Litsy

Happy Land | Dolen Perkins-Valdez

2025: not a great year, but a great reading year for me. Happy to have experienced much bookish joy with all of you! ❤️ #Top25of25

Chelsea.Poole Nice choices! I really meant to get to Paper Girl and What Kind of Paradise but it didn‘t happen. Hopefully I‘ll get to them early this year! 1w

Christine @Chelsea.Poole Yes, I hope you do! I flew through both. 1w

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Centique

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

I tried to do a #Top25of25 but only managed a Top Twenty. I havent read as much as other years! Thanks to all the Littens who recommended so many of these books to me - I get to read such great books thanks to you!
The top two lines are my top ten in no particular order, but I think The Safekeep is probably my book of the year. And props to Arkady Martine, Ive loved her sci fi So Much, shes here twice 🙌

TrishB Off to have a look at those I don‘t know! 1w

squirrelbrain So many great books here, that were either on my list this year, or have been in the past! 1w

Centique @squirrelbrain thats because you are one of my major influencers!! 😍 1w

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BarbaraBB What a fabulous collection of books! 1w

AlaMich I discovered Claudia Piñeiro this year with All Yours. Really good! 1w

LeeRHarry Some great books there, but Between a Wolf and Dog and The Light Years! 💕 1w

sarahbarnes Some great books here! I‘m hoping to read Between and Wolf and a Dog soon! 1w

CarolynM What a great list! I‘m so happy to see The Professor of Poetry on it! Screenshotted so I can follow up on some of these. Hope the trip is still filling you with joy. @sarahbarnes Between a Wolf and a Dog is wonderful. Enjoy! (edited) 1w

Centique @CarolynM thank you! Just left Paris yesterday and loved it 😍 The only one on there that you might not like is Awake in the Floating City. I think the ideas in it have stayed with me - haunting, but it wasnt all that well formed as a reading experience. 1w

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kspenmoll

Things in Nature Merely Grow | Yiyun Li

#top25of25

These books are in no particular order- This was fun to reflect back on such good reads!

Suet624 So many good books in this post! It's bringing back all sorts of memories. 2w

merelybookish Looks like you read some great stuff! Added a few to my TBR! 2w

Amiable I loved “North Woods” so much 🥰 2w

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BarbaraBB Love your choices! 2w

squirrelbrain Great choices! I need to read North Woods this year, plus I *think* I have Kate and Frida on audio. 2w

staci.reads Some great ones! 2w

TrishB Great choices 👍🏻 2w

kspenmoll @squirrelbrain It‘s such a treat- Do listen to

Kate & Frida: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Books

kspenmoll @Suet624 That can only be good right? 1w

kspenmoll @merelybookish 😄 #blameitonlitsy 1w

kspenmoll @Amiable He has a new book coming out this year

Country People: A Novel

kspenmoll @BarbaraBB 😄 1w

Amiable @kspenmoll I just got this one of his from the library

The Winter Soldier

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CarolynM

The Axeman's Carnival | Catherine Chidgey

Here‘s my best 25 book of 2025. The Axeman‘s Carnival is number 1, the 6 to the right of it the next tier, in no particular order, and the best of the rest below, again in no particular order. #Top25of25

HeatherBookNerd Woodworking made my best of list this year too. What a great debut. 2w

BarbaraBB Screenshot taken! I loved most of your 7 favorites too. Two I haven‘t read but I have the Coe on my shelves thanks to you. And I obviously need to read Geraldine too. 2w

squirrelbrain We have such similar taste- love your list! ❤️ 2w

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TrishB Screenshot! Off to go have a look properly! 2w

TrishB Have added a couple to my lists! Frustratingly Better Days and Geraldine only available on eBay from Australia. Kept them on my list to see if they become more available. 2w

Suet624 Chidgey is a must read for me. Love seeing your list. 2w

Rissreadswithcats I haven‘t read a Chidgey yet. I better do something about it in 2026. 2w

staci.reads Lots of books on this list that are new to me. Thanks for sharing your list! 2w

LeahBergen Darling would make my “best of” list, too (if I actually got around to compiling one 😆). 2w

Christine Great list! Woodworking figured prominently on mine too, and I‘ve been wondering about Fundamentally. 1w

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staci.reads

The Great Believers | Rebecca Makkai

I'm calling it. I'll finish one more book before tomorrow night, but it won't be a contender, so these are my best 25 books of the year. I'm happy with the variety of genres represented this year. It was a year of great books! #Top25of25

HeatherBookNerd Oooh, several favorites of mine on your list. So many great books! 2w

