I love hearing about what media people are engaging with and love seeing the best of the year lists come out. I don’t always go back and review my favorites from the year, but this year I decided to join the fun and list my favorite books and music of the year. Reading is my most established (and favorite) habit, so I had a lot of great books to choose from. I’m trying to get back into listening to more new music, so I had fewer favorites. I hope next year that I have more new music I’ve listened to a lot and love. I also added in the Goodreads graphic of all the books I have read (to date) this year. 
My favorite books of 2025:
5.)These Heathens by Mia MacKenzie. I really loved this short book set in the south during the 1960s. It follows Doris, a seventeen-year-old from rural Georgia, who travels to Atlanta for an abortion. The story takes place over the course of one weekend, and features several Civil Rights leaders (Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, and Malcolm X among others). I often love long, sweeping books set over decades, but this year I’ve realized that I also love books set in a constrained time period.
4.) Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. I really enjoyed this novel about how a young woman deals with an unexpected pregnancy by setting up an OnlyFans account to support herself and her son. Something about this really worked for me, and I loved the large cast of flawed but deeply loveable secondary characters.
3.) The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. I’ve written about this one before, and the hype was so worth it for me. I loved Sybil, and I found it mind blowing that the author was able to craft such an incredible epistolary novel (which seems like a super challenging structure to pull off) on her debut released novel. The characters felt so real to me, and I still think about this book often. This book was a perfect combination of hard and hopeful for me.
2.)The Will of the Many by James Islington. This book checked so many boxes for me. As someone who grew up in the era of Harry Potter, I was there for this epic fantasy set in a school for magic. However, the characters were incredibly well-developed, and I loved how the author was continually complicating what appeared to be a simple good vs. evil conflict. The stakes were super high, and I devoured this book.
1.) Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. I wrote about this in my November read recap, but I still think about it all the time and it is probably my most recommended book of 2025. The relationships between the two main characters and their families felt so developed and nuanced. Up until yesterday, it was the only book that made me cry all year. Then I read the ending of Wishtree to my daughter and got all choked up. But, the point stands, that it was a hugely evocative and memorable reading experience for me.
Honorable mention: Good Things by Samin Nosrat. A few months after getting it, I am still obsessed with it. I love the way Samin writes about gathering and community, and the recipes have all been hits! A rare cookbook I look at several times a week.
Favorite Albums of 2025:
*DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny. I love how this feels like a modern, updated version of classic latin music vibes like I might have heard when my grandparents had parties. Favorite tracks: NUEVAYol, WELTITA, BAILE INVoLVIDABLE
*Gumshoe by Samantha Crain: Love her voice and the lyrics on this folk album. Some favorite lines: “smartest cookie in the whole tin,” “played like Boxcar children in the wilderness,” and “you’re my Nancy Drew/Nine lives in the afternoon/on the ball, you got the scoop.” Favorite tracks: Ridin’ Out the Storm, Gumshoe, Dart, B-Attitudes
*The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean. Gorgeous voice and the perfect beats for a cozy afternoon and evening at home puttering around the kitchen. Favorite tracks: Nice to Each Other, Man I Need, Let Alone the One You Love, So Easy (To Fall in Love)
Honorable Mention: I Walked With You a Ways by Plains. This last one didn’t come out this year, but it is probably my favorite new-to-me album. It was apparently a COVID collaboration by two songwriters who couldn’t go on tour for their new albums, and decided to work on this project together during lockdown from separate locations. My kids know most of the words at this point because I have played it so often. Katie Crutchfield’s voice is incredible and soothes my soul, and it is definitely more of a country album than her other work. Favorite tracks: Abilene, No Record of Wrongs, Last 2 on Earth.
Please jump in on the comments with some of your favorites reads and songs of the year, so I can queue them up in 2026!
My favorite books of 2025:
5.)These Heathens by Mia MacKenzie. I really loved this short book set in the south during the 1960s. It follows Doris, a seventeen-year-old from rural Georgia, who travels to Atlanta for an abortion. The story takes place over the course of one weekend, and features several Civil Rights leaders (Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, and Malcolm X among others). I often love long, sweeping books set over decades, but this year I’ve realized that I also love books set in a constrained time period.
4.) Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. I really enjoyed this novel about how a young woman deals with an unexpected pregnancy by setting up an OnlyFans account to support herself and her son. Something about this really worked for me, and I loved the large cast of flawed but deeply loveable secondary characters.
3.) The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. I’ve written about this one before, and the hype was so worth it for me. I loved Sybil, and I found it mind blowing that the author was able to craft such an incredible epistolary novel (which seems like a super challenging structure to pull off) on her debut released novel. The characters felt so real to me, and I still think about this book often. This book was a perfect combination of hard and hopeful for me.
