After completing this exercise, I can definitely say that my very last book of 2025, finished in Dec 31, was my favorite read of the year.

December - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

#12booksof2025

November - The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams #12booksof2025

I'll play along as well! #Storygraph

January's #Authoramonth T. Kingfisher wasn't for me, but I read one of their children's books under the name Ursula Venom & it was delightful!

⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

October - Under he Whispering Door by TJ Klune

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

September - One Day by David Nicholls

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

Welp, my first book of 2026 is a bail. 😂

Tried this one for #authoramonth, but this genre is just not for me. I do, however, have one of their graphic novels under the name Ursula Vernon, so we'll see how that goes!

@Soubhiville

August - Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

Surpassed my reading goal this year! Had a slump in 2024, so this was very satisfying. And Storygraph says that I tried 29 new authors this year, which is very exciting!

My goal for 2026 = 55 books!

I should mention that I'm not including re-reads in this list.

July - Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

Look at that average rating! Good month!

This is how I spent the bulk of my day yesterday, staying up until 2am to finish this. I can't stop thinking about it. Lived up to the hype - might be my favorite read of the year! Thanks to @ferskner for gifting it to me!

And, yes, that's our 27 pound chonk, Loki, who learned that he loves a weighted blanket.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

June - All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

May - Chemistry by Weike Wang

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

April - Happy Place by Emily Henry

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

March - Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

Thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy, but were there supposed to be more books? It wrapped up... but did it? And her acknowledgements mention more story to be told?

Satisfied, but I would have enjoyed one more book!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Escape from a cult memoir" is a niche that fascinates me. As a strong, independent, Christian woman who adores her husband & respects him as the head of our household, stories like this infuriate me - I hate that people think that this is what the Bible teaches. Brava to Ms. Levings for escaping a horrible situation & sharing her experience.

A soft pick. ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

February - Here by Richard McGuire
@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

January - How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

@TheEllieMo #12booksof2025

I'm still wrapping my head around this wonderful middle grade novel that I didn't realize was a middle grade novel. I love Dave Eggers, & this one was no exception, especially with Ethan Hawke narrating!

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stealing @britt_brooke 's photo collage. My favorite Christmas party of the year was last night - been meeting up at least twice a year with these amazing #NashvilleLittens since 2018!

The most books I've read & the first yearly challenge I've met since 2020, and there's still a month left in the year! I'm so happy! And I got confetti on the app! 😁

I enjoy everything that Beatriz Williams writes.

A lovely end to a lovely Thanksgiving! Hope you've had a good one with your loved ones. 🦃

⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was suggested to me as a spooky-but-not-too-spooky book, & it was indeed that. It was fine, Tuesday was a likeable character, but it didn't floor me. I did *really* enjoy the many details of the Boston setting, as both of my daughters attended colleges in/near Boston.

⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#NashvilleLittens do two annual secret swaps - Christmas & #SpookySwap. @Booksnchill spoiled me this year! She knows me well! And this didn't include all the fun little fillers!

I eat up cozy mysteries like candy, especially when the characters are as wonderful as these four. There's nothing earth-shattering here, but of course I'll read the entire series.

The movie was also the epitome of a 3⭐ film, but with those four actors, I sure hope they make more.

⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved convincing people that Brooke Shields was my cousin growing up, as my maiden name is Shields. ☺️ I love listening to memoirs read by the author. While I don't agree with everything she believes, I appreciated her honesty & transparency.

⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You can always tell when the semester starts - reading takes a dip! 😁 They were good, though!

Auto-read author for me!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm a sucker for epistolary novels & books with unusual formats. This book is both, as it follows a will-they/won't-they couple for 20 years, with each chapter occurring on the same day of the subsequent year. It was so intriguing, & there's a heck of a twist near the end.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Much better month!

1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 ⭐⭐⭐✨
1 ⭐⭐⭐
1 ⭐⭐✨

August was WAY better! 😁 @TheAromaofBooks #ISpy #ispybingo

Somehow I missed posting my July #ISpy! #ispybingo @TheAromaofBooks

When you read three books in a series about anthropomorphic animals, you get lots of clothes not on people! 😂

A coffee table book with lovely pictures & so much interesting information. Gift from my daughter who knows me well!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

There are a few twists in this one, none of which I can say without spoiling, obviously. The big one REALLY got me, & I wish that it had been the last one, because the last one was a step too far for me. But that one big twist was one of the best I've read. I'll still read her books. It was a crazy romp for sure!

⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

These continue to be worthless pieces of fluff that are just delightful!

⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is BRILLIANT. Deep cut joke from Alice in Wonderland - Alice never learns the answer to the riddle either. SO. CLEVER.

As a college professor, I'm not sure whether to laugh or be insulted! 😂

Read this one (that I never read in school!) because I'm music directing a musical version very soon. Not my favorite children's book, but I loved the wordplay & completely understand why it's a classic.

⭐⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A bit preachy at times, & the ending was unsatisfactory for me. I don't need things tied up with a pretty bow, but I didn't love where this one ended. I did like how the title was tied into the narrative (to say more would be spoiler-y).

⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Suggested on audio & the narrator was, indeed, excellent. Interesting twist on time travel, but mystery lovers will figure out many twists.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cult memoirs fascinate me. I didn't watch One Tree Hill, so I'm not familiar with this author, but this memoir was captivating; she's an excellent story teller. (I prefer audiobook format for memoirs.)

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

July wasn't MUCH better, but it was better!

I stole this photo collage from @britt_brooke - at yesterday's #NashvilleLittens meet up, we realized that, while our group has grown, the five of us who could make it yesterday (top) were the OG five from Jan 2018 (bottom)! We are the most eclectic group of women, and I learn & laugh so much every time I'm with them! Here's to 7.5 more years, & beyond! @LouLouLane @HeatherBookNerd @Booksnchill

Continuing this sweet, cute series. Worthless fluff, but fun.

⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

These are just so sweet. Cozy mysteries with anthropomorphic animals as the characters - I've enjoyed the first two & will definitely finish the series.

⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #14books14weeks @Liz_M

Everyone I know has loved this book, & it lived up to the hype. Beautifully crafted story with great twists.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #14books14weeks @Liz_M

Not a great month, @TheAromaofBooks, but July should be better! #ISpy #ispybingo

Slow reading month due to teaching an intense summer course. I anticipate July being much better!