My Favorite Books in 2025

I read 106 books in 2025. Here are some of my favorites!

It was a fun year of reading. My husband and I read several of Michael Connelly's Bosch series. I picked one I enjoyed, A Darkness More than Night, to represent the rest. 

Of course, kid's books were on the menu for me and there are some great ones below. Check them out, especially Nimbus Over Normandy, Stories of a Swedish Elf, and The Dragon Key. You won't be disappointed.

I had to revisit Anne McCaffrey's Pern series with Dragonsong. If you haven't read about the dragons and fire lizards of McCaffrey's series (continued by her son Todd after her death), I recommend reading them in chronological order rather than published order or you might find yourself a bit confused! You can find great lists of the books online.

Automatic Noodle was a fascinating near-future, found-family book that touched my heart, and Before Dorothy is an interesting take on the Wizard of Oz story.

While watching The Gilded Age on HBO, I discovered Society As I Have Found It. Nathan Lane played the real-life society master, Ward McAllister, who actually wrote a book about the rules of society in that era. The consequences of sharing secrets in that book were showcased in that TV series. I had to find out more and wasn't disappointed!

Last of all was my non-fiction pick, Slow Productivity. It's all about slowing down, skipping the multi-tasking, and getting more done!

(in alphabetical order)

• A Darkness More than Night by Michael Connelly: A retired FBI profiler is pulled into a murder investigation that unexpectedly entangles detective Harry Bosch in a web of dark symbolism and suspicion.
• Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston: A determined girl discovers a secret supernatural world and must compete in magical trials to find her missing brother.
• Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz: A crew of abandoned food service bots open their own restaurant and discover some unexpected consequences of restaurant reviews.
• Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor: A reimagining of the origins behind The Wizard of Oz, following the women whose lives and choices set the stage for Dorothy’s legendary journey.
• Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey: A musically gifted girl flees her oppressive home and discovers her destiny among fire‑lizards and dragonriders on the world of Pern. 
• Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork: A teen on the autism spectrum navigates a summer job in his father’s law firm, confronting injustice, identity, and the complexities of adulthood.
• Nimbus Over Normandy by Victoria Lindstrom: A young girl and her friends travel back in time to France and meet a famous artist while desperately seeking a way home.
• Slow Productivity by Cal Newport: A guide to achieving meaningful work by focusing on fewer tasks, working at a natural pace, and prioritizing long‑term impact over constant busyness.
• Society As I Have Found It by Ward McAllister: A Gilded Age socialite recounts his observations of high society’s customs, excesses, and unwritten rules.
• Stories of a Swedish Elf by D. Chase: A collection of whimsical tales about a mischievous elf whose small adventures reveal big-hearted lessons.
• The Dragon Key by Diane Martin: A boy receives a mysterious key that draws him into a dangerous quest involving his missing mother, a sarcastic dragon, and rising threats across Illusia.