2025 Book Post (and of course, an update)
| December 6, 2025 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
I’m back! My four and five star books of 2025 can’t just be skipped over.
Because I don’t post regularly, like I did in 2024, let me give you a few updates on how things are going. If you want to skip ahead to the book part of the post, just scroll down to the book cover pictures and start from there.
Last year I shared that practicing clinical medicine and doing any writing feels impossible. Last year I couldn’t see a way forward since my hands weren’t going to hold up to more surgery days, I need the money that comes from practicing 4-5 days a week, but my physical health was taking a hit from all the ER night shift work.
Starting in April I stepped back from ER and picked up another surgery clinic (more complicated surgeries so the volume is lower, and a GP clinic). Overall it’s been a good change even though it was mentally hard to let go of the adrenaline and feeling I was stepping away from being a “real vet” doing “real vet stuff.” I had never thought I would be good enough to “be an ER vet” and the fact that I was able to do it was something I used as internal proof that I was “enough”.
Even without ER and shift work, my heavy appointment focused days leave me without any mental creativity to write, but the mix of surgery and GP clinics is a good compromise between too much surgery, too many heavy appointment days, and avoiding the sleep schedule chaos of ER. Some days I can write, and that’s a huge improvement from that last 5 years. I’m currently working on a cozy veterinarian clinic novel that will use my true clinical case stories combined with a veterinarian who isn’t exactly me, but I think my readers will warm up to. My job is so wild I don’t need to make up a thing to have it be a kick ass story.
Last year in the midst of “my health won’t handle this forever, but my finances need me to stick it out” ER work, I had decided that I would leave clinical medicine in five years and take an office job writing protocols, collecting a 40 hour a week salary, and getting some PTO and insurance (and basically wait for my retirement accounts to mature for ten years while living on a state-worker salary). This year after stepping back from ER I realized I still find a lot of joy in my job when I’m not sleep deprived, and I’ve discovered clinics do still exist that are really wonderful places to work because they care about their clients and their employees. So, I’ve decided that maybe I can do this a little longer. Financially and lifestyle-wise there are huge benefits in staying in clinical practice (I work around 42-43 weeks a year, can write off lots of my expenses because they relate to the business of being a vet, and can gradually reduce my hours as time goes on to give myself even more flexibility) and the financial boost of staying in clinical med more than makes up for the work insurance benefit that I would be leaving this career for.
I’m not running very much either but trying to make space to walk most days and I joined a dance studio that offers adult dance classes – I mostly attend tap, barre, and jazz.
And what about the horses? I (and my husband Matt) own 8, and yes, one of those is still Farley. The other 7 are polo ponies of various sizes, colors, and shapes, but all of them are the best ponies in the world. They split their time at the barn where Farley used to live (that’s an arena polo club), and the grass polo club that’s about 1 hour away in a big pasture. That’s where Farley is living out her retirement years. I see her about once a week and she’s still sound and sassy, living the best retirement I can give her. She will be 27 next year.
Next month the blog will be 17 years old. I started this blog when I was in my mid 20’s and thinking about vet school. Now I’m in my early 40’s, 10+ years graduated from vet school, and doing FPV analysis on my retirement accounts. I’s been 20 years since I was given my first horse, named Black Minx, and decided we would do endurance. Some of you have been here since the beginning. It’s been a wild ride, and I’m so glad that we’ve been able to share what has been the best years of my life, together.
Are you ready to talk about some books?
2025 Book cover collage pending! Here’s one of the 4 and 5 star books
General reminders:
- I rate every book I read on
Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/melnewton)Storygraph (@polo_ponie)in real time and you are welcome to follow me there if you want to see what I’m reading and recommending throughout the year. - How I rate books: A 5 star book isn’t a perfect book. It’s a book that kept me up way past my bedtime. A 4 star book was good but didn’t grab me quite the same way. Both 4 and 5 star books I can recommend without reservation.
37 (!) books this year made the 4/5 star list. That’s 17 more than last year, despite reading a similar number of books.
