We’re in the final stretch of the year, so I wanted to look back and share some of my favorites with you. I keep a spreadsheet of what I read (finished books only) and include a reason why I picked that book up. Therefore, my categories of favorites will follow my reasons for reading. Over the year, I finished 80 books, as I slowed down for a number of life reasons, in addition to not finishing quite a heap of books.
One thing that has me feeling reflective and a bit sad is I don’t remember feeling truly passionate about many books this year. I’m sure part of it was living in a different state for four months, graduating, starting a business, and doing intensive job training for 200 hours before things smoothed out, though smoothed out isn’t the right phrase, either, as it is clear that there are many ways Nick and I are still struggling with the difficulties of those four months apart. We’re great; please don’t misunderstand me. But we’ve become clingy, sentimental, and easily saddened when reminded of our time separated. Therefore, if my post seems lackluster, please know that I did my best.
best books someone else picked
Oftentimes, I’m not picking the book we read in book club, but I still try to participate with gusto. Here are my top three books that I read that someone else chose:
- Everything is Tuberculosis by Hank Green — education beyond an American perspective
- Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls — both family history and political history of China
- The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham — old-fashioned spooky kids
best educational reading
Some of these books were for my last semester of school, but others struck my interest.
- The Interpreter’s Quick Guide to Self-Employment (2nd ed.) by Rosemary Johnson and Brent Bocian — a bridge from college to career, highly specific to my field and American tax laws, how to start a business, etc.
- Orchid of the Bayou by Cathryn Carroll and Catherine Hoffpauir Fischer — insightful memoir of a Deaf woman going from small town to university
- Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King, Jr. — essays on the Civil Rights Movement behind the scenes and beyond the feel-good classroom talk points
best horror
- Nestlings by Nat Cassidy — a disability narrative and the mysteries of parenthood
- Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie — how far would you go to keep your child alive, even for one more hour? A desperate, emotional story.
- Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio — like Scooby Doo for adults
best books from random, small categories
- Boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring by Zach Plague — thoughtful slaying of the ivory tower art scene
- Submerged by Hillel Levin — true crime book set during a pre-internet investigation in a neighboring city to my home
- Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann — joyfully fat, flabulously fun throwback to the zine days in the 1990s
books that led to the best book club discussions
- Perfume by Patrick Suskind — oddly reminded me of Quasimodo in Hotel Transylvania
- Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. — leaves you with loads of ideas to ponder even if you don’t like the book
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier — my feelings on Maxim and the narrator change with every read.
the series that sucked me in
I honestly did not realize I’d read so many Lucy Kincaid novels (three are novellas) this year, but they truly helped me get through my internship.
- Love is Murder by Allison Brennan
- Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan
- Kiss Me, Kill Me by Allison Brennan
- If I Should Die by Allison Brennan
- Vacation Interrupted by Allison Brennan
- Silenced by Allison Brennan
- Stalked by Allison Brennan
- Stolen by Allison Brennan
- Reckless by Allison Brennan
- Cold Snap by Allison Brennan
- Dead Heat by Allison Brennan
- Best Laid Plans by Allison Brennan
- No Good Deed by Allison Brennan
quick stats
- Number of books completely finished: 80
- Books read that I owned: 63
- Books read from library: 16
- Number of books left that I still own: 310
- Books I found hard to put down: 53 out of 80
Grab the Lapels 
Tempted by the Wyndham for sure, Happy New Year!
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Given all you had going on in your life earlier in the year, it’s pretty impressive you managed to read so much
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Oh, why, thank you, Karen ☺️
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I love that you read so much from a mystery/suspense series. Good ones from those genres can be such comfort reads.
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I think it just has the right balance of what’s going to happen next and loving relationships.
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Our reading crossed over a little – Wyndham, Vonnegut, Brennan – which is good. I love it that the commenters on your posts are always a mix of American and British (with us older Australians definitely on the British side) and that each side finds the other a little bit strange (I just re-read your Midwich Cuckoos review).
Personally, over the past few years, I have enjoyed and learnt a lot from your interrogations of what it means to be ‘fat’ or Deaf.
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I didn’t realize you were reading Brennan. She recently came out with a standalone novel I want to read.
Thanks for the compliment about the areas on which I focus. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not doing much at all, but other times I realize what a big trove (of sorts) that I have.
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Wow 63 of the 80 books you read were ones you owned, super impressive! Have you read all the Lucy Kincaid books or are there still more calling out to you?
You had quite a year of all the things and you made it through. You are a resilient and strong person. I hope 2026 gives you some breathing space and calm rest. Happy New Year!
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There are several more of the Lucy Kincaid books. It’s an older series for the author, and at some point she stopped writing them because she felt she ran out of ideas. She still writes a lot, though. She has different series, and she just came out with a stand-alone novel this past summer.
Thank you for the well wishes for 2026. I hope to find a rhythm and happiness and to achieve some goals in my career.
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Allison Brennan for the win, clearly!
And this may seem like an overshare for a book commenting page, but your comment re: you and Nick allows me to think you won’t be freaked out by my also getting into some personal news. My husband and I are separating, so my reading was really all over the place this year because of that. However, I’m hoping I may have more time to read in the coming year, as I settle into my new single existence – only time will tell!
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Oh wow, that is surprising news. I mean, I didn’t know him, but it’s always been the four of you with the A names. If you want to talk about it more at all, you have my email address. I do consider you a dear friend, and I’m still mad at your blog for not giving me notifications when you reply to my comments, only because I miss you. It did seem like your reading was more sporadic than I’m used to, but I figured you had a lot going on with your work and the radio segment that you do.
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Thanks Melanie – i consider you a friend too xo
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Your comment about still coping with the effect of your time away made me a little sad, though I am glad that it’s not negative so much as just too emotional. Will time and distance see these disconcerting feelings diminish (not that I think being sentimental is a bad thing, actually, but it is if it unsettles you both)?
I love that the books that got most discussion at book club are all established books if not classics. It rather proves the definition of what makes a classic doesn’t it? The only other author (and in this case book too) that I’ve read from your list is the Wyndham. And of course I have enjoyed your Lucy Kincaid posts immensely.
(This is my third time trying to post this comment – and I am trying a different browser – as the other one asked m to log in both times and then took me to my own blog, not back to your post!)
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I think I’ve heard from a couple of folks that they’re struggling to comment on my blog, and I’m not sure what that means. I’m still using WordPlus like I always do. If you keep having troubles, please let me know.
I think your phrasing is spot on: that it’s not negative so much as too emotional. It’s just stupid little stuff, like when it snows really hard, I think about how the day we arrived in St. Louis was a massive blizzard. Or sometimes I still see some of the dinners that I cooked for Nick in the freezer. Just lots and lots of little things. Recently, I asked Nick if he wanted to do a weekend vacation in an Airbnb, just to get away, and he doesn’t want to be away from the house. We revisited that conversation later, but it does stem from the internship and being away.
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Oh don’t worry about me and signing in Melanie. I think it’s more WordPress and who it remembers when and how. I feel it’s nothing to do with your set up but things WP does behind the scenes.
Thanks for giving some examples re effect of your being away. Sounds like time will be a big factor. It might also be good training for managing other changes in the future. My son and I were talking the other day about how we never stop learning about how to live life and manage the things that happen.
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I love how varied your reading is! I can always count on you to discuss books I’m not seeing anywhere else. I think your total is impressive considering everything you had going on in 2025. I hope 2026 is a smoother, more straightforward year for you!
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That’s such an excellent compliment about seeing books at GTL that you don’t see elsewhere. Thanks ☺️
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It’s true ♥️
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