{"id":5022,"date":"2025-12-03T13:36:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T13:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=5022"},"modified":"2025-12-03T13:36:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T13:36:33","slug":"the-best-books-we-read-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=5022","title":{"rendered":"The Best Books We Read in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Best Books We Read in 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Joe Walters<\/em> & the IBR Staff<\/em><\/p>\n

Millions of books were published in 2025.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

That\u2019s not an exaggeration. With the explosion of print-on-demand publishing, it\u2019s been about 4-million titles for both of the last two years. 2025\u2019s not over yet, but I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if it ended up being even higher this year. <\/p>\n

However, with more books comes more choices. Books don\u2019t expire\u2014or most of the best ones don\u2019t at least\u2014so readers might have somewhere around 150 million books to choose from<\/a> right now.<\/p>\n

So how do you choose which books to give your time and money to?<\/p>\n

Well, we\u2019ve got some ideas. Our list is going to look different than their list though. We review only indie books<\/a>, and and we don\u2019t care about publication dates. It doesn\u2019t matter if a book was published twenty years ago; if it was great for someone in 2025, it\u2019s going to be great in 2026.<\/p>\n

Reading is subjective, and we don\u2019t want it to be anything else. So you\u2019ll be hearing from 22 of our reviewers, all with their own specific tastes and experiences, telling you why only one book was the best book they read in 2025.<\/p>\n

Here are the best books we read this year.<\/strong> <\/h2>\n

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1. <\/strong>North Sun<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Ethan Rutherford<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Historical Fiction \/ Adventure<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781646053582<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Strange Object<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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Whaling just got a whole lot weirder. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Moby Dick<\/em> is long, technical, difficult, and poetic. It\u2019s the<\/em> book on whaling. But should it be?<\/p>\n

North Sun<\/em> is as good as I hoped Moby Dick<\/em> would be. It\u2019s got the same poetry, the same short chapters, the same whaling industry brain-blasts, but the adventure is fresh and the story is weird and it doesn\u2019t get you lost in the technical details. It gives you the imagery of tiny, infallible humans working tirelessly to kill giant, majestic beasts but also shows you a strange half-bird-man who helps young men aboard the ship deal with unbelievable tragedy. The adventure is led by an inexperienced captain taking an impossible trip up north to find the boat\u2019s previous captain, and it\u2019s a true whaling wonder of a novel.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Long Form<\/em> by Katie Briggs (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Imagine a Door<\/em> by Laura Stanfill (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Homeschooling<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Ginny Zurich, MEd<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Nonfiction \/ Education<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781540903419<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Baker Books<\/a><\/p>\n

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A total game-changer for me and my most important people<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Reading this book is transformative. I don\u2019t know anyone who homeschools in my everyday life, so I don\u2019t have many people to talk to about it, even though it\u2019s such a deeply important aspect of my near future. I need help. <\/p>\n

This book is that help. It made me feel supported, encouraged, and prepared in making this incredibly important choice. Ginny Yurich\u2019s personal writing style and generally laid-back approach makes homeschooling feel attainable and takes the pressure off of jumping into it. If you\u2019re even close to considering this for your little loved ones, this book is a no-brainer. <\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hard Is Not the Same Thing As Bad<\/em> by Abbie Halberstadt (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Spin Cycle<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Alfredo Botello<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Literary Fiction<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798888247242<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Koehler Books<\/a><\/p>\n

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A moving, heartfelt story about the realities of caregiving and the proclivity to long for the past<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Strawberry ice cream, little fibs , and cute animal videos on the good days; broken wrists, forgotten names, and outbursts on the bad. Alfredo Botello\u2019s\u00a0Spin Cycle: notes from a reluctant caregiver\u00a0<\/em>is an uninhibited, earthy look into the complexities of caring for a loved one who gradually becomes someone they didn\u2019t used to be.<\/p>\n

