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Sometimes the Girl (2025) had me hooked with how densely packed the pages are with the main character’s thoughts. After Holiday’s brother’s attempted suicide, and her girlfriend becoming her best friend, and planning on moving to New Zealand with said friend, her days are packed. She gets a job organizing the attic of an aging famous writer.

In 1938, Ellie is stunned when her husband, Lionel, tells her he is in love with someone else and wants a divorce. With their two sons grown, Lionel expects that Ellie will move out of their home and into a small cottage in the village or move to London. Ellie instead decides to travel to France with Mavis, her former housekeeper, and Dora, an older woman that she's known for many years. With the South of France as their destination, the trio end up in Saint-Benet, a small fishing village near Marseille.

In her moving memoir, Suleika Jaouad shares the story around her leukemia diagnosis at 23 and what comes next. Filling journals regularly helped Suleika compose her memoir with details of her brief time in Paris after college, her worsening illness, her diagnosis and treatment, and her life thereafter.

When Jordyn first arrives at Frasier, a prestigious Black university, she instantly finds belonging among her new roommates and classmates. She used to live in a predominately white town, and being at Frasier means she doesn't feel like the outsider anymore. Things are going well-- up until Devonte, Jordyn's roommate's older brother, arrives. Recently out of prison for credit card fraud he claims he was framed for, he asks to stay at the girls' dorm to get back on his feet. At first, Devonte seems charming and alluring, amazing the girls with his seemingly all-knowing-wisdom.

I discovered Fredrik Backman this year. I read Anxious People (2020), A Man Called Ove (2014), and My Friends (2025).

How to Do Nothing (2019) by multitalented educator Jenny Odell was my December pick for the 20s & 30s book discussion. Not only is our author in our age group, I thought it would be a good palate cleanser between works of fiction. While it took a little while to grab my attention (did I resist it?

I absolutely adored this heartwarming and funny Christmas romance, perfect for anyone who loves quirky characters (both human and animal) and holiday movies.

The fourth graphic novel in the Wings of Fire series switches to Starflight’s point of view, which changes the tone a lot since he’s more thoughtful and anxious than the others. The NightWing kingdom is creepy and unique, and the art makes it feel even more threatening. Starflight’s struggle with loyalty and bravery feels realistic, especially since he isn’t the “heroic” type. Some scenes are tense, especially when he starts realizing the truth about his tribe.

In this historical WWII fantasy, a British witch joins the war effort to help track down a dangerous magical relic before a coven of Nazi witches find it and bring it to Hitler. After a Nazi witch infiltrates the Royal Academy of Witches with devastating consequences, Lydia Polk wants to join the fight, but meets resistance from the elder members of her coven, who do not want to sacrifice any more lives in the service of a government that has forced them into hiding for generations.

The Hidden Kingdom might be the most visually impressive so far in the Wings of Fire series because the Rainforest Kingdom is so bright and colorful. Glory finally gets the spotlight, and she’s probably the most sarcastic and relatable dragonet yet. The plot about the disappearing RainWings is a little darker than I expected, but it makes the story more gripping.

The second graphic novel in the Wings of Fire series focuses on Tsunami, and you can feel her strong personality on every page. The SeaWing kingdom looks amazing in comic form, especially the underwater scenes. The mystery surrounding Tsunami’s family is interesting, and even though she can be stubborn, it’s easy to understand why she acts that way after everything she’s been through. The pacing is good, with a mix of action, secrets, and emotional moments.

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon (2025), by Annie Mare, is a fun, cozy, modern-day romance with science fiction elements. When Tressa Fay receives a text message meant for someone else, she lets the sender—an engineer named Meryl—know she has the wrong number.