Episode 164 - Our Favorite Books of 2025

from Well-Read · host Ann Cox and Halle Carlson

The year is almost over, and it’s time to reveal our favorite books of 2025! Happy Holidays from your friends at Well-Read! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz Jane Austen books Agatha Christie books The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim What You’re Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone Ready or Not by Cara Bastone Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia Deep End by Ali Hazelwood Rose in Chains by Julie Soto Alchemised by SenLinYu Ann’s picks: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree – Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling Long Bright River by Liz Moore – Long Bright River (TV) The Bad Seed by William March The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali – My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto – Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn – @ahnestkitchen on Instagram – America’s Test Kitchen – Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home by Eric Kim The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by CJ Hauser – “The Crane Wife” by CJ Hauser (essay) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher – “The Goose Girl” Halle’s picks: Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention – And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari The Will of the Many by James Islington – Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling – Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins – Divergent series by Veronica Roth Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett – Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe – The Wedding People by Alison Espach Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune The Names by Florence Knapp Heart the Lover by Lily King – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – Writers & Lovers by Lily King What We’re Reading This Week: Ann: The Lack of Light by Nino Haratischwili – Persuasion by Jane Austen – The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischwili – The International Booker Prize Halle: The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage Well-Read on Facebook Well-Read on Instagram Well-Read on Bookshop

What this episode covers

The year is almost over, and it’s time to reveal our favorite books of 2025! Happy Holidays from your friends at Well-Read! Books and other media mentioned in this episode:Marble Hall Murders by Anthony HorowitzJane Austen booksAgatha Christie booksThe Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika KimWhat You’re Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko AoyamaThe Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi KashiwaiPromise Me Sunshine by Cara BastoneReady or Not by Cara BastoneGrace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew NormanIf It Makes You Happy by Julie OliviaDeep End by Ali HazelwoodRose in Chains by Julie SotoAlchemised by SenLinYu Ann’s picks: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree– Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling Long Bright River by Liz Moore– Long Bright River (TV) The Bad Seed by William March The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali– My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto– Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn– @ahnestkitchen on Instagram– America’s Test Kitchen– Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home by Eric Kim The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by CJ Hauser– “The Crane Wife” by CJ Hauser (essay) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher– “The Goose Girl” Halle’s picks: Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention – And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari The Will of the Many by James Islington– Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling– Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins– Divergent series by Veronica Roth Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett– Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe– The Wedding People by Alison Espach Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune The Names by Florence Knapp Heart the Lover by Lily King– The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald– Writers & Lovers by Lily King What We’re Reading This Week: Ann: The Lack of Light by Nino Haratischwili– Persuasion by Jane Austen– The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischwili– The International Booker Prize Halle: The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage Well-Read on FacebookWell-Read on InstagramWell-Read on Bookshop

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Episode 164 - Our Favorite Books of 2025

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This episode was published on December 20, 2025.

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