The 20 Best Books I Read in 2025: A Year in Review

They say we aren’t the same person we were a year ago, and looking back at my 2025 bookshelf, I have the receipts to prove it. Over the last twelve months, I’ve traveled through centuries, lived many lives, and gained new perspectives. Out of all the books I devoured this year, these 20 titles changed how I see the world. If you’re looking for your next obsession, these are the stories that earned a permanent spot in my mind. What are the 20 best books that I read in 2025? Read on to find out!

The Order of the 20 Best Books:

Many were published in 2025, and some from years ago. They are not in any certain ranking order. I’ve mainly listed these in reverse chronological order, starting with my most recent read and working back to the beginning of the year. First you’ll see the chart, and then you can scroll for the explanations and review links.

#	Title	Author	Genre
1	Twice	Mitch Albom	Contemporary Fiction
2	Heart the Lover	Lily King	Coming-of-Age
3	Falling Apart and Other Gifts…	Catherine Ryan Hyde	Contemporary Fiction
4	Living Proof	Tiffany Graham Charkovsky	Memoir / Health
5	Life, and Death, and Giants	Ron Rindo	Cultural Fiction
6	Motty’s Vow	Diane Wahn Shotton	Historical Fiction
7	The Last Assignment	Erika Robuck	Historical Biographical
8	Fast, Feast, Repeat	Gin Stephens	Non-Fiction / Health
9	In the Veins of the Drowning	Kalie Cassidy	Romantasy
10	Michael Without Apology	Catherine Ryan Hyde	Contemporary Fiction
11	Darling Girls	Sally Hepworth	Psychological Thriller
12	The Ghostwriter	Julie Clark	Suspense / Thriller
13	My Friends	Fredrik Backman	Contemporary Fiction
14	Promise Me Sunshine	Cara Bastone	Contemporary Romance
15	The Writer	J. Patterson & J.D. Barker	Mystery / Thriller
16	Hold Strong	Robert Dugoni, et al.	WWII Historical Fiction
17	The Favorites	Layne Fargo	Contemporary Fiction
18	The Girl Goes Home	Dorian Box	Crime Thriller
19	The River is Waiting	Wally Lamb	Literary Fiction
20	The River’s Daughter	Bridget Crocker	Memoir

My List From 2025:

1. Twice by Mitch Albom

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4qPskVz
• My review: https://judiholst.com/exploring-mitch-alboms-twice-a-life-reimagined/
• My why: This book is incredibly creative. Albom teaches us that living a “perfect life” might not be worth living at all. Even though this book had some “magical” qualities to it, the character of Alfie is extremely relatable. You learn his hopes, flaws, yearnings, and aspirations. You can’t help but love his character.
• Pages: 320

2. Heart the Lover by Lily King

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3Za6Wyr
• My review: https://judiholst.com/heart-the-lover-by-lily-king/
• My why: I didn’t want this book to end. I loved the characters, and it’s a beautiful coming-of-age story. It brought back a lot of memories for me. King’s characterization is so masterful that I felt like I knew each character personally. 
• Pages: 256

3. Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe by Catherine Ryan Hyde

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/49CdvP8
• My review: https://judiholst.com/falling-apart-and-other-gifts-from-the-universe-by-catherine-ryan-hyde/
• My why: I love stories about finding your “chosen family.” I’m amazed how life brings people together. You know you are going to read great characterization when you read a Catherine Ryan Hyde book.
• Pages: 286

4. Living Proof: How Love Defied Genetic Legacy by Tiffany Graham Charkovsky

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/49ywIBo
• My review: https://judiholst.com/living-proof-by-tiffany-graham-charkosky-living-with-lynch-syndrome/
• My why: This is a beautiful memoir about living with a genetic disorder. This book resonated with me on a personal level, and it’s well-written.
• Pages: 223

5. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4sFIToO
• My review: https://judiholst.com/life-and-death-and-giants-by-ron-rindo/
• My why: This book pulled me in right from the beginning. I’m intrigued by the Amish community, which is why I chose it in the first place. It’s a story of love, death, faith and family
• Pages: 336

6. Motty’s Vow: A Novel of Family, Duty, and Resilience by Diane Wahn Shotton

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3LplxD7
• My why: I don’t like the cover, but the book was great. It is a powerful story, and every single character was well-written. I love a great historical fiction book, and this was an interesting one that takes place during the Civil War.
• Pages: 391

7. The Last Assignment by Erika Robuck

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/49jZNlc
• My review: https://judiholst.com/the-last-assignment-by-erika-robuck/
• My why: This is the true story of Dickey Chapelle, a war correspondent and photojournalist who started her career during WWII. I like to read about strong women in history, and her life was intriguing as she broke through many barriers in her career.
• Pages: 448

8. Fast, Feast, Repeat: The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don’t Deny Intermittent Fasting by Gin Stephens

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3LIxnZ6
• My why: This is the best book I have read on intermittent fasting, and I have read many. Stephens breaks down intermittent fasting in such easy terms. I also like that she explained the “why” of each part of the process.
• Pages: 352

9. In the Veins of the Drowning (The Siren Mage, #1) by Kalie Cassidy

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3Lqg66X
• My review: https://judiholst.com/in-the-veins-of-the-drowning-by-kalie-cassidy-a-new-romantasy/
• My why: I am new to actually enjoying the genre: romantasy. It had adventure, romance, evil monsters, war, but in a way, it still seemed realistic. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
• Pages: 384

