87 Books in 2025
Hello, hello! I have come to grace you all with another annual 'What did I read this year' blog post. Sure, it's three months into the year...but I hope you politely ignore that fact.
2025.... was a year. The term 'eventful' seems inadequate to describe everything that happened last year. Regardless, I hope that for all of us, as a society, 2026 is better. Tbh, at present, that seems a little like a pipe dream. But we remain optimistic.
Despite venturing into unknown territory with genres like Romantasy and Non-Fiction, I had a pretty great reading year. No 1-stars, and only 3 2-star reads. Found some new favorite authors and books. Oh, and I did read some controversial reads this year. What were they? I guess you'll have to read through the post to find out.
As the title suggests, I read 87 books in 2025. And because I read 87 books, I am going to try to keep my reviews concise. However, you will notice that my attempts to be concise failed miserably with a few of these books. The books are split into Literary Fiction, Short Stories/Plays, Mystery/Thriller/Horror, Romance, and Non-Fiction. My usual rating legend is down below, and I will be highlighting any books I think are worth your attention.
So grab a nice snack, sit back, and enjoy!
The Rating Legend
🙅 - equivalent to anything less than 3/5 stars, so I probably shouldn't have continued reading it.
😐 - 3/5 stars - Nothing special to write home about.
🍪 - 4/5 stars - I had a nice time, but it just did not have that certain je ne sais quoi.
🍦 - 5/5 stars - Fabulous. Amazing. Other similar adjectives.
⭕ - No rating
🎙️ - Featured on the Useless Doctors Book Club Podcast
☕ - My review
* - Worthy of your attention
Literary Fiction
☕: LOVED this. Mother and son are estranged, and a wild, ridiculous series of events forces them back together. I loved Samuel and Faye. I knew I was going to love this book when the author describes Samuel's penchant for crying whenever he sees someone else cry, and to deal with this, he ends up laughing out loud in the most awkward situations. A real, hilarious tear-jerker. Nathan Hill is a new favorite author.
☕: A dramatic, sweeping epic that spans 300 years of a family's history in Ghana and the United States. Starts off with a twist of fate that impacts two half-sisters, setting the course of their individual families to diverge dramatically. Highly enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more from Yaa Gyasi in the future.
☕: A story about a young woman with an infant son struggling to identify what it is exactly that she would like to do with her life. From the book cover, you might assume this is some light-hearted or satirical novel, but man oh man, is this an emotionally poignant story. Highly enjoyed this.
☕: Tells the story of a young woman named Queenie who is reeling from a previous relationship, makes a lot of terrible/questionable life decisions, and is unsure of herself and what she wants in her life. Carty-Williams does an incredible job empathetically portraying Queenie. Queenie may not necessarily be the most likable character, but she is realistic and compelling. Highly enjoyed this book.
☕: And the streak of incredible books continues. This book follows the aftermath of the impulsive marriage between Cleo and Frank. Their first conversation in the elevator is what I want all romcoms to give me. Oh, the banter between the main protagonists in this book is just top-tier. I loved these characters, I loved the story. Would recommend.
☕: This promised to be a heartwarming story with characters coming into their own after the breakup of a 36-year marriage. Instead, I just left this book feeling so annoyed. Character motivations are flimsy at best. My heart was not warmed as well. Do yourself a favor and read something else.
☕: This book (originally written in French and translated by Molly Ringwald) follows a writer who meets a young man who looks strikingly similar to his past love. This triggers memories about this past love and what happened to them. This was sad and tragic, but beautifully written.
☕: We follow Julia, a 57-year-old mother of two, who reconnects with an old friend while shopping, triggering memories about youthful indiscretions from her past. Tbh, this could have easily been 100 pages shorter and gotten the point across just the same. Regardless, I'm a fan of Lombardo's writing and will continue reading things from her in the future. But I'd probably guide you to read Lombardo's previous work, The Most Fun We Ever Had, instead of this.
☕: Eleanor Oliphant is a complex character to follow. She can be frustrating, and her actions often come across as rude (or morally questionable). But, as the story reveals more about her and why she is the way she is, you can't help but like Eleanor. Watching her make friends for the first time in her life warmed my heart to read about.
