My favorite books I read in 2025
- Isabel Himmelvo
- 13 hours ago
- 5 min read
The importance of actually finishing a book
This is something that I think applies to a lot of things that we do, finishing a task is very important and can create a feeling of accomplishment. The brain is always looking for a sense of accomplishment and completion. By finishing a book you are training your brain in sustained attention, something that is rare today according to a study by the American Psychological Association. In this study, social media was discovered to be the culprit for the declining attention span in America and the world.
Sustained attention is the ability to attend to an activity for a long period of time. This is something that I struggle with, especially when it comes to finishing a book from start to finish. This could also be the ability to focus during a class without breaks, and being able to attain the information.
It's okay to struggle with finishing a book, as it is a demanding task. Also not every book is going to be for you, and that shouldn’t stop you from finding the ones that are.
Some books start off slow, and pushing through teaches your brain stamina. In my experience many books become more interesting in later chapters, so struggling is part of the process. It doesn’t have to be a deep psychological story, it can be light and funny. It's important to remember that books are diverse and there are so many opinions, so choose what you like!
I remember when I was younger, reading was truly ingrained into me because I didn’t have a phone. I would get so excited to go to bed to read a few more chapters of whatever book I was reading at the time. I think that this mindset is one that I need to get back to. Where reading feels less like a tortuous activity, and more like the privilege it is. Finishing a book is not about finishing all the pages, it is about learning something, and allowing yourself to fully emerge in said book.
I feel lucky to be able to read, and according to an article by David Montgomery for YouGov, 6 in 10 Americans say they read one book a year. The statistic is concerningly low in the high school age range.
Reading reminds me to slow down and realize that by finishing a few pages, my day can do a complete 360 turn from bad to good. So take a look at this my personal list of
favorites from this year and consider reading more in 2026!
When We Cease to Understand the World, written by Benjamin Labatut, is an insane book that tells the story of scientists and mathematicians throughout history and how their discoveries build upon each other. I never considered myself to be a very scientific person, however the way that Labatut tells the story of human scientific evolution is almost intoxicating. There is a mixture of fiction and nonfiction that blurs the lines between what is real and not . It led me to wonder whether scientific progress always leads to understanding or just more confusion. The book was originally published in Spanish in March of 2020, and I read the English translation of it which still holds the tone of the work. I thought it was a very good book, it’s 192 pages, so it was a fairly quick read, but it taught me that knowledge is expandable.
The Institute was the first book that I began this year that started my year long obsession with Stephen King. It was published in 2019 and tells the story of young main character Luke Ellis, who is gifted with telepathic powers and placed in a facility with other kids with similar powers. The story was a bit hard to swallow, especially since they are mistreated. However, this book was really hard for me to put down, which I think is a rare statement for me. The Institute is one of my favorite books by Stephen King, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking into his work.
I just finished reading this, and it is yet another Stephen King book. I think I read 6 this year, The Talisman being my favorite. This was at the recommendation of my mother, written in 1984. It follows the journey of another young boy (a common theme of his books)Jack Turner and his journey across America and through an alternate universe called the Territories. It was a pageturner, King blends fantasy, horror and friendship so well in this. I felt like I was actually there on Jack’s journey, and as I already mentioned this is my favorite book by King, and you should read it.
This is a book that I have read two times, my first time being in 2023, and my second time being this year. This book is one of my favorites, and yet again tells the story of a young boy who comes into possession of a very famous painting because of him being in a museum bombing that kills his mother. The Goldfinch is the painting and becomes a constant theme throughout his life, connecting him to the art world and the crime world. Tart is an incredible author, and her elegant way of spinning stories is, I believe, very rare in what we see in literature today.
The Overstory by Richard Powers is one of the more unique novels I have ever read. It is a work of fiction that tells the stories of 9 strangers whose lives become intertwined through their connection to nature and the pressing issues of the destruction of our forests. This leads them to ultimately become environmental activists in the flight to save a forest from destruction. The depiction of nature was one that I had never seen before, and it truly was beautiful. I loved how each of the storylines Powers created spanned through different timelines around the United States, and she addressed the relationship that humans have with nature impeccably.
This was a book that I was required to read last year in my sophomore English 2 honors class and was one that I really enjoyed. It tells the story of race in America in a perspective that I had never seen. Specifically by exploring identity, and the concept of “passing” as a race. Rather than presenting race as a fixed thing, Bennet explains how it can be shaped by experiences. I would highly recommend this book, and I am grateful that I read it in my English class.
This is a book about two young Indian immigrants from the US who meet and begin a romance. It explores so many themes that are important in 2025, and is one of my favorites that I read. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny asks what it truly means to know someone else, and whether love can bypass history and distances. Desani's story here is one that truly deserves to be read. It also dives into "loneliness" and what it isolation does to a person, and how important human connection is. Her story spoke to me, and I would highly recommend it.
This is a book that I have read multiple times, and it is one of my favorites. I didn’t actually read this in 2025, but I still thought that I should include it. I have had friends that have told me how boring they found McEward’s story here, however I do not share the same viewpoint. While the story does unfold slowly, it is thoughtful and intense. This story’s focus on guilt, with character Brioney’s misunderstandings leads the reader to understand the gravity of mistakes and how they can last lifetimes. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it taught me that guilt does not disappear, it morphs into something else and changes people.
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