December 2025. What are you reading?

[Anonymous]

Just finished A Marriage at Sea…well written and paced. It is as much about their marriage as about their sea journeys—an interesting meditation.

I got The Correspondent audiobook as a Libby “skip the line”…I was annoyed with the character initially, but she quickly grew on me. I’m not going to be able to finish within 7 days, but am excited to pick it back up!

[Anonymous]

I just finished “The Children” by Melissa Albert. I really liked it. It was kind of a dark adult fairytale and kind of about childhood trauma. The main character’s mother was a best-selling YA novelist who used her kids’ names, likeness, and personalities in her books. As an adult, the protagonist struggles with her mother’s legacy and her bizarre fame as one of the most famous book “characters in the world. There’s also a bit of of the occult in the background.

It was quite different than what I expected or normally read and I found it hard to put down at the end.

[Anonymous]

True Grit. It's very good, and I'm surprised it's not more widely-read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:True Grit. It's very good, and I'm surprised it's not more widely-read.

Its a very good book. Maybe shadowed by Lonesome dove.

[Anonymous]

I've just started Stone Yard Devotional about a woman who moves into an Abbey midlife. It's really interesting and going quickly so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've just started Stone Yard Devotional about a woman who moves into an Abbey midlife. It's really interesting and going quickly so far.

Finished this and thought it was ok. I love a slow, contemplative book but this just felt too haphazard in what was included - it felt like it could have used more editing despite being pretty short already. It would perhaps benefit from more deep thinking and analysis than I am up for at the moment - maybe it would be a good book club pick?

Moving on to Sea of Tranquility, Emily St. John Mandel (station eleven) a "story about humanity through time and space" (?). I've liked other of her books so we will see.

[Anonymous]

I just finished The Everlasting by Alix Harrow and wow, it's my favorite book of the year. It felt so epic in scope and scale. Really loved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just finished North Woods based on recommendations here and really liked it. It did take me a while to get into. The initial vignettes did not grip me, but glad I stuck it out and loved the ending.

I absolutely loved that book. I wish I could read it for the first time again.

SAME.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been reading Writers and Lovers (wanted to try it before Heart the Lover) and it took me about half of the book to get into it but now I'm pretty hooked and really enjoying it.

Reading this too! I forgot why I chose it. Probably because I'd heard of her newer book. I like it.

[Anonymous]

On the Calculation of Volume II finally became available at my library. Looking forward to reading it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished North Woods based on recommendations here and really liked it. It did take me a while to get into. The initial vignettes did not grip me, but glad I stuck it out and loved the ending.

I started North Woods a few days ago after hearing people rave about it on here and I am struggling a bit to understand the hype. It’s different, for sure, but it’s not really gripping me yet. I’m about 100 pages in, should I give up if I don’t love it yet?

I am taking a break to go back to the Wedding People (which I had put down because suicide is close to home for me) and I’m so glad I pushed past the beginning. I am really loving it now

[Anonymous]

I just started Frozen River by Ariel Lawhorn. So far I am really enjoying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

Listening on audio (Audible), and so far I really like it. The MC has an interesting “voice”, and the audio reader is good, too.

Fingers crossed it keeps my attention. I’ve been in a slump lately when it comes to finding books that grab me - lots of DNF last month.

I think this is a love it or hate it book. I hated it but know I was in the minority. I did not finish.

The only people I know who love it love it because they listened to it on audio book. Evidently it’s amazing in that format.

I am lukewarm on PHM. I listened to the audio, which was good, but hardly amazing. I don't understand the love. The main character was SO ANNOYING and I hated his internal monologue while doing his "back of the napkin math" 50 times in the book. OMG shut up and get on with it!

I thought it was way way too similar to The Martian (man alone in space, must solve problems with his clever science brain, dodges dying in 75 unbelievable ways) which I liked better, but probably only because I read it first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just started Frozen River by Ariel Lawhorn. So far I am really enjoying it.

I really liked Martha's character (based on a real woman). I also loved Call the Midwife, and this played in well to that. I really liked the story telling. The ending wasn't may favorite way to wrap up the story, but it was uniquely satisfying in other ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

Listening on audio (Audible), and so far I really like it. The MC has an interesting “voice”, and the audio reader is good, too.

Fingers crossed it keeps my attention. I’ve been in a slump lately when it comes to finding books that grab me - lots of DNF last month.

I think this is a love it or hate it book. I hated it but know I was in the minority. I did not finish.

The only people I know who love it love it because they listened to it on audio book. Evidently it’s amazing in that format.

I am lukewarm on PHM. I listened to the audio, which was good, but hardly amazing. I don't understand the love. The main character was SO ANNOYING and I hated his internal monologue while doing his "back of the napkin math" 50 times in the book. OMG shut up and get on with it!

I thought it was way way too similar to The Martian (man alone in space, must solve problems with his clever science brain, dodges dying in 75 unbelievable ways) which I liked better, but probably only because I read it first.

DS 16 loved the book (read it vs listened)