The book digs deep, suggesting that perhaps patience isn\u2019t the most important quality when caring for a parent with dementia. With all the history, all the baggage, and all the resentment that comes with such a relationship, a regression of the mind doesn\u2019t require looking to the past for answers.<\/em>\u00a0Readers are taken on a humanizing experience where they have no choice but to forgive themselves for their past crimes of impatience, frustration, and missed \u201cI love yous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wethersfield Road<\/em> by Anna Binder Reardon (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Stopping to Feel<\/em> by S. L. Collins (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>IT Dictionary<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Adam Korga<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Nonfiction \/ Science & Technology<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9783000838248<\/p>\n

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This satirical workplace guidebook is a laugh-out-loud group therapy session that offers technical and emotional support by decoding corporate-speak.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This book is an absolute blast. Author Adam Korga hilariously explains the dizzying industry terms you\u2019ve heard in feedback from Finance, Legal, and Human Resources representatives.<\/p>\n

This is a book to corrupt any semblance of workplace sanctity and protect your sanity as a result. The author has come up with some pretty genius phrases to describe the sheer stupidity of corporate-speak\u2014delightfully eviscerating modern workplace norms with terms that feel impossible not to adopt into your lexicon, whether you work in IT or not.<\/p>\n

This would be a hilarious gift to congratulate someone on their first job in software development or IT support. It\u2019s something they\u2019ll smile politely and thank you for upon receiving it, but cling to like a lifeline of real-talk advice and sanity in a sea of frantic requests after a few weeks on the job.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Body In Zellar\u2019s Barn <\/em>by Arian Harandi (Publishing March 2026)<\/p>\n

The Pharaoh\u2019s Catacombs<\/em> by Karen Bitzer (Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Crimson Wings: The Boy Who Flew<\/em> by B.T. Skylark (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>In Death\u2019s Company<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Natalie Johanson<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Fantasy \/ Urban Fantasy<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798348554217<\/p>\n\n

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A war against Death threatens mortal life and everything after in this epic urban fantasy.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

May Haines has lived her whole life on the precipice between life and death, never knowing whether today will be the day her faulty heart gives out or the day she is offered a new one. Now, after nearly dying for the umpteenth time, she has a brand-new heart and the chance to live her life without the shadow of death hanging over her.<\/p>\n

Actually, she\u00a0has<\/em>\u00a0met Death: an eternal, coffee-swilling being with a terrible temper and a worse problem that needs solving. For countless lifetimes, Death has ferried souls from the world to her realm.<\/p>\n

But now someone or something is trespassing on her territory. Death has never needed to rely on anyone else, but the dead are communicating with May, and she might be the only one who can find out what they are trying to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The complexity of the magic in\u00a0In Death\u2019s Company<\/em>\u00a0is fantastic. The world has layers of lore that feel like they have only been touched on in this first novel of an expected series.\u00a0There is so much to love in this book. The characters, plot, and worldbuilding all intertwine perfectly to create a wonderfully intricate, immensely bingeable story.\u00a0A phenomenal beginning to a promising new series.<\/p>\n\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blood on the Trailhead<\/em> by Charlotte Zang and Alex Knudsen (Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Before the Next Crisis<\/em> by Tista Ghosh (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Solving the Anxiety Equation<\/em> by Wendy Leeds (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Tokyo Juku<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Michael Pronko<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Mystery, Thriller & Suspense \/ Crime<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781942410393<\/p>\n

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<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Exams can be murder.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Michael Pronko\u2019s Tokyo Juku<\/em> is a richly detailed and atmospheric crime novel that dives deep into Tokyo\u2019s academic pressure cooker and examines the darker aspects of ambition. It is a murder mystery set in a cram school\u2014one of Japan\u2019s infamous juku\u2014but beneath the classic whodunit structure is a more profound story about stress, failure, and the pursuit of perfection in modern Japanese society.<\/p>\n

