Chapter 39 - Best Books of 2025

It seems that everyone, and I do mean everyone, has come out with their list of best books for 2025. Barnes and Noble just released their list of 32 fiction books, Time magazine came up with a list of 100, Publisher's Weekly teased with a list of the top 10, and Amazon has 25 it is recommending. The BBC also has their top 25. As I look through these lists I realized that in many cases I have not even heard of the books, much less read them.

You've heard me say that approximately 3,000 books are published weekly. Weekly! If we assume that only 10% of them (really probably more) are fiction books, there is no way we could keep up with that many books. Not to mention the other 90% which include biography, memoir, history, social science, and textbooks. That is why readers have to rely on each other, bloggers, and independent book sellers to help them find the books suited to them. Not all books appeal to all readers which is actually a wonderful thing when you think about it. There are books out there for all people. When I hear someone say they aren't a reader, I think they just haven't found the right book yet.

So here are my 5 top books for 2025.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley - I started my year out with this terrific book. The book opens with a bus of senior citizens being pulled over by the police. In the bus is a kleptomaniac, a woman hiding from her past, a woman who uses her yarn creations to get revenge, and a few other very special characters. They all think the police want them. It is a funny, heartwarming, and satisfying book.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo - I picked this book to read because the author was going to be at the Savannah Book Festival in February, always a favorite event. It was fantasy so if you don't enjoy that genre, skip it. In medieval Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses magic to get through her endless days as a scullion. When her mistress learns about Luzia talents, she sees opportunities to advance her husband's position through Madrid society. Of course, no plan is perfect.

Inner Space by Jakub Szamalek - I'm not much of a sci-fi reader but I like it when the book is about people in space in trouble. I loved The Martian, for example. The action in this book takes place on the International Space Station where someone is trying to sabotage the mission. The American commander in charge, Lucy Poplasky, is trying to investigate the cause. It just so happens that the Russians have invaded Ukraine and there is definitely something fishy in the Russian side of the ISS.

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan - The tagline on this novel reads - "One town. Two families. A secret that changes everything." The book follows two families from World War II to the end of the 20th century. There is Cal, a man who cannot serve because of a birth defect. His wife, Becky, who has a spiritual gift.

Finally, there is Margaret Salt, a woman hiding from her past and finding it difficult to deal with the present. The book is about how these lives intersect.

I hope you enjoy this list of my top 5. No blog next week as I will be on the road again!