Spring 2025 Books in Review – I read 21 books from April thru June, 2025. From London to California, Texas to Guatemala! Kindle, Audible, hardcover, paperbacks. Attended book festivals in both London and Los Angeles. Read lots of fiction, literary and good ol’ airport chick lit, nonfiction (love memoirs), and more. What have you read?
As per my nomad lifestyle, I generally pass on books to friends, my daughter and niece, or plant them in hotel lobbies and pubs. I donated a few to the Amnesty Int’l bookshop in Kentish Town, London. The gift that keeps on giving!
Let’s Get Started!
1. Wellness, Nathan Hill – This is a special one. It’s very long, but the type to sink into and get lost in the story and characters. It goes back and forth between the couple, covering different times of life from college courtship to mid-life marriage. There are so many thought provoking tangents, extremely well-researched. It really captures the stages of life. This is one of those books that I am in awe of the author’s research. He writes with such knowledge and authority on so many advanced topics. Sometimes the story goes off on tangents. My favorite parts are when the story sticks to the couple in the present day.
2. Lucy By the Sea, Elizabeth Strout – This is a special book. Short, I devoured it, mostly on London Tubes. One of the first “pandemic books” I’ve read, and it really captured the time period, and the perspective of those in New York. My perspective was very different in California, and then as a “nomad” on the run. The main character’s voice is so strong and distinct, it’s hard to believe it’s fiction. It’s another post-divorce and empty nest character that I related to.
3. My Name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout – I read her books out of order. I started with Lucy by the Sea, not realizing the character was portrayed in a number of earlier books. This was a quick read, focusing on Lucy’s relationship with her mother, and her difficult upbringing. This led me to the next book, Anything is Possible.
4. Anything is Possible, Elizabeth Strout – These short character-driven vignettes/short stories were so vivid. It was fun to put together like a puzzle how various characters were connected.
5. Expiration Date, Rebecca Serle (Kindle) – This is another thought provoking fun read. I am drawn to stories about destiny and love. What if you were told an “expiration date” on every relationship you began?
6. One True Loves, Taylor Jenkins Reid (Audible) – I was desperate to find a Taylor Jenkins Reid book that I hadn’t yet read. She often explores the dramatic “what ifs”. This one demonstrates that you can have more than one “true love” in a life time. It is an easy listening Audible read that accompanied me all over London. I really enjoyed the Q&A at the end between TJR and narrator Julia Whelan.
7. Dear Writer, Maggie Smith – This book is a joy and a gift of inspiration and motivation, to overcome self-doubt. She makes me realize my obsession with reading does not take away time from being a writer, but rather enhances it. There are specific writing lessons (though a lot are specific to poetry). She also reinforces the notion that creativity is a must.
8. The Tell, Amy Griffin – I heard a lot about this Oprah pick when it came out. I’m always fascinated by a memoir and how one chooses to expose their truth. I devoured it in a few days, but I can’t say I enjoyed it. Obviously the subject matter is disturbing, but I had trouble ultimately connecting with the author.
9. All I Ever Wanted, Kathy Valentine – Memoir of the bassist of the Gogo’s. I bought it and had Kathy sign it at her gig in London at the 100 Club. It’s a really engaging story, and I admire her honesty and openness. I was a huge Gogo’s fan of the 1980s (saw them in Santa Barbara 1982 as a young teen). She really captures the era.
10. The Gentleman from Peru, Andre Aciman – This is a very short book. I got lost in Aciman’s writing in the Roman Year and thought I’d give this a try. This time the setting is the gorgeous Amalfi coast, and I can nearly smell and taste the lemons he refers to. It’s yet another thought provoking piece of paths taken or not taken.
11. Confess, Colleen Hoover – A light airplane read I picked up at Heathrow to fly to California. I always enjoy her characters and stories.
12. Ugly Love, Colleen Hoover – Another one from the airport I read on my Texas trip (and it is set in Texas). I didn’t care for the simplistic writing style of this one. I think I need a break from the Colleen Hoover books. I’m more interested in discovering new writers right now.
