Best of 2025!

 

Already time for the yearly roundup of some of my best reads this year. I always wait until the very last possible moment to post my list; you never know what you'll come across around Christmas! I like to give every book I've read this year a chance to appear on my favourites list, no matter if I read it in the first week of January or the last few days of December. 

I also create a statistical summary each year, for my own geekish pleasure. As I've said before, I don't think of reading as a competition -- I keep track of numbers and various stats for my own interest, not to prove anything or compare myself to anyone. 

Here are my reading stats for 2025: 

Total Reading: 190

Authors

Female: 170
Male: 17
Both/Neither: 3

Genre 

Fiction: 90

Non Fiction: 97

Poetry: 3

In Translation: 38

Ukrainian: 5

Russian (Ukrainian writing in): 3

Japanese: 9

Korean: 4

Spanish: 2

Swedish: 3

Norwegian: 3

German: 2

Quebecois French: 1

French: 1

Greek: 1 

Finnish: 1

Chinese: 1

Hungarian: 1

Bangla: 1

My Own Books: 34
Library Books: 144

Review Copies: 12

Rereads: 5
E-reads: 99

Author who I read the most from: 

9 - Dorothy Gilman (after discovering the Mrs. Pollifax series in March, I've now read up to #9 in the series)

2025's Weird Random Stat: 

Books with felines in the title: 6

I had an unusual year, in that I read more nonfiction than fiction. Probably why I felt like I had a number of reading slumps this year; if I can't read fiction, I turn to a lot of instructional craft books! I did get back to reading some poetry, which I am pleased by.

Like always, I read a big majority of women authors, and quite a few more library books than my own this year. But I am happy with all the great books I am able to find through the library! I am hoping to get a few more books off of my own shelves in the upcoming year, though. Even have a challenge for that! 

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And now for the Best of 2025!

These are titles that were memorable, unusual, or caught me with their great storytelling or rich characters. Just books that hit the right note with me when I picked them up! 

Despite not reading as much fiction this year, I found some great books. Some old, some new, some translated. Here were some that I enjoyed, or found very memorable. 

Starting with my Fiction Top Ten: 

Two powerful reads both set in Ukraine. Cecil the Lion Had to Die by Olena Stiazhkina (trans. by Dominique Hoffman) is probably my best read overall. Engrossing characters, great writing, innovative structure -- and an important story. #1 read this year! 

And then there's Endling by Maria Reva, which should have made it to the Booker shortlist this year. Timely story, quirky plot, another innovative structure reacting to the world's realities. Both rewarding reads. 

I also read a lot of Japanese and Korean books this year! These were two of my very favourites, but there were others that I really enjoyed as well. The Korean 'healing fiction' novel, The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin (trans. by Clare Richards was really satisfying. The Japanese novel Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki (trans. by Jordan Taylor) was one I just read, and found it perfect for the holiday season. 

There were a couple of random finds that were unusual, feminist and fun reads for me. The Medusa Situation by Gabiann Marin was a truly random discovery on Hoopla, but this Australian story of the Greek Gods living in the suburbs was a delight. Katharine Stall's Den of Thieves was a paperback I've had on my shelves for a while but finally picked up, and found a rollicking, thoughtful tale of religion, conspiracy and resistance.

Early in the year I read Susin Nielsen's Snap, a story of three people finding unlikely friends in their anger management class. I've reread it once already. And Dorothy Gilman's The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax was the beginning of my Pollifax obsession this year! Such fun, with extra heart, in both books. 

I also read some older books, and found them to still be shockingly timely. Both about marriage and gender roles, really. Dorothy Canfield Fisher's The Home-Maker looked at gender roles from the viewpoint of a woman who didn't like domesticity, and a man who wanted to be at home with his children. Ursula Parrott's Ex-Wife was a darker read, about a young woman struggling with who she is once she is an ex-wife. Both still relevant. 

Then a couple of extras -- one children's book:

Wildcat Behind Glass by Alki Zei (trans. by Karen Emmerich) is a Greek classic, a children's novel about growing up under looming fascism. 

