We are officially halfway through 2025, which means it's time for me to share the books and series that have stuck with me so far this year. Not counting re-reads, I have read 48 books in their entirety so far this year. That's a little bit less than last year at this point, but still not bad at all.
Here's a quick check-in with how my seasonal reading lists are coming.
- Winter Reading List - Still sitting at 5 out of 10 read. However, I have started reading Love and Ruin, but it's 78 chapters long plus an epilogue, so it's going to be awhile before I finish it.
- Spring Reading List - This one is still unchanged, as well, with me only having read 2 of the 10 books on the list. However, I've got Life, Unscheduled at the top of my queue right now.
- Summer Reading List - Finally, some progress to report, though it's not much. I have read two of the 15 books on this list. I am currently reading Lessons in Chemistry, though, and will soon be starting The Price of Paradise.
This list was a bit difficult to put together. I was so busy at the beginning of the year, that I really wasn't reading anything of substance outside of my book club picks, four of which are on this list. I think this might be the most diverse list of titles in terms of genre that I've had in awhile. The first three books listed are pretty much tied for my 'best book of the year' right now; it's impossible for me to choose among them because they're all so different.
Author: Nadine Brands
We're kicking things off with my April book club pick. This is a magical retelling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 -- you know, the one Guy Fawkes is known for? Except this book is told from the point of view of his son, Thomas. It's also remarkably true to history, despite the magical elements. This was the first book I read on my summer break, and it was a wonderful way to start my summer reading. I fully expect this masterpiece to make my best books of 2025 list. I wrote an extended review back in May that you can read here. Here's an excerpt.
While the infamous Gunpowder Plot is the baseline for this story, the plot is not the main focus. This book is at its core a coming-of-age story. The growth and character development of the protagonist is beautifully crafted. His struggle to make sense of his beliefs and the injustices of his world are so real and still resonate today. The book explores themes of friendship, family, loyalty, and social injustice, as well as a budding relationship that has astounding odds to overcome.
Author: Barbara O'Neal
Up next is my June book club pick. I'm no stranger to Barbara O'Neal's work, and this book did not disappoint. It's been awhile since I fell in love with a character, but I absolutely did with this book. I honestly wasn't expecting the romantic aspect of the story at all, but it was a really nice touch. This is the story of two sisters who find their way back to each other after one of them fakes her death to escape a truly heartbreaking life. Because this story was not told in a linear way, I don't have a good excerpt to pull from my full review, but you can read that extended review here.
This book has been on my radar for awhile but never made it into my TBR pile and therefore is not on any of my past or current reading lists. But when I saw it available for loan in my library app, I knew it was time. This non-traditional vampire book sucked me in (no pun intended) right from the start. It was definitely not what I expected. In a nutshell, a group of five women who are in a true crime/horror book club take on a vampire that's moved into their neighborhood, made himself indispensable to their husbands, and is preying on local children. I haven't written an actual review of this one yet other than what I shared on my socials. I'm going to repost that for you because I think it sums up my feelings quite nicely.
What did I just read?! This book was crazy, y'all. Definitely not my typical read, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. I could not stop reading! At one point I was literally biting my fist because of the suspense. Whew
Author: Tirzah Price
This is the first book I read from my Summer Reading List and the second book I've read by this author. Tirzah Price takes Jane Austen classics and turns them into murder mysteries. I loved this one even more than her first, Pride and Premeditation, which made my best books of 2022 list. If you didn't guess from the title, this book is a retelling of Sense and Sensibility, which I actually have not read. The Dashwood sisters are not traditional ladies of their time, so when their father's unexpected death turns out to be murder, they waste no time with their investigation, which leads them to more than one surprising truths.
Author: Barbara Davis
My March book club pick exceeded my expectations. At its core, it's a mystery, but there are underlying themes of romance, self-discovery, and breaking generational cycles. This book was magical in the best possible way. I wrote an extended review earlier this year that you can read here. Meanwhile, here's an excerpt:
The Moon family has always been a part of Salem Creek, but not necessarily a welcome part -- there have always been whispers and gossip about the women's special abilities. But when two teenage girls are found murdered in the Moon's pond, all fingers immediately pointed to Lizzy's grandmother, Althea. There was no evidence, and the case was never solved and eventually closed. But in a town like Salem Creek, memories are long.
Author: Stuart Turton
This book was part of my Winter Reading List. It's a supernatural mystery within a mystery with a side of mystery. Aiden Bishop is trapped within Blackheath manor. His only way out is to solve the mystery of who killed Evelyn Hardcastle while his soul cycles through eight different guests, some more helpful than others. Thankfully there's a cast list at the front of the book to help you keep track. This one kept me guessing right up until the end.
Author: Evie Woods
My January book club pick was another magical historical fiction book. It was a really lovely story that revolved around one central location that isn't always visible. It's told in triple point of view over two different timelines between three people who seemingly have no connections. The main storyline revolves around Opaline, and I could have read a book just about her if we're being honest, but Martha and Henry play an important part in her story. There's a lot of literary history embedded in this one as well, which I appreciated. You can read my extended review here.
Author: Gordon Korman
I'm not sure that a middle-grades book has ever made this list before, but I enjoyed this book just as much as the adult titles I've read this year. Also, I love Gordon Korman and have read several of his books. This one is the most relatable for me personally. It's about a troublemaker who ends up mistakenly enrolled at a gifted academy. Determined to stick it out and delay his punishment for a damaging his old school's gym, Donovan finds his place on the academy's robotics team.
The Scarlet Witch (The Coven: Vampire Magic book 3)
Author: Chandelle LaVaun
The Coven still holds my heart, and I can't wait to see where this story goes. The books in this saga are hard to give summaries for without spoiling everything, so I'm just going to give you a full series overview. In a nutshell, the demon Lilith is rising, and its up to the Coven and their allies to defeat her and save the world. So far, the different seasons have been about gathering all the players they need to win the fight. Each season focuses on a specific couple, as in its told from their points of view, and they all build on each other, so you definitely need to start at the beginning if you're interested. This one has kept me hooked for several years now, so you know it's gotta be good.
Author: Mia Smantz
This is a follow-up series to her Cardinal series, which is one of my favorites, and it's even better in my opinion. You do need to read the original to understand what's going on this book. To give you an idea -- Callie, the main character, was kidnapped and turned into a criminal hacker at the age of 11, eventually falling into the clutches of the notorious Russian mobster, Ivanov. She's eventually rescued by Delta, a super secret branch of the CIA, and works with them to bring down Ivanov's criminal empire. However, there are loose ends at the end of the series in the form of a serial killer who is obsessed with Callie, which is what this book focuses on.
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