nut free nerd

2025 was a whirlwind of a year. I had lots of personal changes in my life, but somehow managed to squeak in reading 66 books. Out of those books, here are my top 10 (in no particular order).

(1) Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. This is one of the coziest, heartfelt books I’ve read in a long time. It was actually the first book I read in 2025, and I had an inkling back then that it would make it onto this list. If you’re looking for a holiday atmosphere, a strong sense of found family, and themes like loss and grief, growing older, and moving on from a past self, then I’d recommend picking up Winter Solstice.

(2) Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. John Green has been one of my auto-read authors since I was in middle school. He has such a talent for weaving a narrative through any topic, and this book is no exception. In Everything is Tuberculosis, Green weaves together personal experiences, stories of tuberculosis survivors, the history of tuberculosis, and the disease’s continued presence today (and all in less than 200 pages!). Such an eye-opening and vital read.

(3) James by Percival Everett. This. Book. Truly one of the most brilliant, clever, striking books I’ve ever read. Reading this book felt like reading an instant classic, like it was always meant to accompany Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (and I think now that it always should). I flagged so many quotes to return to later and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. A fantastic, fantastic read.

(4) Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. Reading this book felt like such a balm. I love the overall message of this book: that we will never be perfect, have full control of our lives, or master our busy schedules and ever-growing to-do lists, and the sooner we accept and embrace that the more liberated and content we will feel. I highly recommend this book generally, but the audio book that is narrated by Burkeman himself.

(5) A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I ended up being way more invested in this book than I expected. The complicated friendship at the heart of this book, the war looming just on the other side of leaving school, the tragedy of it all–it sucked me in and I couldn’t stop reading. I can definitely see myself rereading this classic in the future.

(6) The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. “One does not sleep well, sometimes, when one is twenty-nine on the morrow, and unmarried, in a community and connection where the unmarried are simply those who have failed to get a man.” L.M. Montgomery truly outdid herself with this one. The Blue Castle is funny and witty but also earnest, tender, and sad at times. It is both entertaining–so many twists!–and thought-provoking, revealing that many of the societal expectations placed on women back then still exist today.

(7) Mindset by Carol S. Dweck. If you’ve been intrigued by mention of the “fixed mindset” vs. “growth mindset” theory online, then I’d highly recommend checking out this book. Dweck reframes how we can think about failure, success, and change in a way that leads to more better outcomes overall. Definitely a good one to pick up while you have that fresh start energy in January.

(8) Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman. This is the third book in the witchy series that begins with the well-known Practical Magic, but it is a strong contender for my favorite installment in the series so far. The longing, the heartache, the haunting Salem, Massachusetts setting–it’s an excellent autumnal read. I’ve been reading one book in this series each autumn for a few years now, and I can’t wait to read another one next October.

(9) Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten. I really, really loved listening to Ina read her memoir. Her life is fascinating. The title of the book really encapsulates her approach to living: she said yes to opportunities that came her way when they felt right, and stayed true to her gut instinct when they didn’t. I can’t wait to dive into more of her recipes in the new year now that I feel like I know more about the mastermind behind them.

(10) The Time of the Child by Niall Williams. Cozy, poignant, bittersweet, and beautifully written–this book is yet another excellent holiday read to become enveloped in at this time of year. The fictional Irish town of Faha feels so much like a character, one that I was loathe to part with at the end of the book. I’m so glad I picked this one up towards the end of 2025 to round out my reading year.

When I think back to all the reading I did in 2025, I can’t believe how many great books I read. And not just books that I enjoyed reading in the moment, but also books that have stuck with me months later. This year I focused on reading whatever sounded good at the time, which luckily led me through a wide variety of genres: fiction and nonfiction, memoirs and mysteries, poetry and plays, and even a reread or two. I can’t wait to see what books 2026 has in store.

What are the best books you read in 2025? I’d love to know.

Happy New Year, everyone! Take care xx