Lauren's List: Books I Read and Loved in 2025 - Part 1
- Feb 19
- 2 min read
It was a really wonderful reading year for me. If you're in the trenches of the early childhood years and doing little reading, hang in there. I read very little, and remember almost nothing from what I read the first years of my parenting. Now that my youngest is 7, and I'm in my second year of everyone in full-time school, my reading life is back. I'm so grateful.
These are my favorite reads from this past year in fiction and children's literature.
My Favorite Fiction of 2025:
My favorite series this year was Robert Galbraith's (J.K. Rowling's) The Cormoran Strike series, specifically The Ink Black Heart.
Along with The Ink Black Heart, my favorite novels this year were I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, and Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.
Other recommendations:
My Favorite Children's Lit of 2025:
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge is a great fantasty adventure story I think my boys will love, more like Harry Potter and Narnia than not. Loved it so much!
We love a rhyming, funny, beautifully illustrated book in this house. Caught my youngest reading this on his own in his room just last night even though Justin has been telling him this story for five years! Check out The Big Mess by Justin Whitmel Earley, illus. by Janna Mattia.
Other recommendations:
Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3! You can connect with us on Instagram @justinwhitmelearley or @laurenmakeslists (all links in my bio as well!)
Follow along for more Lauren's Lists!
Snow Rider is more than a casual winter game. Every run helps improve timing, decision-making, and hand-eye coordination.
The best part of Geoguessr Unlimited is the challenge of finding hidden clues in the environment. Even the smallest details can become important when trying to identify a location.
If you enjoy physics-based driving games, this is worth checking out. Drive Mad feels simple at first but becomes surprisingly creative.
Kuch articles aise hote hain jo reader ka interest last tak bana kar rakhte hain. Is post mein mujhe wahi feel aayi. Beech mein Tiranga Games ke baare mein jo information di gayi thi wo practical aur easy to understand lagi. Later part mein Tiranga Games ko phir mention kiya gaya aur article ka connection bana raha. Isi wajah se content natural aur balanced laga.
What a wonderful and thoughtfully curated reading list! One of the things I appreciate most about posts like this is that they go far beyond simply recommending books—they offer a glimpse into a reader’s journey, the ideas that captured descarga sin marca de agua their attention, and the stories that left a lasting impression. Reading is such a personal experience, and seeing someone reflect on the books that shaped their year often inspires others to discover titles they may never have encountered otherwise. The article beautifully communicates the joy of returning to a rich reading life and the value of making time for books in the midst of busy seasons.