2025 was a rough year, and my reading took a major hit as a result.

With all the anxiety, stress and uncertainty this year brought, it was hard to sit down and focus on a book -- let alone have one hold my attention.

I didn't finish many books that I started, and it was hard to truly tell if I didn't like a book or I just wasn't in a mental space for it at the time.

I also got really far behind on tracking what I read, so I'm not sure my Goodreads even fully captures everything I read this year.

All that to say, this favorite books list is a strange assortment of things that managed to hold my attention during this dumpster fire of a year.

I'm hoping 2026 will be better, maybe a tiny bit more stable. One of my goals for the new year is to get back on track with my reading. We'll see how it goes.

But for now, here are the books I'll remember and recommend from 2025.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. Cried big tears at the end. The space story, the relationships, it was all so good. My favorite relationship was between the main character and her niece, but man I love a story about space, and this one about women going to space, it was just so good.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A whodunit where the house is a main character and each chapter makes you think the victim or the killer could be them. The Briar House is a woman's boarding house in DC and the grouchy landlady has strict rules all her guests must follow. But a new and mysterious arrival rocks the boat a little bit, introducing weekly dinners in her tiny room and building relationships with each person.

I loved this book. Each chapter introduces you to one of the women, and the other people in there lives. And each time you meet and understand someone new, you learn a bit more about who could be the victim and the killer. So good, a true Kate Quinn classic.

Yours for the Season by Uzma Jalaluddin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was delightful. I love a fake romance to real romance trope, and this delivered. It was cute and fun, and the perfect book to read in the lead up to the holidays -- meaning it didn't make me think too much. I was really sad to put this down when I finished because I so enjoyed the characters!

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've spent the last few months in the world of the Inheritance Games, and they were the most fun books I've read in a long time. Compelling characters, fun puzzles and lots of good twists and turns. Can't recommend these books enough, but be forewarned, they end in cliff-hangers, so have the next book in the series ready to go if you're impatient to know what happens next like me.