2025 Fiction Reads

 2025 was disproportionately spent reading non-fiction books. However, I am a firm believer that books should be read as much for entertainment as for their informational value.  With that in mind, I did manage to escape enough to enjoy 27 fiction books this year.

Below are my reads, in the order I read them. I hope you find a nugget or two to add to your reading list this year. Shoot me a comment, at the end, with what I should read in 2026!

1. All The Broken Places — John Boyne: WWII historical fiction, this tells the story of Gretel and is a “spin off” off “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”. Spanning 9 decades, it’s a story of grief, guilt, shame and the engrained spirit of survival. If you like WWII fiction, it’s a pretty decent one.

2. SevenEves — Neal Stephenson: Sci-fi, space saga that spans 5,000 years. That’s about how long it felt reading this book. I will never get those 15+ hours back, but the premise (in theory) was so promising that I endured in spite of the false hope. Time is precious, read at your peril.

3. James — Percival Everett: What a wonderful book! As a kid, my favorite author was Mark Twain. His stories were always a little bit of fun, a whole lot of adventure, with a pull-at-your-heartstrings message. This story, while not written by Twain, is a spinoff from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This is that story told from the perspective of Jim, the black slave from the Huck Finn franchise. I listened to it in audio form, and I'm very glad I did. If you enjoyed Huck Finn, this will give you just a little different vantage point on the same story. I know there has been a lot of talk about censorship with regard to this particular work in Twain's catalogue. Personally, I'm not a fan of censorship with regard to literature, but that's a different conversation for a different day. I think this work will shed a little different light on why we need to remember all of the dark parts of our history in America. My only word of caution, you might not want to listen with small ears around. The author was dedicated to using historically accurate terms when telling the story of slavery in the late 1800's. Now I may have to revisit the Huck Finn franchise. It's been about 4 decades since I've read those.

4. The Lost Bookshop — Evie Woods: A little disjointed back and forth time hop, this story was weird. The first half held lots of potential, but the end kinda fell flat for me. Maybe I didn’t fully understand it. Maybe I got bored (that happens sometimes with me).

5. The Wedding People — Alison Espach: This had the potential to be a really good beach or pool read. The story was simple and engaging, but the middle section reeked of gratuitous Colleen Hoover-esque literary porn. I simply don’t understand it. Where are the editors in these publishing companies? A great editor could have red-lined much of the middle section of this book and it would have been an easy one to recommend to my full spectrum of friends. In its original, unabridged version, please be warned that there are some not-great sections.

6. I Must Betray You — Ruta Sepetys: Set in the late 1980’s this is the historical fiction story of a group of teenagers caught in the midst of the Romanian Revolution. If you like historical fiction and (like me) find yourself completely uneducated about the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, this book will likely shed some light on that period in history.

7. Animal Farm — George Orwell: I believe the definition of “fable” sums up this work quite nicely. "A fable is a short, fictional story, often featuring anthropomorphized animals or other non-human entities, that aims to convey a moral lesson or truth.” The publication date for Animal Farm was one week after the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki (August 1945). As the world braced for the aftermath of WWII, this book was probably published at the perfect time in history. I believe it is still relevant today. If you haven’t ever read this piece, or if you haven’t read it since you were a teenager, it might be worth 3 hours of your life. 

8. The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas — John Boyne: The prequel to All The Broken Places, this book is the one that made John Boyne famous. I preferred the sequel, as Boyne’s writing dramatically improved in the 15 years between writings. Having never read this book, I felt it was a necessary read, to complete the story (or at least fill in the gaps) to All The Broken Places. The story is sad, but the writing is of lesser quality than what I am accustomed to.

9. The Forgotten Garden —  Kate Morton: Spanning 4 generations, 100 years, and 3 continents, this book is a family saga that keeps unraveling until the very last pages. I have read a lot of mediocre writing over the years. Kate Morton is far from mediocre. Her beautiful prose creates mental imagery that makes a book leap off the pages. The story is too hard to describe, but it involves love, loss, mystery, heartache, and the resiliency of the human spirit. Fairly long, with lots of characters and time hops, this is a good summer read when you just need to escape. One of the most profound quotes I have ever read came from this book: “The happiest folk are those that are busy, for their minds are starved of time to seek out woe”.

