This year’s books … so far

I’m going to skip all the cliches about how I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year, and get straight to the #KHTreads recaps. So far in 2025, I’ve read 40 books. The majority have been romance or suspense, but historical and contemporary fiction have also been thrown in. In addition to the brief reviews, I included links to Amazon and noted where I bought or borrowed the book. I use Goodreads star ratings as I read them.

Romance 

1. “Prime Time Romance” by Kate Robb – I was a little unsure of the premise that these roommates made a wish and were transported to another reality. But! It works! The fictional TV town that becomes their reality has Dawson’s Creek written all over it. And the characters evolve and learn and grow in ways that root them in real reality. It’s a cute story, especially if you’re a Pacey Whitter fan! (Kindle)
2. “Mistakes We Never Made” by Hannah Brown – At first, I wasn’t sure about what seemed like a super predictable story, but once I was invested, I was all in and really enjoyed it. It’s like a love story within another love story and I definitely found myself rooting for happily ever after. (Kindle)
3. “One True Loves” by Taylor Jenkins Reid – I don’t know why I waited so long to read this one. I loved it, truly! You know from the very beginning of the novel Emma’s husband goes missing and is presumed dead. After years of no word except that logical presumption, Emma moves on – and literally moves her life from California back to her native Northeast, which she always wanted out of. Grief changes, remakes, and redirects a person. And that’s what Emma recognizes when she learns her dead husband really wasn’t dead. (Paperback)
4. “Beg, Borrow, or Steal” by Sarah Adams – I love a rom-com that seems predictable but tackles deep issues, like grief and secrets. This book does all of that well. Plus I loved the setting of two teachers who also write, living next door to each other. Who doesn’t want to go back to the fictional Rome, Kentucky, for this third story? There’s one more to come! (Library paperback)
5. “How to End a Love Story” by Yulin Kuang – I really enjoyed this novel. The writing is excellent. The book-to-screen setting was interesting. And the characters are uniquely bound together. I could have done without the spicy sex scenes because the emotional intimacy was much more important to this story. (Library paperback)
6. “Life Derailed” by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi – I was intrigued by the premise of this romance novel involving AI. My intrigue was satisfied, but the book was more than that. In the book, a magazine editor is stuck and then unexpectedly finds a path forward. She resurrects a book project that became “a quieter novel about grief and healing, acceptance and forgiveness, that explored the nuanced relationships that shape who we are. No heroes or villains. No monsters or dragons. No perfectly scripted happily ever afters. Just life. Painful, messy, complicated, wonderful, beautiful real life.” And, really, that’s what this novel is. Yes, it’s a romance, but it’s also about grief, technology that threatens to replace people, and authenticity even when scared. (Prime First Reads)
7. “Say You’ll Remember Me” by Abby Jimenez – I think this author’s books keep getting better. The meet cute at the vet’s office between the veterinarian himself and the girl whose cat doesn’t have a butthole is funny and strangely endearing. Their long-distance relationship offers humorous, heartbreaking, and heartwarming moments. These characters tackle themes like unexpectedly caring for parents, discovering more about our parents, broken relationships and how they shape us, and embracing what really matters even when change is scary. (Kindle)
8. “A Happier Life” by Kristy Woodson Harvey – This book has been on my list for a while because I love a novel set in South Carolina. I loved how this story was told through journals from two generations earlier, allowing the past and present plots to develop and overlap. We get to choose our family and how we connect to those around us – even when life isn’t perfect. “My life has been lovely, but there have been real rough patches. And that’s normal; that’s okay. Sometimes the valleys make us appreciate the peaks.” (Kindle)
9. “Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry – I wanted to love this book, but I didn’t. The first half (ish) was slow going for me, and there were too many storylines that didn’t co-exist well until the end when everything was tied in a perfect (too perfect?) bow. I love a happy ending, but this was like chaos, rabbit trails, lots of emotional paths, and then boom: all is solved. I haven’t loved an Emily Henry book as much as “Beach Read,” but maybe one day. (Library hardback)
10. “One Golden Summer” by Carly Fortune – This was a sweet, enjoyable rom-com with great dialogue, engaging characters, the perfect lake setting, and realistic family situations. It does follow up with Charlie, who was first introduced as a teenager in “Every Summer After,” but it’s okay if you aren’t familiar with that. The way the books are connected through a photograph is beautiful. (Library hardback)
11. “The Love Haters” by Katherine Center – She’s one of my favorite authors because her writing is beautiful. The love stories have a touch of cheesiness, yet through them she addresses real issues, like, in this newest book, body image and loving yourself in a healthy way. (Book of the Month)
12. “Back After This” by Linda Holmes – This book was sweet and funny, plus I loved the behind-the-scenes look into the podcast world. I read it all during a 10-hour car ride, so that’s how invested in the story I quickly became. In a social media world, it’s a good story about embracing your real life and not the one created for you. (Library hardback)