2.)The Will of the Many by James Islington. This book checked so many boxes for me. As someone who grew up in the era of Harry Potter, I was there for this epic fantasy set in a school for magic. However, the characters were incredibly well-developed, and I loved how the author was continually complicating what appeared to be a simple good vs. evil conflict. The stakes were super high, and I devoured this book.
1.) Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. I wrote about this in my November read recap, but I still think about it all the time and it is probably my most recommended book of 2025. The relationships between the two main characters and their families felt so developed and nuanced. Up until yesterday, it was the only book that made me cry all year. Then I read the ending of Wishtree to my daughter and got all choked up. But, the point stands, that it was a hugely evocative and memorable reading experience for me.
Honorable mention: Good Things by Samin Nosrat. A few months after getting it, I am still obsessed with it. I love the way Samin writes about gathering and community, and the recipes have all been hits! A rare cookbook I look at several times a week.
Favorite Albums of 2025:
*DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny. I love how this feels like a modern, updated version of classic latin music vibes like I might have heard when my grandparents had parties. Favorite tracks: NUEVAYol, WELTITA, BAILE INVoLVIDABLE
*Gumshoe by Samantha Crain: Love her voice and the lyrics on this folk album. Some favorite lines: “smartest cookie in the whole tin,” “played like Boxcar children in the wilderness,” and “you’re my Nancy Drew/Nine lives in the afternoon/on the ball, you got the scoop.” Favorite tracks: Ridin’ Out the Storm, Gumshoe, Dart, B-Attitudes
*The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean. Gorgeous voice and the perfect beats for a cozy afternoon and evening at home puttering around the kitchen. Favorite tracks: Nice to Each Other, Man I Need, Let Alone the One You Love, So Easy (To Fall in Love)
Honorable Mention: I Walked With You a Ways by Plains. This last one didn’t come out this year, but it is probably my favorite new-to-me album. It was apparently a COVID collaboration by two songwriters who couldn’t go on tour for their new albums, and decided to work on this project together during lockdown from separate locations. My kids know most of the words at this point because I have played it so often. Katie Crutchfield’s voice is incredible and soothes my soul, and it is definitely more of a country album than her other work. Favorite tracks: Abilene, No Record of Wrongs, Last 2 on Earth.
Please jump in on the comments with some of your favorites reads and songs of the year, so I can queue them up in 2026!
I'll be posting my favorite books in early January - just in case something sneaks in at the end (which is unlikely at this point). I added These Heathens to my TBR - it sounds great! The Correspondent and Homeseeking will also make my best of 2025 list. I loved Margot's Got Money Troubles - that author's back list is very, very good! The Girls of Corona del Mar is probably my favorite but it's a heavy/sad book.
ReplyDeleteI barely listen to music since I am so obsessed with podcasts, but I loved the new Taylor Swift and Brandi Carlile albums. I get to see Brandi in concert in Feb with 3 other friends and cannot wait! She's so talented! I hope to see Taylor in concert some day but the tickets need to be reasonably priced as I cannot stomach spending gobs of money, even though I'm a super fan who has followed her since her country music days!
Good reminder to listen to the new Brandi Carlile album--I've enjoyed some of her work before. I'm hoping to get to a concert in 2026--I didn't in 2025, but it's such a fun thing to do.
DeleteFantastic list. I draw forever inspiration from these annual roundups! Thank you. I don't have much to offer in terms of recommendations this year (my reading was minimal), but I'll share if I come across anything worthwhile!
ReplyDeleteI see you have Louise Penny's Grey Wolf and Black Wolf on your list- how did you like them? I haven't read them because I'm only up to book 10 in the series, but I heard Grey Wolf was a little disappointing, then Black Wolf was better.
ReplyDeletei also loved The Correspondent! Did anyone not love it? It seems like a book that appealed to just about everyone.
Several more of yours are on my TBR- Heart the Lover, Wreck, and The Road to Tender Hearts. Oh, and I've never heard of The Will of the Many, but I'm intrigued! It sounds like something I would like.
Honestly, I didn't love either book. I loved the series as a whole, but the last few books have disappointed me. Based on book recaps on your blog, I absolutely think The Will of the Many (and the follow up) would be up your alley. I liked all the books on your TBR, especially Wreck and Heart the Lover.
DeleteLots of favorites on this list! I also loved The Correspondent and Margot's Got Money Troubles. I need to add Homeseeking to my TBR! I'll be publishing my fave books next week! :)
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite books this year (not all published this year) were:
ReplyDeleteThe Correspondent
The Road to Tender Hearts
Wave
I Who Have Never Known Men
The Anomaly
Black Cake
Good Dirt
Orbital
Dream Count
The Friend
I don’t have nearly as many favorite songs, but really loved:
The Sofa - Wolf Alice
Inept Apollo - Nation of Language
I loved your fave books and also Bad Bunny!
ReplyDelete