10. Michael Without Apology by Catherine Ryan Hyde

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4bvd4J0
• My review: https://judiholst.com/catherine-ryan-hydes-michael-without-apology/
• My why: This is my second Catherine Ryan Hyde to make the list for this year! She has an amazing ability to portray characters in a realistic fashion. This story resonated with my own experience of dealing with self-image. I loved every character in this book.
• Pages: 288

11. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3YAFY31
• My why: When you are looking for a good psychological thriller, always turn to Sally Hepworth. I read this in one day, which is rare. The story line is disturbing, but that was what made it so interesting.
• Pages: 368

12. The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4qRsPyo
• My review: https://judiholst.com/julie-clarks-the-ghostwriter-a-gripping-tale-of-suspense/
• My why: This is another suspenseful book that I couldn’t wait to find out what happened in the end. I kept second-guessing myself, which is my favorite kind of book in this genre. The different subplots added to the suspense, and I enjoyed the different points of view.
• Pages: 368

13. My Friends by Frederik Backman

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/49mukPq
• My review: https://judiholst.com/fredrik-backmans-my-friends-will-be-a-must-read-of-2025/
• My why: This was one of the books that everyone seemed to be talking about in 2025. It reminded you of your favorite childhood summer. It was truly the nostalgia that made this book one of my favorites. The characters are dynamic, and the story line is interesting.
• Pages: 448

14. Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4qhQSXp
• My review: https://judiholst.com/promise-me-sunshine-by-cara-bastone-a-story-about-healing-through-love/
• My why: This was such a beautiful story. It isn’t just a romance book. It’s also about learning to live again after grieving the death of your best friend. I like when a book makes me laugh, cry, think, and wish I knew the characters. 
• Pages: 416

15. The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4aZyVZ8
• My review: https://judiholst.com/the-writer-by-james-patterson-and-j-d-barker-a-thriller-you-wont-want-to-miss/
• My why: This book wins for the best ending of the year! The story keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out the mystery. My favorite part of the book is all of the twists. They were brilliant and added to the story. 
• Pages: 400

16. Hold Strong by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/45aYkLC
• My review: https://judiholst.com/hold-strong-a-wwii-historical-fiction-masterpiece-by-robert-dugoni-jeff-langholz-and-chris-crabtree/
• My why: I haven’t read much about the American POWs in Japan. I definitely didn’t know about the women that became code-breakers during WWII. I loved the characters, Sam and Sarah. Not only was their love story realistic, but I learned so much from each of their perspectives about the war. 
• Pages: 555

17. The Favorites by Layne Fargo

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4aUdeJR
• My review: https://judiholst.com/the-favorites-by-layne-fargo-a-compelling-ice-dance-love-story/
• My why: This is not a normal love story, if that is what you are looking for in a book. At times, you will love and hate both of these characters, but I couldn’t stop thinking about them. Fargo does a magnificent job with characterization and detail. It was also interesting to learn more about the sport of “ice dancing.”
• Pages: 448

18. The Girl Goes Home (Emily Colby, #4) by Dorian Box

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4jKF8KO
• My review: https://judiholst.com/dorian-boxs-the-girl-goes-home-emily-calby-4/
• My why: I have loved this whole series. Since this is #4 in the series, I definitely recommend starting at the beginning before this one. The whole series is heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. The main character, Emily, is a badass, and you have to love a strong, female character.
• Pages: 366

19. The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4sK0OL6
• My review: https://judiholst.com/emotional-journey-in-the-river-is-waiting-by-wally-lamb/
• My why: I love to read books about prison life! This book makes you feel all of the feels. One minute it’s gut-wrenching and the next it is hopeful. It is like taking an insider’s tour of an American prison, and you wish you could escape it. I believe Lamb balanced characters well. He not only included the inmates but also portrayed the COs and the people that work inside a prison effectively.
• Pages: 480

20. The River’s Daughter: A Memoir by Bridget Crocker

• You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3NvbD3n
• My review: https://judiholst.com/bridget-crockers-memoir-the-rivers-daughter/
• My why: Crocker does a wonderful job of leading us through her tumultuous childhood. Her past showed how she became such a strong, independent woman and a world-class rafting guide. Although this is her memoir, the details and story line read almost like fiction. I was absorbed in her words. 
• Pages: 320

Closing Thoughts On My Best 20 Books of the Year:

Looking back at these 20 titles, I realize that my “2025 self” was shaped by the stories I chose to let in. Some taught me about resilience in the face of history, others made me rethink how I care for my body, and a few simply gave me a place to hide when the world felt too loud.

Books are more than just ink on paper (or electronic in my case); they are the “receipts” of where we’ve been and who we are becoming. As I clear off my Kindle to make room for my 2026 reading list, I’d love to hear from you.

Let’s talk books in the comments:

• Which of these titles have you read?
• Do you have a “must-read” recommendation for me to start the new year?
• What was the one book that changed your perspective in 2025?

Happy reading, and here’s to another year of great stories!

On a Side Note – Do You Need Help Sleeping?

Can I just tell you about my new favorite product this year? It has saved my sleep and my sanity! Every night I was waking up between 2-4 am, and I COULD NOT fall back to sleep. I would read my Kindle, I would pray, I would sing songs, and I would take deep breaths. I couldn’t shut my mind off. I finally realized it was just too quiet, and I needed something to lull me back to sleep. I bought one of these the other day, and it has saved me! I use it as a sleep mask while I play “deep sleep music” on YouTube through my phone. This is so comfortable! I am a side sleeper, and this is incredibly comfortable. You can even wear it while you are working out. I now own three because they are cheap, and I can change them out throughout the week. I highly recommend it.

Check it out: https://amzn.to/4qshTr7