5 Star Reads for 2025

Photo by Aaron Burden / Unsplash

Fiction

Horror

The End of Alice by A. M. Homes
Mothered by Zoje Stage
The Sign of the Beast by Joyce Carol Oates
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King, narrated by William Hurt and Stephen King (reread, first read of this version)
Not yet published horror poetry collection by John Boden--now published! My Eyes Are Just Holograms
Jackknife by Joe Hill
Letter Slot by Owen King
Rage by Richard Bachman
The Alienist by Caleb Carr, narrated by George Guidall (first time reading this version)--Dr Laszlo Kriezler series no. 1
The Secret History of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost (reread)
The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr, narrated by George Guidall (first time reading this version)--Dr Laszlo Kriezler series no. 2
Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar, narrated by Maggie Siff (first time reading this version)--The Button Box series no. 1
The Rosary Girls by Richard Montanari, narrated by Scott Brick (reread)-- Balzano and Byrne series no. 1
The Skin Gods by Richard Montanari, narrated by Scott Brick, narrated by Scott Brick (reread)-- Balzano and Byrne series no. 2
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
Wizard and Glass by Stephen King--The Dark Tower series no. 4
Never Flinch by Stephen King--Holly Gibney series no. 4
Frankenstein, the 1818 edition by Mary Shelley
Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

Nonfiction

American Scary: A History of Horror, From Salem to Stephen King and Beyond by Jeffrey Dauber, narrated by the author
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
The House of My Mother by Shari Franke, narrated by the author
All Things Aside: Absolutely Correct Opinions by Iliza Shlesinger, narrated by the author
Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath by Heather Clark
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady, narrated by the author
Nobody's Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
Blazing Eye Sees All: Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age by Leah Sottile
How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and In Faith by Mariann Edgar Budde
Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris (first time reading the expanded edition)
The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Birth by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan (reread)

History

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg, narrated by Kirsten Potter
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan
Six Women of Salem: The Untold Story of the Accused and Their Accusers in The Salem Witch Trials by Marilynne K. Roach, narrated by Kate Reading
Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson, narrated by Rose Akroyd
Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus by Elaine Pagels, narrated by Eunice Wong
A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen, narrated by Erin Bennett
Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline Fraser

Craft

There Might Be Cupcakes Bookstore at Bookshop.org, supports the podcast and Judy Blume's store, Books & Books