☕: A long review for this one, because I don't know what to think. This book has a very compelling setup and a lot of intriguing plot twists, but oh boy, was I bored during most of it. We're following Isabel, a woman living alone in her family home in post-WW2 Netherlands. When her brother asks if his girlfriend Eva could stay in the house while he's away, Isabel goes from disliking Eva to becoming infatuated with her. Isn't that such an interesting setup? Yet, for some reason, I was just bored during it. This book won the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, so tbh this is probably a 'me' problem rather than a book problem.
☕: Very over-the-top dramatic in a tragic kind of way. We follow a married woman who reconnects with a past love, and a dramatic love triangle unfolds. The first sentence immediately captures your attention. Tbh, I think this would make for an excellent movie or miniseries.
☕: I would describe this as the story of "what happens between two people after the romance novel", and I LOVED it. We're following this couple during a minor rut in their marriage. The first meet-cute between the two main protagonists? Where the dude comes to the girl and is like 'come with?' Killed me. I literally could not help but root for them. Ugh, so good.
☕: This is one of those books about a "woman going through it"; if you've read any of my past end-of-year posts, you'd know I have an affinity for them. This book actually has no plot. Zero. 90% of the book is internal monologue about a woman's life as a teacher in New York City, and her past friendship with a woman named Sasha. And that's it. Mid.
☕: The main character is a mess and unlikable, but is also going through one of the most tragic, traumatic things a person could possibly experience. This is a dark read and probably has many trigger warnings attached to it. Honestly, I'm not sure what to think here. It's dark, but also has some comedic moments. Someone else read it so we can discuss.
☕: A semi-estranged couple out to celebrate their nineteenth wedding anniversary is suddenly taken hostage, leading to a set of ridiculous shenanigans that will make you roll your eyes, laugh out loud, and also potentially say 'aww'. If you ignore some of the weird quirks, this book is cute.
☕: This book follows two friends/cousins as they fall in love with their respective partners. It's just a simple story, following ordinary people, and the small joys of everyday life. They are flawed and do dumb things and are entirely lovable. Ahhh, I LOVED.
☕: I expected this book to be about an estranged couple in a small town who never actually got over each other, when a huge blizzard forces these two to come back together. Instead, this turned into a mystery where someone goes missing, and our estranged married couple turns into sleuths. Missing a lot of the heart that comes with these kinds of stories. Meh.
☕: Tells the story of a woman nicknamed Piglet who is having many second thoughts in anticipation of her wedding. So to cope, she begins behaving erratically, particularly around food. This book explores womanhood, body image, weight, the pressures around settling down, and finding the 'right' person for you, etc. Being in Piglet's mind is VERY exhausting and hits a little too close to home. Regardless, I enjoyed it.
☕: I can't believe I paid legal tender for this book. The book follows a family mired by internal secrets that threaten to break them apart. On paper, this sounds like something I would like, with all the family drama and the nice New England setting. But the fact that one character is completely irredeemable and there is no satisfying comeuppance to their assholerly, bothers me.
☕: A short little book about mothers and daughters, and the complexities of marriage. Tbh sounds like a lot of books on this list. Short and sweet, but despite my favorable rating, this one is largely forgettable. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett does the whole mothers and daughters thing better.
☕: Deliciously dramatic and entertaining. This one is for my toxic romance lovers out there. I won't say much because I need you to go read it. Layne Fargo is such an engaging writer, and as someone who does not care about ice-skating, I was ENTHRALLED. I want to see this as a movie, ASAP. Highly recommend.
☕: Yeah, started crying pretty much from the first chapter onwards. This is a sweet story about the lasting impacts of friendship and art. Loved, loved, loved. Fredrik Backman really knows how to tug at your heartstrings.
☕: This book follows the Sheehan family as they experience a major tragedy involving their children. The family turns to Martine Dumont, a lawyer, who has an old connection to Angie Sheehan, the mother. This book was a legal procedural, and definitely engages with some dark subject matter and large questions about 'goodness' and 'morality'. But my main gripe is that this book required better editing and tighter pacing. It's wayyy too long for the story that it is. Regardless, it's definitely a good book club book because it prompts interesting discussion.
☕: Bro, this book promised me so much. And it fell so flat. It promised me 1950s Hollywood, drama on the film set, tell-all documentary vibes. And instead, we got a one-sided beef where one person didn't even know who the other person was, a lot of racism, and a mediocre romance? Read something else.