Suspense

1. “The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore – I liked this mystery set in a dual-timeline story at the summer camp. I didn’t love all the characters and thought some of the rabbit trails were silly. But it kept my interest and made me wonder. (Book of the Month)
2. “How Lucky” by Will Leitch – I would describe this as a slow-paced thriller, but a story that’s so intriguing I wanted to keep reading. The narrator witnesses something that proves to be very important and this is his story, in which he ironically is non-verbal and wheelchair-bound yet finds himself to be the lucky one. (Book of the Month) 
3. “Famous Last Words” by Gillian McAllister – This was one of those novels I couldn’t wait to pick back up. It’s a love story inside a thriller about a hostage situation that just doesn’t add up. Gillian McAllister has a way of writing books that are unlike others from the same genre. I also loved her “Wrong Place Wrong Time” and “Just Another Missing Person.” In “Famous Last Words,” I predicted one twisty detail, but I was still intrigued, invested, and entertained until the last page. (Book of the Month)
4. “No One Can Know” by Kate Alice Marshall – This is one of those thrillers where anyone could be guilty because everyone has secrets. But I liked the way the story was told and how it twisted from the past to the present. (Book of the Month)
5. “Think Twice” by Harlan Coben – It’s been a while since I’ve read a Myron Bolitar book, so I was glad to see this one at the library. Whenever I thought I knew where the story was going, something led me down another possible path. Myron and his friend Win are some of my favorite fictional characters, and this was a good case they found themselves trying to solve. (Library hardback)
6. “The Surrogate Mother” by Freida McFadden – I had started and stopped so many books that I needed a page-turner to get me going. This psychological thriller did just that. The story unfolded in what didn’t seem suspenseful, but knowing SOMETHING was going to happen kept me invested. (Kindle Unlimited) 
7. “The Return of Ellie Black” by Emiko Jean – I don’t usually read books about missing kids, but I did this time for some reason. And it was really good. It wasn’t graphic, thankfully. But the story was twisty and surprisingly throughout and I liked how the characters’ stories were intertwined. (Kindle Unlimited)
8. “The Secrets of Good People” by Boo Walker – I liked this “closed door mystery” set on a small island where everybody thinks they know everybody but they all still seem to have secrets when a new doctor moves in and quickly dies. I did love all the story lines, but I liked the overall whodunit story. (Kindle Unlimited) 
9. “Nobody’s Fool” by Harlan Coben – This was a thriller that kept my interest, wasn’t gruesome, and had lots of moving parts. There was a twist in Chapter 30 (of 32) that I didn’t like, but otherwise Harlan Coben remains one of my favorite authors in this genre. (Audible)
10. “The Girl in Town” (A Chesapeake Valley Mystery Book 1) by Elle Gray – I love a book series set in a small mountain town with mystery & romance. Plus, it was clean and I just happened upon it. I’m excited to read the second book. (Kindle Unlimited)
11. “The Lost Children” (A Chesapeake Valley Mystery Book 2) by Elle Gray – I didn’t love it as much as the first, but I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended. I thought the romance storyline fell a little flat, but the mystery element was good. These are best read in order. (Kindle Unlimited)

Historical Fiction

1. “Come Fly With Me” by Camille Di Maio – I loved this book about how Pan Am was the catalyst for two women finding freedom, friendship, and family. Written about the jet-set era in the early 1960s, this was an intriguing historical fiction novel about something I didn’t know much about. (Kindle Unlimited/Audible)
2. “Once You Were Mine” by Elizabeth Langston – As an adoptive mom, so many of the feelings resonated with me. The story had dual timelines that worked well to let the reader discover the details of how this family hurt and healed throughout the years. The technology company that hired single moms trying to support their families was a good contrast to the home for unwed mothers in the 1960s and showed how much progress was made throughout Molly’s life. (Audible)

Contemporary Fiction

1. “Bluebird Day” by Megan Tady – This wintry novel had potential, but it fell short for me. It was fine overall. Some good parts tackled real relationship tension between a mom and a daughter, but something was missing. I kept reading and liked the daughter’s growth and how she related to others, but I needed something more. (Kindle)
2. “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach – I finished this book and was unsure what I thought, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. The ending was one of those that could have gone several different directions but ended in what seemed truly best for the main character – the same one who is contemplating suicide earlier. Yes, major trigger warning there! But also the characters are quirky and fall into a bit of a soap opera centered at a wedding. Still, the writing is excellent. I like how the present timeline is one week, well, actually six days, but how stories from the past are told throughout. I ended up giving this one four stars. (Library hardback)
3. “A Very Typical Family” by Sierra Godfrey – Someone asked what kind of book I was reading and I didn’t have a very good answer about this one, but take some family drama, hold on to a complicated past, long for those connections anyway, throw in some romance, and uncover what happened in the past and how people change anyway. This was well-written and had a character I was rooting for throughout. (Libby borrow on Kindle)
4. “Summers at the Saint” by Mary Kay Andrews – I liked this book fine, but there were lots of meandering storylines – sprinkled with romance, drama between the Saints and Aints, who-dun-it possibilities, and secrets. (Kindle Unlimited)

