2025 Favorites (and good riddance I must say)

 

Don't get me wrong.  I'm grateful for a lot of things that happened for me, my loved one and my friends this year but there was an awful lot of crap as well (especially during the times I kept doomscrolling).  However, we all have our health after a scare from my mom this fall and the boys are doing wonderfully so I will hold on to my blessings.  

I managed to read about 125 books in 2025.  I wanted to share 13 of my favorites today.  These may not all have been 5 paws (stars), but they all made a memorable impact for one reason or another. 

Whistle is one of the best horror books I've read in a long time and very reminiscent of old Stephen King.  I also found the MC in Victorian Psycho so interesting and as for Suffer the Children, there is always room for vampires.

I read quite a bit of romance this year and used them for lighter reads during highly stressful times (see note about my mom and a medical condition).  I kind of consider 2025 my cowboy era (thanks Yellowstone) and I ended up adoring all four books in the Lyla Sage series.  The Meet-Poop was perfect, especially given the quirky title, and The Holiday Mixtape was a great combination of the holidays and music.

Look!  More horror.  Is anyone surprised?  I've seen Play Nice on quite a few favorites lists and I will never be able to resist a Sleepy Hollow reimagining/retelling.

Unnatural Selection is an adult book told from the dog's POV and Slayers of Old featured an elderly group of retired supernatural slayers.  I love books with older characters and you know I love dogs - duh!  Also, Karin Slaughter is always a win in my book and this is the first in a new series.

So there you have it.  Did you read any of these last year or are any of them sitting on your TBRs???

Be Careful What You Write

 

TITLE: Beth Is Dead

AUTHOR: Katie Bernet

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

PUBLISHING DATE: January 6, 2026

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer. 

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable. 

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs. 

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone. 

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

MY THOUGHTS:  I really didn't plan to read this on New Year's Day when the book opens on exactly that, but it worked out well and was a great way to pass the time along with snacking and watching football.  Plus, Little Women is one of my favorite classics which I've read three times at least so I'm always quick to give reimaginings a try.  

Beth March is found murdered New Year's Day near the family friend's home.  She and Meg had attended a popular party the night before, but it appears as if Beth never makes it home. Beth is found by her sisters Meg and Jo and what follows is a twisty suspect-filled who-done-it.  

Meg returns home from Harvard, and the local police start to investigate what might have happened.  The investigation is complicated because earlier in the year, Beth's father, a famous author, ended up writing a book about his daughters.  He didn't have their permission and pretty soon he has been canceled by the public and has fled to Canada in order to keep his family safe from the treats he has faced since publication.  The book was pretty biographical except for one thing, Mr. March killed Beth in the end.  His family struggles with this decision, especially since Beth is still alive when the book publishes.  Did Mr. March plant the idea that Beth should die or has someone committed the murder for different reasons?

I had a blast with this book.  It was fun reading about the March family in a modern setting and it allowed me the opportunity to fall in love with some favorite characters all over again. The murder mystery kept me going pretty much until the end and just when I thought I had it figured out, a new suspect emerged.  And while this book is marketed as YA, I will say it seemed to read a bit older so I think anyone of any age will enjoy it. Whether you're a fan of Little Women or just looking for a refreshing new debut thriller, then look no further and give Beth is Dead a chance. 

MY RATING: 5 PAWS