The story is about education, but it\u2019s also about human worth\u2014how people measure themselves and how society measures them. While Hiroshi manages to crack the case, there are no easy answers, only eventual understanding. Pronko captures the beauty and brittleness of modern life in Japan with a teacher\u2019s insight and a detective\u2019s precision.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Pusherman<\/em> by Lisa Boyle (Amazon<\/a> | Bookshop<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Lippincott Street<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Sharon A. Ewing<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Historical Fiction \/ Literary<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798891328068<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Atmosphere Press<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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A touching historical novel about the hardship and hope of Irish immigrants in the 1860s<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lippincott Street<\/em>\u00a0by Sharon A. Ewing opens with Cate Leary and her sister, Mary Alice, on board a ship sailing for America. After some hardship and illness on board separates the sisters, Cate is left on her own when she disembarks the ship in Philadelphia, seeking out her brother who was supposed to meet them at the dock.<\/p>\n

But her brother is nowhere to be found and Cate must deal with the large, foreign city on her own, running into thieves, dangerous streets, and desperate for employment so she can afford to board somewhere safe. Eventually, the siblings reunite, each of them struggling under the pressure of making a life for themselves in a city that isn\u2019t so accepting to Irish immigrants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lippincott Street<\/em>\u00a0is an emotionally resonant snapshot of the life of Irish immigrants in the 1860s, hardship and all. It\u2019s sad, yes, but also stunning with quietly beautiful prose and characters who inspire hope even in the face of the truly terrible.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Empire of Shadows<\/em> by Jacquelyn Benson (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>An Ocean Life<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>T. R. Cotwell<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Science Fiction \/ Marine<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798990583719<\/p>\n

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Balanced storytelling and evocative descriptions elevate a seemingly implausible premise to a convincing, palpably absorbing adventure.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Mark takes the family to Hawaii for a week of snorkeling and poolside relaxation. If on his own, Mark would spend the entire time scuba diving. He does pack his gear but promises to limit it to early morning trips to maximize family time.<\/p>\n

Two days in, Mark rises early to join a scuba tour group. He isn\u2019t enamored with its participants, particularly a younger man on a scooter with propellers. Once in the water, however, the tranquil sea life allows him to disregard the others. He shares his observations, enhanced by an almost encyclopedic level of knowledge about diving, the ocean, and its inhabitants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Only the great white doesn\u2019t swim onward.\u00a0It becomes his host.<\/p>\n

Seeing things through the shark\u2019s eyes, he learns to rely on the beast\u2019s instincts for hunting and other basic survival while asserting his human will and wit to steer it to discover what\u2019s going on, then what can be done about it. The detail in which all this is put forth earns the suspension of disbelief that makes his long passage through the Pacific Ocean, on a quest for answers and solutions, such an enjoyable read.<\/p>\n

Mark is a tour guide sharing an experience rather than merely imparting facts. The reader truly shares his wonder at seeing and experiencing things otherwise inaccessible to humans.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fablenoir \u2013 Book One<\/em> by Vic Sinclair (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Summer Solstice<\/em> by Kelly Williams (Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>We Never Took a Bad Picture<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Ashley N. Roth<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Literary Fiction<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781953932334<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>April Gloaming Publishing<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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A sublime soliloquy on love, marriage, and parenthood\u2026a literary tour de force that excavates the human heart with careful precision and sensitivity<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Infidelity, broken promises, and unspeakable tragedy\u2014a fifty-fifth anniversary party is the catalyst of one family\u2019s final reckoning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sifting through old family photos in 2018, Gloria Joyce plans a glittering anniversary party to celebrate her and Artie\u2019s fifty-five years of marriage, but under the surface of smiling faces and official poses, a deafening silence lingers. In\u00a0We Never Took a Bad Picture,\u00a0<\/em>Ashley Roth crafts a spellbinding and authentic story of imperfect love, frail faithfulness, and parental regrets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Great Meadows<\/em> by Christopher Walsh (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Everyone\u2019s Going<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>George Northrup<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Poetry<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798891326842<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Atmosphere Press<\/a><\/p>\n

