1clamairy
I used to try to make people limit their lists to the best five, but I'm not going to try that anymore.
I'll be back with my list in a bit.
I'll be back with my list in a bit.
3Karlstar
The Tainted Cup by Robert J. Bennett
A Drop of Corruption by Robert J. Bennett
Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Book that Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (this might be #1)
A Drop of Corruption by Robert J. Bennett
Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Book that Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (this might be #1)
4Alexandra_book_life
Five! This is difficult, but I accept the challenge :D
Scales of Gold by Dorothy Dunnett
Foster by Claire Keegan
Human Acts by Han Kang
Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Scales of Gold by Dorothy Dunnett
Foster by Claire Keegan
Human Acts by Han Kang
Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
5haydninvienna
Repeating mine from my own thread:
Standout winners are the 2 books by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption. Then, in no particular order:
• The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
• The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
• The Manticore by Robertson Davies
Honourable mentions:
• All Those Explosions were Someone Else's Fault by James Alan Gardner
• Libriomancer by Jim C Hines
All right, so the last couple aren't great literature, but they were fun.
Standout winners are the 2 books by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption. Then, in no particular order:
• The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
• The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
• The Manticore by Robertson Davies
Honourable mentions:
• All Those Explosions were Someone Else's Fault by James Alan Gardner
• Libriomancer by Jim C Hines
All right, so the last couple aren't great literature, but they were fun.
7Bookmarque
In no particular order -
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Up at the Villa by W. Somerset Maugham
Like, Follow, Die by Ashley Kaligan Blunt
The Big Empty by Robert Crais
Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney
I didn't expect to like Body Snatchers as much as I did, but it was darn great - propulsive without being forced and with characters that read pretty authentically. Another surprise was Up at the Villa - it's a short, concise and violently surprising novel that I thought I'd read before, but now I think it was another book. The collusion and criminal tendencies reminded me of a James M. Cain novel. Starter Villain was just a hoot and The Big Empty felt back on form for a long running series. Like, Follow, Die was chilling and felt very real.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Up at the Villa by W. Somerset Maugham
Like, Follow, Die by Ashley Kaligan Blunt
The Big Empty by Robert Crais
Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney
I didn't expect to like Body Snatchers as much as I did, but it was darn great - propulsive without being forced and with characters that read pretty authentically. Another surprise was Up at the Villa - it's a short, concise and violently surprising novel that I thought I'd read before, but now I think it was another book. The collusion and criminal tendencies reminded me of a James M. Cain novel. Starter Villain was just a hoot and The Big Empty felt back on form for a long running series. Like, Follow, Die was chilling and felt very real.
8clamairy
>7 Bookmarque: Yes, I think I need to get more Jack Finney onto my TBR.
9nrmay
THE CORRESPONDENT
by Virginia Evans
FINDING FLORA
by Elinor Florence
BROKEN COUNTRY
by Clare Leslie Hall
THE GOD OF THE WOODS
by Luz Moore
HEARTWOOD
by Amity Gaige
by Virginia Evans
FINDING FLORA
by Elinor Florence
BROKEN COUNTRY
by Clare Leslie Hall
THE GOD OF THE WOODS
by Luz Moore
HEARTWOOD
by Amity Gaige
10Darth-Heather
I was fortunate to meet quite a few good ones this year!
Notables:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - I don't know why I waited so long to get to this one, it is incredibly clever.
Tai-Pan by James Clavell is quite as good as the rest of the Asian saga, I have enjoyed them so much.
The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune came highly recommended and I'm so glad I found my way to it. It is beautifully written, and one of the best things I've ever read about inclusivity.
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes - tells the story of Medusa, in an interesting and humanizing way.
On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah - is as well written as all of hers, this one is a family drama with interesting characters and a lot of heart.
All five of these still linger in my imagination, which is why I chose them as my top five of the year, but I was lucky to read a lot of other good stuff this year too.
Notables:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - I don't know why I waited so long to get to this one, it is incredibly clever.
Tai-Pan by James Clavell is quite as good as the rest of the Asian saga, I have enjoyed them so much.
