I read 64 books in 2025, I did not break my 2024 record, which I was a little sad about, but that is okay! I got back into crocheting this past year, and so I often found myself doing that instead of reading some of the time.
Here is the breakdown of how many books I read from which genres and my favorites from each:
Thriller – 11
Fantasy – 12
Fiction – 18
Religious/Spiritual – 6
Nonfiction – 16
Thriller
I really enjoyed all the Thursday Murder Club books I read this year (I read 3)! I loved that it features an older cast in a retirement home solving murders. I have not yet seen the Netflix movie adaptation, but I have heard it is good.
I read this before Taylor Swift made it cool (jk, no shade to Taylor!) I kept seeing this book on so many lists and it lived up to the hype! The Kelce brothers just started a book club on Substack and the first book is this one – check it out if interested!
Fantasy
I had seen my husband reading this book in the past, but never wanted to try it. Then a friend gifted a copy to me and so I thought, “hey, why not?” I liked it enough to read all three volumes (they are long!)
The third in the Empyrean series, I liked this book just as much as the other two, and it made me want to reread the entire series. This was definitely a hyped-up series, but it lived up to the hype. A great romantasy series! I liked this one better than ACOTAR, although I enjoyed ACOTAR too.
Fiction
The Bookclub for Troublesome Women
Historical Fiction, Feminism
I’m definitely drawn to books in the feminist genre, and this one was great! A group of women in the 1960s read The Feminine Mystique, and it is a catalyst for making changes in their lives. I myself have never read The Feminine Mystique, but it certainly made me wonder about the differences between feminism in the 1960s vs now. I enjoyed the story and the characters and felt it was thought-provoking.
Once Upon a K-Prom
Romance, Contemporary
I was gifted this book by a friend and finished it in a few days. It was a sweet romance story that didn’t get too graphic or explicit (if you’re not into that kind of thing). I love K-dramas, and in 2024 I had the opportunity to visit friends in South Korea – even if you don’t have a connection or interest in Korean culture, I think this would still be a great book to read around Valentine’s Day.
The Giver
Dystopia, Science Fiction
I was drawn to reading dystopian novels this year – it, unfortunately, seems like they might be more and more relevant for our times… I had read this before many years ago, but enjoyed reading it as an adult. I have the second book in the series on the couch in my living room and plan to read it soon!
Religious/Spiritual
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
Spiritual Growth
“Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.”
I’ve been working lately to try and slow down the pace of life, but it’s difficult! My word for the year in 2025 was “Less” and the practice of slowing down and sabbath is still something I want to be intentional about. I read this and also Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer, I recommend them both!
Renewing God’s People: A Concise History of the Churches of Christ
Church history, Stone-Campbell movement, Christianity
Despite growing up in the Stone-Campbell/Church of Christ branch of Christianity, I really never grew up learning anything about Church of Christ history. Ironically I am now working in the archives department at a Church of Christ university and so the opportunity to learn has never been easier! This was a great (and concise, as advertised) explanation of how Churches of Christ were formed and how they have changed and evolved over the years.
Church history is not a topic that interests everyone, but I have found it helpful in my faith journey, especially as I’ve gone though a period of deconstruction recently.
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Threads of Anxiety 