Best of 2025!

 

Already time for the yearly roundup of some of my best reads this year. I always wait until the very last possible moment to post my list; you never know what you'll come across around Christmas! I like to give every book I've read this year a chance to appear on my favourites list, no matter if I read it in the first week of January or the last few days of December. 

I also create a statistical summary each year, for my own geekish pleasure. As I've said before, I don't think of reading as a competition -- I keep track of numbers and various stats for my own interest, not to prove anything or compare myself to anyone. 

Here are my reading stats for 2025: 

Total Reading: 190

Authors

Female: 170
Male: 17
Both/Neither: 3

Genre 

Fiction: 90

Non Fiction: 97

Poetry: 3

In Translation: 38

Ukrainian: 5

Russian (Ukrainian writing in): 3

Japanese: 9

Korean: 4

Spanish: 2

Swedish: 3

Norwegian: 3

German: 2

Quebecois French: 1

French: 1

Greek: 1 

Finnish: 1

Chinese: 1

Hungarian: 1

Bangla: 1

My Own Books: 34
Library Books: 144

Review Copies: 12

Rereads: 5
E-reads: 99

Author who I read the most from: 

9 - Dorothy Gilman (after discovering the Mrs. Pollifax series in March, I've now read up to #9 in the series)

2025's Weird Random Stat: 

Books with felines in the title: 6

I had an unusual year, in that I read more nonfiction than fiction. Probably why I felt like I had a number of reading slumps this year; if I can't read fiction, I turn to a lot of instructional craft books! I did get back to reading some poetry, which I am pleased by.

Like always, I read a big majority of women authors, and quite a few more library books than my own this year. But I am happy with all the great books I am able to find through the library! I am hoping to get a few more books off of my own shelves in the upcoming year, though. Even have a challenge for that! 

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And now for the Best of 2025!

These are titles that were memorable, unusual, or caught me with their great storytelling or rich characters. Just books that hit the right note with me when I picked them up! 

Despite not reading as much fiction this year, I found some great books. Some old, some new, some translated. Here were some that I enjoyed, or found very memorable. 

Starting with my Fiction Top Ten: 

Two powerful reads both set in Ukraine. Cecil the Lion Had to Die by Olena Stiazhkina (trans. by Dominique Hoffman) is probably my best read overall. Engrossing characters, great writing, innovative structure -- and an important story. #1 read this year! 

And then there's Endling by Maria Reva, which should have made it to the Booker shortlist this year. Timely story, quirky plot, another innovative structure reacting to the world's realities. Both rewarding reads. 

I also read a lot of Japanese and Korean books this year! These were two of my very favourites, but there were others that I really enjoyed as well. The Korean 'healing fiction' novel, The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin (trans. by Clare Richards was really satisfying. The Japanese novel Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki (trans. by Jordan Taylor) was one I just read, and found it perfect for the holiday season. 

There were a couple of random finds that were unusual, feminist and fun reads for me. The Medusa Situation by Gabiann Marin was a truly random discovery on Hoopla, but this Australian story of the Greek Gods living in the suburbs was a delight. Katharine Stall's Den of Thieves was a paperback I've had on my shelves for a while but finally picked up, and found a rollicking, thoughtful tale of religion, conspiracy and resistance.

Early in the year I read Susin Nielsen's Snap, a story of three people finding unlikely friends in their anger management class. I've reread it once already. And Dorothy Gilman's The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax was the beginning of my Pollifax obsession this year! Such fun, with extra heart, in both books. 

I also read some older books, and found them to still be shockingly timely. Both about marriage and gender roles, really. Dorothy Canfield Fisher's The Home-Maker looked at gender roles from the viewpoint of a woman who didn't like domesticity, and a man who wanted to be at home with his children. Ursula Parrott's Ex-Wife was a darker read, about a young woman struggling with who she is once she is an ex-wife. Both still relevant. 

