26ish books 2025

[Tinkhasflown]

A shiny new thread for 2025.

All welcome and note 26 is just a number. Everyone can set their own target and you are welcome here even if you only read 2 books a year.

I personally count the larger novel style books I read to my children and audio books I listen to. Others don't and there are no rules.

I look forward to all your suggestions again this year.

18. The Girl with the Louding Voice - Abe Dare

This was a remarkable book.

Welcome SnowFrogJelly

4 where the crawdads sing by Delia Owens

Been meaning to read this for a while and finally got round to it. It did not disappoint. 4 out of 5

I haven't updated in an age. I went down a rabbit hole with articles and podcasts about Lucy Letby and her related trials etc. It lasted weeks!

I then listened to the Bee Sting. It was a mammoth listen, 26 hours! I enjoyed it up until the end....

I've now started Dream Count, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I tried to read the Bee Sting but gave up when it got to the stream of consciousness bit..

There is quite a bit of that. I'm not sure it was worth the 26 hours of listening. I need something to grab my attention after that and I'm not sure Dream Count fits the bill. I think it would be better to read....

Sorry, it's about what now?????

I will of course do a Google, but that lack of detail in your post has really tickled me!

5: The Secret Hours by Mick Herron. This isn't one of the Slough House series but sits alongside it and some familiar characters are involved. I listened to the audio book and loved it, excellent narration and lots of twists and turns as usual. I missed a few details and might just have to listen again but that will be no hardship. The next Slough House book will be out in Sept.

I know, and it is based on a true story!! Apparently there is another novel about the same person.

Thanks @ExtraDisorganised I’m trying to find a book or two for DH for our holiday.
We both LOVE Slow Horses but when I bought him the book of the same title at Christmas, he was a bit underwhelmed as we’ve seen the same story on tv.
But The Secret Hours sounds perfect.

@MonkeyTennis34 I listened to the whole Slough House series on audible in between S1/2 and 3/4 being screened and loved both, having seen the shows helped me visualise all the characters while I listened. I haven't tried actually reading them though.

11. Afternoons With The Blinds Drawn by Brett Anderson.
Highfalutin.

@ExtraDisorganised
That sounds good. I’ve recently got into Audible on my dog walks and am getting through a lot more “books”.
Any idea when the next tv series of Slow Horses is out? I have withdrawal symptoms .

No, I haven't heard anything other than it has been commissioned. I am considering listening to the audible series again while I wait.

This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud
19 Apeirogon : a novel about Israel, Palestine and shared grief - Colum McCann.

These two books were my last two choices. They could be seen as written in the same vein, but what made me struggle and ultimately not finish in the first one is exactly what drew me in for the 2nd.

I found The Strange Eventful History disjointed and got bored. I didn't massively care about any of the characters.

But, if anything Apeirogon was even more disjointed but I was there with every line. This will be up there as one of my most well liked books of the year, I think. It feels very pertinant to whats going on all over the world right now. I highly recommend it.

I may go back to the Claire Messud one but its very long and I'm not sure I can face it.

@Breathmiller That's exactly how I felt about This Strange Eventful History. Forced myself to finish it, but really struggled through it.

12. Tilt by Emma Pattee. I absolutely loved this. The central character is heavily pregnant and in IKEA to buy a cot when an earthquake hits. She's the sort woman who rolled her eyes and wished herself elsewhere in antenatal classes. To be fair, she was being cheerily told not to think of the pain as pain. The main narrative follows her attempts to get home in the aftermath of the quake, alternating with some background narrative. I was glued from the off and sad to finish.

In case (like me) you didn't know, there is a sequel called And So I Roar. I am a bit nervous about reading it in case it disappoints. When I finished Louding Voice I was a bit "meh" but with time I realised I have thought about it a lot and really didn't give it its due.
I need to listen to Abi Dare's interview on the You're Booked podcast too and find out what books she personally rates.

So many book and so many things in the way of reading them!

4 Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason .. I thought this was well written but didn’t agree with all the rave reviews. Found it a bit irritating as it went on and couldn’t wait to finish it

Thanks SCOUT2016

I did read a bit of the sequel that was at the end of the Kindle edition of Louding Voice. Similarly to you I'm slightly wary of being disappointed. But, I may come back to it at a later date. If you decide to read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

7-10: The seasons quartet by Ali Smith.

Enjoyed these, mostly autumn and summer, followed by winter. Spring was my least favourite, which is a shame as it’s my favourite season.

13. Two Pound Tram by William Newton. Pacy but didn't grab me. Increasingly implausible adventures of two brothers who are rather neglected by their parents then run away to buy a disused tram aged 14 and 16ish. I stuck with it because it was short and I didn't want to give up but wasn't invested in any of it beyond maybe 50 pages in.

Ha! Excellent 1-word review. I won’t start ranting about what a pretentious twat I think he is.

5. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
What a book!
LOVED it.
As the title suggests, it’s a tale of time travel but it plays out in an (almost) entirely believable way.
It’s intelligently written, (what a talent Bradley is)it’s hilarious in places, moving, profound…it’s got everything.
It’s an adventure story, a love story, a thriller.
It also deals with pertinent issues such as climate change.
It has permanent residency on my Keepers Shelf.

8 This book may save your life by Dr Karan Rajan. Full of fun facts but his style on his reels doesn't work well in written form.
9 Come as you are by Emily Nagoski. I learned a lot about women's sexuality but also a slightly irritating writing style.

7 This book may save your life by Dr Karan Rajan. Full of fun facts but his style on his reels doesn't work well in written form.
8 Come as you are by Emily Nagoski. I learned a lot about women's sexuality but also a slightly irritating writing style.
9 Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Loved this.
10 Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear. I did find myself wondering if I'd read it before, but a good Maisie Dobbs book.