As the end of the year approaches and maybe you are still looking for the perfect book for someone for Christmas, I thought I would share my top five books from 2025. This did not include any books I reread—I spent time rereading The Squire’s Tale series by Gerald Morris and Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters and Grim & Blackthorn books this year—and if you are interested in seeing what else I read this year, please check out my GoodReads.
Jupiter Rising by Gary D. Schmidt
This is the sequel to Orbiting Jupiter, which came out about ten years ago, I think, and is set in the same world (if that is the right word for a historical fiction/realistic fiction set of books) as The Wednesday Wars, Just Like That, and Okay for Now. If you haven’t read Orbiting Jupiter, that should move to the top of your list. Also, if you haven’t read it, spoiler alert in the next paragraph.
Jupiter Rising follows Jack after the loss of Joseph and after his family has begun the adoption process for Jupiter. Jack deals with bullying, loss, and what it means to be family in this short but powerful book that had me crying at least four different times. This is a middle grade novel, but adults will definitely love it, too.
The Last Dragon on Mars and The Rise of Neptune by Scott Reintgen
Technically, I read The Last Dragon on Mars last year, but I am including these together since they are the first two books in a series with a fresh take on dragons. Imagine if each planet and moon had a dragon connected to it—dragons that could bond with humans and travel between planets. It sounds odd, but Reintgen really makes it work, and these are great middle grade novels that both boys and girls will enjoy.
The House in the Cerulean Sea and Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
These are not new books, but I just read them this year, and they are so good! Also, the only adult books to make my top five. There’s magic, friendship, love, heartbreak, and making the world a better place–all of which will make you cry. What more can you ask for from a book?
Not Nothing by Gayle Forman
Another middle grade read that had me crying. The story is split POV between Alex, for whom everything is going wrong, and Josey, a Holocaust survivor who refuses to talk until meeting Alex. It is hard to say more without spoiling the book, but it is certainly a good read.
The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming
This is middle grade/young adult nonfiction about the young women who were part of the Enigma project at Bletchly Park during WWII. It is very readable, and every couple chapters, there is an interactive section where you get to learn and try out some code breaking. If you—or a reader you know—don’t know anything about Bletchly and the code breaking of WWII, this is a great book to start with.
