The first half of 2025 has been such a fantastic year of books for me! I feel like this list may as well drop the ‘so far’ tag because I can’t imagine any books that will be able to top the reading experiences I had with these books. This list only includes fiction books. Nonfiction needs its own list.
#5 – The Audrey Hepburn Estate by Brenda Janowitz
I’m going to be brutally honest… if this book hadn’t been Audrey Hepburn-centric, I don’t think I would have liked it nearly as much as I did. The plot was busy and predictable (largely due to how much it drew from the film Sabrina), the characters not super likable if you scrutinize them… but the cozy predictability made this the perfect vacation read. I brought this book on my trip to Orlando, FL, so it’s saying something when I was actively choosing to stay inside and read this book instead of going out and enjoying a Dole Whip.
As I mentioned, this book is inspired by the original film Sabrina, with an emphasis on Audrey Hepburn, who is the main character’s favorite actress. Although the book draws from the film’s plot, there’s also a mystery unique to the story.
#4 – Maria by Michelle Moran
Evidently, my reading has followed a bit of a trend this year. Maria is inspired by the life of Maria Von Trapp and The Sound of Music‘s debut on Broadway. The book goes back and forth from the days leading up to the first performance and Maria’s life, starting with her childhood and following through to the family’s journey to America.
The Sound of Music is one of my favorite musicals so I blindly purchased this book, knowing there would be something I would love about it. Of course, I did have some apprehension because these kinds of retellings, so to speak, can be hit or miss. When I started reading, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the ‘present day’ sections of the book, and I never quite latched on to the book’s original character and her storyline, but I struggled to put the book down whenever I was in the middle of Maria’s chapters. This was yet another instance where I was happy to lock myself in a hotel room to read instead of going out and exploring (in this case) the city.
#3 – The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
I’m not the target audience for this book, but I found it to be a story that anyone can enjoy. Given the age of the main character/narrator, it’s an easy read as an adult, but the emotions I think can be more understood as an adult, particular when it comes to Rodeo and how he’s dealing with a traumatic event.
I’ve had this book sitting on my bookshelf for over a year now, but I’m glad I waited to read it. Life was too hectic for me last year and I don’t think I would have fully appreciated it. Part of me wishes I’d saved this for a road trip given the story is one big road trip, but I also needed the quiet.
#2 – The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan
I put off this book for so long and I don’t know why. Beneath A Scarlet Sky is one of my all-time favorite books and this one is now right up there with it. Based on a true story, the book tells the story of a family fleeing Ukraine during World War II.
I loved how raw and spiritual this book could be at times. I loved how flawed the characters were and how they overcame those flaws even amid tragedy after tragedy. This book also gave me one of my new favorite book characters, Malia. (“But we kept eating the grass and anything we could find because we wanted to live. I ate worms and bugs and a dead bird because I wanted to live. Even with my head kicked in, I wanted to live so someday I could eat a bowl of good stew like tonight. What did you eat to survive the Holodomor, Mrs. Martel? What did you do to live through it?”) I need to not procrastinate Mark Sullivan’s All the Glimmering Stars.
#1 – My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Until reading this book recently, I was certain nothing was going to top The Last Green Valley for me, so I actually feel kind of bad about that, but my gosh. This book owned me throughout the month of June. I cannot remember the last time I was so absorbed in a book.
I loved the story. I loved the characters. I loved the setting. I loved the writing. Everything. At the time of writing this, I have yet to draft my review because I’m still processing my experience with it, so I feel like my thoughts aren’t coherent yet. (I will add the review once it’s posted.) It just captured the essence of youthful summers, the good and the bad, so incredibly.
Goodreads | My Review (coming soon)
What books have made your top five of the year so far? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Here are some of my other top reads of 2025 (so far)!*
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