The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune came highly recommended and I'm so glad I found my way to it. It is beautifully written, and one of the best things I've ever read about inclusivity.
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes - tells the story of Medusa, in an interesting and humanizing way.
On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah - is as well written as all of hers, this one is a family drama with interesting characters and a lot of heart.
All five of these still linger in my imagination, which is why I chose them as my top five of the year, but I was lucky to read a lot of other good stuff this year too.
11Bookmarque
Oh The Count of Monte Cristo is so great. I re-visit it every few years and it was the work that sent me down the Dumas rabbit hole, eventually reading over a dozen of this books. He was a treasure, even if he was that century's equivalent of James Patterson, meaning he published compulsively and had a cadre of ghost writers to fill out the sketches and outlines he gave to them.
12Darth-Heather
>11 Bookmarque: It is such a clever story! I have procrastinated on his works for years, I think because I have a beautiful leather-bound edition of The Three Musketeers that I was intimidated by.
But, I felt the same about Dickens until I finally read Great Expectations and realized that I was making too much about it in my mind.
Where do you suggest I go next with Dumas?
But, I felt the same about Dickens until I finally read Great Expectations and realized that I was making too much about it in my mind.
Where do you suggest I go next with Dumas?
13Bookmarque
Oh boy, try The Three Musketeers for sure. It's great, but the next in the series Twenty Years After is even better IMO. I read them all, although the couple in the middle are a bit trying. Then there is the wickedly treacherous saga in The Valois Romances, which are based on real events surrounding Queen Catherine de Medici and her many sons, plus their wives, girlfriends and hangers-on. I read all of those, too, and then moved on to The Marie Antoinette romances. Wicked fun.
15clamairy
>14 terriks: These are all wonderful.
16terriks
>15 clamairy: Thank you! I had a great year of reading.
LT doesn't seem to like it when I do touchstones on my phone, but I think they're behaving now.
LT doesn't seem to like it when I do touchstones on my phone, but I think they're behaving now.
17jillmwo
Some older titles here but also some thoroughly enjoyable new stuff:
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo -- thought-provoking fantasy
The Nebuly Coat by John Meade Falkner -- totally unexpected!!
The Angel of Crows by Katherine Addison -- Addison is always good! Also this year, her book The Tomb of Dragons
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo -- thought-provoking fantasy
The Nebuly Coat by John Meade Falkner -- totally unexpected!!
The Angel of Crows by Katherine Addison -- Addison is always good! Also this year, her book The Tomb of Dragons
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
18terriks
>17 jillmwo: Consider The Nebuly Coat a BB that has landed. Given its age, I don't expect to find it at my bookstore, but it's on my Barnes and Noble list in anticipation of coming home empty.
19Marissa_Doyle
An interesting mix...
The Excitements by CJ Wray - Oh, this was an absolute delight!
Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels by Ellen Ruppel Shell - Who knew eels were so interesting?
The Midwich Cuckoos / Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham - Not sure which I liked better. Wyndham should have a higher profile in the SF/fantasy world. I'll be reading more of him.
A Fae in Finance by Juliet Brooks - first in a new series, this is funny, intelligent contemporary fantasy. Yes, there is a cat.
You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon - Might be called chicklit, if it weren't set in a poetry graduate program. Well-written, heart-felt, and satisfying.
Others worth mentioning:
Who's Your Founding Father?: One Man's Epic Quest to Uncover the First, True Declaration of Independence Funny and informative in equal parts. I'm afraid your opinion of Thomas Jefferson is likely to slip several notches.
Fishing for the Little Pike A little hard to get into at first, but stick with it. Contemporary Finnish fantasy with a mythic/folkloric feel.
The Stone of Chastity Much quiet laughter ensued.
The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois Gorgeously rich writing.
A Death in Diamonds I've thoroughly enjoyed all these mysteries feature HM Queen Elizabeth II as a quiet, behind-the- scenes sleuth. Another excellent entry in the series.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye Ah, Scalzi, you sly dog, you.
The Excitements by CJ Wray - Oh, this was an absolute delight!
Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels by Ellen Ruppel Shell - Who knew eels were so interesting?
