So, I made it to the end of 2025. Who’d have thought! It’s been a rollercoaster, but the less said, the better.

I actually managed to have a pretty relaxing Christmas, which was needed. I also read a lot while I was home in Ireland, so there’s lots to cover. Let’s get right to it, but please also enjoy the festive pictures of P and Leo that Sara took.

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
I really am an audiobook convert, and I decided to re-read Sally Rooney’s books by listening to them. I did this for free on my BorrowBox and Libby memberships, which I access through the local library. Join your library! This book remains my favourite of hers, I think. It’s a devastating and accurate account of the ways in which we love and hurt one another, told through student poets Bobbi and Frances, and their intertwinement with a married couple in their thirties, Melissa and Nick.

Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney
This was my least favourite Sally Rooney book to read, mainly because of the long and rambling emails, but these felt far easier to digest over audio. It focuses on friends Alice and Eileen, and their friendship following Alice becoming a world renowned novelist. As with all of her books, it’s a great exploration in how we do and don’t talk to one another, and what this means for our relationships.

Ayurveda Detox: How to Cleanse, Balance and Revitalize Your Body by Anu Paavola
Not enough ayurveda, too much detox. Disappointing.

Normal People by Sally Rooney
The original horny heartbreaker, or so the TV show would have you believe. This was a joy to listen to, and again follows similar themes of the other books. Connell and Marianne are school students in rural Ireland, and the novel charts their relationship from school, throughout college. If I learn anything from Sally Rooney, it’s that most of our problems would be solved if we could just articulate how we’re feeling.

Riders by Jilly Cooper
This was a special request from my beloved cousin Ellen. I bought all of the Rutshire Chronicles in 2025, but never made time to read them, as I was slightly terrified by the size of them. I really regret not picking this up earlier, now. What a romp! Yes, it’s horrifically outdated and politically incorrect. Yes, all of the characters are awful. However, I was completely hooked. I’m hoping to read the rest throughout 2026, because it was a true joy to read this. I even dragged its 900-page paperback to Ireland with me over Christmas.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
The final installment of the great re-read (re-listen?). This book feels completely different to me having read it since losing a parent. I’m not sure if Sally Rooney has experienced this kind of bereavement, but it felt familiar. This is about brothers Ivan and Peter Koubek, and their experiences and relationships following the death of their father. I think this is one of her strongest books, but I still feel like Peter, Naomi and Sylvia’s ending is a bit odd.

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
I love Maggie O’Farrell, and I wanted to read this before I see the film, both of which are completely critically lauded. It’s about William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes, and her journey through grief after the death of her son Hamnet. It’s some of the most beautiful prose I’ve read in ages, and the characters are so richly drawn. I also felt like the world was really vivid, and easy to imagine. I don’t think I loved it as much as everyone else seems to, but I am excited to see the film soon!

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
I read this one for a book club, but I’d had it on my shelf for ages because someone told me it was about astrology. Olga Tokarczuk is a Nobel Laureate, which makes sense because her prose is stunning. It’s the story of Janina, a gorgeously weird older woman who uses astrology, and the strange happenings in the rural area in which she lives and patrols. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before, and was a really enjoyable reading experience.

Such a Good Couple by Sophie White
This was a recommendation from my friend Riona, who said it reminded her of Vicki Notaro. It’s about three couples, who are old friends from university, and how they navigate their relationships through marriage, infertility, and the sudden fame and fortune of one of their group. I wasn’t expecting this to get as deep as it did, and I devoured it in about a week and a half.

The Party by Elizabeth Day
I’m not the biggest fan of Elizabeth Day’s non-fiction, but I always find her fiction really fun and gripping. Martin and his wife Lucy arrive at a grand manor for Ben and Serena’s grand party. Ben is a hedge fund manager and potential Conservative Party politician who has been best friends with Martin, an art critic, since school. But all is not as it seems…! I also devoured this quickly over Christmas, and there’s a sequel!

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
I decided to listen to this on audio as I’ve read all of the Danielle Steels available on Libby and BorrowBox. Everyone has been telling me to read Emily Henry for ages, and I should have listened.