted through it in 24 hours. Made me want to plan my own hiking trip across England! Bug Hollow was everything I love in a family drama. SO many great books in 2025!
DeleteThanks for letting me know about the audio for You Are Here. I just downloaded it from Spotify and will start it today. Yay!
DeleteThanks for sharing your favourites, I’m hoping to read The Correspondent.
ReplyDeleteShelleyrae - The Correspondent was hands down my favorite book of 2025! Hope you enjoy it, too.
DeleteLoved The Correspondent and Heart the Lover! I don't know if I could pick just one, but among my top reads of 2025 were The Gales of November (about the Edmund Fitzgerald), Endling, and as we discussed before, In This House of Brede.
ReplyDeleteAmy - I've added In this House of Brede to my priority tbr for 2026. I'm certain I could read solely from my shelves all year and be perfectly happy!
DeleteI just added April Enchanted. I've never read it but if you thought it worthy of a reread then I want to check it out. Safe trip back to Florida and I look forward to more book chat in 2026!
ReplyDeleteTina - I'm pretty sure I've read The Enchanted April three times now, and I know there will be a fourth! This was the first time I've read it in April and loved that experience.
DeleteI loved This Motherless Land but I feel like I read it last year (I had it from NetGalley). I've seen Bug Hollow on someone else's list and people are comparing the author to Anne Tyler so I will have to look into that. Happy reading for 2026!
ReplyDeleteLiz - I'm pretty sure This Motherless Land was a 2024 release, but I just got to it this year. Have you read her earlier novel, Wahala? That's on my tbr list now.
DeleteYes, I loved Wahala. Very different, but equally good. https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/01/24/book-review-nikki-may-wahala/
DeleteLiz - Thanks for the link! For whatever reason, I couldn't comment on your blog. This was my response: Thank you for sending me the link, Liz. I love this type of novel and Nikki May is already a proven author. I'm adding Wahala to my 2026 tbr.
DeleteYou read so many books I love, including The Correspondent and Heart the Lover and Enchanted April. I feel like I need to go through and write down all your other titles! Happy New Year, JoAnn!
ReplyDeleteNice list and congrats on a good reading year! I've got to read The Enchanted April in 2026. I did read her Garden book but April sounds better! It's hard to say what my favorite book was ... but I have a list of 12 I posted today.... Seascraper was a quiet gem for me. lol. Safe travels to FLA.
ReplyDelete