☕: This book follows a group of people during a heatwave in London. Their lives are interconnected, but we are following their individual problems. Oh, also, there is a whale in the Thames River. Just leaving that there with no further explanation. Honestly, I enjoyed reading about these messy characters, their messy decisions, and how they come to terms with those decisions. Mckenna really knows how to write atmosphere, because the suffocating heat serves as a great catalyst for these people to make major life decisions. Overall, really enjoyed.
☕: An enjoyable, heart-warming read about a woman 'finding herself' that feels a little like if the movie 'Under The Tuscan Sun' with Diane Lane was written by Fredrick Backman. I'm oversimplifying it, but the story follows a woman named Phoebe who has quite literally run away from her life and ends up part of a wedding happening at the hotel she's temporarily staying at. The book touches on some deeper issues about self-concept and a woman's perspective on marriage, but it's mainly a heartwarming story about a woman coming to terms with her unhappiness in her present situation and wanting change.
☕: I love Sally Rooney, and this book did not disappoint. It definitely reads a lot differently than her previous books. The story follows two brothers as they navigate grief following the death of their father. Both brothers have relationships with different women, and while those relationships are pivotal to the story, the center remains how these two brothers find their way back to each other after grief splits them apart. Highly enjoyed.
☕: This was a weird reading experience, because by all accounts, I probably should have loved this book. I was promised warmth, fun, and a cute romance, and this achieved maybe 1/3 of that. My main qualm is with the protagonist Jolene, because she is just so annoying. I can understand that Jolene is going through some stuff and is trying to find herself and what she wants out of life, but wow, was she irritating to follow. Also is it just me, or is the idea of writing vicious messages in white at the bottom of an email so no one reads it a bit too cruel? Someone else read this because I need to figure out if this is a me problem or the book.
☕: This is like if the lo-fi chill hip hop beats mix on Spotify were a book. It's a cozy story about a woman who quits her job, leaves her husband, and goes and opens a bookstore. Super cute cast of characters and some good life lessons. I can see how this became as popular as it did in South Korea.
☕: Laurie Colwin strikes again with this book about a happily married woman having an affair. I typically hate affair books, but this one got me. Our main protagonist knows she's doing something wrong, but cannot give up the charismatic painter she is having an affair with. This book definitely might have a divisive ending, but I just really loved Colwin's writing. Sue me, okay!
☕: Super frustrating, super dramatic, but such a great book. You will hate these people and their constant 'will they, won't they' vibes, but I swear to you, I was eating that up on this train ride from DC to NJ. The book evokes the ~vibes~ of Normal People, but it's a bit less focused on the protagonists' romantic relationships and more on their connection through their shared history and tragedies. If you're a fan of reading about complex relationships, then this one is for you.
☕: Took me two tries to read this book, but I ended up thoroughly loving this. Andy and Jen break up, and tbh the entire rest of the book follows Andy spiraling. He is a disaster, cannot cope, and is quite literally having a midlife crisis at the age of 35. I had a great time. If you liked the book Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey, you would probably like this one.
☕: K this one...hurts me, personally. I LOVE Katherine Heiny's book Early Morning Riser. Like, LOVE. So I was fully expecting to love her debut novel, Standard Deviation. I...did not. Standard Deviation follows a man who runs into his first wife randomly at the store, triggering a series of events that reintroduces her into his new life with his second wife and son. The book has echoes of what will come in Early Morning Riser, with the small town setting, finding love and excitement in the mundane, and the general heartwarming nature of the story. However, it just felt too forced. It's like the author is forcing you to feel charmed by these characters, but in fact, all I felt was intense irritation.
☕: This book follows the story of a young college woman's affair with an older married female professor. It's told by the young woman and shows her reflecting on how the book impacts her life directions, self-concept, and perspectives. Really poignant, very emotional, and incredibly reflective in nature. It feels similar in vibe to Lie with Me by Phillipe Besson, and also The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett.
☕: Another one that hurts me. I really LOVE this entire series because Stephen Fry is such a legendary comedic writer. I mean, the man has turned these great Greek epics into engaging, hilarious books that I cannot put down. Except this one. I don't know what it is, but this book just did not live up to the other three. Maybe I am subconsciously biased against the Odyssey since I read it in school, I don't know. I would still highly recommend the entire series, as Fry is such a great writer and is just so funny.