One Poetry Book:

Letters of the Alphabet by Lesyk Panasiuk (trans. by Katie Farris & Ilya Kaminsky) was a collection I read for work, and thought it was terrific. 

And one outstanding nonfic among the many crafty books I read this year:

Pink Eraser Art by Serena Rios McRae was really well written and designed, and got me into carving erasers into little stamps. I've only made a couple so far but it is so fun! (I didn't review this one). 

So these were some of the top reads of the year for me. As usual, some good Ukrainian reads, some older titles and craft work too. I love reading a wide variety of titles and found a bunch across a range of genres this year. Hopefully I'll be as lucky in 2026!

Best of 2024!

 

Already time for the yearly roundup of some of my best reads this year. I always wait until the very last possible moment to post my list; you never know what you'll come across around Christmas! I like to give every book I've read this year a chance to appear on my favourites list, no matter if I read it in the first week of January or the last few days of December. 

I also create a statistical summary each year, for my own geekish pleasure. As I've said before, I don't think of reading as a competition -- I keep track of numbers and various stats for my own interest, not to prove anything or compare myself to anyone. 

Here are my reading stats for 2024:

Total Reading: 186

Authors

Female: 161
Male: 22
Both/Neither: 3

Genre 

Fiction: 124

Non Fiction: 57

Poetry: 5

In Translation: 45

Ukrainian: 10

Japanese: 5

Arabic: 5

Spanish: 5

Quebecois French: 3

French: 3

Korean: 3

Polish: 3

Italian: 3

German: 1

Swedish: 1

Turkish: 1

Portuguese: 1

Russian (Ukrainian writing in): 1

My Own Books: 34
Library Books: 149

Review Copies: 3

Rereads: 7
E-reads: 78

Author who I read the most from: 

Susan Scarlett - 3 books, plus one under her real name, Noel Streatfeild

2024's Weird Random Stat: 

Books with the names of flowers/herbs or gardens in the title: 7

I picked up my reading numbers over last year, although not in all areas. I did get back to reading some poetry, which I am pleased by.

Like always, I read a big majority of women authors, and quite a few more library books than my own this year. But I am happy with all the great books I am able to find through the library! I am hoping to get a few more books off of my own shelves in the upcoming year, though. 

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And now for the Best of 2024!

These are titles that were memorable, unusual, or caught me with their great storytelling or rich characters. Just books that hit the right note with me when I picked them up! 

Starting with my Top Ten in Fiction: 

Two lighter reads that I found clever and enjoyable. The English Understand Wool was funny and surprising, as well as talking about fashion a bit. Miss Carter & the Ifrit was imaginative, touching and also quite philosophical in the end. I really liked both. 

And a few translations that I found very memorable and powerful. Elena Knows (from Argentina) was striking, with a great lead and a mystery driving the narrative. The Sea Cloak was a beautifully written collection of stories set in Gaza, powerful reading now. The Forbidden Notebook was a fantastic Italian read about a woman's life and autonomy, and how a diary shakes things up. 

There were two books that caused a double take in my reading! Both My Death and

Do Evil in Return were books that sprung unexpected events on me and made me look at the characters differently. Excellent reads! 

And there were some Ukrainian books that I loved this year, too. There were quite a few I enjoyed but these three were my faves. Days of Miracle & Wonder was a recent read, a collection of engaging stories which I really enjoyed. Forgottenness was a translation, a slower moving, thoughtful story about memory, Ukrainian history, existential crisis and more. Philipovna was a novelization of the writer's mother's story and it was striking and unforgettable, such dramatic moments of history and cultural trauma shared. 

There were also a couple of nonfiction titles that really stood out to me this year. Ukraine: a Spring for the Thirsty was a collection of interviews and essays about translation, publishing and Ukrainian literature. It was a fascinating, lively read, much more than I'd even expected, and I learned so much. Really great. Food Was Her Country was a poetic memoir by a Ukrainian Canadian filmmaker and writer, who I've read before; this one was fantastic as well. 

