Ten Before the End
It’s official: we’re more than halfway through the year. And, let’s face it, my reading challenge has been suffering. I got back into reading about four years ago (thanks, COVID), and each year I pride myself on upping the ante for my reading challenge.
For reference, here are my credentials:
Goodreads (I know, we hate Bezos, too, but sometimes we have to do things we don’t like for the sake of tracking our reads)
Storygraph (A much better alternative, so if you don’t have an account to track your reads, please start here!)
The tl;dr is I went from a goal of 10 in 2021 (didn’t hit it, if you were wondering) to 150 in 2025. I know, a huge goal, but considering I read 115/100 books in 2023 and 153/125 in 2024, I felt optimistic. Wow, was I wrong. 2025 has kicked my ass, as I’m sure it has for a lot of people. I ended up adjusting my goal from 150 to 85 a few months ago and I am STILL behind. 😅
So, if you’re like me and behind AF this year, here are 10 books I personally recommend to get back on track!
The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
With a page count of 60 and a beautifully illustrated story, The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke is definitely one of my most recommended catch-up reads. Piranesi, another of Clarke’s books, is one of my favorite reads from 2024 (a beautiful and quick audiobook, if you’re into that medium of reading!). Do I ever know what Susanna is talking about? No, but on vibes alone, I adore this read.
Blurb below ↓
Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scot is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees-and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.
One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst-and the path of her life is changed forever.
Featuring gorgeous illustrations truly worthy of the magic of this story and an afterword by Susanna Clarke explaining how she came to write it, this is a mesmerizing, must-have addition to any fantasy reader's bookshelf.
Mixed Feelings: Poems and Stories by Avan Jogia
I know what you’re thinking, and yes! This book is brought to us by THAT Avan Jogia (ily Beck). This was a recent read for me, and it was beautiful. The prose, the illustrations, and the stories themselves had me close to tears a few times. If you’re into poetry, short stories, and reading about experiences different than yours, look no further. Here’s the blurb:
In Mixed Feelings, Avan Jogia explores his complicated emotions around race, identity, religion, and family through poetry and imagery. Drawing on the author's own life story as well as interviews he's conducted with friends and strangers, Mixed Feelings serves as a dialogue starter for difficult topics that now, more than ever, need to be discussed.
I’m sure you’re thinking, “Elizabeth, why would you recommend a full-length book?” but how could I not? I listened to this book and began recommending it immediately. If you’re an open-minded romance reader, and haven’t read any Kimberly Lemming yet, you’re surely missing out. This is funny, well written, smart, and surprising. I won’t give any real spoilers, but I will say, my jaw hit the floor when I realized what romanceS were developing...
Here’s a little more info:
Dorothy Valentine is close to getting her PhD in wildlife biology when she’s attacked by a lion. On the bright side, she’s saved! On the not-so-bright side, it’s because they’re abducted by aliens. In her scramble to escape, Dory and the lion commandeer an escape pod and crash-land on an alien planet that has...dinosaurs?
Dory and her new lion bestie, Toto, are saved in the nick of time by a mysterious and sexy alien, Sol. On their new adventure, they team up with the equally hot, equally dangerous Lok, who may or may not be a war criminal. Whether it be trauma, fate, or intrigue, Dory can’t resist the attraction that’s developing in their trio....
As this ragtag group of misfits explore their new planet, Dory learns more about how and why they’ve all ended up together, battles more prehistoric creatures than she imagined (she imagined...zero), and questions if she even wants to go back home to Earth in this hilarious and steamy alien romance adventure comedy romp.
The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman
The good news: Fredrik Backman hardly misses. The bad news: I can’t find this anywhere that’s not Amazon/Kindle Unlimited to order. I read this from an ARC (thank you, NetGalley), but it’s out now via Amazon. This short story was stupid, hilarious, silly, and such a quick read. I’ve loved Backman since Beartown (a six-star read for me) and am slowly working through his backlog. This is a one-sitting read, for sure.
Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?
Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.
Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.
Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer by Dylan Mulvaney
Not everyone is a memoir fan, but if you are, this is one of my all-time favorites. Dylan Mulvaney narrates her audiobook for Paper Doll and it was such a great listen. A little bit of Hollywood tea, a unique perspective, and a hilarious voice made this a five-star read for me. There’s something so special about hearing an author narrate their own stories. If you’ve never heard of Dylan, that’s okay! Here’s a tidbit:
When Dylan Mulvaney came out as a woman online, she was a viral sensation almost overnight, emerging as a trailblazing voice on social media. Dylan’s personal coming-out story blossomed into a platform for advocacy and empowerment for trans people all over the world.
Through her “Days of Girlhood” series, she connected with followers by exploring what it means to be a girl, from experimenting with makeup to story times to spilling the tea about laser hair removal, while never shying away from discussing the transphobia she faced online. Nevertheless, she was determined to be a beacon of positivity.
But shortly after she celebrated day 365 of being a girl, it all came screeching to a halt when an innocuous post sparked a media firestorm and right-wing backlash she couldn’t have expected. Despite the vitriolic press and relentless paparazzi, Dylan was determined to remain loud and proud.
In Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer, Dylan pulls back the curtain of her “It Girl” lifestyle with a witty and intimate reflection of her life pre- and post-transition. She covers everything from her first big break in theater to the first time her dad recognized her as a girl to how she handled scandals, cancellations, and . . . tucking. It’s both laugh-out-loud funny and powerfully honest—and is a love letter to everyone who stands up for queer joy.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
If you’ve been on Booktok at all, you’ve probably heard of I Who Have Never Known Men. This short book (184 pages) can literally change your life perspective if you let it. I don’t always adore books that are “Booktok Books” but this didn’t disappoint. If you’re into any sort of dystopian vibe, this needs to be on your TBR ASAP. If you haven’t heard of it, here’s the summary:
Deep underground, thirty-nine women live imprisoned in a cage. Watched over by guards, the women have no memory of how they got there, no notion of time, and only a vague recollection of their lives before.
As the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl—the fortieth prisoner—sits alone and outcast in the corner. Soon she will show herself to be the key to the others' escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground.
The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel by Molly Knox Ostertag
Those last couple were serious, let’s get back to some fun. This is a cute, quick, sapphic, coming-of-age graphic novel that you can read in less than one-sitting. There’s not much to say about it, if you like giggling and kicking your feet, this one’s for you.
Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can't wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She's desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends...who don't understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan's biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl.Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn't seem so stifling anymore.But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they're each trying to hide will find its way to the surface...whether Morgan is ready or not.
Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood
Now, I know this might be considered cheating, but hear me out: steamy STEMinist novellas. From the author of the Love Hypothesis (which I didn’t love) and Love, Theoretically (which I did), here are three novellas that you can devour in a night. Steamy, fun, and fast, your reading challenge will appreciate you hitting the three-in-one. Here’s a bit about each one:
Under One Roof: An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell—a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.
Stuck with You: A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry—and love—to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.
Below Zero: A NASA aerospace engineer's frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.
I hope this blog post helps you feel a little more balanced when looking at your 2025 reading challenge. If anything, you can at least push a bit forward with some of my favorite reads! In the meantime, my 52/85 (formerly 150) ass has some catching up to do. Thank you for reading and for supporting Ashley Independent House ♡