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Original poster

What’s been your best read this year?

215 replies

HighburyLass · 28/11/2025 19:12

Just one book (if you can!) that has stood out for you this year?

For me, it’s James by Percival Everett. Was given it as a present, I wouldn’t have chosen it. But my goodness what a great read. I was unsure as I hadn’t read Huckleberry Finn but it really didn’t matter (and now maybe I will!)

What have been your reading highlights?

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 29/11/2025 22:51

HeddaGarbled · 28/11/2025 19:41

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. We read it for book club and I wasn’t keen as I’m not a fan of war stories, but I thought it was a clever story, beautifully written.

Quick synopsis as requested: blind French girl’s and young German soldier’s lives overlap intermittently throughout WW2.

Also a fantastic film.

Skybluepinky · 29/11/2025 22:49

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

1clavdivs · 29/11/2025 21:00

Just finished the Wolf Den trilogy by Elodie Harper. Follows the life of a slave who starts out in the Pompeii brothel but moves through society. Series begins about five years before the Vesuvius eruption and ends a couple of years after. Really fascinating if you want to get lost in the streets and culture of Pompeii.

Original poster
HighburyLass · 29/11/2025 19:41

Thank you all for fabulous recommendations. My list of “books I might like to read/were recommended/worth a look/had rave reviews” has got a lot longer 😊

OP posts:
SquareBreathing · 29/11/2025 17:59

The Music Room by William Fiennes. Absolutely beautifully written biography of the author’s brother, who suffered from severe epilepsy. His parents tried to manage him at home for years, until his temper became too dangerous.

it’s woven in with their work running a country estate and their sense of responsibility towards it. Fiennes describes his family with such love, humour and respect without ever sliding into mawkishness.

You can’t help but like them all.

I loved it.

Dappy777 · 29/11/2025 17:23

Goneonholsbymistake · 29/11/2025 15:56

Which is the best Murdoch to start with Dappy?

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Hmmm...tough one. I began with The Good Apprentice because Harold Bloom considered it her best work. I'm not sure I'd recommend beginning with that, however, as it's quite long.

The Sea, The Sea won her the Booker, and I can see why. Again, not sure I'd start with it though. Like The Good Apprentice it's a long novel and in places a demanding one.

I would recommend either The Bell or The Green Knight. The Green Knight is considered a minor work (The Sea, The Sea, The Black Prince and The Good Apprentice would be the critics choices), but I really enjoyed it. I think it might even be my favourite.

If you want to plunge in at the deep end, I'd try The Sea, The Sea.

I really hope you enjoy her, wherever you begin. 😊

Aavalon57 · 29/11/2025 16:29

irisheils · 29/11/2025 00:50

I could have written this post!
I would never have chosen the kat and Lock series myself. We read the first one for book club and I adored it. I couldn't wait to read the next two.

Again, While I'm not into Science fiction, a friend persuaded me to try "project hail Mary" It's amazing, and I can't wait for the film next year.
I would highly recommend the audio book.

I'd love to hear more recommendations from you, if you have any

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irisheils, if you’re game to try more sci-fi, I’d highly recommend the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. Yes, some of it goes over your head in terms of the sci-fi/computery stuff, but it’s a great series. And Apple TV have done a good adaptation.

KimTheresPeopleThatAreDying · 29/11/2025 16:07

Oh and The Voyage Home. That trilogy is spectacular.

KimTheresPeopleThatAreDying · 29/11/2025 16:05

Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle, based on the true story of Artemisia Gentileschi, a 16th century Italian artist. She spends her young life having her drunkard father take credit for her incredible work, and is then brutally raped by another painter. Her father insists she marries her rapist. It’s enraging and vivid.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 29/11/2025 15:57

There’s a lot mentioned that I loved

I read Project Hail Mary last year it’s brilliant

The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall is a long term favourite

And I also liked The God Of The Woods

All Quiet On The Western Front should be required reading

Goneonholsbymistake · 29/11/2025 15:56

Dappy777 · 28/11/2025 21:52

I discovered Iris Murdoch this year. It has been like a mad love affair. I read seven of her novels in about two months. I couldn’t stop. I have never experienced anything like it. I could have spent the entire year doing nothing but read her books. In the end, I literally had to force myself to stop and get on with some work!!

I also started reading P G Wodehouse’s Blandings books this year. Until then I had only read the Jeeves and Wooster novels.

Edited

Which is the best Murdoch to start with Dappy?

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 29/11/2025 15:52

Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang hands down. Lots of other highlights but none that good

Goneonholsbymistake · 29/11/2025 15:41

which is the best one to start with please?

BG2015 · 29/11/2025 15:26

Aavalon57 · 29/11/2025 00:43

I've looked back at my list and it's really hard to just pick one or two. I read books 2 and 3 in the Jo Callaghan Kat and Lock series. (Read book 1 last year.) Set in Warwickshire, DCS Kat Frank is a widowed single mother. She's partnered with the world's first AI detective to solve some cold cases. I've really enjoyed this series and it brings up interesting moral dilemmas and questions about the use of AI versus the human instinct.

Another favourite was Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. In order to save Earth, a lone scientist/astronaut must discover why the Sun has dimmed. His crew mates die while en route to the mission (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb) so the future of humanity lays solely on his shoulders only...or does it?

I've enjoyed these too as they are so different.

Hoping the third one is coming soon.

ThankGodItsAutumn · 29/11/2025 15:20

I enjoyed The Ministry of Time; The List of Suspicious Things and You Are Here.

It's been an unusual year for me as I mostly read crime fiction but have broken away from
that a fair bit.

Mikart · 29/11/2025 13:55

Lori Ostlund....After the parade

Purplebunnie · 29/11/2025 12:51

The Offing - Benjamin Myers. 16 year old young lad from mining village goes off wandering after the end of the WWII.. A beautiful insight into Britain after the war.

He stumbles across a fascinating woman living in a dilapidated property and stays to help her out. She introduces him to authors and food he has never experienced.

I hope I have done this justice as it is really worth a read

I second Raising Hare and Precious Bane

Edited only one person had mentioned Raising Hare when I started posting but I see many more have recommended it

DontGoJasonWaterfalls · 29/11/2025 11:42

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix.

Closely followed by The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros.

LeilaLandi · 29/11/2025 11:24

following for ideas

Sheeppig · 29/11/2025 11:15

NorthFaceofthelaundrypile · 28/11/2025 20:56

@CatChant - I loved The Ministry of Time. Also really liked The Goldfinch, but it was just so long, and I struggled with the middle section.

Is the middle section the part where he is taking drugs all the time? I really struggled to get through that bit too.

ButtonMoonMrsSpoon · 29/11/2025 10:55

Two Brothers by Ben Elton, bloody brilliant.

socool · 29/11/2025 10:45

Oh and if you haven't read The Hearts Invisible Furies also by John Boyne, do it. You won't regret it. A sweeping story of many layers and parts. Fabulous.

socool · 29/11/2025 10:42

All my Borrow Box reserves are gone now, both book and audio. I'm reading Water by John Boyne now, and flying through it so I can reserve another of the recs above. What a time to be alive!

CatWithThreeLegs · 29/11/2025 09:09

For me it was Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton and Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. Both were unputdownable for very different reasons.

JacknDiane · 29/11/2025 08:52

Brilliant thread, thank you @HighburyLass