2025: My Year in Books

Another year has passed, and I am so grateful I filled my time reading books. Reading continues to be my favorite way to decompress and escape reality. Here's a quick review of the goals I set for 2025:

• Read 75 books.

• Work on my TBR: physical copies, copies of books in my Kindle, and books that come through on the Libby app.

• Write more. While I struggle with this goal, I am going to make writing a priority in the new year. Just like I make reading a priority, I will make time for writing. Specifically, I will dedicate one hour each week to writing, whether it be a blog post, Instagram post, or jotting a story idea. 

This year I read 86 books. Out of the 86, I borrowed 44 books from the library via the Libby app. If we assume that a book costs around $15, then I saved $660! Wow! If you don’t have a library card and the Libby app, run to the library now!

I did a much better job reading my TBR pile this year, including two Christmas novels by Debbie Macomber. They were sweet, cute, and perfect for the holiday season, a nice contrast to my recent reads.

Here are my goals for 2026:

• Read 75 books. (This seems to be a realistic goal with my current reading pace. This goal will always include audiobooks!)
• Write more. Stick with 1,000 words per day five out of seven days each week.

I have picked up the pace on my writing work, and have set a goal to write 1,000 words each day. So far, that’s going well, and I am hopeful for some traction in this area.

Here's a little more about my favorite books of 2025. These are my TRUE FIVE STAR reads of 2025:

Atmosphere (ARC & Hardcover): I was lucky to read an ARC of this book. Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favorite authors, and I knew I would devour this book. Atmosphere is set in Houston in the 1980s which was a bonus for me. There was a lot of NASA/space jargon, but it was well explained. The love story was perfect. Greg and I were driving home from a trip as I finished the book. My sobbing at the end of the book nearly caused him to wreck the car. As soon as it was released, I purchased this book in hardcover.   

The Bright Years (Libby): This book is set in Texas, and I especially loved the nods to the Flagship Hotel in Galveston and Joe T. Garcia’s in Fort Worth.  This family drama pulled me in from the very beginning. I had to stop reading when the perspective shifted from one character to another. I could feel a change coming; it felt heavy, and I'm glad I took the short break. Georgette (Jet) was at the heart of the story and tied everything together. Highly recommend this book!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil (Kindle): This long (535 pages) fantasy had so much depth that it didn’t feel lengthy. The background story was a huge part of the present story. I found myself hanging on every word and reading to see what would happen next. The ending was a great surprise. If you like fantasy and vampires, read this book!

Spectacular Things (Libby): Clearly, family drama was a theme for me this year. This is the story of Mia, Cricket, their mother, and soccer. Soccer talent runs in the family and sacrifices are made for the game. This book had some unexpected twists that kept me reading. This book was truly spectacular!

Broken Country (Libby): This was a tragic family drama. There are many layers to Beth’s family that are revealed throughout the book. Dramatic and gut-wrenching, this book will keep you up at night, turning the pages. 

Strong Ground (Audible): I love all things Brene Brown, and I knew her new book would be a listen for me. I'm grateful that this book came out when it did. Brene shared some truth bombs about setting boundaries around work and family life. She compares shifting from work to home to boat locks, teaching us to "lock-in" before transitioning. That will stay with me indefinitely.

The Faculty Lounge (Hardback from Mockingbird Books): If you are an educator, this is a must read! Set in a high school, this book shares perspectives from many of the staff members who are all connected through a recent death of a favorite substitute. Also, the author is local to Houston.

The Next Conversation (Audible): Jefferson Fisher's practical advice is simple to apply in day-to-day life. I love self-help books like this. Prior to his success as an author/podcaster, Jefferson served as a lawyer. He recorded short videos in his car and one day, his video went viral. His direct way of talking to the reader and breaking down steps is what makes his methods a huge hit. Also, he lives in Texas!

Sunrise on the Reaping & The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Libby): Reading these books was like time traveling to 2008 when The Hunger Games was published. While I was a little late Reading these prequels, I am so glad that I did! Haymitch will always be a favorite of mine (Songbirds & Snakes) and learning about President Snow's backstory (Sunrise) was crucial in understanding his character. I watched the dramatic adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping, and I can't wait for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to come out next year!

This year I was really picky about rating books. I read 86 books and rated ten as five stars. That’s just a little more than ten percent of my total being five stars. Seems legit! While I've been better about giving better ratings to books, I still want to give some books 3.5 ⭐️. Then I have to have an entire conversation with myself about rounding up or down. I decided that if it’s a 3.5 then it doesn’t deserve to be a four. Do I really have these conversations with myself. You know I do! Yeah, whatever!

*As I wrote this blog and updated my blogger site, I wondered if blogging was too antiquated for my end of the year post. While I love writing, I realized that BookTok and Bookstagram have exploded. I don't know if I have it in me to prop up my phone, hold up copies of books, and talk to the screen about my favorite books. If anyone out there is reading this, comment and share your thoughts. Is there a space for this type of writing or do I need to get with it and just make a video?