This year, I read a total of 12 books and they were all actually very good!
Check out the 12 books that I read (in the order that I read them) and let me know what books to add to my 2025 list!
Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace
I didn’t realize this was more of a parenting book but there were some good tips in here.
It was a little dry and I definitely had to take breaks while reading but overall there were some good tips. I’m glad it wasn’t super long.
If you were pretty stressed in high school with your academics or if you have kids, I’d recommend you borrow this from the library.
Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique
What an interesting book! I jumped into this book without knowing what it would be about. I loved the authors writing style and how unique the story was. It’s a little different which made it an interesting story. The end was satisfying!
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
What a fantastic book! I love this author’s writing style and will definitely be reading more of her books.
I didn’t know what this book was about but I was pleasantly surprised at the mystery, politics, justice, and straight up incredible female characters.
I had no idea that Martha Ballard, the main character was a real person! I loved the creative liberties the author took. Highly recommend.
Godfather Death, M.D. by Jacob Devlin
I’ve read several of this author’s books before and loved them. This book was SO DIFFERENT from his previous work but like his other work, I couldn’t put it down!
The first chapter hooked me and the rest was a roller coaster of emotions for me. The book does feature death and tragedy and what I really appreciated about the book is how honest it feels.
I loved the world Jacob created and look forward to this one day becoming a movie because the visuals would be amazing! I loved the characters and kept rooting for different people throughout the book. Highly recommend!
Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success by Adam M. Grant
The premise was interesting in investigating whether giving or taking in the professional world would lead to success but I found the book way too long with too many examples. Some of the examples were interesting. This book could’ve been an article.
Let Them Lead: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America’s Worst High School Hockey Team by John U. Bacon
What an inspiring yet practical book on leadership! As someone who doesn’t know much about hockey, I wasn’t sure how much I would actually learn about leadership or how entertained I’d be.
I was pleasantly surprised at how good and practical the advice was! It was great to receive the knowledge in an inspiring story of a high school hockey team who worked hard and supported their teammates to.
I love the way the author talks about hockey and seamlessly brings in leadership lessons. I highly recommend this book to anyone stepping into a leadership position or interested in becoming a better leader. I especially recommend this book to anyone who likes team sports.
She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson
I really enjoyed this memoir! I know Quinta through her Buzzfeed videos and Abbott Elementary. She’s had a really interesting life and I love her sense of humor, her story telling and the way she picked defining moments in her life for this memoir.
If you’re a fan of hers I think you’d enjoy the book!
La casa de los espíritus by Isabel Allende
What a story!!!! What an adventure to read about generations of the same family going through intense situations.
It was a very long book but everything was so interesting.
What a gift to create such deep characters. I loved how everything connected at the end. I recommend!
Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America by María Hinojosa
Wow, just wow! What an incredible book detailing the life of Maria Hinojosa who just so happened to live through some pretty profound moments in US history.
I really enjoyed how candid and vulnerable she was as well as being able to get some insight into what drives her career.
Very inspiring! It’s a bit heavy in some parts so it’s not an easy read but I definitely recommend!
The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush
What an incredible look into the lives and careers of the first six women to go to space.
Of course the first six were impressive and it was really cool to learn more about their accomplishments.
The author does a great job of taking us into the lives and thoughts of the astronauts.
I learned a lot about the space program, the ridiculous sexism back then, and about the Challenger tragedy. Trigger warning as the author goes into detail of what caused the tragedy.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves space or history!
Educated by Tara Westover
Wow just wow. I was recommended this book and went into it blindly.
It’s beautifully written and is such a unique story. There were several parts where I just couldn’t believe what I was reading. I was rooting for the author so hard and honestly had no idea how it would end.
It’s such a powerful look into mental illness and the whole theory of nature vs nurture.
Definitely keep in mind that this book is a heavy read and has several instances of abuse, violence and mental illness.
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
The first half of the book was a little slow and focused way too much on the romance which was not super interesting to me and it just felt very drawn out. Thankfully things really got going in the last half.
Although this work is fiction, it’s based on real events and I learned a lot about Albert Einstein. If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy this book.
Feel free to comment below any other books you recommend for me! I do have a book club that is open to new members, so feel free to email me at [email protected] or comment on any of my social media accounts to get invited to our next meeting!
If you’d like more recommendations, check out my full list here!
Thank you all for reading, and stay enthusiastic!
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-Maira