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1_Top 10 Favorite Books of 2025
13 Plays5 months ago
I thought what better way to introduce myself than with my favorite books of 2025?
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild
- Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
- The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
- Bunny by Mona Awad
- Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
- The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
- First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
- Tilt by Emma Pattee
- Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
Come say hello over on Instagram, @kristinsnextchapter.
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Transcript
Introduction to Kristen's Next Chapter Podcast
00:00:01
Kristin Paulin
Hi, I'm Kristin, the host of Kristin's Next Chapter, a podcast to help you find your next read and highlight debut authors.
Top 10 Reads of 2025 Overview
00:00:08
Kristin Paulin
I thought what better way to introduce myself to you than through my top 10 favorite reads of 2025.
Genres and Themes of the Selected Reads
00:00:13
Kristin Paulin
The list spans various genres. There are thrillers, there are love stories, there's a satire slash dark comedy, an epistolary novel, and a cozy mystery.
00:00:23
Kristin Paulin
Some of the books are debut novels. Most were published in 2025, but a few are older.
Thrillers with Twists and Unique Stories
00:00:28
Kristin Paulin
I chose thrillers that I read from this year with the best twists. I chose uniquely told stories, and I chose books that made me feel all the feels.
00:00:37
Kristin Paulin
So first at number 10 is Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. In this thriller, on the first day that Camilla is going back to work after maternity leave, her husband Luke is nowhere to be seen.
00:00:49
Kristin Paulin
Soon she sees breaking news of a hostage situation on TV, and Luke is the hostage taker, which makes no sense to her. But things are not as they seem. There's much more to the story, and Camilla is going to uncover it.
00:01:02
Kristin Paulin
I'm pretty easily entertained by thrillers. i can just be along for the ride. But I love when there's a thriller that has a great twist. And Gillian McAllister is consistently great with her twists.
00:01:12
Kristin Paulin
I found this book really hard to put down once I got started. That's Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister.
Debut Novels and Emotional Journeys
00:01:20
Kristin Paulin
At number nine, we have Tilt by Emma Pettee This book is in my top 10 because of its uniqueness. A very pregnant Annie was shopping for a crib at Ikea in Portland when a major earthquake hits. She lost her purse and car keys when the quake hit, but she's determined to go find her husband, so she has no choice but to set out on foot across Portland.
00:01:40
Kristin Paulin
The book has a pacing and urgency of a thriller. It's a story of survival and many dangers that exist after an event like this takes place. The story unfolds within what the author tells us in the acknowledgement section of the book is a realistic portrayal of the event and aftermath of the expected Cascadia earthquake in the Pacific Northwest at some point in the future.
00:02:03
Kristin Paulin
The story is told from Annie's point of view, talking to her unborn child. It's about the people, both good and bad, that she meets along the way on her walk across the city looking for her husband. It becomes a life-changing walk that will leave you thinking about so many things after you finish the book. This is the author's first novel, and that's Tilt by Emma Patee
Suspense and Love Stories
00:02:23
Kristin Paulin
At number eight, we have First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. This book is a suspense thriller, so it's one of those that's really hard to put down once you start reading it. Evie Porter just got her newest assignment with her current mark, Ryan Sumner.
00:02:37
Kristin Paulin
She has never met her boss, Mr. Smith, but she knows his high expectations. She may be one of his top employees, but this could be her last assignment.
00:02:47
Kristin Paulin
the story is told from evie's perspective with flashbacks to fill in backstory at different parts for the current timeline It's a suspenseful game of cat and mouse where both players are out to destroy one another. Amidst the suspense in the story, there's also a bit of a love story with a match between two morally gray people. Yes, I was rooting for the love story.
00:03:09
Kristin Paulin
This quote from the book sums them up perfectly. Quote, I'm willing to tell you my secrets if you're willing to tell me yours. Unquote. This is the author's first novel for adults, having written young adult fiction before this. The book came out in 2024, and the author has another book for adults coming out in January 2026. That's First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston.
Epistolary Novels and Cozy Mysteries
00:03:30
Kristin Paulin
At number seven, we have The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. This is an epistolary novel, which means that it's told through letters. The main character, Sybil, has always expressed herself best through letters. Over her lifetime, she's exchanged letters with friends, family, authors, and other people.
00:03:48
Kristin Paulin
In her 70s now, Sybil is facing some hard truths about her own past and is seeking forgiveness. This book is really about human connection. It's about seeking forgiveness. And it's about being able to build a full life at any point in your life just by opening yourself up to it. This is the first novel by the author, and that's The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
00:04:12
Kristin Paulin
At number six is Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto This book is proof that a sequel can be better than a beloved original. I didn't know it was possible to fall more in love with the main character, Vera, but I did.
00:04:29
Kristin Paulin
in this cozy mystery, we catch up with Vera from the book Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. No longer a lonely old woman, she is close to her son and has a special group of found family. In addition to running her tea house, Vera also considers herself something of a private investigator after having solved a murder in the first book.