☕: The sequel to the incredibly popular Fourth Wing. Despite its slightly cringey dialogue and the main female protagonist's insane plot armour, it's still highly entertaining and very readable. While I did prefer the first book and will not be continuing the series, I would continue recommending this series to those who like romantasy and or action adventure stories.
☕: I...only read this because of my friends (shoutout to Becky and Neha). All I'll say is that I was probably not the intended audience, which is fine. I can understand why people like this series. It has a compelling fantasy backstory, and our main protagonist is smart and resourceful (this is important considering so many young woman protagonists are portrayed as incompetent). I won't be continuing in the series.
☕: A 'woman finding herself' story that turns into a mystery randomly in the middle, but also, I didn't hate that? After her wedding is dramatically cancelled, Laurie goes back to Maine to clean out her recently passed aunt's house. And there she finds a wooden duck, which begins the mystery of the book. What is this duck? Why has her aunt held on to it for all these years? What is its symbolism? The plot was fun, if not a bit weird, but I enjoyed it.
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan - 🍪 (🎙️)
☕: This book explores a lesser-known side of World War Two history, and that is the Japanese occupation of Malaya in the 1940s. While we follow multiple members of the Alcantara family, we mainly focus on Cecily, who has a secret past directly connected with the Japanese occupation. This book was definitely very emotional and dramatic, and while I probably wouldn't be gravitating towards this author or this style of book again, I'm glad to have read it.
Short Stories / Plays
☕: This is a short story collection that centers on Transgender women and their experiences. Some of these stories explore messy relationship dynamics, concepts around 'romance', and more generally, perspectives on what it means to be a person. Really, really enjoyed this collection. I loved one particular story, 'Obsolution'. So highly recommend this collection if you're checking this author out.
☕: This is a novella written by Irish author Claire Keegan. I've read her previous work Small Things Like These, which was excellent. This was great, and much like Keegan's other work, it is very reflective and cutting. I won't say too much since this is such a short book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
☕: A set of three short stories also written by Claire Keegan. Lol, clearly I have a type. I don't know what it is about the times, but I feel like Irish literature is having a resurgence right now. I've read several really excellent books by Irish authors recently, and Keegan is no exception. As I mentioned in my previous review, Keegan is excellent at writing these compelling, reflective, cutting stories that are short but hit hard. Loved this collection, too!
☕: A collection of some dark stories about humans and their penchant to sometimes do terrible things to each other. Loved this collection, but to be completely honest, I feel like Boyne (another Irish author!) should have turned one or two of these into novels or novellas instead of a collection of short stories. Regardless, excellent book and will most definitely be reading more from this author.
☕: Sittenfeld's collection You Think It, I'll Say It is one of my favorite short story collections of all time, and so I expected a lot from her latest collection. Luckily, it did not disappoint. These stories are very 'slice-of-life' in nature, following ordinary women doing very ordinary things. We're following women questioning their life after 20-30 years of marriage, women reconnecting with friends, women coming to terms with their general lack of self-awareness, etc. Very women-oriented, if you could not tell. Enjoyed this collection!
☕: Another author who does the 'finding the magic in the mundane' very well! While I didn't have much luck with reading one of Heiny's novels this year (see my *not-so-scathing* review of Standard Deviation), her short story collection was such a fun read. Particularly enjoyed 'Damascus' and '561'! Again, very much an enjoyable read.
☕: Everyone, please congratulate me, because this one is an achievement. I started reading this like 3 years ago, then stopped. Then I started again 2 years ago. Then stopped again. And finally, after years, I have finally finished this book, and luckily I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a reason why Stephen King is an absolute giant in the Horror genre. I mean, bro can really put together a story. This collection was all hits. Apt Pupil? Amazing. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption? Amazing.
☕: I read this because one of my all-time favorite books, Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, revolves around this play. It was a great play, but tbh the main protagonist of Tom Lake is obsessed with it and I still cannot see why. This play did not touch me in the way it seemed to touch her life, but maybe it's because I need to see it performed. Regardless, it's still a great play.
Mystery / Thriller / Horror
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley - 🍪 (🎙️)
☕: This was...weird (positive). There is a mysterious resort, a midnight party, some strange birds, and a cow? I've never been a huge fan of Lucy Foley's work, but this one was so weird and wild that I actually did enjoy it. Foley does a great job creating a dark and mysterious atmosphere with the setting of this resort and party.
