Last year was a great year for books, and I discovered some wonderful gems. If any of these interest you, please consider checking them out of your local library or buying them from an independent book seller.

Here are my favorite reads in no particular order.

1 – The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audiobook). This was my first book of 2025, and it was a great way to start off. I’ve never read anything like this book before, and the cast of readers for the audiobook brought it to life brilliantly. The story is told in a non-linear format, consisting of interviews, news clips, and headlines interspersed with the narrative. It’s set during the Golden Age of Hollywood with all the glitz and glam thereof. It tells the story of the making of an ill-fated movie called The Seventh Veil of Salome, based on the play by Oscar Wilde.

2 – Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris (hardback). I gave this book to a dear friend during our annual book party we hold on December 23rd. I was so taken by the description while in the book store that I bought a copy for myself as well. Neither of us read the book until after the new year, however. Strange Beasts tells the story of Samantha Harker (daughter of Mina and Jonathan) and Dr. Helena Moriarty (daughter of the infamous Professor) who are monster hunters in Victorian England. The story cleverly weaves together the mythos of Stoker’s Dracula, the cleverness of Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, traditional monster folklore, and the history of Victorian era Europe.

3 – Forever by Judy Blume (Kindle). This was a reread for me, part of my project to read books that came out the year I was born (1975) in honor of my 50th birthday. Reading Forever as an adult left a beautiful ache in my heart as all the nostalgia of being a young woman falling for my first love came rushing back to me.

4 – When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (audiobook). This book had me cackling all the way through. It was such a fun read revolving around the idea of what would happen if the moon turned to cheese.

5 – Constituent Service by John Scalzi (audiobook). What can I say, other than I’m a huge Scalzi fan? This was a quirky and delightful read based on a future Earth where humans share our planet with all kinds of alien species. The main character’s job is to keep the citizens of her city happy, thereby making the mayor’s job easier. But none of it is easy.

6 – The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley (Kindle). This mystery had me gripped from beginning to end. I did not see the twists and turns coming, which was refreshing. The book tells the story of Jess who arrives at her brother’s apartment in Paris only to find he isn’t there. When she asks about him, she gets evasive answers, dismissive comments, and an uneasy sense that all is not right.

7 – When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry (Kindle). This was such a surprising book, and honestly I originally picked it up just because I love Emily Henry’s work so much. It tells the tale of a group of friends who are all in their late teens/early 20s who witness a meteor falling to Earth. Days later, they realize that being a part of this event has had some unintended consequences. In their quest for answers, they discover mysteries about their town and their neighbors, and learn a lot about themselves. This book also gave me a lot of warm, nostalgic feelings for my own teen years as a Gen Xer in the 90s, even though this book takes place now. It has a charm that’s hard to describe.

8 – A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker (Kindle). The premise of this book is that the government has banned large public gatherings, thus making things like concerts illegal. The story bounces back and forth in time, and between characters’ perspectives to show how this happened and how it is impacting life now. Musicians like Luce, however, are finding ways to break these laws and bring people together to share in the music. What’s crazy to me is that this book was written before the COVID-19 lockdowns, and yet it reminds me so much of that time. This book just touched me deeply, and I recommended it to a lot of my friends.

9 – Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire by Don Martin (audible). I absolutely loved this book! So much so that I gifted it to two dear friends during our annual book party that I referenced above. The story is about Verity, a young witch in training who finds herself in Foxfire, a cursed Appalachian town that’s been cut off from society. It’s a beautifully sweet tale told with emotion, humor, and clever turns of phrase. It was exactly the cozy comfort novel I needed to end the year!