I read 46 books this year! Most, I read on Kindle, a few were audio books, and I made it through just one physical book the whole year. While I greatly prefer holding (and smelling) physical copies of books, this stage of life has me doing most of my grown-up reading in bed, in the dark, on my Kindle. I love getting free books from the Libby app through my library.
I’ve divided my favorites of the year up into sections below to share why I loved them. If you’re looking to add to your 2025 TBR, keep reading!
Fiction – Entertaining
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
What I loved most about this classic novel was its setting. Savannah, GA is one of the prettiest places I’ve visited. This book had such well-written characters. I might re-read it before I visit Savannah next to fully appreciate the locations in the book!
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This book was such an easy, light read but it had a great story. It is very different from the books I usually pick up, but I absolutely loved it.
Fiction – Dystopian
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Dystopian fiction is one of my very favorite categories and THIS. BOOK. OHHHH my goodness. This book is high on my list of favorites in that category. But it’s almost a love-hate kind of favorite because the book was DISTURBING to me, as a mom. It is very timely. You’ll probably notice a lot of points you’ve seen in ongoing conversations online about the mental load of motherhood and the unequal societal standards on mothers & fathers.
Run by Blake Crouch
Blake Crouch is one of my favorite modern authors, and I was SO excited to see this book available in the Libby app. I immediately checked it out and then read the whole thing in two nights. It is SO hard to put down. It’s also extremely graphic, so keep that in mind before reading. It has a “The Happening” meets “The Walking Dead” kind of vibe (no zombies) and I really loved it.
Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
I don’t know how it took me so long to pick this one up! The major themes/topics in this novel are book banning, burning books, and censorship. You’ll see A LOT of parallels between the dumbing down of civilization in this book and our current reality. It’s hard to believe this book was written in the 50s and yet is still so relevant.
Fiction – Horror/Thriller
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
This one is SOOOOO creepy and was perfect for Halloween season, when I read it. It would make an amazing movie!
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
This one fits more under the thriller half of this topic I invented, but also doesn’t fully fit there. The writing and character development are SO good, but there’s also an element of mystery. I had a lot of difficulty putting the book down. I would give this one a chance, even if you’re not really into thrillers.
House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
Another SUPER creepy one that’s great for October. I listened to the audiobook at the recommendation of an IG friend and she was right- the narrator was AWESOME! It’s not your typical haunted house type book. I also adored the setting. The characters and setting were very relatable to my life in a lot of ways!
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
I don’t want to give too much away about this one. If you find particular subjects difficult to think or read about, then look into this one more before reading. But, if you can read anything, I would say give this one a shot without knowing the overarching topic. You’ll be shocked and intrigued. I LOVED the way the author dealt with the subject matter. It is SO well written and thought provoking.
Look Closer by David Ellis
This twisty thriller was the best of the “typical” thrillers that I read this year. This book had several twists that left my jaw on the floor. Great read!
Nonfiction – Faith
Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell Moore
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Russell Moore is a brilliant guy. Even though his voice has been tamped down by the far right Trump-obsessed Southern Baptists, it doesn’t make him wrong. In fact, I would argue it means we need his words more than ever.
I grew up in a Southern Baptist Church that I still attend with my family and I love dearly. Since I was 8 months old, my dad has served as part of the pastoral staff. I first encountered the writings of Russell Moore when he was president of the Ethics & Religious Liberties Commission (ERLC), the public policy arm of the SBC. I loosely followed things he wrote throughout the years. Some, I disagreed with, but I always have found him extremely humble and respectful of those he disagreed with. Nothing I ever read from him felt dogmatic or angry.
When Donald Trump descended the escalator and declared his candidacy for president, Russell Moore is one of the only members of the SBC who said what I was thinking. In short, why are evangelicals drooling over this guy?
A few years later, the disgusting revelation of sexual abuse perpetuated and covered up by SBC leadership became public. Russell stood beside victims and unflinchingly supported the denomination caring for them. He advocated rooting out the rot at the heart of the SBC that had allowed such behavior to go on. He wanted justice and a change in the way the SBC operated.
Verbal abuse and being cast out of SBC leadership were his rewards for protecting the victims. The way he was treated was absolutely disgusting and proves that the national organization is in need of a reckoning.
As my own tiny act of protest, every time the SBC did something stupid, I bought a book written by one of their recent pariahs. (Jesus and John Wayne, The Making of Biblical Womanhood, and All My Knotted Up Life are the others *so far*).
I purchased Losing Our Religion when the SBC voted to eject Saddleback Church because they ordained a husband and wife team as pastors. (The SBC states that no women can hold the office of pastor).
In this book, Russell Moore offers hope for evangelicals who still love Jesus but are dumbfounded and confused about the way American evangelicalism and Republican politics have become synonymous.
I found myself having to stop and look up some of the academic language often, but the message is both confident and optimistic. I am so grateful for Dr. Moore and his earnest encouragement for those of us feeling sort of religiously homeless right now. Highly recommend this book if that describes you!
Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From by Meredith Miller
I really appreciate Meredith’s approach to faith and kids. She is a breath of fresh air in the “Jesus-following-deconstructing-evangelical-parenting-space”. This book is a quick and easy read that offers a lot of practical application to try out with your own kids.
Nonfiction – Homeschooling
The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
Only once have I gotten a book to read for free on Kindle or Audible and then turned around and purchased it. The Read Aloud Family is now the second. I have enjoyed Sarah’s podcast (The Read Aloud Revival) for quite some time, and I enjoy her voice, so it was great to get to hear her narrate the book in audio format. The book lists at the end are just too good to listen to and leave, so I needed to have my own copy!
Happy Reading in 2025!
You can check out my post from 2023 here for more recommendations. And if you want to follow along on my 2025 reading journey, make sure you’re following our family’s homeschooling adventures on instagram!
***Images and links in this post are from Amazon and provide a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which helps support our homeschooling adventures! Thanks so much for shopping our links!
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