ShortBookandScribes Some Favourite 2025 Reads
I was about to start this post by saying I haven’t done a favourites of the year post for a while and then looked back and saw I did quite a hefty one last year. I wasn’t sure whether I would do one for 2025 but then realised I had marked a nice round ten books as standouts and they were easy to locate in my book stacks so here we are.
I’ve excluded the Morland Dynasty books by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. I read 21 of them in 2025 (the series runs to 36 books) and they’re absolutely in my top reads of the year but I don’t really want to list them all and it wouldn’t be very interesting for you to read.
I’m very generous with my scores so I rated lots of books 4* and 5* reads but these ten have a little red * at the side of them which means they were extra special (you can read my reviews by clicking on the book titles). In no particular order:
Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley
Highly recommended for a grown up love story, warts and all.
The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths
This time-travel book offers mysteries to be solved in an extraordinary way.
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
An epic love story that burrowed its way deep into my heart.
Killer Instinct by Nicola Williams
This legal thriller has a killer storyline and I loved every bit of it.
The Hometown Bookshop by Jenna Warren
An ideal summer read about life, love, friendship, reinvention and books.
A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Re-read of this epic story of a young housemaid who makes her fortune.
A Place in the Sun by Jo Thomas
The perfect blend of travel and food – feel-good fiction at its very best.
What Happened That Summer by Laura Pearson
A unique and utterly gripping podcast novel.
Gripping story of a police officer and her AI sidekick. What a chilling ending!
A multi-generational, beautifully portrayed family story told through the holidays they take.
Storygraph Yearly Wrap Up:
Hurrah for The Storygraph who allow their year wrap up stats to be regenerated to include later reads. I’m a bit annoyed with Goodreads for generating their fancy graphics days before the end of the year. I read right to the bitter end! Here are a few from Goodreads that I can share:
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I’ve done a top ten today as well and Broken Country is in mine too. A great selection!
It’s unusual for me to only have ten!
Haha, I read right to the bitter end as well and still didn’t make it
So frustrating!
If I’d done a list Human Remains would have been on it. I love that series. I feel the same about Goodreads and their too early roundups, their stats were so off this year, they told me I had finished my challenge when I still had 2 books to go!
Such a brilliant series isn’t it?
Goodreads need to sort themselves out!