11 Comments
User's avatar
Ruth L.'s avatar

Here were my faves this year: Food Person by Adam Roberts, The Sirens by Emila Hart, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean, The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Artnett, The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner, Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune, Good Spirits by B.K. Borison

Abby Rasminsky's avatar

Okay, obviously I got the Emily Henry name wrong! But I will check these out! xx

Kasia Nikhamina's avatar

And thank you Abby for your letters here! ❤️

Kasia Nikhamina's avatar

Loved and missed by Susie Boyt, and A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar. Both mother-daughter stories. Keep tissues handy.

Abby Rasminsky's avatar

Oh, yes, I’ve been wanting to read the Majumdar!

Cate Stern's avatar

This brings me such joy to read about your reading, Abby! I particularly love that books outside of 2025 made it into your rotation (e.g., Little Fires!!) and that you read the Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy with your girl--I'm inspired!

My favorites this year: Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson; The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff; Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (but only if you want to cry and say, "why, WHY" over and over); James by Percival Everett; Chasing Hope: A Reporter's Life by Nicholas Kristof (I didn't think I was going to like this but it cemented me as a Kristof fan); and The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong.

I read Heart the Lover as well and enjoyed. I'm reading The Correspondent right now--didn't think I'd be into epistolary but here we are! Highly Recommend!

Abby Rasminsky's avatar

These are some serious ones!!! Gonna add them to my TBR pile! Thanks, Cate! xx

Amanda's avatar

Thank you for the pep talk about buying books as gifts! It hit me where I needed this morning

Abby Rasminsky's avatar

Yay! I love that.

Jillian Bybee, MD's avatar

Looking forward to checking some of these out! When I was able to get myself to focus on fiction this year, I loved My Friends by Fredrik Backman and Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje. Road to Tender Hearts was also a winner.

Abby Rasminsky's avatar

Love these! Will check them out!