Dandelion Break What's the best thing you read in 2025?

[Sedayne]

It's the time for end of year lists. Do we have favourite things we've read (or listened to) over the past year? Of course we do.

It doesn't need to have been published in 2025, but you could list anything you really loved and would recommend below.

For me, I think my favourite novel was Gliff by Ali Smith (first published 2024), and I'm excited that there's a follow up due in early 2026 (confusingly called Glyph).

Special mention also to Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (2006), a graphic novel I wouldn't have known about without a recommendation from @Rachael Burnett - Thanks - I absolutely loved it.

As for non-fiction, First You Write A Sentence by Joe Moran (2018) was something of a game changer for me and undoubtedly informed my successes in the OPS competition.

 

[Rachael Burnett]

The best novel for me this year is Alchemised (2025). It's like Jayne Ayre, Pride & Prejudice had a love child with Mistborn. Loved it that it's a great doorstop of a novel.

I also can't leave 2025 behind without the 9 book series of The Expanse (Amos Burton is the most wonderful, likeable psychopath character ever). It's the kind of book/series that's so hard to follow that's there's a period of mourning. But thankfully, I followed it with Alchemised.

I love to read a Christmas book just before, and J.R.R Tolkien's Letters From Father Christmas is really quite magical.

@Sedayne hope you get a chance to read Bechdel's other two graphic novels in the series. Also, the graphic novels Persepolis and Maus are are spectacular.