lou's library

The 2025 Wrap Up posts continue with one I have been excited to write for a good while now: my favourite books I have read this year! Just to clarify – these books haven’t necessarily been released this year, I just happened to read them in the past twelve months. Rereads don’t count, audiobooks do because listening to audiobooks is reading (blog post about that here). I won’t include the favourite books for every season I chose for the last blog post, because you already know about those and because this way, the list adds up to exactly ten books and that’s just very neat. So, buckle up and get ready for the crème de la crème of 2025 reading!

The Distance Between Us by Maggie O’Farrell

I’m making my way through Maggie O’Farrell’s back catalogue and let me tell you, it’s full of gems. The Distance Between Us of course became a new favourite, because Maggie O’Farrell’s writing is superb and this book is so full of yearning and longing, it played out like a beautifully devastating love story in my head as though I was watching a movie. You don’t need to know anything about the plot before going in, just know it’s unlike anything I’ve read before and the characters are, as always with this author, incredible.

The Outrun by Amy Liptrot

This book came highly recommended by a dear friend of mine and when I learned that it’s a) set on Orkney and b) has a movie adaptation starring Saoirse Ronan, I was instantly on board. The fact I was on a Sottish island myself while reading this definitely helped, but I would have loved The Outrun no matter where I had read it. It’s a memoir and deals with heavy topics, such as depression and alcoholism, so it’s not an easy read. But it’s written with such tenderness and beauty, it’s raw and real, will make you long for Scotland and nature and being outside, and if you’re living in a city, it will make you question everything and want to move to a remote island in an instant. It’s a story of survival and hope, and I’m so, so glad I got to read it.

Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins

A new favourite Hunger Games book wasn’t on my bingo card for 2025, but by all means keep them coming, Suzanne Collins! Sunrise On The Reaping had me hooked from the very first page, Haymitch has always been one of my favourite characters and while I knew it was going to be devastating, finally hearing his story was incredible. I CANNOT WAIT for the movie, but I’m also just very grateful that one of my favourite book series of my teenage years just keeps on giving long after I’ve become an adult. That’s such a blessing!!

Rural by Rebecca Smith

Rural had been on my TBR pile for ages and this year I finally picked it up. And boy am I glad that I did! It’s a non-fiction account of life in rural Britain, and how it has changed over the decades. I know that sounds niche, and it is, but it’s also fascinating and such a testament to the loyalty and commitment to keep these communities alive that can be found in pockets all over the country. Rebecca Smith interweaves the narrative with her own family history, and I found this to be an incredibly effective way of telling this story. Essentially, this is a book about classism and honestly, the older I get, the more I realise that at the end of the day, everything in Britain boils down to the question of which class you belong to. It boggles the mind, really.

Shakespeare by Judi Dench

Speaking of the British, two of my favourite Brits united to bring me one of my favourite books of the year! I am, of course, referring to Dame Judi Dench and Mr William Shakespeare. In Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent Judi Dench (an absolute icon, in case you’re unaware) talks about Shakespeare’s plays, the parts she has played in them over her long career, and why she loves them so very much. The knowledge the woman has on the subject is astounding and her understanding of the characters and themes is profound. She’s also absolutely hilarious and I genuinely learned so much about my favourite playwright and his work while reading this book. I would recommend this to anyone, not just fans of Judi Dench or Shakespeare. There is so much wisdom on humanity in these pages.

Don’t Let The Forest In by CG Drews

I was not prepared for Don’t Let The Forest In to hit me the way it did. I was not okay after reading it. It was a present from my best friend (hello i love you!!), so I had no idea what I was in for. And I’m kind of glad that was the case, because this way, this book caught me unawares and swept me right off my feet. This is a fantastic tale of friendship and desperation, it’s full of monsters and honestly gets quite dark at times. There are trigger warnings for just about anything you can imagine, so please do make sure you’re comfortable reading about these topics before picking up this book! As heavy as it was, it gave me one of the most memorable reading moments of the year and I have not stopped thinking about Thomas and Andrew since finishing this book in September.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

If I had to choose a single favourite book of 2025, Rebecca would take the crown. I knew about twenty pages in that this would become a new all-time favourite and I now obviously have to read everything Daphne du Maurier has ever written. I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK. Honestly, a big part of me just wants to reread it desperately, because I just know this is the sort of book that gets better every time you read it again. Don’t google anything before reading it, just dive right in and enjoy it!! There’s mystery in it, and no one is quite like they seem. The vibes are on point and the writing is perfect. Honestly, Rebecca is flawless and I am so jealous of past me who got to read it for the first time.

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

It’s not often a book this quiet leaves such an impression. The Safekeep is more about what isn’t said than what is expressed, and yet its writing is so beautiful. It’s about homophobia and the question of how much of our lives is dictated by the past. Its characters are deeply flawed, all of them, but so human and they’re all trying their best, in their own ways. There’s a plot twist I neither expected nor saw coming, and a house that is so alive it feels like it’s a character in its own right. The Safekeep made me want to read more Dutch literature, and also to book a holiday in a Dutch village instantly.

Für Polina by Takis Würger

Takis Würger is one of my favourite German authors, but it had been a while since I had read one of his books. So I felt a little nervous before reading Für Polina, as I wasn’t sure if I would still get his writing in the same way I did five years ago. I shouldn’t have worried. From the very first page, I was right there with the characters, and quickly became totally infatuated with them. Takis Würger’s prose is something to behold, he can tell stories unlike anyone else, and I always feel right at home in them. Für Polina is a simple tale about love and friendship, and passion and the past. It really is all about the beautiful way the author tells the story, and I absolutely cannot do it justice here. Just read it, and thank me later.

Babel by R. F. Kuang

Babel blew my mind. Actually, my mind continues to be blown by it. Never have I read a book that illustrates the power of language as flawlessly as this. R. F. Kuang will forever have my utmost admiration for writing a novel that requires so much research and for turning it into flawlessly addictive prose. Also, THE CHARACTERS!!! All of them a bunch of idiots determined to ruin their lives, but my god, did I root for them. Ramy has a special place in my heart, forever. He can live there rent-free. Also: someone let me study in Oxford already!!!!

There you have it, my ten favourite books I read in 2025!! Writing this blog post has made me realise that I had a pretty great reading year, which makes me feel very lucky! Do let me know if you’ve read any of these!! Happy reading <333