And I also have to add some outstanding books for younger readers. This year I discovered a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin by Eleanor Farjeon, called The Silver Curlew. It was a magical, delightful read. And Stitching Science was a pleasure all through! It combines scientific facts alongside beautifully stitched textile works illustrating scientific concepts from A-Z. I love science and I really love textiles so this was a big hit with me!

So these were my top reads of the year, and I enjoyed so many different kinds of books this year. I loved the settings, the historical contexts, found some marvellous characters and enjoyed the artistic themes in many of them. And I'm hoping that next year's reading will bring some new discoveries that are just as good. 

Best of 2023!

 

Already time for the yearly roundup of some of my best reads this year. I always wait until the very last possible moment to post my list; you never know what you'll come across around Christmas! I like to give every book I've read this year a chance to appear on my favourites list, no matter if I read it in the first week of January or the last few days of December. 

I also create a statistical summary each year, for my own geekish pleasure. As I've said before, I don't think of reading as a competition -- I keep track of numbers and various stats for my own interest, not to prove anything or compare myself to anyone. 

Here are my reading stats for 2023:

Total Reading: 158

Authors

Female: 147
Male: 7
Both/Neither: 4

Genre 

Fiction: 112

Non Fiction: 46

Poetry: 0

In Translation: 41

Japanese: 10

Ukrainian: 8

French: 4

Spanish: 3

Korean: 3

Quebecois French: 2

Norwegian: 2

German: 2

Montenegrin: 1

Afrikaans: 1

Danish: 1

Icelandic: 1

Catalan: 1

Italian: 1

Romanian: 1

My Own Books: 33
Library Books: 121

Review Copies: 4

Rereads: 5
E-reads: 40

Author who I read the most from: 

Elizabeth Pewsey - 5 (plus 1 reread of this series of 5)

(also one book each by her, under varied pseudonyms, Elizabeth Edmonston & Gally Marchmont)

2023's Weird Random Stat: 

Books with Personal Names in the title: 15

I seem to have picked up my reading slightly over last year, although not in the areas of poetry or audiobooks.

Like always, I read a big majority of women authors, and quite a few more library books than my own this year. But I am happy with all the great books I am able to find through the library!

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And now for the Best of 2023!

These are titles that were memorable, unusual, or caught me with their great storytelling or rich characters. Just books that hit the right note with me when I picked them up! I read a lot of good books this year -- it was hard to pick out the great ones. 

1. Best Book of the Year! 

The Museum of Abandoned Secrets by Oksana Zabuzhko was the most absorbing, memorable book of the year for me. The writing style was fresh and engaging, and the content was timely. Ranging between WWII era Ukraine and today -- well, it was originally published in 2009, so just before the Russians invaded again. But it covers so much history, and family drama, with energy and pathos and vitality. Loved this one. 

2 & 3. Two more Ukrainian books made it to my top ten reads this year. Episodic Memory by Liubov Holota was a slower paced read, with history, family, and politics all wrapped up in a more lyrical prose style and philosophy. Lots to it, although the ending still puzzles me. Ivan & Phoebe by Oksana Lutsyshyna was a new translation this year, and it's full of energy and historical truths. Through this story, not only do we encounter families and relationships but also the larger story of history and politics, and how they are all enmeshed. Very timely and compelling reading. 

4. I just finished this one a few weeks ago but it jumped to the top of my favourite reading of the year. Cross Stitch by Jazmina Barrera is a translation of a novel by a Mexican writer, which explores the role of female friendship, interspersed with the history of embroidery, to create a resonant feminist narrative. Three girls develop a strong school friendship, and the book looks back from their adult viewpoint at their past together, when one of them dies.

5. Another book with sewing content, The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno was also a really engaging historical novel starting in Sardinia in 1900 and following the century alongside a young sartina (household seamstress). It was dramatic, a bit soapy, and enjoyable both for the historical/feminist content, and for the great descriptions of sewing and the main character's occupation. 