The Midwich Cuckoos / Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham - Not sure which I liked better. Wyndham should have a higher profile in the SF/fantasy world. I'll be reading more of him.
A Fae in Finance by Juliet Brooks - first in a new series, this is funny, intelligent contemporary fantasy. Yes, there is a cat.
You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon - Might be called chicklit, if it weren't set in a poetry graduate program. Well-written, heart-felt, and satisfying.
Others worth mentioning:
Who's Your Founding Father?: One Man's Epic Quest to Uncover the First, True Declaration of Independence Funny and informative in equal parts. I'm afraid your opinion of Thomas Jefferson is likely to slip several notches.
Fishing for the Little Pike A little hard to get into at first, but stick with it. Contemporary Finnish fantasy with a mythic/folkloric feel.
The Stone of Chastity Much quiet laughter ensued.
The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois Gorgeously rich writing.
A Death in Diamonds I've thoroughly enjoyed all these mysteries feature HM Queen Elizabeth II as a quiet, behind-the- scenes sleuth. Another excellent entry in the series.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye Ah, Scalzi, you sly dog, you.
20Alexandra_book_life
>19 Marissa_Doyle: Fishing for the Little Pike was excellent, I thought. I also read it last year.
21AHS-Wolfy
>19 Marissa_Doyle: I've liked every Wyndham book I've read so far (only 4 inc. those two) and keep meaning to get to more of his work. Agree that he's underrated.
22clamairy
>21 AHS-Wolfy: & >19 Marissa_Doyle: For some reason I find Wyndham's books haved aged better than many of his contemporaries. I've read three, and The Day of the Triffids was my favorite. Trouble with Lichen just went on my wish list.
23Bookmarque
My favorite Wyndham is The Chrysalids, but I also liked Day of the Triffids a lot, too.
24clamairy
>23 Bookmarque: That was my second favorite.
25Bookmarque
Just borrowed Chocky from the library via Libby. Will start it when my current audio is done.
26Sakerfalcon
Belatedly adding my top fiction reads:
The Penguin book of Italian short stories edited by Jhumpa Lahiri
Summer fishing in Lapland by Juhani Karila
The West Passage by Jared Pechacek
Spear by Nicola Griffith
Inspector Imanishi investigates by Matsumoto Seicho
The Dutch house by Ann Patchett
The Penguin book of Italian short stories edited by Jhumpa Lahiri
Summer fishing in Lapland by Juhani Karila
The West Passage by Jared Pechacek
Spear by Nicola Griffith
Inspector Imanishi investigates by Matsumoto Seicho
The Dutch house by Ann Patchett
27clamairy
>26 Sakerfalcon: Spear is awesome! I think this one made my list a few years ago. And I see we both had The Dutch House on our list! We have great taste. 😁
29ludmillalotaria
Favorite adult reads (in no particular order):
Ken Liu's Dandelion Dynasty series (4 books)
Sagacious Blade by Sherwood Smith (part of the author's Sagacious series)
Electric Forest by Tanith Lee (audiobook)
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (audiobook)
Boy's Life by Robert McCammon (coming-of-age, so maybe belongs with YA)
Children's, Middle Grade or YA books:
The Birchbark House plus next 2 books in the series by Louise Erdrich
Julie of the Wolves plus next 2 books in the trilogy by Jean Craighead George
Elizabeth Enright's Gone-Away Lake series (2 books)
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (hadn't read this since I was a child, still holds up)
The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell
Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander (my favorite in the Chronicles of Prydain series)
LM Boston's Green Knowe series (audiobooks from the library -- first 2 were re-reads, the rest was for the first time)
Redwall by Brian Jacques (audiobook)
Honorable Mentions:
The Serpent Garden by Judith Merkle Riley
Kate Elliott's Crossroads series (4 books), plus the Black Wolves follow-up
Dark Sister by Graham Joyce
Probably a few more HM's but I'll stop here.
