The Five Best Books l Read in 2025

(these books are excellent)

This past year, I read a fair amount. Between finishing my English degree and being able to read for fun again, I have some excellent contenders for the five best books of my year. In alphabetical order, I present my top five books of the year.

Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu (1872)

Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith (2011)

Luster by Raven Leilani (2020)

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (2017)

The Passion by Jeanette Winterson (1987)

Honorable mentions:

How to Baptize a Child in Flint Michigan by Sarah Carson (2022)

Lotería by Mario Alberto Zambrano (2014)

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I read Carmilla in conjunction with other vampire literature. It was fascinating to consider this sapphic text in light of the patriarchy and the time in which it was written. One of the more interesting things I considered while looking at vampirism and the patriarchy was the pattern almost all vampire literature follows. There is always a threat to the "traditional" family structure and to heterosexuality in conjunction with religion. This threat is deemed "supernatural" and is later neutralized along with the vampire, thus righting the wrong and restoring heteronormative ideals. I should publish the article on my blog.

Life on Mars is a poetry collection that I read for a class on post-secularism. This collection (and the course) challenged my perception of god and reason. What does it mean to have the influence of both ideologies, and how does that work in my life? Additionally, the discussion of religion, loss, and the unknown was life-changing. I have loved poetry for a few years, but I hadn't read much modern poetry. Suddenly, it was deep and relatable, and I got her pop culture references. It was one of the most moving poetry collections I have read thus far.

I read Luster in my car in the parking lot of a mental health hospital while it slushed outside and the duck pond iced over. I saw it on TikTok as a recommendation for people who love Fleabag. And I love Fleabag. So, I picked up this book on a whim in October. Reading it was phenomenal. The prose was more than convincing; it was true. The way Raven Leilani writes made me feel more alive. I left that book, tears running down my cheeks, with a desire to actually write something meaningful. Luster highlights what it means to fail gracefully while getting it all wrong. I aim to fail more gracefully because of this novel.

Cannibalism is everything. Hatred, love, hunger. Why is all-consuming so taboo? Tender is the Flesh made me laugh, cry, ache, and think more deeply about human cruelty. What is humanity worth if we don't treat each other equally? The dichotomy between love and hate is palpable. Is it possible for love and hate to co-exist? Tender is the Flesh is a book worth reading and re-reading.

I saw The Passion at a bookstore (when I took my graduation photos at said bookstore). The employee recommendation underneath The Passion praised the prose. Wow. I am floored at the way Winterson writes prose. Each passage added to the collective narrative, which was fascinating. I loved the way she discussed passion in various contexts, but under the larger umbrella of the Napoleonic wars. When I learned that it was published in 1987, I was even more impressed. I should have heard of Winterson sooner. Now, I will be reading everything she has written.

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i hate my desk job

the parking lot is gray

my coffee is cold

i have a sleep schedule

so i make it on time,

sometimes,

to sit at a wooden desk

with two labubus

one is orange and real

one is fake and green.

documents need to be written

they pay me to do it

i need to pay my student loans

so i write and file them.

i hate my desk job

but i need it

so i will take my pills

and go to sleep.

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Yours truly,

Macy