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A collection of healing laments about loss and grief presented in dazzling verse<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Here is a poet who loves poetry. Northrup is concerned with the crafting of language, not only as a means to an end but also as a means to some kind of beginning. He writes about grief and mortality through a personal point of view, whether real or assumed as speaker, commenting on the experience of losing a father, a mother, and a partner. His poems are like alloys, with great lyricism mixed with memoiric narrative detail, not just seamlessly but inseparably. <\/p>\n

George Northrup expresses an eloquent sorrow and a singing grief, signifying the mighty lament of a broken heart that keeps on beating.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Young Rebecca: Writings of Rebecca West, 1911-17<\/em>, by Rebecca West (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>) <\/p>\n

The Devil Prefers Mozart <\/em>by Anthony Burgess, ed. Paul Phillips (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>) <\/p>\n

Window and Mirror<\/em> by Ted Virts (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Sometimes Orange is Almost Gold<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Jim Antonioni and Suzanne Reynolds<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Nonfiction \/ Baseball & Softball<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798218530501<\/p>\n\n

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Hilarious, warmhearted, bite-sized stories of a cult softball team from West Virginia<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since 1998, a Bad News Bears-inspired softball team has been tearing up the fields of Morgantown, West Virginia. They\u2019ve built a reputation around losing far more games than they win and having more fun than the winners\u2014or anybody else for that matter. Dressed in \u201ccounty orange\u201d and white uniforms\u2014as in \u201cWhen I appeared before the judge, I was in my county orange\u201d\u2014Chico\u2019s Bail Bonds have made a tradition out of playing chaotic, occasionally drunk softball, celebrating wins and losses alike at the 123 Pleasant Street bar.<\/p>\n

These records are mashups of familiar yet disparate genres. There\u2019s a dash of the tall tale, the frenzied sports announcer, and the romantic writer who can memorialize the most insignificant moments, lift up failure, laugh at it, and love it. Sometimes Orange Is Almost Gold <\/em>gathers hundreds of post-game write ups, stretching from 1998 to 2025, along with photos across the decades, stats, and pop out highlights of team members past and present.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Replays: Short Stories by a Jersey Guy<\/em> by Gary Hawthorn (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Only Son<\/em> by Kevin Moffett (Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>A Sense For Memory: Part Two<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>R.H. Stevens<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Science Fiction<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9780645922479<\/p>\n

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This can\u2019t-miss sequel puts the reader through a wormhole to a realm filled with intrigue, adventure, and action.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A Sense for Memory: Part Two<\/em>\u00a0doubles down on its engaging protagonists, introducing two rock stars of the joint. These soldiers think the story is about them, but Commander Qwatajawa, her loyal squad, and her friend, illusionist Xa-Kol, must put a stop to their audacious plan.<\/p>\n

The two novellas of\u00a0A Sense for Memory: Part One<\/em>\u00a0are woven together into a more complex story in Part Two<\/em>: more characters and more character development; bigger, more cinematic settings; and greater challenges as characters struggle to overcome problems. Experiencing these storylines coming together is to enjoy exciting space opera at its finest.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mention My Name in Hell: A Streak Wilson Story<\/em> by Daniel Boyd (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

You, Me, and Ulysses S. Grant<\/em> by Brad Neeley (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>If I Could Remember<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Donna Costa<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Nonfiction \/ Memoir<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781777448844<\/p>\n

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A daughter\u2019s grief, a mother\u2019s fading memory, and a chorus of teddy bears that refuse to let the silence win \u2013\u00a0If I Could Remember<\/em>\u00a0is as heartbreaking as it is unexpectedly tender.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is the kind of memoir that doesn\u2019t just open a window into one family\u2019s struggle with Alzheimer\u2019s\u2014it rips the curtains down, lets the cold air in, and forces you to sit in it. It is at once brutal and tender, blending memoir, fable, and medical fact into a tapestry that feels both unflinchingly real and strangely magical.<\/p>\n

