Halfway through 2025 and the reading count is already at 25 books. Not work books, but personal reads that actually matter.
The pace might slow down now that the third LBJ biography by Caro has started (one volume every summer is the tradition), but there's already a solid collection of favorites from the year.
The standout reads of 2025 so far come down to three clear winners:
These are the books that hit different. The ones that stayed on the mind long after the last page. Perfect picks for that upcoming beach trip or vacation flight when you need something that will actually keep you engaged at 30,000 feet.
Here's a list of the other books from the first half of 2025:
Want more details on any of these books or the other 22 that made the list? Full reviews for everything get posted on Goodreads. It's where the real thoughts and reactions live, beyond just the quick recommendations.
For my complete list of book recommendations from every year, check out my favorite reading recommendations.
If you're looking for your next beach read or planning ahead for that long flight, these three books deliver. Martyr, Playworld, and Long Island Compromise represent the best of what 2025 has offered so far in personal reading.
The year is only half over, but the reading list is already strong. Even with the LBJ biography slowing down the pace, there's still plenty of time to discover more great books before December hits.
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