6. I really enjoyed the random discovery of Elizabeth Pewsey's Mountjoy series this summer. I found Unaccustomed Spirits at a thrift store, and loved it, so much that I searched out the rest of the series online (though couldn't find #1) This one is my favourite of the series, and I reread it over the holidays, as it is set during the Christmas season and it seemed suitable!

7. Father by Elizabeth von Arnim was a book that I ordered for myself as soon as I saw it was being issued by the British Library Women Writers series. I have nearly all of her books that are in print, and will read anything she wrote. So this was a welcome addition, and it was as arch and amusing and trenchant about the plight of women and marriage as ever. 

8. Business as Usual by Jane Oliver & Ann Stafford was a lucky find, a store novel, in epistolary format, from 1933 -- all things I love! Hilary is determined to make her way in the world and spends a year working in the book/lending library area of a large department store in London. Her eyes are opened to a world beyond her middle class upbringing. It was charming but not twee.

9. These last two were just enjoyable stories. I liked the characters and the concepts and found them easy but memorable. What You Can See From Here by Mariana Leky is set in a small German town where the residents are closely enmeshed, and the main character has to eventually make her way into the wider world. Some dark bits, but overall a read that isn't too challenging. 

10. Last pick is a recent read, Connie Willis' The Road to Roswell. I find Willis hugely entertaining, and this one has aliens, casinos, Men in Black and unexpected romance. Very fun & imaginative. 

Besides these 10 novels, I also read two non-fiction books in particular that are worth mentioning as outstanding reads. These were both fashion/textile related. Worn by Sofi Thanhauser is a history of clothing from around the world - it covers a lot more than European history, and was fascinating. The other one is Willi Smith: Street Couture, an exhibition catalogue for a show highlighting Willi Smith, fabulous designer from the 70s & 80s. It's a series of essays by various academics and people who worked with him, and it's a social history of his times as well as the story of his career. Plus so many fantastic images!

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So there's another yearly roundup of my reading. There were more books that were great reads that just missed this list of top tens, and lots of authors that I'd like to read more of. Wishing us all a new year of fabulous finds in 2024! 

100 Greatest Children's Books of All Time!! And my own additions...

 

Just this week an article appeared on the BBC website -- a list of the "100 Greatest Children's Books of All Time", voted on by a group of 107 different bookish people from around the world. Each person got 10 choices, and they were all collated and ranked to make up the final list.

Of course, the claim made in the title of this list is quite ambitious! 100 Greatest for whom? And how about the missing ones? One issue I have with this list is that they did not separate out picture books from early chapter books or middle grade reads. How do you compare The Very Hungry Caterpillar with Anne of Green Gables? Hard to do that. And of course, I have some disagreements as to what makes something a "children's book" (ie: why is Lord of the Rings or Watership Down on this list?)

Take a look and see what you think of it -- and how many books on this list you've read. And then share which book you would have added to your own list instead of some of these choices. 

I was quite happy to see some of my favourites on this list (Anne, the Moomins, A Wrinkle in Time, and more) but there are definitely 10 titles not on this list that I would have chosen for my own. So here are my 10 replacement titles that I think could replace the non-children's titles currently there ;) These are all books that I personally love and would gladly share with any reader! I hope that you'll check these out too, and share your own picks :)

5 Picture Books

1. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom / Bill Martin 
2. Millions of Cats / Wanda Gag
3. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes / Eric Litwin
4. The Paper Bag Princess / Robert Munsch 
5.  The Mitten / Jan Brett

5 Chapter Books

1. The Witch of Blackbird Pond / Elizabeth George Speare
2. The Little White Horse / Elizabeth Goudge
3. The Trumpet of the Swan / E.B. White
4. Mrs. Frisby & The Rats of NIMH / Robert O'Brien
5. The Borrowers / Mary Norton

Best of 2022

Already time for the yearly roundup of some of my best reads this year. I always wait until the very last possible moment to post my list; you never know what you'll come across around Christmas! I like to give every book I've read this year a chance to appear on my favourites list, no matter if I read it in the first week of January or the last few days of December. 

