Ep. 199: Best Books of 2025 (So Far) wit...

In Ep. 199, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits), Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide), and Sarah are all back on the mic, ready to catch up on how their reading is shaping up for 2025 — so far!  They talk about the current publishing landscape, what books are topping bestseller lists to date, and their personal reading as it stands halfway through the year. They share reading stats and talk about expectations and hopes for the remainder of the year. Plus, their TOP 5 books and their biggest disappointments so far.

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

The Bookish Landscape [1:13]

Books Mentioned

• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (2025) [3:28] 
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (2023) [4:08]
• Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (2023) [4:11]
• The Women by Kristin Hannah (2024) [4:22]
• Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (2025) [4:53] 
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) [4:59] 
• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (2024) [5:02] 
• Dog Man: Big Jim Begins (Dog Man, #13) by Dav Pilkey (2024) [5:07]
• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (2022) [5:13]
• The Crash by Freida McFadden (2025) [5:17]
• Atomic Habits by James Clear (2018) [5:24]
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015) [5:41]
• Next to Heaven by James Frey (2025) [9:44] 
• James by Percival Everett (2024) [11:20]
• Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (2024) [11:22]
• Audition by Katie Kitamura (2025) [12:31] 
• The Names by Florence Knapp (2025) [13:51] 
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) [15:52] 
• The Wedding People by Alison Espach (2024) [17:03] 
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (2025) [17:22] 
• Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) [17:35] 
• Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor (2025) [18:35] 
• The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison (2025) [19:10]
• The Garden by Nick Newman (2025) [19:16]  
• The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (2025) [19:34] 
• Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (2025) [19:58] 
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (2025) [20:34]
• Tilt by Emma Pattee (2025) [20:38]  
• The Compound by Aisling Rawle (2025) [20:44] 
• Dream State by Eric Puchner (2025) [20:49] 
• Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson (2025) [21:06]
• Hot Wax by M. L. Rio (September 9, 2025) [21:18] 
• Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch (2025) [21:39] 

Personal Reading for 2025 (So Far) [22:49]

Books Mentioned

• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano (2020) [27:14] 
• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023) [27:16] 
• Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025) [31:07]

Top Five (So Far)  [31:27]

Susie

• Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:49]
• Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:03]
• The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:07]
• Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:11]
• The Names by Florence Knapp (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:12]

Catherine

• The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[33:45]
• This Is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:06]
• Heartwood by Amity Gaige (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:28]
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[53:59]
• Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:03]

Sarah

• Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:00]
• The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:31]
• The Slip by Lucas Schaefer (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:03]
• The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:26]
• The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[54:55]

Other Books Mentioned

• The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb (2025) [40:25]
• Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (2025) [40:40]
• Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (2024) [47:47]
• The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe (2020) [48:22]
• I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin (2023) [52:54]

Biggest Disappointments (So Far)  [57:46]

Susie

• The Strange Case by Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:09]
• The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[58:13]
• Fulfillment by Lee Cole (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:18]

Catherine

• The Favorites by Layne Fargo (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:51]
• Dream State by Eric Puchner (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:56]
• The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [59:08]
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [59:45]

Sarah

• Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:16]
• What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:28]
• Audition by Katy Kitamura (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:00:51]
• Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild (July 8, 2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[1:01:43]