If I Could Remember<\/em>\u00a0is ultimately about how we hold onto love when memory fails us. It is about daughters carrying their mothers, bears carrying their makers, and words carrying what can no longer be spoken. To read it is to be both gutted and comforted, to laugh through tears, and to feel deep in your bones the urgency of remembering while we still can.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfollow Me<\/em> by Kathryn Caraway (Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Price of Freedom<\/em> by Michael C. Bland (Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Deadpan<\/em> by Harold Eppley (Barnes & Noble<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>I Have Never Felt Alive<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Christian Gilman Witney<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Literary Fiction<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798891325166<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Atmosphere Press<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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A frantic slice-of-life drama about a young man struggling with a dying mother and the ramifications of living too much in the past<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ryan left his small hometown just after college, but news of his mother\u2019s failing health drags him back. She\u2019s been transferred to an assisted living facility with the clear indication that she doesn\u2019t have much time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Their strained relationship muddies his feelings, and instead of visiting her, he reconnects with his high school friends. Except that the once quiet town sags under the weight of abandoned businesses, contaminated land, and increasing violence. Ryan distracts himself from his dying mother\u2019s last days by diving too deep into drugs, alcohol, and sex.<\/p>\n

The writing is evocative with an engaging sense of cadence, often switching between short and long sentences to build an almost lyrical rhythm.\u00a0Ryan isn\u2019t that lyrical or poetic in his everyday speech, but his thoughts are deeper than he realizes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is an uncomfortable but captivating story filled with explosive action and erotic encounters\u2014a vivid character study overflowing with emotional revelations about the vagaries of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recovering Maurice<\/em> by Martin Zelder (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Alive and Beating<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Rebecca Wolf<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Literary Fiction<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781958762141<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Arbitrary Press<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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In which a terrorist attack becomes a salvific tragedy, transcending religious and cultural differences<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Inspired by a real-life tragedy in which a young Jewish American woman was killed in a terrorist attack and her family chose to donate her organs, saving multiple lives, Rebecca Wolf\u2019s debut novel,\u00a0Alive and Beating,\u00a0<\/em>movingly captures the struggle to stay sane and preserve dignity while dying slowly.<\/p>\n

Different lives, and indeed cultures, converge as time ticks away, and familial bonds strain under differing opinions on the right way to live, with some viewing organ donations from someone of a different religion as an abomination and others encouraging martyrdom. <\/p>\n

Wolf evens the serious tone with humor, using characters\u2019 eccentricities to lighten otherwise tense and somber atmospheres. I found\u00a0Alive and Beating<\/em>\u00a0both thought-provoking and stirring, as it raises many questions about ingrained beliefs and what really is right and wrong, especially when faced with life-and-death situations. <\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Slip<\/em> by L. Ryan Storms (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Richard Somma<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Nonfiction \/ Music<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798891327337<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Atmosphere Press<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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A window into the heart and mind of a beloved musical talent<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kris Kristofferson was a talented singer & prolific songwriter who released 18 solo albums in addition to nine collaboration albums (\u201cThe Highwaymen,\u201d Rita Coolidge, Barbra Streisand) during his life. In\u00a0Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs<\/em>, author Richard Somma dives deep into the world of Kris Kristofferson, examining his background, influences, and environment that lit his flame of creativity.<\/p>\n

Richard Somma possesses a golden ear for lyrical intent.\u00a0Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs<\/em>\u00a0is an insightful book fueled by the love of music. The interpretation of song lyrics has been done before, but Richard Somma\u2019s book stands out as a more personal effort. This faithful, well-rendered book is an excellent companion for those who are already in love with Kristofferson and those who are about to be.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Nameless Dead<\/em> by Leta Seraphim (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>No Big Deal<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Dean Brownrout<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Nonfiction \/ Music<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781771839099<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Guernica Editions<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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Tour vans, Xeroxed demos, and a front-row seat to a vanishing scene<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dean Brownrout\u2019s\u00a0No Big Deal: Chasing the Indie Music Dream in the Last Days of the Record Business<\/em>\u00a0spans two decades of music industry upheaval, from the rise of punk to the messy birth of digital distribution. Told with dry wit and sharp recall, it\u2019s a memoir that understands the music business is rarely fair but always fascinating.<\/p>\n

