As always, I’m saving my books of the year for the 31st, and you’ll get my book stats (my favourite post) on the 29th, but today as in previous years I’m sharing my blogging highlights, including all those reading weeks, months and challenges I took part in over the year and plenty else including Shiny New Books.
Where did 2025 go?
JANUARY: The year begins, as always, with some reading resolutions (which was basically to read more from my TBR). A year-end Watchlist followed. My big project for January this year was to launch Echoes of Eco II – re-reading Foucault’s Pendulum. It started well with posts taking us through the first three parts.– but I got distracted while reading the fourth and fifth parts and had to pause – guess what I didn’t restart – but I plan to carry on in the New Year (honest!). I did manage to join in Vintage SF Month and January in Japan / The Japanese Literature Challenge though.
- Books read: 7, blog tours: 4, 10/10 reads: 0, DNFs: 1
FEBRUARY was the 5th #ReadIndies month hosted by Kaggsy and Lizzy (who very sadly died of cancer last month – the blogosphere will miss her terribly), and 4 reviews qualified. I also hosted my second Paul Auster Reading Week, reading Baumgartner and The Book of Illusions for it.
- Books read: 8, blog tours: 1, 10/10 reads: 2, DNFs: 1
MARCH: Is marked by the longlist announcement of one of my favourite prizes – namely The Dylan Thomas Prize – I reviewed Mrs Jekyll by Emma Glass from the list. It’s also Reading Ireland month hosted by Cathy and I read After the Silence by Louise O’Neill.
- Books read: 6, blog tours: 3, 10/10 reads: 3, DNFs: 1.
APRIL had just one reading challenge in the 1952 Club hosted by Simon and Kaggsy – I read a Maigret – Maigret’s Revolver, and revisited a classic thriller, Campbell’s Kingdom by Hammond Innes for it.
- Books read: 8, blog tours: 4, 10/10 reads: 3.
MAY was quiet on challenges, however, it was when Emma and I announced we were taking over 20 Books of Summer 2025 from Cathy starting on June 1. I also went to a brilliant author event at Mostly Books to see Joe Dunthorne talk about his memoir of his great grandfather, Children of Radium, a wonderful book and a lovely man.
- Books read: 6.5, blog tours: 2, 10/10 reads: 0.
JUNE of course saw the start of #20BooksofSummer2025, hosted by Emma and I and in the first month we had 111 links! I managed 8 books. It also marked the return of ‘Reading the Meow’ hosted by Mallika of Literary Potpourri, and I read Invisible Kitties by Yu Yoyo!
- Books read: 11, blog tours: 3, 10/10 reads: 1
JULY: While #20BooksofSummer2025’s July linky got 67 posts, I read and reviewed another 7 titles including four out of the five 10/10 books I read that month: Mick Herron’s 8th Slow Horses novel, Alina Bronsky’s Barbara Isn’t Dying (yet), one of the best Maigret’s – Maigret’s Pickpocket (also ticking #ParisinJuly2025‘s box), Patrick Stewart’s memoir Making It So and The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry.
- Books read: 11, blog tours: 3, 10/10 reads: 5, DNF: 1
AUGUST is #WITMonth – Women in Translation, and I read 4 novels for it from 4 different countries: 3 here, and The Time of Cherries by Montserrat Roig, which also ticked the box for Stu‘s Spanish & Portuguese month. I finished my 20 Books of Summer in style by adding in an extra four titles from the TBR! The main 20 Books post had a further 116 links posted! One of my three 10/10 books read that month is in the running for my Book of the Year – but I shan’t say which.
- Books read: 13, blog tours: 0, 10/10 reads: 3.
SEPTEMBER is always a busy month for me – back at school – tired in the evenings, so less reading done, but I did catch up on my reviewing pile.
- Books read: 7, blog tours 2, 10/10reads: 1
OCTOBER While still busy at school, having the two week half term in October meant I got more reading done, including the 896 page King Sorrow by Joe Hill for RIPXX. Not having any unread titles published in 1925 to hand, I did an archive post on some I had read for the 1925 Club. Nonfiction November actually kicked off at the end of October, so I surveyed My Year in Nonfiction – NF read since the last year.
- Books read: 10, blog tours: 4, 10/10 reads: 1, DNFs: 1
NOVEMBER is a super-busy month with two big month-long themes: notably Nonfiction November – I concentrated on reading several recent memoirs including the splendid Kathy Burke’s one. Novellas in November, hosted by Rebecca and Cathy. I read 9 novellas / short nf and stole Simon’s idea of an A-Z of novellas. Additionally, there was German literature month, for which I squeezed in an Irmgard Keun novella. I’ll also give another shout out for my friend Nicki Thornton’s first adult mystery, after a good run of wonderful children’s ones.
- Books read: 12, blog tours: 1, 10/10 reads: 1
DECEMBER This year Laura launched Doorstoppers in December and I read the sublime In Ascension by Martin MacInnes for it, but also DNFing another chunkster.
- Books read (up to 26th): 8, blog tours: 1, 10/10 reads: 2, DNF: 1
Book Group
My full Book Group page is here with the list of what we’ve read this year. I reported on our book group’s year earlier this month, so won’t repeat here.
The DNFs & The Biggest Disappointments
This year, I seemed to be more willing to abandon books than ever before, DNFing 6! A record for me. Apart from the DNFs, there were four books that particularly disappointed: All Fours by Miranda July – it was good, but pressed all my grumpy old woman buttons; Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami – just left too many big ideas hanging; and Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin – I just didn’t get it! Plus Yoko Tawada’s slightly distasteful single, The Bridegroom was a Dog.
The Brilliant Discoveries
Shout-outs this year go to these authors that I’ve read and loved for the first time: Martin MacInnes, Catherine Chidgey Michael Pedersen, Daniela Krien.
That’s it for now. Back on the 27th with my Book Stats for the year.
