My Top 10 Reads of 2025

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Happy New Year! It is the start of January, which means it is time to reflect on the top 10 books I read last year. Overall, I read 124 books (including 33 audiobooks) and some were absolute masterpieces!

So, here are the top 10 books I read in 2025.

10. In Memoriam by Alice Winn
Set during the First World War, the novel follows the love story of two young men, Gaunt and Elwood, who are uprooted from their sheltered public school life and thrust into the trenches of the Western Front where they are surrounded by tragedy and despair.
This is an extraordinary debut and an all round incredible novel. Harrowing, compelling and devastatingly beautiful. The ‘in memoriam’ notices were devastating - a stark reminder of how entire year groups were wiped out, boys turned into soldiers who never came home.

9. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A masterpiece of a novel that left me breathless. Exquisite writing with characters who crawled into my heart and pulled at my heartstrings. For anyone who has ever been fascinated by space, NASA, stars or the universe, for anyone who wants to sob their heart out, for anyone who needs a love story…this will be an unforgettable read. Taylor Jenkins Reids’ talent is astonishing.
”’Well, we are the stars,’ Joan said. ‘And the stars are us. Every atom in our bodies was once out there. Was once a part of them. To look at the night sky is to look at parts of who you once were, who you may one day be.’”

8. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Set in 1934 Texas, during the severe drought and dust storms that devastated the Great Plains, leaving millions out of work, starving and thirsty, and tearing families apart, is another absolutely breathtaking novel by Kristin Hannah. Following Elsa Martinelli and her family as they fight to survive and search for a better life in California, this is a phenomenal story of love, hardship, poverty, family and courage.
I adore Kristin Hannah’s writing and I learn so much about periods of history that I had no knowledge of. I don’t even realise how invested I am in the character’s lives or how emotionally connected I am to the novel until it’s too late! I know that at this point I will devour anything Kristin Hannah writes. I don’t think she is capable of writing anything less than 5 stars!
”A man’s got to fight our here to make a living, they’d say to each other. A man. It was always about the men. They seemed to think it meant nothing to cook and clean and bear children and tend gardens. But we women of the Great Plains worked from sunup to sundown, too, toiled on wheat farms until we were as dry and baked as the land we loved. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I swear I can still taste the dust…”

7. Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
When Camilla is informed by the police that there is a hostage situation developing in London and Luke, her husband, is involved, she’s worried for his safety. And then she finds out that Luke is the gunman.
This was a brilliant thriller. I loved reading it. The plot, the characters, the writing. I loved the way it was written and how the story unfolds. I loved the way it was wrapped up. I loved that it all felt realistic and gripping. My favourite book from Gillian McAllister so far and my favourite thriller of the year!

6. The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Set in 1961, in Isabel’s Dutch countryside home, fifteen years after WWII, the novel masterfully explores the lingering aftermath of the war, raising awareness of lesser known effects.
This is an extraordinary debut, well deserving of winning the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction. I don’t usually love a romance, but the connection between Isabel and Eva was electrifying and exhilarating, and Yael van der Wouden’s writing stunning. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

5. The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
Set in Yorkshire in the late 1970’s, 12-year-old Miv and her best friend Sharon are surrounded by the news of the brutal murders rippling shock and fear throughout their neighbourhood. Armed with curiosity and determination, they set to work to uncover the identity of the Yorkshire Ripper.
What a special book and an exceptional read from start to finish! I thought this was going to be a mystery but it is so much more than that. It’s a charming tale of friendship, love, grief, loss and the desire to hold on to the naivety and curiosity of childhood that made me both laugh and cry. Miv’s increasing awareness of the reality and complexity of the world is such a special journey to be part of. I can’t remember the last time I read a novel like this, where every character is SO special. Jennie Godfrey has poured her heart and soul into every single one of them to create incredibly vibrant, complex and emotionally resonant characters. This is an astonishing debut and I can’t wait for Jennie Godfrey’s new book ‘The Barbecue at No9’ this year!

4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
This is a story about a bank robbery and a hostage situation. Except it’s not. It’s a story about people, both utterly relatable and completely absurd at the same time.
This book is a true gem - quirky and heartwarming, packed with sharp wit and hilarious dialogue. This is a book that will make you laugh out loud and force you to reflect on life. I love Fredrik Backman’s writing style - his ability to find depth in even the most mundane of things is an extraordinary talent.

3. The Women by Kristin Hannah
In 1965, 20-year-old nursing student Frankie McGrath hears the words ‘women can be heroes too.’ She joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows her brother’s path. What follows is a story spanning years of Frankie’s life shining a light on the extraordinary role women played in the Vietnam War, despite the denial that they were even there; how they were treated when they returned home; and the PTSD and trauma they faced, whilst being told to ‘just forget’.
”The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn’t quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. - We were there.”
I am still raving about this, even many months later!

2. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
I was intrigued by what people say about ‘A Little Life’: that it is one of the best books they’ve ever read but that they wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Now I understand what they meant. It took about 80 pages for me to get into this, but once I did…I have no words. I can’t imagine ever recommending it to anyone.
This is an emotionally harrowing novel following decades of Jude’s life after a childhood filled with incomprehensible trauma and abuse. The more you read, the more devastating the book gets. Trigger warning for very graphic and difficult content. Do not read this if you are looking for a light-hearted, happy read. Or even if you’re looking for any optimism at all. The only thing that is beautiful in this is the depth of William and Jude’s friendship, and the love Harold, Julia, Andy etc have for Jude, but even then…I still haven’t recovered from reading this.

1. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
An unforgettable, beautifully crafted novel about two sisters in France during WWII. This is one of those books that is going to stay with me for a long time. It moved me so deeply; the final chapters had me in tears and gave me chills all through my body. I adore Kristin Hannah’s writing. She brought Vianne and Isabelle’s stories to life in such an extraordinarily emotive and vivid way. Once again, she brings to light the roles that women have played during wars and how their bravery and sacrifice has often gone unnoticed despite the lives saved becuase of their actions.
”Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over.”

I am really looking forward to some of the books I have waiting for me to read on my bookshelf this year! I have already finished an incredible 5-star read (I couldn’t have asked for a better first read of 2026!) which was ‘The Names’ by Florence Knapp.

What were your favourite reads of 2025? What are you looking forward to reading this year?

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Wishing you all the best for 2026!

All my love, Emily x

GIRL UNMASKED (The Sunday Times Bestseller) is available to order from Amazon and all major bookstores as a hardback, paperback, audiobook and ebook.
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