No Big Deal<\/em>\u00a0isn\u2019t just about the music\u2014it\u2019s about what lingers after the amps cool down: the flyers that faded, the credits that rolled on, the people who shaped it all from the wings. Brownrout isn\u2019t trying to sell a comeback story. He\u2019s offering something rarer: a clear-eyed tribute to the people, places, and instincts that shaped a generation.\u00a0No Big Deal<\/em>\u00a0doesn\u2019t shout to be remembered\u2014it endures because it remembers for us.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Caf<\/em>\u00e9<\/em> with No Name by Robert Seethaler (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Ten Thousand Things<\/em> by Debbi Flittner (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Formed in Silence: A Journey of Healing and Wholeness Through Attuning to God\u2019s Voice<\/em> by Matt Schmuker (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Boxcutters<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>John Chrostek<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Literary Fiction \/ Short Stories<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798990324046<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Malarkey Books<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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John Chrostek\u2019s stories hop the fence to the bizarre side while still rooting themselves deep within the heart in his debut story collection,\u00a0Boxcutters<\/em>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Each of the 13 stories in this collection is distinct. While \u201cFinding the Joy\u201d plays with present day realism, featuring an Amazon package thief, \u201cJesus Christ, Human Relations,\u201d (a title worth a laugh and a ponder in itself) bumps into the miraculous, the supernatural. And \u201cVice and Virtue\u201d is set in a freely fictionalized B.C. Greece and features mythical creatures alongside ageless themes of love, courage, and generally just figuring out who you are. Chrostek\u2019s characters are also varied: Artists, office workers, the aforementioned thief. All have deep lives, dense clouds of confusion to fight through.<\/p>\n

Read in rapid succession, the stories in\u00a0Boxcutters<\/em>\u00a0could cause mental whiplash. In a world of tightly-woven and linked story collections, Chrostek doesn\u2019t offer the reader an easy merge between times, places, or people, but overall themes emerge. Many characters feel trapped. Whether it be by societal norms or a literal glass cage, they are imprisoned in lives that aren\u2019t necessarily the lives they want to live. And just like with all trapped things, it\u2019s beautiful to see their full potential, their entire freedom, once they\u2019ve been set free.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Freelance<\/em> by Kevin M. Kearney (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Sofa<\/em> by Sam Munson (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>Bloodletting a Butterfly<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Alec B. Hood<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Poetry<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798891328266<\/p>\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Atmosphere Press<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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Visceral, devastating, and brilliantly gory<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Alec B. Hood\u2019s\u00a0Bloodletting a Butterfly<\/em>\u00a0places readers in the grief-hazy head of a speaker completely preoccupied with death and dying. We bear witness to the speaker\u2019s near-synesthetic empathy through poems intent on creating raw, physical images.<\/p>\n

Still-born infants, roadkill, ghosts, and brutalized birds populate the world of this collection, and Hood\u2019s skill as a poet is tangible in the way he hangs onto these images, breathing new life into them through brightly alliterative description.<\/p>\n

Bloodletting a Butterfly<\/em>\u00a0is a collection of beautifully ugly poetry, viscerally physical in nature, and violently emotional in practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

American Entropy<\/em> by Travis Hupp (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>I Contain Multitudes<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Christopher Hawkins<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Science Fiction & Fantasy<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781937346171<\/p>\n

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A throng of terror, loss, doubt, and reckoning with trauma swirls together in a collage of wondrous worlds.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Trina Bell is on the run. Strange human-like shadows chase her across towns and fields. But their nightmarish presence pales in strangeness compared to what happens to her with each new day. The world is changing. The rough outline might stay similar, but details change, and no one recalls her presence from the previous cycle.<\/p>\n

