2025 Reading Recap

I’ve been rereading this series to get caught up with the books that have released in the last few years, and this was the last book I needed to reread, so I’m excited to finally start a new book. That said, rereading each and every single one of these has been a joy. I love this story and these characters. There’s such a rich, cool world, and the tangled web of a plot is a brilliant mystery. This might be my favorite in the series so far, but it’s hard to say for sure. It was definitely my favorite MG reread, hand’s down.

I got to buddy read this one with my bestie this year. It was her first time reading it, but I completely enjoyed rereading it. I’d like to reread the rest of the series, too. This is a bit of a “candy” read. It has such a fascinating world, rich with culture, history, and literature. The story is compelling and fun and keeps the pages turning. I think more than anything, I was just so excited because I knew what lay ahead. This one was super interesting to reread, knowing what I do about the rest of the trilogy.

As this was my top read of 2023 (tied with Cathy McCrumb’s Recorder), it’s no surprise to see it resurface. This was such a fun reread. I love the worldbuilding in this – the cultures, the elemental horses – the themes, the characters, and the crazy tight plot. This is such a page turner and I cannot more highly recommend it.

To I’m sure no one’s surprise, Of Sea and Smoke blew me away! I adore the cover, but even more, the deepening of these characters, themes, and plot just enriched my soul. I can’t wait to read the conclusiong. But I’m also a little sad to see the epic fantasy with heart end!

Is this not a stunning cover?! But the pages between brim with an incredibly creative story. This is the kind of story every reader loves because it’s a story about the best stories we all love – and how they can go oh so wrong. There are some great writerly nods, too, but the references to the classic stories we love really steal the show. And yet somehow, the story of Emlyn’s search for her sister and encounter with a fantasy team is all its own. It was so hard to put this one down and I’m dying to read the sequel!

Ooohkay, so we may or may not see three different Cinderella stories in today’s post, but this one, y’all. This one was a brilliant mash up with The Count of Monte Cristo and featured the incredily beautiful themes of nobility and faithfulness I’ve come to love from Sara Ella. The themes of light and dark, the adventerous spirit, and the fantastical legends in this book make it one you just don’t want to miss, fairytale fanatic or not.

I know I’m a little behind the train on this one, since it’s been out for a few years. I picked it up as research for what’s doing well in the MG market – and let me tell you, there’s a reason this is doing so well. It was an absolutely fantastic read. I opened the book right before bed – classic mistake – and looked up 50 pages later completely absorbed by the story. The unique, short chapters create a compelling, engaging, and page-turning read. This is possibly my top recommendation for reluctant readers now. It’s an adorable story that is brilliantly executed and I am so delighted to have finally read it.

Continuing on with my MG market research, I happened upon this book almost by accident. I’d never heard of it, but my local bookstore clerk said it was one that had been doing really well in the store.

First of all, this cover is brilliant and beautiful. Second of all, this was such a cool story. The tone and rich Martian culture deeply rooted in the MC was fantastic. Dragons in space? Sign me up! I loved the whole thing, from the page-turning plot to the twists and turns. This is the read I never knew I needed and definitely one of my favorites now. I’m definitely excited to see what happens in the sequel!

This story has my heart and soul. I was raised on the films, but my family never read the books. Last year I read the first one and this year I was able to finish the trilogy. They’re classic, we know. But boy, the depth of character gets me every time. Something about the hardship and trial, the unwavering loyalty and nobility, and the rich world that make this so timeless. These are the kinds of stories that give life and remind us to hope. This is a story I’ll never get bored of and one I delight to enage with over and over and over again.

Also, as a sidenote, Andy Serkis’s narration of the audiobooks – fantastic.

Kitty has a delightful talent for lighthearted reads that lift you up. This version of the Cinderella story was an enchanting, funny read that made me laugh and lightened my heart. Sometimes we need the lighter reads and this is definitely one I’d recommend to fairy tale fans.

This was my first Mary Mecham book, but I seriously doubt it’ll be my last. Honestly, this book almost made favorite of the year until Of Sea and Smoke and Glass Across the Sea came into the picture.

This was simply a super fun read. I adored the wintery vibe from the hot cocoa to the sled dogs and the sweet, but hilarious romance between Noelle and Jack. This is an adorable fantasy read with all the classic Cinderella things we love plus the best of all things winter wonderland.

This one is actually a reread, too. I first read this book in college while babysitting for a family. A little girl pulled it off the shelf and sat in my lap. While I read it, I began to sweat and genuinely worry about what kind of book I was reading to this very small child. Guys, this book surprised and delighted me in a way few picture books have. It is one of my very favorites now and definitely gets favorite kids/children’s read of the year!

This classic has been on my TBR for far too long. Somehow I missed when it was read in school? Anyway, I knew very little going into it – just that it was a dystopian read about a society that burned books.

Good gravy the first third of this story got me hook, line, and sinker. I completely forgot I was reading a book and was just entirely engrossed by the narration. The story was so compelling and the narrator really did an excellent job. Definitely my favorite audiobook read of the year.

This study took me a little by surprise. Titus isn’t a book that I get particularly excited to read. It’s just another book in the New Testament. Good stuff, but not standout like some of my other faovrites.

By God’s grace, this study gave me new eyes for Titus. It still isn’t my favorite book of the Bible, but I am so thankful for the gentle, simple, and yet deeply meaningful guide Doctor and Beless provide.

This study showed me that Titus actually covers several things I personally care very deeply about: discipleship, community, serving one another, and the gospel of grace. I love the grace with wich the teachers carried us through this study and I’ll remember it fondly as my favorite Bible study of the year.

I really, really enjoyed going through this in a small group with three other ladies. We spent about six months going through each lesson, meeting weekly (give or take a few weeks off for traveling, holidays, etc.). This is a deeply solid look at fundamental theological beliefs in the Christian faith. Each topic led to great discusison and the “homework” in the chapters was super manageable. A great read and a wonderful discipleship experience. If you’re looking to grow in your faith or walk with others, definitely give this a try!

I’m a Ramsey fan. I love his no-nonsense, commonsense look at finances. However, I think what I enjoyed most about this book wasn’t the business aspects, but it was seeing the glimpse of integrity in leadership that Dave lives by. I found this such an encouraging read, as well as informational about the topic. It was cool to see that there are leaders out there who are both logical, business-minded entreprenueres and goldy leaders who genuinely care about people.