I don’t reread many books, but this is one I will — and that surprised me.

Broken Country is emotionally complex, the kind of story that unsettles you even as it moves you deeply. As I read, I wondered how Hall could possibly land the ending in a satisfying way…and somehow, she does.

This is a love story told through the lens of mystery, full of moral gray areas and emotional tension. To tell you more would be to tell you too much. With all this story has to unpack, it makes a perfect (and intense) book club pick.

Once again, Backman sears our hearts with his unique ability to capture the human experience with words on a page.

This book would have wrecked me under any circumstances, but paired with what was happening in my life at the time, it became something else entirely. Both painful and unexpectedly comforting, it was a balm to my soul.

My Friends is a reminder that authors don’t write books merely to entertain us, but to let us know we are not alone. When I needed it most, this book found me – and in the middle of a difficult night, I felt less alone.

Read the book…and hug your person.

This is one of those “hurt so good” books — you know, the ones that break us but we love them for it.

Quiet, reflective, emotionally resonant…this story lingers in all the soft, sad places, and that’s exactly why it works. An elderly man nearing the end of his life revisits his memories, his great joys, and his regrets. If you love character-driven novels that explore grief, love, and the passage of time, this one will stay with you.

Warning: Be careful listening to the audiobook while driving. I had to find a place to stop the car when I could no longer see through the tears. 😭

A novel about family, choices, and love that somehow endures through brokenness.

Sarah Damoff’s debut novel has put her at the top of my must-read list. She writes with honesty and empathy, showing what it looks like when two imperfect people try to love each other as best they can. Two young people in love, a secret pregnancy, a hidden addiction… a recipe for a strong love story, or the setting for shattered hearts — or both?

There’s no heavy-handed judgment here. Instead, Damoff explores how love and boundaries can live side by side, how compassion doesn’t have to mean enabling, and how generational trauma leaves its mark across decades. A quietly powerful story that left a lasting impression — and possibly my favorite read of the year — The Bright Years left me happily shattered (you’re a reader — you know exactly what I mean! 😉).

And again…I had to write the questions because this one is a must for book clubs!

This book completely surprised me—and quickly became one of my favorites of the year.

Set in a brand-new planned community in 1960s Northern Virginia, the story follows four women who form an impromptu book club and slowly realize they aren’t alone in feeling that something is missing. While themes of female empowerment and social change run throughout, this is not a man-bashing story. Instead, it’s about friendship, purpose, complicated marriages, and finding your footing during a time of enormous cultural change.

This is a phenomenal multi-generational book club pick with endless discussion potential.

the side of the story you haven’t heard before.

In this powerful re-telling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Everett reclaims the narrative, offering a new perspective and emotional depth. The writing is confident, revealing, and convicting. The audiobook experience is particularly excellent.

This is one of those books that reminds you what great literature can do – challenge, reframe, and illuminate – all at once.

Poignant, gripping, and impossible to put down, this is my favorite Liane Moriarty novel to date.

The premise hooks you immediately: when a passenger on an airplane suddenly walks the aisle, telling others when and how they will die, everyone dismisses her – until the first person dies. The mystery is well done, but it’s the emotional depth and moral questions in this book that keep you reading.

As Anne Lamott perfectly put it, this is “a riveting story so wild you don’t know how she’ll land it – and then she does, on a dime.” Moriarty perfectly balances suspense with humanity in her latest novel.

Her husband is gone, leaving only a short note behind. A note his wife reads…then quickly conceals.

Gillian McAllister excels at placing ordinary people in impossible situations, and this novel is a masterclass in that skill.

When a wife begins unraveling the truth behind her husband’s disappearance, the tension escalates quickly. As with McAllister’s past novels, this book is as much domestic suspense as emotional character study. It’s addictive, well-plotted, and asks how well we ever truly know the people closest to us and just how far we’ll go for those we love most.

Geniusly plotted and incredibly fun, this novel is a brilliant blend of historical fiction, real people and events, and mystery.

Featuring real-life female mystery writers, Queens of Crime celebrates women who shaped the genre while delivering a smart, engaging story of its own. Dismissed by the cadre of male mystery writers of their time, these women set out to prove their mettle by solving a real-life mystery — a young British woman brutally murdered in France, with no clues left behind.

As someone who only occasionally reaches for cozy mysteries, I was completely won over and promptly added several of these authors’ works to my reading list.

Hands down, my favorite festive read of 2025.

This story balances warmth and realism beautifully, with real pain, real problems, and real hope. The new year had barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, their mothers scheme to matchmake the two of them. Though it’s clear that neither is ready to date again, no one understands what they are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.

Witty dialogue, real-life heartbreak, and adorably precocious children make this a feel-good-but-far-from-saccharine book perfect for the holidays.

Little side note: If you’re a read-holiday-books-all-year reader, check out these sweet, cozy, low-to-no-spice festive reads.