Ken Liu's Dandelion Dynasty series (4 books)
Sagacious Blade by Sherwood Smith (part of the author's Sagacious series)
Electric Forest by Tanith Lee (audiobook)
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (audiobook)
Boy's Life by Robert McCammon (coming-of-age, so maybe belongs with YA)
Children's, Middle Grade or YA books:
The Birchbark House plus next 2 books in the series by Louise Erdrich
Julie of the Wolves plus next 2 books in the trilogy by Jean Craighead George
Elizabeth Enright's Gone-Away Lake series (2 books)
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (hadn't read this since I was a child, still holds up)
The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell
Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander (my favorite in the Chronicles of Prydain series)
LM Boston's Green Knowe series (audiobooks from the library -- first 2 were re-reads, the rest was for the first time)
Redwall by Brian Jacques (audiobook)
Honorable Mentions:
The Serpent Garden by Judith Merkle Riley
Kate Elliott's Crossroads series (4 books), plus the Black Wolves follow-up
Dark Sister by Graham Joyce
Probably a few more HM's but I'll stop here.
30Alexandra_book_life
>26 Sakerfalcon: I am happy to see Spear on your list! Such a wonderful book...
31Sakerfalcon
>27 clamairy:, >30 Alexandra_book_life: I'd wanted to read Spear for ages but couldn't get hold of it in the UK, so I was delighted to be able to read my friend's copy when I stayed with her this year.
>27 clamairy: The Dutch house took me by surprise with how it gripped me.
>28 jillmwo: The West passage is definitely a book that I'll reread.
>27 clamairy: The Dutch house took me by surprise with how it gripped me.
>28 jillmwo: The West passage is definitely a book that I'll reread.
32Sakerfalcon
>29 ludmillalotaria: Redwall was one of my favourites as a teenager! I only read the first 5 or so in the series, but they are amazing books!
33ludmillalotaria
>32 Sakerfalcon: I was very amused by the guerilla union of shrews. I have the 2nd in this series and am saving for the right mood or when I need a change of pace.
34infjsarah
My best read of the year was easily The Last King of Osten Ard series with The Navigator's Children as the best of the series (although it's hard to pick).
Then in no particular order, Written on the Dark, Sunrise on the Reaping, Boudicca's Daughter, Debts of Fire, Knot of Shadows.
I've also been obsessed with the historical crime series of Alis Hawkins with particular kudos to In Two Minds, Those Who Know and The Hunter's Club
Then in no particular order, Written on the Dark, Sunrise on the Reaping, Boudicca's Daughter, Debts of Fire, Knot of Shadows.
I've also been obsessed with the historical crime series of Alis Hawkins with particular kudos to In Two Minds, Those Who Know and The Hunter's Club
35pgmcc
In the spirt of >1 clamairy:'s comments, I cannot limit myself to five books. I went through my log of books read and compiled a list of 19, and that was compressing some books into one entry based on the author.
My next step was to go through the 19 trying to pick out the best ones. This left me with 10. I am struggling to rank them and give merely five. That being said, here in no particular ranking, are some of the books I really enjoyed in 2025, remembering, of course, that there are nine other books I really enjoyed that did not make the list.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki and translated by Polly Barton
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
Sleeper Beach by Nick Harkaway
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells (This represents the entire series compressed into one entry.)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney (An unexpected gem.)
The Nebuly Coat by John Meade Falkner (A BB from @jillmwo following her comparison of this book with The Nine Tailors.)
The Truth by Terry Pratcthett
The Enigma of Room 622 by Jöel Dicker and translated by Robert Bononno
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
The books that did not make it to the final list but which I really enjoyed:
The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White
Case Histories and Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Truth Lies Bleeding by Chris Dolley
A Case of Mice and Murder and A Case of Life and Limb by Sally Smith
The Gnomes of Lychford by Paul Cornell
Ring the Bells by C. K. McDonnell
Even with all the above books listed I still excluded the other Japanese crime books that I read and really enjoyed.
I have had a very good year's reading.
My next step was to go through the 19 trying to pick out the best ones. This left me with 10. I am struggling to rank them and give merely five. That being said, here in no particular ranking, are some of the books I really enjoyed in 2025, remembering, of course, that there are nine other books I really enjoyed that did not make the list.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki and translated by Polly Barton
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
Sleeper Beach by Nick Harkaway
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells (This represents the entire series compressed into one entry.)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney (An unexpected gem.)