This publishes on 12/6/25 so I will update the list if anything in the next 3 weeks proves itself worthy.
Happy reading :).
Fiction
The Impossible Fortune, A Thursday Murder Club Mystery #5, by Richard Osman: Books from this series have made the list in years past, but I think that book 5 is by far the best of the series so far. Well worth the read. Also, Netflix has a movie out based on these books and it’s absolutely excellent. Did you like season 1 of the “Man on the Inside” series? Then this is the cozy mystery series for you.
The Tainted Cup, Shadow of the Leviathan #1 by Robert Jackson Bennett
&
A Drop of Corruption, Shadow of the Leviathan #2 By Robert Jackson Bennett: I gave both books in this series a high rating – it took me a bit to get used to the weird names and the world building but it’s an excellent, well written series. I think I did listen to the audiobook version for the first part of book 1 and that helped get me into the story, and then I read the ebooks after that. I didn’t realize it’s a retelling of Sherlock Holmes until I saw a review that mentioned that – but yes! That’s exactly what this is – retold against a fantasy backdrop with superb world building and characters. Give it a chance if you appreciate a Sherlock type story of observation with a bit of cloak and dagger along with a bit of off world fantasy. The third book of the series is due out 2026.
Dungeon Crawler Carl, Dungeon Crawler Carl #1 by Matt Dinniman
And also #2,3,4,5,6,7. All of them got 4 and 5 star ratings. All of them. I haven’t had such a highly rated series since reading The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. Listen to the the first book (either on Audible or Soundbooth Studios) and then go ahead and buy every single one of the series over at Amazon because you are going to anyways. Listening to the audiobook is such an immersive experience and yes, you really should. My plan after listening to the first one (thanks to an enabler friend who shared her audible with me, who knew she was dooming me to do nothing else except read these books for the foreseeable future) was to recommend it to my Dad….and then once he listened or read the first one, HE would then go buy all of them, and then, because we share a kindle library, I WOULDN’T HAVE TO BUY THEM BECAUSE HE WOULD AND I COULD READ THEM HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
But it didn’t work out that way, because approximately 5 min after finishing book 1 I bought books 2-7 and blew all my Birthday Kindle money and I don’t regret a single penny.
These books are not available outside of Amazon, Audible, and Soundbooth, which means no Libby or Spotify options (*sob*) but I know authors are just trying to survive and if that’s what Matt has to do to write more of them, then that’s the price I’ll pay. If you do find them on Libby and Spotify, they are bootlegged copies and will often be taken down shortly after being posted, or be weird AI narrated versions that are NOT at all like the original books (and instead of a million 5 and 4 star reviews, those versions have 1 and 2 star reviews because yes, they are that bad).
These books made me feel like a teenager again, when it seemed like there was a fantastic new series around every library shelf.
GODAMMIT DONUT, just go read the book now.
The Housemaid The Housemaid #1 by Freida McFadden: This year I read my first Freida McFadden book (it wasn’t this one) and they are either mediocre (solid 3 star) or better. This one was good, but like all her books, someone is always a psychopath, and it’s a little like watching a car wreck in slow motion. You can’t quite look away….but perhaps you hit that pause button when the 9 year old gets in the car after school.
How to Solve Your Own Murder, The Castle Knoll Files #1 by Kristen Perrin: As a kid when I wasn’t reading The Black Stallion or Terhume, I was reading mysteries. It seems in the last couple of years the mystery series has been enjoying a comeback, and much like Craig Johnson more modern take on the western novel with the Longmire series, I feel like this novel (and others on this year’s list such as Richard Osman’s books, and several books that were on the 2024 Book list) are doing the same for the mystery series.
Play of Shadows, Court of Shadows #1 by Sebastien de Castell: Castell is a hit or miss author for me. I’ve really liked some of his stuff, and have DNF’ed others. This book is one of my favorites and book 2 has just been released.
You Sexy Thing The Disco Space Opera #1 by Cat Rambo: This one was….weird. But good! I haven’t been in the mood for the second book, but this one is worth a read if you are in the mood for something different.
