I am busting at the seams with excitment trying to type this post for so many reasons – I get to tell you about my favorite book this month, and then my favorite book of 2025, and we get to talk about the new 2026 Reading Challenge again! With today being Christmas, I’m away from my computer for the holiday with my family, but don’t want you to miss all these great reads:
December Review
In December, I reviewed 10 books – 5 audiobooks and 5 physical copies. Let’s take a look back the reviews of those books – click below to visit the reviews:
5 Stars
- The Storm, Rachel Hawkins
4 Stars
- Cold Zero, Brad Thor
- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Anne Tyler
- The Escapes of David George, Gregory E. O’Malley
- Fool Me Twice at Christmas, Camilla Isley
- Holiday Hideaway, Mary Kay Andrews
- Scrimmage for War, Bill McWilliams
- The Wild Card, Carolyn Brown
- Yours Truly, Abby Jimenez
- Zachary Taylor: The Complete Life Story, Brilliant Bio
This was our second month in a row with only one 5-star read. The Storm by Rachel Hawkins was 100% my top book of December for so many reasons. I was kept on my toes and wanting to read from start to finish. Not only did it make me want to pack up and head for the coast, but I also couldn’t get enough of these characters!
Top Read of 2025
Choosing a favorite book when we’ve had so many great reads this year was not a quick process. Chosen partially for the overall star rating, partially for how the story has stayed in my thoughts for weeks after finishing the pages, our quarterly finalists delivered some of the best fiction I have read in my lifetime. So, before we crown our top book of 2025, I share my congratulations to our quarterly finalists:
- Q1: Party of Liars, Kelsey Cox
- Q2: The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Q3: Where the Wildflowers Grow, Terah Shelton Harris
- Q4: Somewhere Beyond the Sea, TJ Klune
Now, without further delay, I’d like to officially congratulate Terah Shelton Harris and Where the Wildflowers Grow for being selected as the Read With Lindsey Top Book of 2025! This author has grown to become one of my favorites and this, her third release, will leave you in awe of her artistry. The novel champions self-healing elements like yoga and meditation while also showing the value of a strong support network to help pick you up on your worst days. It also showcases the author’s signature head-on approach to taboo subjects with a southern gothic twist, showing why Target chose Terah Shelton Harris as its inaugural Author of the Year. This book will transport you to the Alabama coastline and leave you longing for more time with Jackson and Leigh after the final pages!
You can read the full review of Where the Wildflowers Grow here. The book hits shelves February 17th and I can’t wait for more of you to read it so we can discuss without spilling all the secrets! Preorder your copy in our Bookshop.org storefront!
January Reading Plan
Entering 2026 means a change in our monthly reading challenge themes. We are leaving colors behind and moving into genres! January’s focus in Science Fiction and our weekly prompts will help keep you in that mindset. As I still wanted to honor some of the calendar and cultural holidays we have during the month, we’ve geared a few of the weekly prompts towards the calendar happenings. For example, in honor of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we’re reading Afrofuturism novels. Or in honor of Inauguration Day, we’re reading Dystopian books.
I invite you over to our StoryGraph reading challenges where you can follow along, check off the prompts, and see what the rest of our community is choosing for these challenges. Don’t forget you can also follow along on our social media pages like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest to continue the conversation!
A few sponsored books I’m reading this month:
- The Woman & Her Stars, Penny Haw
- The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes), Tiffany Hunt
- The Subtle Art of Folding Space, John Chu
- The Red Winter, Cameron Sullivan
- Daughter of Egypt, Marie Benedict
I can’t wait to read these great books with you – keep an eye out for the weekly previews on Sundays for what I’m reviewing each week!
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