The Nebuly Coat by John Meade Falkner (A BB from @jillmwo following her comparison of this book with The Nine Tailors.)
The Truth by Terry Pratcthett
The Enigma of Room 622 by Jöel Dicker and translated by Robert Bononno
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
The books that did not make it to the final list but which I really enjoyed:
The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White
Case Histories and Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Truth Lies Bleeding by Chris Dolley
A Case of Mice and Murder and A Case of Life and Limb by Sally Smith
The Gnomes of Lychford by Paul Cornell
Ring the Bells by C. K. McDonnell
Even with all the above books listed I still excluded the other Japanese crime books that I read and really enjoyed.
I have had a very good year's reading.
36terriks
>35 pgmcc: A good list! I remember most of your comments/reviews on these - with one or two exceptions. I'm happy you liked Pride and Prejudice and Life After Life so much.
I don't think I'll make it through the year without reading The Nebuly Coat and A Case of Mice and Murder.
I don't think I'll make it through the year without reading The Nebuly Coat and A Case of Mice and Murder.
37cindydavid4
a hat full of sky fan 5
wintersmith fan 5
Shepherd's crownfan4
That enchanted greenhouse fan 4
katabasis fan 4
38jillmwo
>35 pgmcc: and >37 cindydavid4: I see that there's a real appreciation of Terry Pratchett here in the Pub.
39pgmcc
>38 jillmwo:
The Truth is the book I selected for January's read in our book club. I am looking forward to hearing what the literary snobs make of the book. At least there is one other Pratchett fan in the group. :-)
The majority will never have read anything like it; they only like real life books. You know the ones; books that pile misery on top of misery and leave the reader miserable at the end.
This is payback time!
The Truth is the book I selected for January's read in our book club. I am looking forward to hearing what the literary snobs make of the book. At least there is one other Pratchett fan in the group. :-)
The majority will never have read anything like it; they only like real life books. You know the ones; books that pile misery on top of misery and leave the reader miserable at the end.
This is payback time!
40cindydavid4
>39 pgmcc: i read it and loved it. "He was appalled at the ease with which the truth so easily turned into something that was almost a lie, just by being positioned correctly.” patchett knows his fellow human beings well and usually nails them. this is one example of such. its been awhile need a reread
41pgmcc
>40 cindydavid4: I was amazed at how relevant it still is 26 years after publication.
42egemenaydin
I am a bit late to the party but here is my top 5 of 2025:
Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
43kaida46
Agent to the Stars By John Scalzi (Also read Starter Villain by Scalzi, both were good.)
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone (About the life of Michelangelo)
The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley (I've loved this ever since I saw the series on PBS years ago)
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle (Loved the old style language and this was a special edition with illustrations by the author from Barnes & Noble- just beautiful)
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone (About the life of Michelangelo)
The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley (I've loved this ever since I saw the series on PBS years ago)
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle (Loved the old style language and this was a special edition with illustrations by the author from Barnes & Noble- just beautiful)
44clamairy
>43 kaida46: I loved both of those Scalzi books. I have had a copy of The Agony and the Ecstasy for probably four decades, and I always swear I'm going to read it. Perhaps this year!
45kaida46
>44 clamairy: After a trip to Italy where I saw the David, the Sistine Chapel, and other works by Michelangelo, I was so moved I started reading more books about him! I'm currently reading Michelangelo: A Life in Six Masterpieces.
46Darth-Heather
>44 clamairy: I really have to get into more Scalzi! I only read Starter Villain so far, but I have Old Man's War in my TBR.
I can definitely recommend The Agony and The Ecstasy - I read it a few years ago, and went into it knowing little about the people or places. Irving Stone is a good writer and does a brilliant job of portraying Michelangelo as a relatable guy. I would love to see the Sistine Chapel in person!
I can definitely recommend The Agony and The Ecstasy - I read it a few years ago, and went into it knowing little about the people or places. Irving Stone is a good writer and does a brilliant job of portraying Michelangelo as a relatable guy. I would love to see the Sistine Chapel in person!