I also create a statistical summary each year, mostly for my own geekish pleasure. As I've said before, I don't think of reading as a competition -- I keep track of numbers and various stats for my own interest, not to prove anything or compare myself to anyone. 

Here are my reading stats for 2022:

Total Reading: 132

Authors

Female: 114
Male: 11
Both/Neither: 7

Genre 

Fiction: 87

Non Fiction: 42

Poetry: 3

In Translation: 44

Ukrainian - 20

Russian (Ukrainians writing in) - 4

Italian - 5

Japanese - 4

French - 2

Quebec French - 1

Spanish - 1

Korean - 1

Hebrew - 1

Greek - 1

Danish - 1

Czech - 1

Farsi - 1

Finnish -1

My Own Books: 23
Library Books: 106

Review Copies: 3

Rereads: 4
E-reads: 33

Author who I read the most from: 

Elizabeth von Arnim with 4

2022's Weird Random Stat: 

Books with place names in their titles: 9

I seem to have picked up my reading slightly over last year, which admittedly was a very strange year! The number of audiobooks I read this year dropped quite a lot but I'm still using them more than I did in the past. 

Like always, I read a big majority of women authors, and quite a few more library books than my own this year. Must get to my own shelves again soon. But I am happy with all the great books I found through the library!

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And now for the Best of 2022!

These are titles that were memorable, unusual, or caught me with their great storytelling or rich characters. Just books that hit the right note with me when I picked them up! I read a lot of good books this year, but it was hard to pick out the great ones. 

Starting with some great Ukrainian reading:

1. Daughter / Tamara Duda - my top read of the year. Hard hitting and sometimes tough to read, this was difficult at times but so compelling

2. Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex / Oksana Zabuzhko - a classic of Ukrainian literature, I found it very engaging, and relished her writing style

3. Dog Park / Sofi Oksanen - this Finnish/Estonian writer told a fascinating story, and captures contemporary life in Ukraine and Europe

4. From Heart to Heart / Lesia Ukrainia & Hrytsko Hryhorenko - my favourite volume so far in the Language Lanterns series of collected writings of Ukrainian women from the turn of the last century. So good. 

And then some lighter reading for enjoyment:

5. Killers of a Certain Age / Deanna Raybourn - a delightful read featuring four aging assassins who use the invisibility of older women to their advantage

6. Hester / Laurie Lico Albanese - a deeply woven historical novel featuring a seamstress/embroiderer who leaves Scotland to go to New England at the time of Nathaniel Hawthorne and unwittingly becomes his inspiration for "The Scarlet Letter" (all fictional of course)

7. Clothes-Pegs / Susan Scarlett - a frothy romance from the 30s, enjoyable for its setting in a fashion house and all the fabulous family interactions. The romance is passable.

8. Aggie Morton & the Seaside Corpse / Marthe Jocelyn - the final volume in one of my favourite middle grade series which manages to tie up the series in a touching but not maudlin way. 

And finishing off with two wonderful non-fiction reads: 

9. The Ukrainian Night / Marci Shore - a history of the 2014 Euromaidan revolution through interviews with Ukrainians who were part of it. Shore has a non-intrusive authorial voice, and this story gives a lot of background for those new to Ukrainian history

10. Summer Kitchens / Olia Hercules - this cookbook is more than just recipes (although those are wonderful). It's also full of photos and stories about Ukrainian traditions all across the country. Simply beautiful. I didn't review this one, but I highly recommend it!

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And there it is, my yearly roundup. I didn't read quite as much in numbers this year, but found that the books I was reading took more concentration and focus. Many were by new-to-me writers. I did find some excellent reads, and many of the books not on this final list were very good books that just didn't quite make it to the top ten. I'm hoping for a good reading year ahead and more new discoveries.