Then a couple of extras -- one children's book:

Wildcat Behind Glass by Alki Zei (trans. by Karen Emmerich) is a Greek classic, a children's novel about growing up under looming fascism. 

One Poetry Book:

Letters of the Alphabet by Lesyk Panasiuk (trans. by Katie Farris & Ilya Kaminsky) was a collection I read for work, and thought it was terrific. 

And one outstanding nonfic among the many crafty books I read this year:

Pink Eraser Art by Serena Rios McRae was really well written and designed, and got me into carving erasers into little stamps. I've only made a couple so far but it is so fun! (I didn't review this one). 

So these were some of the top reads of the year for me. As usual, some good Ukrainian reads, some older titles and craft work too. I love reading a wide variety of titles and found a bunch across a range of genres this year. Hopefully I'll be as lucky in 2026!

#WITMonth 2025 Wrap-Up!

 

And that's a wrap for this year's Women in Translation Month! I really enjoyed reading and sharing so many great titles this year. I also found another batch of titles to add to my TBR thanks to reviews and publisher's highlights as well, as usual. I think I add as many new titles to my list as the ones I've finished reading and reviewing. 

The most common language I read from this year was Ukrainian. I love making discoveries but also finding reviews of books I've read myself, to get other readers' perspectives on them. 

Women in translation matter all year round, of course, and it's important to keep reading them. I have a few titles that I've finished and will post my reviews shortly, carrying this over into September. 

And how did I do with my own plans this month? Pretty good, I think. I read half of the titles I'd pulled from my own shelves, and 3 out of the 4 library books I had brought home. I also added some unexpected ones that were delightful. 

I have lots lined up as to-read, as shown in my Translation Thursday posts this month. And there are many intriguing new titles I discovered from other readers that I would really like to read soon! It's never a problem to find new titles to read. 

Did you find a new favourite this month?

Translation Thursday

 

It's Translation Thursday! Each Thursday this month I'm going to share the translation I'm currently reading plus a few more on my reading list. Here's today's list:

Currently Reading:

A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails / Halyna Kruk
trans. from the Ukrainian by Amelia M. Glaser & Yuliya Ilchuk

To Read: 

Amadoka / Sofia Andrukhovych
trans. from the Ukrainian by Daisy Gibbons
(est. English release date 2026)

The God of Freedom / Yuliya Musakovska
trans. from the Ukrainian by the author with Olena Jennings

A Novel about a Good Person / Emma Andiievska
trans. from the Ukrainian by Olha Rudakevych

Sunday Suggestions

 

Today's suggestions are novels that I think are ones to seek out if you want to understand Ukraine. I find fiction a great way to get a sense of people and places, and these are really good stories for that! 

The Museum of Abandoned Secrets / Oksana Zabuzhko
translated from the Ukrainian by Nina Shevchuk-Murray

The Museum of Abandoned Secrets is a lengthy, twisty, lively, and evocative story of three women in Ukraine - two in a contemporary timeline and one in WWII. This is a must-read for those interested in learning more about the Ukrainian past, as well as the national psyche. I find Zabuzhko's almost breathless, energetic style very readable, and enjoy the way she can make dark themes snappy and engaging. Full Review Here. 

Daughter / Tamara Duda
trans. from the Ukrainian by Daisy Gibbons

This is the story of a woman from Donbas as the Russian invasion of 2014 begins, following the Maidan protests. The main character is a stained glass artist with a workshop, but as the Russian occupation begins she becomes a supporter of the Ukrainian defence forces. The story is based on the true experiences of a variety of people, but is a fictional account of this era, and  is immensely compelling. Full Review Here. 

Ivan & Phoebe / Oksana Lutsyshyna
trans. from the Ukrainian by Nina Murray

This story of a young couple, Ivan and Phoebe, melds the conversation about a free Ukraine and revolution/protest with a closer look at domestic life and the relations between the sexes. There are the same problems showing up in different ways between the political body and real bodies as Ukraine moves into the tumultuous 90s. Full Review Here. 