☕: I need to set the proper expectations here. This is an erotic thriller. It's marketed as a 'feminist thriller', but idk whats really feminist about it. The main protagonist is so insufferable and does not have much of an instinct for self-preservation tbh. Skip this one.
☕: This is the second installment of the Joe Talbert series, which I started last year. Definitely liked the first book more, but this was enjoyable. I love Joe, love Lila, and love Jeremy. The author doesn't make Joe or Lila flawless, and their relationship is messy, but it is realistic. Will continue in the series.
☕: Brooo.....this book was wild. So much fun. This was about a woman named Sloan who finds out she is "Baby Charlotte", a baby who had been kidnapped thirty years prior and whose case became national news. She and her parents disappeared and were never found, until now. This was so action-packed and dramatic, and tbh I need this to be a movie or show because this was so entertaining.
☕: I love thriller books that have a podcast element! Rachel is a true crime podcaster who comes to a small town to investigate a rape trial, but also gets involved in investigating a 25-year-old cold case. This is yet another book I'd like to see become a show. So many twists and turns, I would highly recommend.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - 😐 (🎙️)
☕: If I needed to define what a 'popcorn thriller' is, I would use this book as the perfect example. The writing is questionable, the plot points don't make much sense, but the story is very entertaining. Which is literally what I expect from a 'popcorn thriller'. Compared to some other gems on this list, I'd skip this one though.
☕: Veronica and Stoker investigate an Egyptian curse in this one. Raybourn does not disappoint with the Veronica Speedwell series. I don't even like continuing series, but I would continue this for the chemistry between Veronica and Stoker alone. The banter? Ugh..dead. Like, who really cares about the mystery? This series is fun.
☕: I read this on a train from DC to NJ, and I swear I almost missed my stop. This was wild. It's written as a true crime novel, but it is technically fiction. It follows the murder of a 16-year-old girl named Joni, who was murdered by her 3 classmates. The crimes are unspeakable, and it's just such a tragic story, but wow, Clark has written it in such a compelling way. It offers no clear answers, and you're left still wondering how on earth such a crime even took place.
☕: I understand now how Liane Moriarty is as popular as she is. This was so funny and told in such an entertaining manner. I've always thought that the school moms had questionable ethics. The gossip around town runs rampant in this book. It was so deliciously entertaining, and I would highly recommend it! Also, if you couldn't tell by the cover, it's an HBO show now.
☕: I only picked this up because Bartz's previous book The Writing Retreat, was so entertaining with the weird, toxic friendships. This book started off so well with the weirdness around a young woman working in a mental health facility, meeting her doppelganger. However, it just literally went off the rails, and not even in a cool way. I'll probably still check out Bartz's next book, but really, wth was this?
☕: The male protagonists of this book are such terrible people that it almost made the reading experience unbearable. We're basically following three women as they get into relationships with different men who are varying degrees of toxic. I've never had such an infuriating reading experience in my life, so props to Jewell for having written a character that evokes so much emotion. To be completely honest, there is so much toxic relationship behavior in this book that I don't think I'd really recommend this to anyone.
☕: This was fun. I really loved Ashley Flower's debut novel, All Good People Here, so I went into this with high expectations. We're following this young woman, Nicole, whose sister mysteriously disappeared 7 years earlier. Although she wants to move on from that experience, through a series of circumstances, she ends up coming across new information that brings her back to investigating her sister's disappearance. Nic is not necessarily very likeable, but she's realistic and interesting. We can see where she is coming from and why she behaves the way she does. Although I liked All Good People Here more, I will definitely be checking out Flowers' work in the future.
☕: Duddeeeee, this book was excellent. I'll admit it took me two tries to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. This book takes place at a sleepaway camp in the 1970s. At the beginning, we find out that a young teenage camper, Barbara, has gone missing. And what's weird is that fourteen years earlier, her older brother Bear, also mysteriously went missing in this area and was never found. So the rest of the book is looking into Barbara's family, their connection to the camp, and what happened to Barbara and her older brother. It's dramatic, it's twisty, and most importantly, it's written so well! Highly recommend this one.
☕: Another twisty, fun thriller. I've seen some reviews calling this predictable, which maybe it is. But this was definitely super entertaining. We're following two women who have been wronged by the world and make a pact to take revenge for each other. The less you know, the better, so I won't get too into it. But this is one worth checking out.