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal: This is my “have to read” recommendation for 2025. Remember how I told you to read Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and I was totally right and you loved it? This is one of those books. Listen to the audio book – you won’t regret it. Much like Vera Wong, having a narrator that can nail the accents will help you appreciate the culture and nuance of the language used. Another woman-centered, cross generational, essential reading book. Go ahead and read it and then comment and tell me I was right. You are welcome.
The Devil Wears Scrubs Dr. Jane McGill #1 Freida McFadden: This was then second McFadden book I read and about 3 chapters in I had to stop and go read the description in Storygraph and make sure it wasn’t satire (the first book I read of hers was satire) because the whole first half was a retelling of my vet school clinical year. I wasn’t sure if what i was reading was supposed to be over the top? funny? Because mostly I was just horrified to see all the things from my clinical year that I haven’t figured out how to write about, being printed in what I had assumed was going to be a light hearted fluffy novel. Was I supposed to horrified? Entertained? Flattered?
This book was good, but I didn’t enjoy the second book as much. But, this novel stands alone and you should read it just so you can see how bat sh*t crazy my fourth year was.
A couple of years ago I read The Great Alone and thought I was reading an Alaska wilderness survival story. It was not and it was simultaneously a book I hated, but also recognized how freaking amazing the writer was. So I compromised between a 2 and a 5 star and gave it 3 stars. And decided i would never read an another book by this author. However in my friend group, The Women kept coming up and I don’t know whether it was the subject matter, or the way I knew my emotions were going to be toyed with so I hardened my heart and did not get attached….but this one wasn’t that bad. It was compelling, well written, and good enough that I can appreciate the writing AND recommend it without as many triggers and caveats as The Great Alone.
Red Rising Red Rising Saga #1 by Pierce Brown And also Golden Son, Red Rising Saga #2 and Morning Star, Red Rising Saga #3
Red Rising is a set of 2 trilogies – this is the first one. All got either 4 or 5 stars. I’ve started the second trilogy – however had a difficult time getting past one of the narrators, so waited for the ebook to come in the library so I didn’t have to listen to it. My friend swears that books 2 and 3 of the second trilogy (ie books 5 and 6 if counting from “Red Rising” Book 1 are the best of the entire series and I need to just push through book 4. The audiobooks were very good (obviously except the one I’m currently trying to read). Recommended if you need a solid SciFi series and The Expanse is too much of a commitment and you are too broke to buy Dungeon Crawler Carl books (DAMMIT DONUT!).
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman Fig is not much of a reader (except for graphic novels) but she loves being read to. I’m choosing books that I think she would enjoy (has to be female centered, focused on relationships, and not have too much sneaking around tension where the characters aren’t where they should be, or doing what they should be doing). It’s hard because those were NOT the childhood books I enjoyed and with rare exception, I still don’t enjoy those types of books. But, the sacrifice is worth it if she can appreciate the world inside of books. One of the books I chose to read to her was Catherine, Called Birdy and she protested so much, having decided that Matilda, the book we had read before this one, was the pinnacle of fiction and she adored Matilda so much that no other book was worth reading in the world every again. I basically forced her to sit beside me as I read it. When I finally got to Catherine setting the privy on fire, it changed everything and Fig decided this book too could be a favorite, and to this day she rereads it. I don’t remember reading this book in school, and it’s not one I would have read as a kid, but I found it very enjoyable.
The Dark Monk, The Hangman’s Daughter #2 by Oliver Pötzsch These are historical fiction novels that have been translated and so sometimes they read a bit odd. But, it’s a solid series of books that I read in between my Libby offerings. The Author’s note at the end, which is a virtual tour through the modern day cities and places that the books take place in, is one of the most satisfying ways to end a novel, and I always look forward to it.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides An odd book that I wasn’t sure how to rate, until the closing chapters when it swooped into 4 and 5 star territory. Go ahead and give it a try if you are ready for something a little different than what’s on this list.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon This is a mashup of the woman-centric cultural/aging novel like Punjabi widows and Vera Wong, combined with a bit of mystery. A very enjoyable read if you need more in that vein.
