Turning Pages | My 2025 Reading Favorites
2025 was the year I finally became more comfortable with DNF-ing a book. Life is too short. I started the year with the goal of reading more fiction, which I think was pretty successful: 36% is a solid portion (reading stats courtesy of The StoryGraph). I began the year with Beach Read by Emily Henry (my earnest attempt at reading more fiction), and ended it with On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (which… feels about right). And in the time and space between those two ends of the year, I have a few favorites.
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Viking Books for Young Readers
I cried reading this book, and I still cry every time I come across clips from the movie adaptation. I haven’t watched the film in its entirety. I think I’d spend the whole time bawling. I loved the characters deeply and felt for each of them in different ways. As someone who “loves my books and clouds and sunsets,” I found myself wondering: am I afraid of people, of things that feel too real? Is this escapism at its finest?
Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato
Grove Press, Black Cat
There was something disturbing in my comfort, in how much I felt that I'd always belonged here, despite the foreignness my classmates and professors claimed to see.
This debut novel captured many feelings I recognized from my own life. The guilt of not being able to fully integrate a parent into the world you now inhabit. The experience of existing in the gap between internal certainty and the external insistence on foreignness. Their reunion felt so bittersweet to me, and I know I’ll hug my mom a little tighter the next time I see her.
The Cloudspotter's Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
Tarcher
Of course, I’m biased because I love clouds, but this was truly a fantastic read. It is full of fascinating facts, history, and stories. You’ll love it too if you’ve ever wondered about the difference between a “mackerel sky” and a “carp sky,” if you want to follow the adventure of spotting the Morning Glory (a rare roll cloud), or if you’re curious about the astonishing story of the first person to survive a fall from the top of a thunderstorm cloud. This book manages to be both so informative and magical, the kind of book that makes you look up more often.
Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky
Vintage
I picked this up from a nearby Little Free Library and ended up flying through it. It was such a fantastic read that I immediately recommended it to a friend who recently quit their job in the hospitality industry, and I’m so excited to hear what they think. Having worked in restaurants and retail myself, this book made me realize that people in hospitality have it even wilder. I loved the bellman stories in particular, and as someone who usually insists on hauling my own luggage, I can confidently say this book has changed me: next time, I’m tipping the bellman. Generously.
This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes
John Murray Publishers
I first encountered Miriam Margolyes through a Vogue In the Bag video and was immediately sold. The humor. The candor. The complete absence of a filter. When she mentioned this memoir, I took it as a directive. Zero regrets. The book is outrageous in the best way, sharp, hilarioclus, and gleefully indiscreet. I love a no-filter memoir, and this is no-filter at Olympic levels. Naturally, I then spiraled into watching her interviews, where she retells some of the same stories with even more gusto and even fewer restraints. She’s animated, unapologetic, and utterly herself. One of my favorite discoveries of the year, hands down.
the video that introduced me to Miriam Margolyes (featuring her knickers, lovingly dyed navy by her partner)
I’m grateful for the hours all the books I read filled, the questions they left behind, and the small ways they shaped my days. Here’s to another year of turning pages. Cheers!
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