This a read with stylistic flourishes, structural concepts and a large cast of characters. It follows a "made family" formed in 1986 when four women give birth and a local functionary bribes them into naming one of the children at least after German Communist leader Ernst Thälmann  -- the parents are the last Soviet generation; these children are destined to be the first post-Soviet one. Fragmentary, wide-ranging and fascinating, this is a must read. Full Review Here. 

Translation Thursday

 It's Translation Thursday! Each Thursday this month I'm going to share the translation I'm currently reading plus a few more on my reading list. Here's today's list:

Currently Reading:

My Name is Emilia del Valle / Isabel Allende
trans. from the Spanish by Frances Riddle

To Read: 

Blood of the Dawn / Claudia Salazar Jimenez
trans. from the Spanish by Elizabeth Bryer

They Have Fired Her Again / Claudia Hernandez
trans. from the Spanish by Aaron Lacayo

House of Mist / Maria Luisa Bombal

trans. from the Spanish by the author

Sunday Suggestions

 

Along with reading, stitching is my main hobby - I love sewing and embroidery. So today I'm sharing a few novels that combine my two favourite things. Today's theme for Women in Translation reading suggestions is Needlework!

Cross Stitch / Jazmina Barrera
trans. from the Spanish by Christina MacSweeney

This Mexican novel follows the friendship of three young women who were very close in high school; they are brought back together as adults when one of them dies. This rich novel explores the role of female friendship, interspersed with the history of embroidery, to create a resonant feminist narrative. Full review here. 

The Threads of the Heart / Carole Martinez
trans. from the French by Howard Curtis

Written in French, set in a remote village in Spain, this features a strong woman whose magical gift is sewing; her gowns can make someone beautiful for the first time in their lives, or hide a pregnancy, or stitch life back into someone on death's door. But this doesn't keep her husband from gambling her away -- leading to her escape and subsequent nomadic life. Full review here. 

The Seamstress of Sardinia / Bianca Pitzorno
trans. from the Italian by Brigid Maher

Starting in 1900 in Sardinia, this novel follows a young woman across her lifespan. She is brought up as a sartina (a "little seamstress") who goes into people's homes to sew clothing and household goods for them. This position gives her a great vantage point to see the secrets and drama in the lives of others. Full review here.

The Time In Between / Maria Duenas;
trans. from the Spanish by Daniel Hahn

A wartime story featuring Sira Quiroga, a young dressmaker who uses her skills to survive during revolutionary war in Spain. She even gets involved in spying, using her profession as a cover. An exciting saga with romance, intrigue, great women characters, and more. Full review here. 

Translation Thursday

 

It's Translation Thursday! Each Thursday this month I'm going to share the translation I'm currently reading plus a few more on my reading list. Here's today's list:

Currently Reading: 

The Woman in the Purple Skirt / Natsuko Imamura
trans. from the Japanese by Lucy North

To Read: 

We'll Prescribe You a Cat / Syou Ishida
trans. from the Japanese by E. Madison Shimoda

Diary of a Void / Emi Yagi
trans. from the Japanese by David Boyd & Lucy North

The Lantern of Lost Memories / Sanaka Hiiragi
trans. from the Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood 

Sunday Suggestions

 

Today's theme for Women in Translation reading suggestions is Mothers & Daughters. There are so many books that explore this connection, in so many different ways. Here are a few that I suggest as options. 

Mothers & Daughters 

Elena Knows / Claudia Pineiro
trans. from the Spanish by Frances Riddle

Elena Knows is the story of a woman struggling against her own physical limitations to find out the truth of what happened to her adult daughter, who has been found dead in a church. Powerful read. Full review here. 

Slow Emergencies / Nancy Huston
translated from the French by Nancy Huston.

Slow Emergencies is the story of Lin Lhomond, a dancer/choreographer who marries a professor, has two small girls, then is offered a great opportunity to direct a dance company in Mexico. She takes it and doesn't come back. This novel interrogates the question of motherhood itself.  Full review here.  