BarbaraBB Love your list! We do share several favorites indeed. Screenshot taken! 2w

TrishB Screenshot 👍🏻 great choices. 2w

Christine Great list! I‘m hoping to get to O Sinners soon. 1w

66 likes4 comments

TrishB

Top of the Class (Nearly) | L. Pichon

#top25of25
This is always so hard…..my favourites this year for lots of different reasons.

squirrelbrain I think we have 7 the same, and a few more that almost made my list. 2w

TrishB @squirrelbrain considering the amount of books we both read- that‘s about 1/3 of the best! They must be brilliant. You probably recommended them to me 😁 2w

squirrelbrain I can certainly see a few that I recommended - or forced into your hands in a bookshop! 😜 2w

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staci.reads Lots of good additions to my tbr! Thanks for posting! 2w

CarolynM Ordinary Saints made my best of list too. And I can definitely thank you for that recommendation 😊 Screenshotted, obviously. (edited) 2w

Reggie Omg I‘ve only read one of what you posted Lolol I have screenshot for the future. And I‘m sure I‘ve stacked from your posts. Thanks! 2w

BarbaraBB Such a great list! We share some favorites and I already have some of these on my my to read shelves thanks to your reviews: cloudless, ordinary saints and the imagined life. I will get a copy of The Artist and A Room Above a Shop too - since you and Helen have them both listed! 2w

Rissreadswithcats I have not read any of these! I do have 2 on my physical TBR though. Happy 2026! 2w

70 likes8 comments

BarbaraBB

Playground | Richard Powers

#Top25Of25 Part 4 of 4

These last days of the year I have been sharing my 25 favorite books of the year.

Today I share my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ books, reads that I suppose will be all-time favorites.

Scroll down on my feed to see the rest of my #Top25Of25.

staci.reads 3 of those were 5 star reads for me as well! 2w

JenP Playground was also a 5 star read for me and I just bought The Correspondent. Wild dark shore was a 4 star for me. I look forward to checking out your fourth pick. 2w

BarbaraBB @staci.reads If you haven‘t read the fourth you‘ll probably like that one too 💕 2w

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BarbaraBB @JenP You‘ll love The Correspondent! And if you pick up Slanting, let me know what you think! 2w

JenP @BarbaraBB I‘m sure I will. I‘ve added it to my tbr for 2026 since I usually like the same books you do. 2w

staci.reads @BarbaraBB already added Slanting Toward the Sea to my tbr! 2w

Crazeedi I have a hold for The Correspondent 2w

AnneCecilie It‘s comforting to see that you don‘t have that many 5 stars books either. I don‘t give start rating, but feel that during a year I read 4-5 exceptionally good books that would equal that rating. Sometimes I feel that everyone is giving every book a 5 star 2w

Lesliereadsalot Such good books! 💕 2w

BarbaraBB @JenP @staci.reads I hope you‘ll love Slantinf as much as I did! 2w

BarbaraBB @Crazeedi Can‘t wait for your review! We‘ll be discussing it in January during #WinterCampLitsy! 2w

BarbaraBB @AnneCecilie I know! I always have just a few, books that really blow me away, make me think and often make me cry too. I think! 2w

BarbaraBB @Lesliereadsalot Many of my favorites were recommended by you! 2w

TrishB I have read 3/4 and agree totally 👍🏻 I have Playground- not got to yet. 2w

BarbaraBB @TrishB In the end we always love the same books. And I am almost sure you‘ll love Playground too. 2w

Cathythoughts I must read Correspondent ✨✨✨ 2w

Suet624 Hmmmm, I‘ll have to find Slanting Toward the Sea. I must‘ve missed your review of the book. Agree 💯 with the other three. (edited) 2w

BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts You really must 😘 2w

BarbaraBB @Suet624 It‘s no heavy Literature, but I loved it! 2w

squirrelbrain As always, we are of the same mind, although I didn‘t love Playground as much as you. 2w

BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I was wondering indeed what you think of Playground. I knew we both loved the three others. Can‘t wait for your #Top25of25! 2w

Billypar The Correspondent buzz has really reached a fever pitch - I'm going to have to try it and cure my FOMO next year. And Powers - I read 4 of his 6 novels from 1995-2009. But haven't tried his post-Overstory work yet! I'm so curious how it compares. 2w

BarbaraBB @Billypar I am surprised by all the Correspondent love to be honest. It wasn‘t really hyped when I read it. And I loved Overstory too but to me this was yet another league 😀 2w

youneverarrived I love seeing your favourites of the year! I have Slanting on my shelves so will definitely be reading it soon. 2w

sarahbarnes Wow, okay! I need to get to Playground and Slanting! Glad we are reading Correspondent at camp. 2w

BarbaraBB @youneverarrived I hope you‘ll love it as much as I did! 2w

BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes 💕💕 2w

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BarbaraBB

Deep Cuts | Holly Brickley

#Top25Of25 Part 3 of 4

These last days of the year I am@sharing my 25 favorite books of the year.

