Either my criteria for stars are getting harder, or I’m not coming across the fantastic books like I used to. I only had eleven five-star books in 2025: seven were a series reread, two were the last two books of another series, and the other two were a kids book and a YA. How is someone supposed to work with stats like that? I didn’t even get five picture books!
In light of that, I am taking a leaf out of my own book and picking books that had a lasting impact, five stars or not, or something that was near close to perfect but didn’t quite hit the mark. Otherwise the only offering you’ll get is me having to pick my favourite Thursday Next books and one YA mystery.
Since this is an unconventional selection, I have taken out the series and picked from my 4.5 star and above pile (the suitable five star choices being included as well). I could easily include The Eyre Affair (or the whole series really) in my Top Five, but it was included in the 2012 lot so it’s already been highlighted.
So with that weird situation in mind, these are my Top Five reads of 2025.
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Impossible Music by Sean Williams
The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde
Wrong Answers Only by Tobias Madden
So much of this book broke my heart but it’s why Aussie YA is sublime. Harry’s characters are deep and rich and you can’t help but feel like they are real flesh and blood out in the world. It’s a beautiful story and shows off a side of society people often like to sweep under the rug or shy away from. The duel narrators is a great coin flip of life experiences and it’s a gorgeous story about expectations and compassion.
Honourable Mentions
Tin Heart by Shivaun Plozza
Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Top Picture Books
A is for A Rabbit’s Tale by Jackie Hosking
Flubby will NOT go to Sleep by J.E. Morris
Flubby is NOT a Good Pet by J. E. Morris
Honourable Mentions
Room for More by Michelle Kadarusman
Incendiary feminist and bestselling author Clementine Ford presents the inarguable case against marriage for the modern woman. Provocative, controversial and above all, compellingly and persuasively argued.
This was a must read when I read the blurb and I am so glad it held up. There is a wonderful mix of queer rep in this story as well as a wonderful example of the dangers of being too defensive of labels, communities, and not allowing people to feel safe enough to explore who they might be. I love Albertalli exploring new environments to show it isn’t only high schoolers discovering who they are and taking chances. This university story follows Imogen as she takes scary steps to make new friends and adapt to changes in her world. The emotional and societal observations hit all the right notes and the characters bring this story to life making it feel universal despite the US setting.
I have been talking about Dracula Daily for a couple years now and finally Kirkland released his book that brought together the amazing online community our year long read produced in 2022. This is the same classic story that has been around for a century but is told chronologically the way 
I adored this book. Bennett Daylight balances the satisfaction of providing answers with keeping some mystery alive and it works phenomenally. There is an easy enough premise but I loved how this story is told and how things are revealed. The story of a group of teenagers trapped in a shopping centre has the potential to be so many things and Bennett Daylight hits them all. The characters are diverse and unique and they bring as much to the story as the environment does. I know I will be rereading this story a lot because I truly could never tire of this amazing story.
It’s a given these books are going to end up in my Top Five each year they are published. The team does a fantastic job translating this story from podcast to visual medium and they’ve smashed it once again. This a continuation of The Adventure Zone series and takes our trio of heroes onto their next adventure. For all the goofs, jokes, and magical D&D content, this a powerful story about consequence and how decisions we make impact our lives.
A very clever take on the time loop trope and I loved how Major builds on what you expect from the trope to making it her own. There is heart and humour, but what I loved was how Emma deals with the world around her and how it would be easy to see fault in her but at the same time you understand the situation she is in. This didn’t go where I expected which was great and I loved going on the journey and seeing the characters evolve around the story.
I did not realise until writing this I had so many rereads in my five star category. I thought there’d be more but clearly I was not that generous last year. I thought about adding some four stars but that is not the rules here. I had 25 to choose from and most of them were in a series or rereads. On the flipside, if I had read the pile of picture books I had gotten from work last year when I borrowed them instead of early in the new year I would have a few more options for that category, but those will have to wait for next time. Like last year where I only had four main reads, this time I only have four in my picture books. I will definitely have to up my reading game this year and try and find some magnificent reads that are stand alone books.
The highlight of the whole entire year was finally reading the masterpiece that is Animorphs. As a whole I have to give the entire series five stars. A lot of the individual books rated five stars, but I have to acknowledge the absolute way this series took over my life for two months and continues to live in my head as one of the most impactful things I’ve ever read.
This was a reread but it was amazing once again. I love the humour and the amazing science behind it. Mark is a great narrator and Weir tells the story in creative ways that are impactful and clever. There are enough little surprises that each time I am amazed by a plot twist because there’s tiny details I forget while other favouritess stick firmly in my mind.
This is number two in the series but it was an amazing read. Wayward Children is a brilliant series and tells the story of children who have found other worlds and then returned to their original world often against their wishes. Down Among the Sticks and Bones is the backstory of two characters we met in book one and is an incredible insight into their characters and the imagination of McGuire. It’s a tad morbid and maybe lightly gruesome in context with mad scientists and paranormal figures but highly enjoyable with a fabulous narrative voice and dry humour.
Another reread but the entire series holds up really well. My favourite book is still number five Burning for Revenge but going on the whole journey with Ellie, Homer and everyone else after so many years was so much fun and it’s truly a classic Aussie YA series everyone should read. It goes through the realities of war, of growing up, of being teenagers, and enduring the unexpected and unfathomable.
Even though I gave this five stars when I read it, it feels weird adding to my Top Five. It feels too obvious. Too…I dunno, weird. But it certainly a five star read. Douglas Adams is a genius with his words, his ideas, his ability to loop everything back together and weave the strings together where what seems nonsensical suddenly had greater meaning. And then of course at the same time make you realise nothing has meaning. It’s a fantastic book and a great introduction to the five book trilogy and even though it seems a clear choice, you can’t ignore it is still all these years later an amazing read.
Jon Klassen is one of my all-time favourite picture book authors and this is a new addition to his spectacular catalogue. The humour found in all his books is there, there’s drama and beauty, suspense and jealousy. The use of the page in terms of illustrations and text narration is amazing and I love the unexpectedness of the story.
I was crying with laughter by the end of this book which is a solid review in itself. The illustrations are also fantastically cute, filled with colour and great character designs. The humour is great, it’s engaging for kids and adults, and the absurdity adds a whole other level of enjoyment.
Once again drawn in by a cute cover and rewarded with a great story. The illustrations aren’t only adorable but there is a great story about wanting to big and grown up only to realise there is something wonderfully special about being yourself and not rushing to change who you are.
I was surprised how much I adored this book. Mini Rabbit is adorable and her desire to help and her curiosity and enthusiasm for everything is lovely. The illustrations are charming and really pull you into the story and make you invested in the story.
