2025 Reading List

A list of the books I completed reading in 2025.
(E) = co-read with Elise. (Ez) = read to Ezekiel.


The Full List


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My Top 5 Books of 2025

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This is the first time I have done a 'yearly' top 5 (although I did a ' Top 5 Top 5s ' previously, after my 5th book list), but it seems to fit with the year ending in a 5. Anyway, this is entirely subjective, and is an indication of where I currently sit in regards to these books. The list might even be different if I was asked on a different day. The following are not reviews of these books per se, but each one has been reviewed, and that review can be found by clicking on the title of the book in question. Also, these are ranked in the order that I read them, rather than specifically 1-5 or 5-1. That would take a while longer to sort out! The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. I will give this one the award for 'Best Audiobook of the Year' and 'Best Whodunnit of the Year'. I listened to this over the Summer holidays last year, and enjoyed it enough that I listened to the rest of the series in the same year. Twisty, humorous, a bit unpredictable (a...
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The Old Curiosity Shop - Charles Dickens

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Published by Penguin Classics: London, England, 2000. First published 1840-1841. I remember seeing an adaptation of this book at some point, fairly low budget I think, and from that adaptation only remembered the outcome of one particular storyline. Knowing that a particular plot would end in a particular outcome made reading the book an interesting experience, wondering how exactly events would lead to the outcome I remembered, and would have the same prevalent tragic emotion throughout as the adaptation seemed to have.  But reading Dickens is not at all like watching Dickens. So often a straight adaptation of the plot of a Dickens book leads to a movie that is somewhat bleak and depressing, whereas reading Dickens gives fuller scope to the satire and humour of his writing, even in the midst of tragic events. I really enjoyed this book. I am a big Dickens fan (I'm sure this is neither the first nor last time I've said that) but this one is now among my favourit...
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The Fellowship of The Ring - JRR Tolkien

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Published by Collins Modern Classics: Hammersmith, London: 2001. First published 1954. Sequel to The Hobbit . Followed by The Two Towers ; The Return of The King . The first part of possibly the most famous work of fantasy fiction in existence, The Fellowship of the Ring tells the story of Frodo Baggins, nephew of the famous Bilbo Baggins, and the beginning of his quest to destroy the One Ring. The story unfolds at a far slower pace than fans of the movie may be anticipating, but in doing so it highlights Tolkien's skills as a writer, and gives more depth to the world of Middle-earth than is possible even in a near-three hour film. Some of the differences in the novel include a detour through the Old Woods and encounter with the strange character of Tom Bombadil, an encounter with barrow-wights, and the inclusion of other hobbits who help the main protagonists on their journey. Saruman's role is increased in the film to make him a greater antagonist, and many other plo...
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