☕: I'm not a huge paranormal fan, but Harrison's books are in this weird 'cozy horror' genre that I was just curious to check out. From the cover of this book, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that this book is about werewolves. It was definitely on the funny side, but I think my issue is that Harrison is really heavy-handed with her messaging. Like she's not really into subtlety? Also, the main protagonist is a little annoying. Idk, I'd check out more from her in the future, but this was underwhelming.
☕: I didn't realize how unpopular this book was until I saw the reviews on Goodreads. Like, people are not a fan of this, and I kind of get it. This book is about a bunch of insufferable tech bros at a successful startup who are on a company retreat when a female high-level executive mysteriously goes missing. Everyone is insufferable and the absolute worst, but tbh we are expecting this because, as aforementioned, this is a story about tech bros. This isn't really a mystery, even though the catalyst for the plot is a person's disappearance. It's more so a story about a company imploding on itself because obnoxious tech bros don't know when they are flying too close to the sun. Which... I was a fan of. Sue me.
Romance
☕: I wanted a nice second-chance romance with people in their thirties, and instead I got a snooze fest. The plot was there. I mean, two people who are childhood friends, who get married and have a kid, and then get divorced. And then their son goes to college, and they take a long road trip together after dropping him off to reconnect? How cute does this sound? And I actually liked both characters, but the middle of this book, where tbh the actual meat of the reconnection should be, was just so dry. There is also this unnecessary pen-pal side plot that I think just deviated from the main story. Wanted to like this, but it was underwhelming.
☕: An absolutely filthy Christmas romance that was so much fun. Listening to the audiobook of this while at work was a questionable choice on my end, but wow, was it hot. It's fun, it's a little stupid and tropey, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, it's Christmas themed!
☕: Deeply emotional story about a woman who reconnects with an old love at an unexpected time. I really love Lily King, so I had to pick this up. This was surprisingly a lot shorter than I thought it would be, but that doesn't take away from its emotional impact. The main protagonist's relationship with the two friends, one of whom is her old love, evokes a sense of nostalgia for your youthful sense of optimism. You know the feeling when you're young, and you thought anything could happen. It was just really lovely.
☕: I love a good secret pen-pal trope, but these two were just so annoying and dull. Did not like this; I'd skip this one.
☕: Brooo... who would've thought I would enjoy Romantasy? I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was funny, it was sexy, it was fast-paced and entertaining. I didn't even mind that we're dealing with weird magic and a fantastical world. Would recommend!
☕: As much as I enjoyed the first one, I didn't really enjoy this one lol. That took a turn, didn't it? But not because of the plot or the characters! They were entertaining and fun. I just thought this book was way too long. The length of this book did not correspond with the plot. Tbh just skip this one in the series.
☕: K, another surprise of the year, but I enjoyed this dark, unsettling romance. Was it the best thing I've read? No. But did the characters have chemistry, despite all their unsettling, potentially illegal shenanigans? Yes. And that's really what matters. We just want good banter! Don't judge!
☕: Ugh.. this was disappointing. It started off so well! A Christmas-themed, mystery romance - I mean, what is there not to like? My gripe with this is that they fell in love too fast. I mean, we begin with them hating each other, and then all of a sudden I'm supposed to believe that they are in love? What bullshit. Give me some more build-up, please!
☕: You know when a book tries to be too quirky? That was this book. I mean, we're following this woman who is an accountant - don't worry, she'll keep reminding you she is this boring accountant - and she decides to find some random guy to be her plus-one to a wedding. And through fate, or some other worse thing, she ends up with this vampire to be her plus-one. This book is fantastical and ridiculous, which is fine in theory, but it just ends up with this forced quirkiness that feels overdone. Like, yes, I get it. She's a boring accountant, and he's a really eccentric vampire. Okay. Cool. Can we not continue to harp on this?
☕: I'm an Emily Henry fangirl. I will read all of her books, but like everyone else, I too felt that this was a little mediocre. I mean, Henry has got the banter down pat. But in this case, the insta-lust between these two was too much to ignore that there is literally barely anything between them. We read this one for the podcast, and we kept being like, this feels like a discount Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which tbh it was. Still enjoyable, but Henry can do better.
