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.

11 Dead Lions by Mick Herron. It's the second in the Slow Horses series. Some people are saying they didn't like the books as much as the TV series but I think they are even better. A lot more in the way of interior thoughts.

4 - Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell - Loved it! Quite a different book. It is as maximalist as Piranesi (the author's other book) is minimalist....But equally beautifully written. If somoene described me what was about it I probably would have passed, but I am glad I did listened to it. Amazing narration also!

5 - Queenie. Definitely not my cup of tea..... but finished.

6 - Bee Sting - Just started.... not sure what to think of it....

Excited to look in to Grace. Thanks for the suggestion. I loved the Prophet song!

I couldn't finish Jonathan Strange!

1. I haven't been entirely honest with you, Miranda Hart
2. The Cracked Mirror, Chris Brookmyre
3. Fairy Tale, Stephen King
4. Storm Child, Michael Robotham
5. All the other mothers hate me, Sarah Harman

I struggled with bee sting and couldn't finish

6 Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes
I don't think this is her best work but it was a nice, easy read. Slightly disappointed though and not a patch on The Giver of Stars which I loved. 2.5 out of 5

15. Dying In The Wool by Francis Brody. Widow sets up as a private investigator after a friend asks her to find her missing father. Set in 1920s but it's more Miss Marple than swishy jazz age. Enjoyable enough, not gruesome like some crime novels or too twee and the (rather convoluted) plot hung together. Literary equivalent of an ITV Sunday night crime drama maybe, which isn't meant to be an insult! Proper detective work too not just flashes of inspiration.
First in a series. I expect I will read the next but not as a priority because it's scratched that itch and there's many other books shouting more loudly to me.

12: Kala by Colin Walsh
I had really high hopes for this but it didn't deliver for me. It picked up for around the last quarter of the book. Disappointed.

Riders by Jilly Cooper. Despite being in my 50s, so these books being of my era, I have never read any JC before. But I watched the TC adaptation of Rivals (next in series) last year and it was a blast, Riders was free on audible so I thought I'd give it a go. Well, what can I say? It's hardly fine literature but it was a cracking good listen, a bit uncomfortable in places as there is a level of everyday misogyny, racism, homophobia, including words that would be completely unacceptable today and haven't been edited out. It's of it's time. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

After A Court of Thorns & Roses which I enjoyed, but found dragged a bit; I tried Her Majesty’s Royal Coven but after about 8 chapters just wasn’t feeling it. Found the jumping between different characters too disjointed so gave up on that & am now reading Throne of Glass which I’m really enjoying.

1. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
2. Moon over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
3. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
4. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
5. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
6. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
7. The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
8. Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
9. Blade Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
10. A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas
11. Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson - didn’t finish
12. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

12 The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse. Set in the 1500s in SW France at the start of the religious wars between the catholics and the Huguenots. Enjoyed, I did feel it went on a bit too much. I was a bit dubious about the love interest/ romance but it wasn’t so bad tbh.

@APurpleSquirrel did you not read the other 4 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses books?

I read the 5 books earlier this year, but struggled to get into another series.

Currently reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

13: And Away by Bob Mortimer
You can't fail to like this if you like Bob. Some of the writing is a bit erratic, but he comes across as so lovely. It was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits.

Also, if either of my DS ever speaks of me like he does about his Mum, I would feel on top of the world.

Only on book 5-the midnight library. Listened to this as an Audio book. Been having a difficult few weeks, I haven't listened to audios before but found this gave the distraction I needed and was enjoyable, easy to relate to in places and easy to follow

7 The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

A modern classic. A slow burner which took me a while to get into but I really enjoyed it once I did. 3.5 out of 5

16. Sister In Law. Fighting For Justice In A System Designed By Men By Harriet Wistrich. Harriet details several legal cases she has been involved with, such as Sally Challen's appeal, the undercover policemen who were romantically involved with activists, and the failure to investigate then attempts to release John Worboys after a pitiful sentence served. Very readable. I'd recommend for anyone interested in law and / or feminism.

ugh I had 3 DNF in a row which is so disappointing, one I'll probably come back to later in the year when I have more brain space and less general anxiety (Fire Weather) but here's my latest:

18 - Sunrise on the Reaping, latest Hunger Games book. Read because DS devoured it and wanted to talk about it. I found it meh, least favourite of the HG novels probably because you know Hamitch survives....it got dark at the end though which I appreciated

19 - James, Percival Everett. Loved this, totally held up to the hype

20 - Normal People, Sally Rooney. First Sally Rooney and probably not the best decision (book club choice) because I loved the series so that was just really in my head so I ended up breezing through it as I knew what was going to happen

7: Rivals by Jilly Cooper. Another I hadn't read before but had seen the TV series. Great characters, great storylines, a bit less shocking than Riders in terms of sex, violence, homophobia etc although it was interesting how one character's dyslexia was treated (both in terms of the other characters behaviour around it and the descriptions by the author). Very much of it's time though, I was a teenager in the 80s so a lot of the cultural references are part of my growing up (although my life was NOTHING like any of theirs thank goodness).

10- The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
I expected this to be average/ okay - I think the blurb and cutesty front cover and title do not do it justice - it’s much deeper than it looks and is an excellent book. Really enjoyed it

13. Frankenstein Mary Shelley. I try to read one classic per year and this has been on my TBR shelf for years! It was OK, the first 3rd of the book really dragged for me and I didn’t find it very engaging at all. But it picked up which was just as well as it may have become my 2nd DNR of the year.

17. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. I really enjoyed the first 3/4 with the wit, differing modes of behaviour and those women striking out for themselves and pushing back against expectations. The beautiful setting and their increasing self awareness....For me it got a bit saccharine with the men. I much preferred it without them and the two husbands weren't worthy of their wives. There were some huge plot contrivances which I found pleasing rather than irritating.

14.Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Absolutely loved this book - I honestly can't see why it is so divisive. It's one I didn't want to finish, and now I want to spend hours playing nostalgic games.

No. 13 The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett.
Gorgeous mystery set in Windsor Castle with HM QE2 as detective.

A Killing in November by Simon Mason
Sightly ridiculous police whodunnit set in Oxford.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Listened to the audiobook of this and I thought the narrator was great. Will definitely listen to CCW’s next one and watch the Channel 4 tv adaptation.

18 A Family Matter by Claire Lynch. Oh God this put me through the wringer! Absolutely beautiful and not a subject/ scenario I've read about before. I don't want to say too much because it would spoil it but if anyone saw the film Blue Jean it covers similar territory, also some of it is set in the 1980s and with a lot left unsaid. Opens in 2022 with a man learning he has terminal cancer and deciding not to tell anyone yet and to carry on his usual Thursday routine of the big supermarket shop. Then we meet his adult daughter whom he raised as a single parent. No mention of Covid in case anyone is a bit done with Covid referencing /set novels....
I was so disappointed when I realised I'd finished, I'd thought there were a few more pages but they are factual research related.