Inheritance From Mother / Minae Mizumura
translated from the Japanese by Juliet Winters Carpenter.

Two sisters are awaiting the death of their narcissistic mother; but only one is taking the responsibility for caring for her, despite her own life struggles. Really interesting look at mothers and daughters without a sentimental gloss. Full review here. 

Please Look After Mom / Kyung-Sook Shin
 translated by Chi-Young Kim.

This one looks at the disappearance of a Korean mother who has been inadvertently left behind on a train platform, from four perspectives: the eldest daughter, eldest son, husband and the mother herself. Touching and a good look at women's roles in Korea. Full review here.

Three Summers / Margarita Liberaki
trans. from the Greek by Karen Van Dyck

This one focuses mostly on three sisters, over three summers -- but their futures are being shaped by their mother, and one aunt as well. The way that expectations of women are passed down through families is part of this story. Full review here.

Translation Thursday

It's Translation Thursday! Each Thursday this month I'm going to share the translation I'm currently reading plus a few more on my reading list. Here's today's list:

Currently Reading:

The Dallergut Dream-Making District / Miye Lee
trans. from the Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee

To Read: 

The Healing Season of Pottery / Yeon Somin
trans. from the Korean by Clare Richards

Marigold Mind Laundry / Yun Jung-eun
trans. from the Korean by Shanna Tan

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop / Hwang Bo-Reum
trans. from the Korean by Shanna Tan

Stacks for #WIT Month

 

This #WITMonth I have a pretty small stack of potential To-Reads. I currently have a few on the go, and a few more that I've finished over the last month that I will be sharing during August. 

I have many books on my own shelves to read, and have made a stack of the ones I am actively reading and/or planning on diving into this month. I tried to find just a few from my collection but couldn't narrow it down. 

I also have a handful of library books included in this number! There are so many more I could have chosen but I don't want to be totally unrealistic ;)

I'm going to be sharing reviews of quite a few books I've finished over the last few weeks as well as reading some more, and of course, adding to my never-ending TBR thanks to other #WIT Month reviews -- I always find great suggestions during this month, plenty to keep my going throughout the rest of the year. 

More #WIT reading to look out for

Along with my regular reading and reviewing here on the blog, I've also read a number of women in translation for my professional work. These were reviews for Library Journal, and so I can't really talk in depth about them here. But these are the titles I covered since last August, and I'd say that nearly all of them were fantastic. 

The Lack of Light / Nino Haratischwili
trans. from the German by Charlotte Collins and Ruth Martin
( English pub date in Sept 2025)

This is a true saga, featuring four women growing up in Georgia in the late 80s/early 90s, and covers a lot of the tumultuous history and the experience of women during this time. Haratischwili is a Georgian author who writes in German.

 

The Soyangri Book Kitchen / Kim Jee Hye
trans. from the Korean by Shanna Tan
(English pub date Oct 2025)

This is another entry into the trend of "healing fiction" from Korea and Japan; this particular one is set in a countryside bookstore/café/inn and is quite bookish. 

Beasts of the Sea / Iida Turpeinen
trans. from the Finnish by David Hackston
(English pub date Oct 2025)

Natural sciences, three storylines and timelines, melancholy and philosophical - just the kind of read I like. Reminds me a little of Andrea Barrett. 

The Jaguar's Roar / Micheliny Verunschk
trans. from the Spanish by Juliana Barbassa
(English pub date Dec 2025)

Poetic and literary, a powerful novel of colonialism, women and the way the past interweaves with the present. 

The Third Love / Hiromi Kawakami
trans. from the Japanese by Ted Goosen
(English pub date Oct 2025) 

This has multiple timelines as our main character, unhappy in her marriage, visits previous lives in her dreams. It goes back into Japanese history and looks at social norms for women and marriage in different eras. Quite conceptual and a little dry, this is different than some of her earlier novels.