Jumping from small-town flyover-country America, to a Victorianesque metropolis, to a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and more,\u00a0I Contain Multitudes\u00a0<\/em>contains quite a few worlds. Certain motifs connect each of them into a cycle. The library, where Colin works. The asylum for dispossessed women. The ensemble of recurring characters, from the kind and helpful Edie, to the increasingly violent and erratic Dr. Sweets.<\/p>\n

Christopher Hawkins\u2019s seamless and simple prose immerses the reader in every successive world so thoroughly, I wished each episode within the novel was a book in its own right. The cast and the constant locations and motifs not only give cohesion to the multiverse storyline, but attachment to them are the bricks upon which the structure of heightening tensions and stakes solidly rests.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Abbreviate<\/em> by Sarah Fawn Montgomery (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong>The Widow of Hartforde<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>JF Baker<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Mystery, Thriller & Suspense \/ Historical<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798998991318<\/p>\n

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In this rip-roaring yarn of Colonial New England, a young couple finds themselves in the crosshairs of supernatural trouble.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rebecca Easton is struggling in her new life as a preacher\u2019s wife in a Connecticut colony in 1661. And the strange creature she sees at the edge of the woods isn\u2019t helping.<\/p>\n

With hopes of sparing the widow\u2019s life, Rebecca reveals to the court that she\u2019s seen the beast too, causing an uproar and drawing the suspicions of the judge. He orders her out into the woods with a search party: find the beast by sunrise or risk being the next woman accused of witchcraft. Suddenly, Rebecca is on a breakneck journey through darkness.<\/p>\n

Full of cinematic flair, this is a fast-paced read with twists and chills. New England\u2019s rich history of witch trials is put to great use here, and J.F. Baker leans into it with creativity and canny twists. The book is one to be devoured in as few sittings as possible.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bad Dreams<\/em> by Jenny Noa (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Payback<\/em><\/p>\n

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Author: <\/strong>Molly D. Shepard and Peter J. Dean<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Mystery, Thriller & Suspense<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9798891329492<\/p>\n

Publisher:<\/strong> Atmosphere Press<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A deeply human story about courage, solidarity, and what it takes to thrive in a world that isn\u2019t fair<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Samantha dares to dream of a meaningful career despite the absence of encouragement in her childhood. Her two friends, Inga and Josephine, confront their own personal and societal struggles and claim the lives they believe they deserve. Together, these three women navigate the storms of corporate life\u2014sexual assault, bullying, invisibility at work, sexism, and racism\u2014while wrestling with inner battles like overthinking, guilt, and impostor syndrome in Payback<\/em> by Molly D. Shepard and Peter J. Dean.<\/p>\n

Both a story and a mirror to global workplace inequality, this book equips women with practical ways to understand their terrain and rise above it with their dignity intact. It balances thrilling fiction with real-world wisdom\u2014delivering career strategy and survival insight through the lives of its characters.<\/p>\n

Payback<\/em> is a globally relevant story, one that any woman, regardless of geography or culture, will find herself reflected in. It\u2019s not just about women in corporate America; it\u2019s about every woman who has ever been told to shrink to survive.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Love Code<\/em> by Emmanuel Iren<\/p>\n

Epic and Lovely<\/em> by Mo Daviau (Bookshop<\/a> | Amazon<\/a>)<\/p>\n

What were the best books you read this year? Let us know in the comments! <\/strong><\/h3>\n

About the Company<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Independent Book Review<\/strong> is a celebration of indie press & self-published books.\u00a0Founded in 2018, IBR now has over 30 readers with their noses constantly buried in badass indie books. Meet the Team<\/a> | Get Your Book Reviewed<\/a> | Read Indie newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Thank you for reading The Best Books We Read in 2025! <\/strong>If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.<\/p>\n

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The post The Best Books We Read in 2025<\/a> appeared first on Independent Book Review<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Best Books We Read in 2025 by Joe Walters & the IBR Staff Millions of books were published in 2025. That\u2019s not an exaggeration. With the explosion of print-on-demand publishing, it\u2019s been about 4-million titles for both of the last two years. 2025\u2019s not over yet, but I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if it ended […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5022"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5022"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5022\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}