Remember me?

After taking over two years off from the Blurbs, I’m ready to dive back in and yap about books.

In 2025, I decided to move away from my regular goal of reading 100 books to 52 books. I felt like my reading was turning into a chore when I wanted it to be an actually enjoyable experience. And for the most part, it was.

Here’s what I’ve read in 2025 that I’ve ABSOLUTELY loved:

A book for those who love to dive into a character’s brain:
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
- One of my favourite authors has given us another piece of gold. This book follows the life of Maddy as she navigates college and discovers she has bipolar disorder. Genova teaches the reader about bipolar disorder without talking down to us or making it feel like non-fiction. She provocatively conveys Maddy’s emotions from the first-person perspective throughout the novel, making us feel the unruliness, mania, and bliss she experiences.

A novel for those who don’t need to care about hockey in order to be emotionally destroyed:
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
- Backman tells the story of a small town through the perspectives of people involved in its pride and glory: the junior hockey team. If you don’t like reading multiple POVs, you probably won’t be the biggest fan of this one, as the novel follows a large cast of characters. But I’m a sucker for them, so this is perfect for me. I adore every part of this book: the suspense, the heartfelt sentiment I feel for the characters, and the way I came to understand how one institution influences every element of the town. Other books by Backman that I’ve read have been wonderful, so this held up to the standard.

A novel for those who love a bit of chaos:
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
- Phoebe books a room at a fancy hotel and ends up being the only hotel guest who is not part of an intensely lavish week-long wedding. The bride befriends her, and an unlikely friendship is born. It is fantastic and full of wedding chaos.

A book for those who only read works by dead white men in high school:
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
I liked this one so much that I’m planning on reading it with one of my classes this year. Why this was not required reading at some point in my high school career is beyond me. This book hits some significant topics for students to discuss: class, privilege, redemption, immigration, and racism. The story follows Amir from a teenager in Afghanistan in the 70s to adulthood in America. Get ready to be heartbroken, but eventually hopeful.

A novel for those who want a peaceful read:
Search by Michelle Huneven
- Dana, a food writer, is stuck on what her next book should be when the church she belongs to begins its search for a new minister. When asked to join the search committee, Dana agrees, thinking it could help give her some inspiration. Throughout the novel, we meet all the serious candidates, as if we, the readers, are interviewing them too. Although this was a fascinating character-driven story, what grabbed me the most was learning about the Unitarian Universalist denomination. As someone who is mostly aware only of the church dynamics of the religion I was brought up in, it was very informative to learn how other religious bodies conduct themselves and what they believe. Plus, everything about this story was cozy, calm, and reflective.

A novel for those who want something a lil unexpected:
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
- After a brief affair with her professor, Margo ends up alone, pregnant, and in need of cash. Desperate, she becomes roommates with her broke dad, and they wholesomely tag-team on a lucrative money-making project. I admire how Thorpe explores bodily agency through a feminist lens without being on-the-nose.

A book for those who want to feel sick with dread:
Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering
- I’m struggling with what to say for fear of giving any sort of spoilers, without repeating the Goodreads synopsis of this book. What you need to know is that a baby disappears, a friendship that began from trauma bonding in high school fades in adulthood, and a character is bizarre on social media. It’s a fantastic recipe for a mystery novel that was even more fantastic on audio.

Thanks for following along for another installment. Feel free to email back to let me know what you’re liking, what you’re despising, and all that’s in between.

Carissa