2025 Reading Reflections Part V: The Rest of the Books and Why I Read at All
Over the past few posts, I’ve written about themes I noticed when I looked back at my 2025 reading list: historical fiction, bittersweet love stories, books about faith and courage, and even those that complicated me a little. But there were plenty of other books in my reading year that don’t fit neatly into those categories, and I enjoyed them all in different ways. Some were simply good stories that pulled me in for a few evenings. Books like The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller and Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash both explore family, identity, and the long echoes of decisions we make when we’re young. Others were quick reads that were simply fun to pick up and disappear into for a while, like Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Ghosted by Rosie Walsh, the kind of books that remind you that reading doesn’t always have to be heavy or philosophical to be worthwhile. There were also a few that felt quieter and more reflective. The Story of Arthur Truluv by...