It’s that time again – time for my annual reading recap! I just took a moment to go back and read last year’s recap. And it was yet another marker to signify my journey this year.
Last year I wrote about why I read. And yes, all of those things are still true. This year, I uncovered the science behind why I read – which is something I probably knew intuitively last year but didn’t recognize formally. I knew reading was powerful, but now I know why. And through a lot of personal reflection and work, this year I was able to crystalize the significant impact reading (fiction in particular) has had on my life. (Watch this to learn more.)
Last year I predicted that it was unlikely I would hit my 80+ total again. And that was most certainly true (due in no small part to the time required for the personal reflection and work mentioned above!).
So with no further ado, here it is:
My 2025 reading recap
This year, I read 48 books: 4 standard non-fiction, 2 memoir, and 1 narrative nonfiction. As usual, 85% of the books I read were fiction. (Full list pictured below.)
- First book of the year: What the Wind Knows, Amy Harmon
- Last book of the year: Wreck, Catherin Newman
- Shortest book of the year: Bookstore Sisters, Alice Hoffman (36 pages)
- Longest book of the year: By Any Other Name, Jodi Picoult (525 pages)
For the data nerds among us (myself included) here are some fun graphs from Storygraph — the app I use to track my reading.
Recommendations
So many good ones this year… I’d like to highlight a few that I didn’t see a lot of buzz about this year for one reason or another. The unsung heroes of my 2025 list: The Collected Regrets of Clover, Every Note Played, The Poppy Fields, The Seven O’Clock Club and The Circle. And if you are a writer, a creator, or a thoughtful human, pick up a copy of Dear Writer. Maggie Smith’s writing is like a warm hug.
I read What Does it Feel Like? twice — at the end of 2024 and again at the beginning of 2025. It is a semi-autobiographical novel by Sophie Kinsella. Sadly, Kinsella passed away at the end of 2025. This novel was amazing and heartbreaking. It’s short and a lovely listen on audiobook with a message from the author at the end. Highly recommend.
I don’t really believe in negative reviews. Especially as an author myself. If it wasn’t for you, that’s fine. Someone put their heart and soul into that work, there’s a human behind those words.
I will say that $100M Offers was “not for me.” I read it on the recommendation of a sales coach. It was during a time when I was in the car a lot, so I got the audiobook. Mistake. I think I would have been able to take the information in the book for what it was – useful information – without hearing the voice of the author. It did make me think though – what was it about this author that didn’t sit well? So even a “not for me” read was worthwhile!
What did you read this year? I’d love to hear!
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