The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie by Freida McFadden The first Freida McFadden book I read and laugh out loud funny. Yes it’s satire, and yes it’s worth the read. Especially if you are a ready of mystery’s.
Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Ernest Cunningham #2
The first book in the series missed being on my top book list as it scored a 3 star review, but this one rightly earned a 4 star rating. It’s probably worth going back and reading the first one as events from book 1 are referenced in book 2….but it’s probably not essential. Some writers blow all their good material in the first book, and some managed to find their stride and voice in the second. IMO this is the latter.
Crooked Kingdom Six of Crows #2 by Leigh Bardugo
Book 1 made the list last year, and here’s book 2. Yes you should read it, and yes you should DEFINITELY listen to the audiobook. The cast of characters was too confusing for me to be able to get into the ebook, but the audio book helped define the character’s voice. One of the character’s voice actor was so superb I actually looked him up to see if I could just continue to listen to books he narrates because he’s one of the best.
We Solve Murders, We Solve Murders #1 by Richard Osman I think I’m going to enjoy this series even more than the Thursday murder club series. Can’t wait until he releases another one, even though Osman says he’s not done with the Thursday murder club mystery’s yet.
This is an audiobook must. It’s really hard to hear the dialect that I think is central to the story unless you hear it read, rather than seeing the words on the page. It’s a retelling of Huckleberry Finn’s Jim and even if you don’t like retellings (I don’t), this one is worth your time. That’s what my mom promised, and she was right (but don’t tell her I said so).
Nuclear War : A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen
I couldn’t decide whether to put it in non-fiction or fiction and so it will sit here at the end of the fiction list, peering down on the non-fiction. A fast-paced look at how the world blows itself up in nuclear war in a book that’s easy to read. There were cold war books galore in the house bookshelves growing up and at first I was tempted to skip this one, as a kid who told that we didn’t need to worry about nuclear war because we would all die in the first wave due to our proximity to Beale’s Air Force Base. But, I think it was a worthwhile read and even if this isn’t your regular reading material. It’s a good look at how small our world is and how interconnected we are.
Non-Fiction
Awake by Jen Hatmaker A memoir of Hatmaker, a prominent christian writer, whose personal life blew up in the media a few years ago after a divorce, and then her further break with that community as she explored how she felt about politics and social issues that left her on a different side of the fence. Please listen to the audio book, and if you aren’t hooked by the first chapter, you won’t be required to listen any further.
Patient Zero: A Curious History of the World’s Worst Diseases by Nate Pedersen, Lydia Kang Short chapters on what we know of the origins and progression of various diseases that have plagued (heheh) humankind. An interesting look and I learned knew things even about diseases that I have a solid knowledge base of.
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green This book seems to pop up everywhere. It was a decent read and I recommend, if for no other reason than the disease deserves more understanding by us in first world countries beyond just an annoying skin test we are required to do sometimes.
No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris
A horrifying look at one of the most trusted names in Big Pharma. I was fairly trusting and disclosures and compliance, but gradually over time from both my experience in vetmed and as bad behavior is verified in the industry as time passes, I’ve gotten more cynical. Trust, but verify and remember that no one cares more about your health than you do. If something goes wrong everyone will be very sad, but the only one that has to live with the consequences is you.
Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail by Andrea Lankford
A differen sort of wilderness survival book that focuses more on the people left behind. If you are an outdoor explorer like I am, it’s worth the read.
Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come: An Introvert’s Year of Living Dangerously by Jessica Pan: A hilarious must read for everyone.
Tits Up: What Sex Workers, Milk Bankers, Plastic Surgeons, Bra Designers, and Witches Tell Us about Breasts by Sarah Thornton
THE non fiction book of the year for me. If you only read one book on this list, please choose this one.
What were your favorites reads this year? Did I read any of your favorites this year?
