Best Books of 2025
Or Atleast The Best Books I've Read
I don’t keep track of the number of books I read; too much of my life (especially as a software engineer) is already quantified, and measured and KPI’ed to death, so I’d like to protect my last bastion of solace from the surveillance state if possible. However, I am a sucker for those listicles that bookend the year. They remind me that despite the onslaught of disaster and destruction, there’s still a small group of folks out there who carve out time in their day to pick up a novel. And even if that book isn’t something I’d particularly enjoy, I do love to hear people talk about what they love. Passion So in an effort to spur or perhaps reignite your own reading habits, please allow me to tell you about the books that I absolutely adored this year.
Audition by Katie Kitamura
Every year there’s always one book that I talk about so much that someone buys it just to shut me up. Last year it was James by Percival Everett, this year it’s Audition by Katie Kitamura.
I’ve been a fan of Kitamura’s keen, contemplative prose since Intimacies, but what made this book my favorite of the year was how it was able to both shock and delight. The story follows an actress and a young man who believes he is her son, as they both struggle to navigate the roles they play to live up to each other’s expectations. I won’t spoil it but partway through the novel there’s a twist that is perhaps unlike anything I’ve ever read.
The Coin by Yasmin Zahar
I have a writeup about this book coming soon, but it makes my top five largely because of its surreal, unwinding plot coupled with a deeply flawed protagonist, the type of book I love most. The story is largely in the first person POV, and feels confessional in nature. It’s not a book I’d recommend to everyone, but if you enjoy atypical narratives and being taken for a long walk in the dark, then this story is for you.
The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura
The Thief is pitched as an “existential crime novel” and while I was skeptical at first, Nakamura exceeded my expectations. I’d describe it as more of an atmospheric thriller than an existential one. The story largely takes place in the mind of the protagonist where paranoia proves far more frightening than any of the violence that takes place. Nakamura has cited Kafka and Dostoyevsky as influences, and I’d like to think that if either of those writers read a modern crime novel, they’d enjoy his work as well.
Mood Machine by Liz Pelly
I’ve written a bit more about this one here, but I’d like to add that I love it when journalists compile years of their work into a single piece of art. The book is packed with so much music history, that every time I finish a chapter, I’m compelled to pick up one of the dozen other sources in the footnotes to learn more. Props to Liz Pelly.
Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
This collection of short stories was one of the highlights of my summer. I read this book during my morning bus rides to work, and I remember having to put it down a few times because of how it made me blush. It’s a delightful, poignant and rich debut from an author I’ve come to admire. I later had the privilege of participating in a workshop taught by Deesha Philyaw over the summer, and all I gotta say is that the class and instructor are both nonpareil.
Upcoming TBRS
Here’s a sneak peak at some of the books I have lined up next 😉
Vigil by George Saunders
I have some ulterior motives for choosing this as my most anticipated read. In about a month I’ll be going to PAGE BREAK in Joshua Tree, CA to read this book with a few others for a reading retreat. It’s such a strange concept, going to a campsite to read a book with folks you don’t know, but I can’t think of a better way to spend my time. 😀
Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei
Eco-thriller, climate collapse, and a missing sister. The premise was enthralling enough for me to buy this on a whim and I’ve been hooked since I got it. I anticipate finishing it in the next couple of days, and if it’s as good as I hope, then you’ll see a review coming soon. Fans of Richard Powers and Ursula K Le. Guin will find a home in Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei.
Fish Tales by Nettie Jones
Recommended to me by Deesha Philyaw, I recently learned that this book was first acquired by Toni Morrison at Penguin, and reissued a few decades later (Feb 2025). The story follows a young black woman in the 1970s as she navigates the party scene in Detroit/NYC. The distinct setting coupled with this the party-loving protagonist is too magnetizing to resist.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Not long ago I narrated an essay by Zora Neale Hurston, How It Feels to Be Colored Me. And while I already knew Hurston to be an excellent writer, no one ever told me how funny she could be. There’s one line in particular that I remember fondly.
“Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.”
The essay has inspired me to spend this year becoming more familiar with her work. Ashamed to say I haven’t read much of her till now.
The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgaard
I was influenced to pick up this book by Brandon Taylor, a writer with unquestionably great taste. While in London I picked this up and started barreling through the pages, unfortunately I got sidetracked with patrolling for ICE raids in my neighborhood, so I stopped reading briefly, but I have every intent to get back at it and go through the rest of the books in the series. I’m always entranced by writers who can use terse, declarative prose to build ever-expanding worlds.
These past few months have shown me how much I missed writing and talking about fiction and film and art in general. 2026 will be the first full year of me writing Dreaming of Kafka, and I’m grateful for every single one of you that’s joined the ride. Let me know in the comments if there are any books or films that you’re looking forward to this upcoming year or that you’d like me to write about. I always love recommendations as well 🙂
Always happy to get a book rec from you! I'll pick up one of these during my break!!
These all look so good. Fish Tales is also in my TBR pile