Every year my reading life tells its own quiet story. Not just about the books themselves, but about the season of life I was in when I read them. In 2025, I read a total of 44 books, and while each one brought something different to the table, a handful rose to the top and refused to be forgotten. These were the stories and characters that lingered. They are the books I kept thinking about days and even months after finishing. These five books made me pause, feel deeply, and made an unforgettable impression. And to me, that’s always the mark of a great read.
1. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Some books entertain you. Others quietly move in, take up residence in your heart, and stay with you long after the final page. The Correspondent is definitely in the second category! This novel is a masterclass in subtlety and emotional depth. Told through letters, it unfolds in a way that feels supremely intimate and deeply personal. There’s restraint to the storytelling in that nothing is overexplained and yet everything felt fully realized. The writing is very to the point yet not rushed, and somehow this delivery made the emotional moments land even harder.
What I loved most about this book is just how human it felt. It’s about relationships, regret, and forgiveness over the course of a lifetime. And the characters feel so real, human, and flawed. This isn’t a quick, plot-driven story. It’s thoughtful, layered, and reflective. This is the kind of book that invites you to slow down and pay attention.
If you love character-driven stories, beautiful writing, and books that make you feel deeply, The Correspondent is an absolute standout!
2. James by Percival Everett
James is a bold retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s perspective. And it’s unsurprising that it won a Pulitzer as it’s brilliant, powerful, and utterly unforgettable. Percival Everett takes a character that was relegated to the margins and gives him intellect, agency, and a voice that is deeply purposeful. This was one of my most thought-provoking reads of the year.
3. The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
I LOVED this book so much! It’s smart, charming, and deliciously satisfying. Set against the backdrop of a time when women were expected to stay quiet and compliant, this story celebrates curiosity, individuality, rebellion, and the simple but radical act of women daring to gather and think for themselves. What begins as a book club quickly becomes so much more. These characters are wonderfully drawn, and their relationships feel so authentic and layered. This is an entertaining yet meaningful read that celebrates troublesome women. And it made for a great book club discussion!
4. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Tender, reflective, and beautifully written, Broken Country is about love, loss, and the ways grief reshapes life. There’s an almost haunting quality to the narrative, one that gently pulls you along. At its heart, this is a novel about memories, how the past lingers in familiar fields and homes, and how returning to what once was can both comfort and wound. It’s a moving, memorable read that has stayed with me, and I can not wait for the movie adaptation!
5. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
I’m a long time fan of Liane Moriarty, and Here One Moment is classic Moriarty at her best. This book is impossible to put down. What starts with an intriguing premise quickly evolves into a thoughtful exploration of fate versus choice, and how a single moment can ripple through an entire life. Moriarty truly excels at creating characters that jump off the page, and this novel is no exception.
This book is both entertaining and profound, balancing page-turning momentum with thoughtful reflections that linger long after you’re done reading.
Honorable Mention – Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
I can’t close out this Best Books of 2025 post without mentioning Great Big Beautiful Life. I went into it with fairly low expectations because the reviews were mixed, and I wasn’t sure it would be my kind of book. But I ended up LOVING it!
This story has more depth and emotional weight than I expected, with layers that slowly reveal themselves as you keep reading. There’s a sweeping, reflective quality to the narrative that gave me Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes. There’s glamour, complicated relationships, and the sense that you’re uncovering a life story piece by piece. That element alone sucked me all the way in.
It’s a romance; but don’t let that deter you if that’s not typically a genre you enjoy. This is not a fluffy or sugary read. It’s thoughtful without being heavy. The characters are imperfectly delightful, and the writing has that signature Emily Henry warmth.
Despite the mixed reactions out there, this one really worked for me in a big way! And it definitely ended up being a surprising standout.
Funny how sometimes the books you’re unsure about end up being the ones you enjoy the most!
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Now it’s your turn! What were the best books you read in 2025? The ones you couldn’t stop thinking about, immediately recommended to a friend, or wish you could read again for the first time?!
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