This Past Year’s 5🌟 Reads
Last December, I shared my five-star reads of 2024, and I enjoyed doing that so much (along with getting your recommendations), I decided to do it again.
In my personal rating system, 5🌟 mean: “Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.” I don’t give out many of them. Which means there are a lot of books I have loved (4 stars) that I won’t be sharing with you. If you are interested, check out my reviews on Goodreads. (Under my profile photo, click the Reviews link.)
Since my post last year had to end in November in order for me to write my post, these books are actually from December 2024 thru November 2025. I’ve read 75 books in those 12 months, and nine of them earned 5 stars from me.
Please note: I am an eclectic reader. I read a lot of both Christian fiction and non-fiction, but I also read general market fiction.
FICTION:
The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
NON-FICTION:
Luke in the Land by Kristi McLelland
Feasting on God’s Word by Kristi McLelland
The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble
Surviving an Unwanted Divorce by Lysa TerKeust
ESV Audio Bible, read by Kristyn Getty
It’s almost time to set my reading goal for 2026. So help me out. What were the absolute best books you’ve read this year?
~robin
I’ve been following your newsletter for a while. Here’s my annual list (of my top ten, plus five honorable mentions): https://ofbooksandboys.blogspot.com/2025/12/my-top-ten-reads-of-2025.html – hope you’ll check out a few of them (since you’re a writer, especially Letters from the Mountain)
Thanks, Wendy. Several of your top ten are in my TBR already (and my TBR is huge).