13. All the Other Mothers Hate Me, Sarah Harman – I discovered this book at the LA Times book festival and from Jordy’s Book Club. This was a fun page turner with a true female antihero. Some of her antics and behaviors are so disturbing it was cringeworthy, thus the aptly worded title. The lead character is an American living in London, and the references are so spot on I could picture every setting. She even referenced Slough where I spent a few weeks living at the Moxy!
14. Broken Country (Audible) – Another rec from the LA Times book festival and Jordy’s book club. It was hard at first to become engaged in the audio format with the shift in time. I’m finding my preference has reverted back to a tangible book. Once I acclimated, it is a nuanced tale of love and betrayal, sadness and despair, rooted in the English countryside. I listened for hours at a time on the road between LA and Santa Barbara. Transfixed.
15. Listen for the Lie, Amy Tintera – I attended a panel discussion at the LA Times book festival with the author, the host of Jordy’s Book Club, and the team behind the upcoming limited series. Of course I had to buy the book after that! This is another interesting antihero female protagonist. The author referenced Amanda Knox a number of times which was interesting as I had heard her speak the previous day. This one is also set in Texas, and with my son living there now, and my grandmother from San Angelo, I’m drawn to stories and characters set there.
16. Free, Amanda Knox – I had the opportunity to hear Amanda speak at the LA Times book festival, and then briefly meet her afterward at the book signing. This is another brave book. As I’m once again at a difficult crossroads in my own life, both personally and professionally, I found reading Amanda’s story about how she survived prison certainly put my woes in perspective. A very interesting point she makes in one part of the book, is about the power of surrendering hope, and accepting the current situation, in this very moment. I have read a lot on mindfulness lately which goes along with that. I realize I’ve been basing a lot of my decisions on “hope” and “praying for a miracle” which is perhaps keeping me in situations longer than I should.
17. The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong – I saw this on Oprah’s Instagram for her latest bookclub pick, and saw Ocean’s interview talking about his Vietnamese mother (now deceased) who worked in a nial salon. He said how Oprah and his own writing encouraged these nail salon workers to realize they too could be readers. It was very emotional. I discussed this with my own Vietnamese nail salon workers who I’ve known for fifteen years (and our kids know each other). I gave them a copy of the book. It’s extremely unique, beautifully written, but takes a minute to get into, and is a slow character study in a particular time and place.
18. We All Worry, Now What? Victoria Jackson – Did I ever need this book! Being back in my hometown is always triggering to what was and is no more (pre divorce and empty nest I was a homeowner, a wife, a mother, a family of four). I’ve been struggling with negative thoughts and spiraling downward, not sure of next moves. Victoria addresses all of this specifically. The coincidence of finding her book was extraordinary. On a mini-adventure in my own backyard of Summerland, I stumbled into Godmothers bookstore. I had no idea it was named by Oprah, and co-founded by Victoria Jackson. My daughter had been working on Victoria’s No Makeup Makeup campaigns, and had just given one to me for Mother’s Day and I’m obsessed. I couldn’t believe it when I heard this was her store. And then I found her book! Serendipity.
19. We All Live Here, Jojo Moyes – Also at Godmothers this signed copy caught my eye. I haven’t felt this connected to a fiction book in a long time. A mother in London, betrayed by her husband who leaves her for another woman hits close to the bone! I love this book so much. Sometimes it’s healthy to be reminded of the pain and trauma experienced and realize how far you’ve come.
20. Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins-Reid (Audible) I had this saved for months. A new TJR! As I’m traveling a lot right now (Guatemala!), I was able to listen to the Audible version for hours at a time. Bottom line it’s a love story, but it’s set in an interesting world of space exploration (especially for women).
21. Eurotrash, Christian Kracht – Booker Prize International Longlist. Swiss author, translated to English from German, I read while in Guatemala. That’s international alright. It was very short, and certainly original. It’s another I can’t say I enjoyed, but I’m glad I read.
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