Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
A few days ago I blogged about all of the books I read 2025.
Today I’ll include a brief description of why these titles were my favourites from last year as well as I think it makes these sorts of posts more memorable. It always makes me smile when other bloggers share those details, too.
1. “Reindeer Moon” by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Why I Loved It: Ms. Thomas truly made me feel as though I’d travelled back 20,000 in the past to meet a tribe whose culture, religion, social structure, and way of life shared almost nothing in common with how I grew up. That is not an easy accomplishment, but it sure makes for a compelling read.
2. “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood
Why I Loved It: We finally were able to find out what happened to Offred and many of the other characters from The Handmaid’s Tale. The ending was immensely satisfying, too.
3. “Ghosts, Trolls and the Hidden People: An Anthology of Icelandic Folk Legends” Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir
Why I Loved It: I have zero Icelandic ancestry or any other connection to this part of the world, but at least these tales were (mostly) created at a time when things like Christianity and farming existed. As with Reindeer Moon, it was marvellous to get to know a little about a culture so different from the one I grew up in. Learning about other cultures is so rewarding.
3. “The Blue Castle” by L.M. Montgomery
Why I Loved It: The romance genre is one I only occasionally visit, but this was an excellent reread. There’s nothing like seeing a character who has suffered for years finally not only find relief but also true love and happiness as well.
4. “The Hunger We Pass Down” by Jen Sookfong Lee
Why I Loved It: This was such a creative take on how generational trauma can be passed down for decades even after the original stressor has long since disappeared. I also thought the characters were well written and memorable, especially Alice.
5. “Born: The Untold History of Childbirth” by Lucy Inglis
Why I Loved It: This is something that was never covered in any of the history classes I’ve ever taken, and yet humanity wouldn’t survive if nobody gave birth anymore. Most of this book covers the tens to thousands of years when pregnancy and childbirth were far more dangerous than they are today. One of my favourite sections was the one that explored how medical advancements like cesarean sections, antibiotics, blood transfusions, and incubators have made both of those experiences much safer for both mother and child. I am so grateful for modern medicine.
Here are ten books with long waitlists that I hope to request from the library once the demand for them isn’t quite so high. Yes, I know I did this same topic a while ago, but might as well recycle it every now and again.
Happy belated Winter Solstice to everyone who celebrated it a few days ago!
Just so you all know, I’ve been having trouble leaving comments on some WordPress blogs recently. They ask me to log in even though I’m already logged in, and then when I leave my comment it never appears on the post. If I don’t comment on your post, I am not ignoring you.
I’ve read the first eight of these, and the rest are still on my TBR list. Snowy settings can be so interesting to read about, although I only enjoy heavy snowfalls in real life when I can stay home and don’t have to shovel snow or drive in it.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that happens during the same season of the year every year. The winter blues are a milder condition similar to this one that has some of the same symptoms and many of the same treatment options, although some people also use that term colloquially to refer to SAD.
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
It’s hard to tell which books will become classics. Not every bestseller is actually well written or will continue to affect readers in twenty or fifty years. Likewise, I have no doubt there are some true gems out there that may have had middling to poor sales but will eventually be rediscovered and taught in classrooms all across the world.
War isn’t something I like to read about, so this still fits the original “books outside of my comfort zone” theme as well!