Memoirs

1. “Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say” by Kelly Corrigan – I really loved this book and felt like she was verbalizing some of the very same lessons I’ve been learning. I loved it on Audible, although I wish I could have jotted down quotes while I was listening and driving. (Audible)
2. “High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict’s Double Life” by Tiffany Jenkins – I randomly picked up this book at a used bookstore a long time ago and decided to read it one snowy weekend. It was a quick read. “High Achiever” was intriguing with its honest account of an addict living a double life. She was married to a deputy, shot up in the police station, and kept her addiction a secret … until she was caught. I just wanted more about recovery, although I appreciated how she told her story to the rehab counselor and the reader simultaneously. (Paperback)
3. “The Middle Place” by Kelly Corrigan – This is the second memoir book I’ve listened to from this author, and she’s a great storyteller. These stories mostly focus on her breast cancer journey, but they also include pieces of stories about marriage, mothering, family of origin, and the middle places we all find ourselves waiting. She curses more than I wish she would and doesn’t have the same faith foundation, but I love listening to her share about life in ways with which I certainly resonate. (Libby audiobook)
4. “You Deserve Good Gelato” by Kacie Rose – This author is a content creator who inspires people with the real-life tales of traveling and living in a culture different from her own. I loved her stories and the premise of the book. There was good advice and lessons, but overall the whole thing was just repetitive. Plus listening on audio, Rose seems sweet and like the girl next door, so when she threw in the F word multiple times, I was just annoyed. (Libby audiobook)
5. “Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature” by Zibby Owens – I really loved this memoir. There were some sad, hard stories, but I loved how she weaved book titles and references throughout her story. I also appreciated her love of writing and supporting writers. I’m glad she had a chance to write her own story too. (Paperback)
6. “The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America” by Monica Potts – This non-fiction book was part memoir and part analysis of rural America. I loved the childhood friendship being the basis of the book, although the cycle of grief intertwined was heartbreaking. I appreciated the research and data included naturally within the story. I live in rural America, not Clinton, Arkansas, but even so this book brought to mind the importance of education, healthcare of all kinds especially for mental health, and a stable family and community. I was encouraged by the access my kids have to these things, but I am also sad that this reality still exists for others today. (Libby audiobook)
7. “Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma” by Melanie Shankle – I love Melanie’s non-fiction books that are both memoirs and encouragement from someone who sounds like a friend. This book seems to be the one to which all her others were leading. It’s really so good – heartbreaking and vulnerable but also funny and wise. (Audible)
8. “A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard – This book is really hard to hear, but is also truly a miracle. After 18 years in captivity in a couple’s backyard, Jaycee Dugard regained freedom. I can’t fathom all she went through being mentally, sexually, and physically abused as I could barely handle listening to her tell about it. She gave birth to two girls fathered by her rapist, was forced to pretend to be their sister, and remained trapped beneath so many lies. Yet, she was found & found freedom again with her daughters. What a story! (Audible)
9. “Lasting Ever: Faith, Music, Family, and Being Found by True Love” by Rebecca St. James & Cubbie Fink – I really loved the marriage tag-team telling of their story. Separately, God prepared and protected them for each other. Together, they’re a team bringing God glory with their family story. The stories were a tad repetitive, but overall this is a wonderful audiobook that will encourage many. (Audible)
10. “I Thought It Would Be Better Than This: Rise From Disappointment, Regain Control, and Rebuild a Life You Love” by Jessica Turner – I started journaling about some things in my own life as I read this book. The beginning of this book was especially good. I felt like some of the advice, especially about grief, was a little too drawn out, but I liked the combo style of part memoir and part self-help. While the author does share a little about her spiritual life, I can’t imagine navigating deep disappointments without Jesus, therefore I wanted more about that foundation of life. I appreciated the book’s vulnerability and practicality. (Kindle)

Bible Studies

1. “The Purpose of Prayer: A Collection on Prayer, Volume One” – This Precept topical study was so wonderful. I loved studying different scriptures about prayer and coming to a new surrender of prayer being the foundation of a relationship with our Creator. He invites us to draw near to Him and promises He will draw near to us. 

*****

Where to get books

Audible – Like Kindle Unlimited, I don’t always pay for this subscription, but I do buy credits sometimes when they’re on sale. I also discovered this year that some Kindle Unlimited books are also free on Audible, so that’s a great perk!

Book of the Month – Another paid subscription, but you can skip a month and save your credits if you don’t love any of the choices. Sometimes, there are other perks for extra books, too. 

First Reads – This is an Amazon Prime perk, so if you’re paying for Prime already, you get a free Kindle book each month. The choices are usually good, including new releases, early releases, and popular authors. 

Kindle – Sometimes, I find good deals on Kindle books for just a few dollars each. I know, a Kindle isn’t like holding a book, but it sure is convenient for toting around your whole library, especially while you’re traveling or sitting by the pool. 

Kindle Unlimited – This is a subscription service. I pause it sometimes to take a break from paying for it, but the books available with the subscription have been great recently. 

Library! – Marshall County Public Library is my favorite around here, especially the Hardin branch. Through the library, I check out books and borrow ebooks and audiobooks via the Libby app.

*****

Here are #KHTreads from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017. I share reviews on Goodreads throughout the year and about every other week in my #PorchStories emails.