As we get ready for the holidays, there is something special about the slower pace that comes with the season: lights go up, calendars fill, and cozy moments can finally settle in. It’s also the perfect time to wrap up the year with a stack of books that match the mood, whether you’re curled under a blanket or squeezing in a chapter between festivities.
This year, I wanted my wrap-up list to feel extra connected to the community, so I turned to Instagram and asked our followers to vote on the categories they most wanted for recommendations. From the eight categories of Fiction, Non Fiction, Biography, Poetry, Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult, and Historical Fiction, the final four are Fiction, Biography, Mystery, and Historical Fiction.
Now that the categories are set, I am sharing my favorite reads within each one. These books truly stood out and lingered in my mind. It feels like the perfect way to close things out: a celebration of shared tastes, community input, and the joy of discovering great books just in time for the holiday slowdown.
The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
Audition by Katie Kitamura
Flashlight by Susan Choi
Heart the Lover by Lily King
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow
Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs
Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife by Francesca Wade
Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott
Fair Play by Louise Hegarty
Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Isola by Allegra Goodman
The Pretender by Jo Harkin
The Eights by Joanna Miller
The Antidote by Karen Russell
As always, please send in your favorite reads of the year, and I will include them in my January column.
Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!
Featured in the December 13, 2025 issue of The Independent