00:04:50
Kristin Paulin
A new mysterious death crosses her path in this book and she's determined to solve the case. This story has so much heart, but while it's a cozy mystery, it also has a sobering plot when all is revealed at the end. and This book also ends in a way that's set up perfectly for a third installment, and I'm here for another Vera story. That's Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Genre-Blending and Classic Reprints
00:05:18
Kristin Paulin
At number five, we have Bunny by Mona Awad. In this book, we follow an MFA writing cohort consisting of a tight clique of four women that affectionately refer to themselves as Bunny and Samantha, the odd one out in the group.
00:05:33
Kristin Paulin
Until one day, the bunnies invite her to their famed smut salon. This book is part Frankenstein, part Heathers, part fever dream. Half the time, you'll be asking yourself, what am I reading?
00:05:45
Kristin Paulin
Is this a story about strange experiments or something else? This book brings you into a world with characters nicknamed Smackie Cupcake, Creepy Doll, Vignette, and Duchess. There are bunnies. There are experiments and rituals. It is strange. And I could not look away.
00:06:04
Kristin Paulin
The book is from Samantha's perspective, and there's a follow-up book called We Still Love You, Bunny, where we'll get the bunny's perspective. And I'm fully on this ride now, and I can't wait to pick up the new book and see what it's all about.
00:06:17
Kristin Paulin
Bunny came out in 2019, and the follow-up, We Still Love You, Bunny, came out in 2025. And again, that's Bunny by Mona Awad.
00:06:27
Kristin Paulin
At number four, we have The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose. who This one's a doozy. In the book, we have a high-powered defense attorney who's defending her struggling author husband who's on trial because he's accused of killing his mistress. And And as I said, it can be pretty easy going with thrillers. I can just be along for the ride, just be entertained. But I'm always hoping for a big shocking twist.
00:06:52
Kristin Paulin
And I read this book with a friend's book club and we consumed it in record time. We had to move up our discussion because we just could not wait to talk about it. The twist in this one was Savage with a capital S. The book came out in 2020, and there was a follow-up from the author called The Perfect Divorce, which came out in 2025. 2025.
00:07:13
Kristin Paulin
And that's The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose.
Romantic Thrillers and Moral Dilemmas
00:07:20
Kristin Paulin
And at number three, we have Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall.
00:07:23
Kristin Paulin
In rural England, a dog runs onto a farm and suddenly attacks their lambs, setting off a chain of events that takes the reader on a roller coaster through all kinds of love and loss. I would call this a romance slash thriller. This is one of the two books I read this year that I loved intensely and I would not have picked up if it were not a pick for one of my book clubs. That's one of the many reasons that I love book clubs. They really stretch my interest areas.
00:07:48
Kristin Paulin
This book is the U.S. debut for the author who's written a few other books under a different surname, and that's A Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall.
00:07:59
Kristin Paulin
At number two, we have Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild. Finding Grace is a love story written in the propulsive style of a thriller. There's love and grief. There's a moral dilemma, a secret.
00:08:09
Kristin Paulin
The dusk jacket description of this book is intentionally vague. I was told to go in blind and that by the end of chapter one, things would be more clear. I found this to be great advice, but I will say there's so much more to the story.
00:08:23
Kristin Paulin
This book is a twisty love story. The secret threatens the growing love story, making it a propulsive read.
00:08:32
Kristin Paulin
And at the end of chapter one Wow. I don't think it's possible to read the end of that chapter and just flip the page and begin chapter two. You will need to sit on it for several minutes, mouth agape.
00:08:44
Kristin Paulin
This is the debut novel for the author. That's Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild.
Intertwining Love Stories and Historical Context
00:08:51
Kristin Paulin
And at number one, we have Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
00:08:55
Kristin Paulin
This book is set in the 1980s when the first women were being admitted into the NASA space program. The book's subtitle is a Love Story, and it refers to all kinds of love. There's romantic love, love of space, family love, and found family love.
00:09:10
Kristin Paulin
I wasn't particularly interested to pick this one up, but I did so for a book club. And wow, I would have missed out on my very favorite book of the year if I hadn't. So this is another perfect example of why I love book clubs so much and how they stretch my interests.
00:09:25
Kristin Paulin
I loved this book so much. I could not put it down. I thought the love story and the space story were both done perfectly. I rarely cry for any reason. and it says a lot that I was a crying mess as I was approaching the end of this book.
00:09:41
Kristin Paulin
I also think this book has a special appeal for Gen X women like myself who were growing up during this time and how we remember Sally Ride and Christy McCullough.
00:09:51
Kristin Paulin
And the Challenger explosion is ingrained in our brains. Many of us watched it happen live on TV while we were at school. And that's Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, my very favorite book of 2025.
Closing and Future Topics Teaser
00:10:04
Kristin Paulin
And thank you for listening to my debut episode. If you liked it, please tell a friend. Coming up, you can expect episode topics that include 2026 bookish goals, books with the best twists, debut authors to check out, anticipated new releases, and a monthly book club episode.
00:10:21
Kristin Paulin
In the meantime, you can find me on Instagram at kristinsnextchapter, all one word. I'd love to hear from you and know what were your favorite reads in 2025.