Today I share the 4 books I rated with 4.75 ⭐️

Yesterday and the day before I showed my 4.5⭐️ and 4.25⭐️ rated books.
Tomorrow I‘ll share the four 5⭐️ books I read in 2025.

Suet624 Jeez, I forgot all about Intermezzo. What a great story. 2w

TrishB Only 4 5 star reads- can‘t wait to see what they are! 2w

BarbaraBB @TrishB I always have few. Don‘t know why! 2w

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ChaoticMissAdventures I LOVED the Lilly King! Cried so much 😂 2w

LeahBergen I‘m loving this countdown! 2w

CarolynM I have 3 of these and haven‘t read any of them. I‘ll have to change that next year🙂 (edited) 2w

BarbaraBB @CarolynM Lucky you! 2w

kspenmoll This is a wonderful count down! 2w

sarahbarnes Can‘t wait for the new King. And I loved Intermezzo too. 💙 2w

68 likes9 comments

BarbaraBB

Fault Lines | Emily Itami

#Top25Of25 Part 2 of 4

These last days of the year I‘ll be sharing my 25 favorite books of the year, arranged by the stars I gave them.

Today I share the 7 books I rated with 4.5 ⭐️

Yesterday I showed my 4.25⭐️ rated books.
Tomorrow i‘ll share four 4.75⭐️ books followed by four 5⭐️ reads.

TheKidUpstairs Loved Fault Lines. Axeman's Carnival and Woman on the Verge are both on my #AuldLangSpine list from @CBee so I'll be reading them in the New Year - glad to see they've got your stamp of approval as well! 2w

squirrelbrain Axeman is on my list too! 2w

BarbaraBB @TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain Axeman is so good. I have another book by her on my list too this year:

Remote Sympathy

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BarbaraBB @TheKidUpstairs I saw @CBee ‘s choices for you and remember thinking you‘re a good match! 2w

CBee @BarbaraBB 😘😘😘 2w

CBee @TheKidUpstairs have you read any of the Elements books by Boyne? I‘ve read all but the last one and they were all on my #ALSpine list for last year. Just another rec or two if you haven‘t read those already 😉 2w

sarahbarnes A few here that are on my TBR! 2w

BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Have you read Fault Lines? I think you‘d love that one. Just like I did 👯 2w

AmyG Ooooo thank you. I tend to enjoy the books you like. 2w

Lesliereadsalot How did I miss Fault Lines??? 2w

sarahbarnes It‘s on my TBR!! I need to move it up the list it sounds like! 😊 2w

BarbaraBB @AmyG Yes we do! Will you be sharing your favorites too? 2w

BarbaraBB @Lesliereadsalot It‘s kind of a must read for you 😘😉 2w

BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes You do 😘 2w

AmyG I am doing the 12 of 25….my favorites of the year one day at a time. 2w

BarbaraBB @AmyG I‘ve seen the challenge. Will certainly check out your choices! 2w

Suet624 Of course I‘ll be taking screenshots of all of your posts. 2w

BarbaraBB @Suet624 💕💕 2w

Deblovestoread I have good reading ahead of me apparently. Received Fault Lines and Axeman as Christmas gifts and have the Boyne, Everett and Lamb on my shelf. Loving your list! 2w

BarbaraBB @Deblovestoread Wow! They‘re all so good! Lucky you! 2w

CarolynM Axeman‘s Carnival is my book of the year🙂 2w

BarbaraBB @CarolynM I get that. I love how different all her books are. I am looking forward to

The Book of Guilt

Lesliereadsalot Picking up Fault Lines today! 2w

kspenmoll I want to read

The Elements: A Novel

BarbaraBB @kspenmoll If you have the chance, do read it. It‘s so good! 2w

BarbaraBB @Lesliereadsalot Can‘t wait for your verdict! 2w

Christine Your list is fantastic, as always! Really happy to see Woman on the Verge on it because I‘ve been meaning to try! 1w

BarbaraBB @Christine Thank you so much! Woman on the Verge is great, but to me all of Kim Hooper‘s books are! 1w

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