☕: So I just said Henry can do better, and this is what I'm talking about. I knew I would love this book from the first chapter, when the main male protagonist is talking about crying-singing to 'All By Myself' in his room. Two flawed people who somehow find their way to each other, and along the way, there are a lot of laughs and head-shaking and ridiculousness. And I loved it. New fav Emily Henry book.
☕: Another romantasy that I enjoyed! There's a woman named Halla, who at the beginning of the book is about to kill herself using this sword (dark, yet it's done in a very comedic way, idk how but trust me), when a man comes out of the sword to help her. Very damsel-in-distress coded, but funny. I liked Halla and Sarkis, and their weird little romance.
☕: Hated this. Everyone is irritating, and can we please, for the love of God, stop comparing everyone's sizes? Like, please, stop telling me how small this girl is compared to the man?
☕: Mediocre but not bad. The main protagonist is literally with someone else for most of the book, so idk your feelings about that, but it definitely was more on the slow-burn side. It was fine. I didn't really like the main protagonist; she's too judgmental. Now that I'm thinking about it... I wouldn't recommend. Go read something else.
☕: K, this was a bit weird, but I didn't mind. We have this young woman who works in a toy store, and she likes this man who stars in a kids' TV show. Idk, read a little like Mr. Rogers fan-fiction, but I didn't mind for some reason. It was cute. I had fun.
☕: Two people who have been friends forever get married for health insurance. You know... I wouldn't be surprised if this were a true story. But these people have zero chemistry. None. There is no romantic tension. They are friends, and then suddenly they are more than friends. Mediocre, but not as bad as the Layover tbh.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood - 🍪 (🎙️)
☕: No one is as shocked as I to see that I have given Ali Hazelwood 4 stars. I mean, it's truly a shock. Arguably, one of the most shocking things to happen in 2025. But it was fun! It was entertaining! The main protagonist, Misery, has a personality! And she's cool!
Non-Fiction
☕: Yeah, I cried a lot while reading this book. Gottlieb discusses the practice of therapy and her experience with clients. And you're following these people and their journeys to better understand themselves, and it's just a really great book. If you want to know more about the history or practice of therapy, this is not for you. This is more so a book about a bunch of different people and how they better understand themselves, told through the perspective of their therapist.
☕: I don't even like Jane Austen that much, but this was such a great book. You can tell Romney loves books. She loves reading and collecting them. She talks a lot about book collecting as a practice, and now I'm so intrigued I might get into it. As the title suggests, this book talks about the author who influenced Jane Austen, so it's about all these women writers who came before her. I had never heard of almost all of these authors, and now I'm so glad to have learned more about women writers carving out a space for themselves in the publishing world circa 1700-1800s. Highly recommend.
☕: Despite knowing a lot about Roxane Gay as a figure in the Feminist Media Studies world, this was my first time reading a book by her. Thoroughly enjoyed this. It was excellent. Roxane Gay is an astoundingly engaging author.
☕: I don't feel comfortable rating JD Vance's book here. Hillbilly Elegy has been in the public consciousness since its publication in 2016, more so since Vance became the Vice President of the U.S. I don't know what I was really expecting from this memoir, but it wasn't this. Regardless, I read it.
☕: This book asks the age-old question, 'Should we separate the art from the artist?' And it doesn't have a clean resolution. Dederer doesn't offer you a simple solution. Rather, the book plays devil's advocate with itself, contemplating the question from various angles, but mainly through the lens of a fan. It was interesting, and I enjoyed reading it. It's not really here to provide any answers, but more to lay out all the arguments and let you decide.
☕: Okay, so. I've tried reading this book multiple times since its original publication in 2019. And for one reason or another, I stopped and never finished it. Finally, 6 years later, we have finished this book. And surprisingly... I enjoyed it. This is a bit of a divisive one, with some seeing it as a book with no clear purpose other than being overly sexual. Others find it interesting, contemplating questions about women's sexuality, particularly those in potentially unconventional sexual situations. I don't really know where I stand because I think at some point I forgot this was nonfiction and instead read it like a fictional novel. Taddeo must have done a lot of research work and gotten close to these women to write about them, but frankly, this doesn't feel like a non-fiction work. In my opinion, it doesn't contemplate anything, it doesn't ask any questions, it doesn't really even 'report' on anything or lay out facts per-se. It just tells the story of three different women from different backgrounds with various life experiences, and presents their stories of relationships and sex. And if you look at it from that angle, then yeah, it was an enjoyable read.