10. A Small Town Detour, Bessie’s Creek — Kara Spencer: Well. . . whaddayaknow. . . my friend, Kara Spencer, wrote a book! It's like a Hallmark movie with just a little bit of spice sprinkled in. If you've ever lived in small-town Texas, this book will feel like you're reading your sister's personal journal. Bessie's Creek, nestled somewhere down in South Texas, is the setting for this cute little summer read. If you're looking for something light and fun for your next vacation or long weekend, this book will likely fit that bill. I'm always thrilled to see friends pursue their dreams. So, show my friend some love and go buy her book. The world needs more books that simply let you escape for a few hours.

11. Great Big Beautiful Life — Emily Henry: This could have been a decent book. The story was captivating enough to make me want to finish it, so that’s something. However . . . it was very, very dirty!! It was the kind of dirty that makes Colleen Hoover sound like she’s writing children’s books. I’m starting to wonder if it’s just me, but honestly, I think it simply comes down to lazy writing. The authors need to fill a certain number of pages to make their work a viable novel. Rather than expand their character development, they simply revert back to page-filling literary porn. Please stop being lazy with your storytelling! It’s just so disappointing . . .

12. Between Shades of Gray — Ruta Sepetys: WWII historical fiction, this book tells of the plight of the Lithuanian people under Stalin. This is another one of those books that taught me more about all the atrocities the media failed to cover in the European front of WWII. A fascinating thread for this time in history, as an American, it was one of those details that made me go “hmmm.” In Western Europe, the Russians were American allies. In Russia, Stalin was committing equally horrific atrocities against the people of the Baltic States. If you don’t know anything about this time in history (that would be me), you might read the very last part of the Epilogue (the author’s commentary) first. It was very enlightening.

13. The Unmaking of June Farrow — Adrienne Young: If you like the twists and turns in books about time travel and parallel universes, this one might interest you. It’s something of a mishmash between Outlander, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, and Back to the Future. Too much to unpack in a review without giving away too much of the story.

14. The Art of Racing In The Rain — Garth Stein: This is the kind of book that reminds me of the escape that reading provides. Funny, sad, and heartbreaking, this book is told from the perspective of Enzo, the dog. Don’t get too twisted up in the screwed-up theology with the concepts of reincarnation thrown in. Just allow yourself to enjoy the ride. If you need a book that will let you drown out the world for a few hours, pick this one. If you are an animal lover, you might need to grab a box of Kleenex, too.

15. The Life Impossible — Matt Haig: I wanted to like this book. I was super optimistic that this book would be as delightful as The Midnight Library (same author). Maybe it was because I listened in fits and spurts? I just never could find a rhythm to the story. I didn’t hate it. I just didn’t really “get” it.

16. How To Read A Book — Monica Wood: What an engaging read this was. This is a story about how bad choices can result in bad consequences. It’s also the story about redemption, grace, and how oftentimes our outlook determines the outcome. Detour to where my brain wandered as I read this book: I have a photo collage in my breakfast nook that says “You are the author of your own life story. Make it a good one”. My friend Shelley likes to say, “Allowing God to hold the pen and write the story of our lives makes for the best book”. While these 2 statements, on the surface, seem to be in opposition to each other, I find the two ideas can be blended into a beautiful harmony. Sometimes life happens. Sometimes our bad decisions launch us into a different trajectory. How we choose to write our story can be funny, sad, depressing, or exuberant. When we let God hold the pen, we may choose better paths. But, even on those paths, we may still find humor, tears, dark sections, or joy. But, back to the book at hand. This is the story of a 19-year-old girl who was sent to prison for vehicular manslaughter. One bad decision changed the entire course of her life. The series of choices, after her release from jail, set the trajectory for her and her new (and unlikely) little community of friends that carried her for the rest of her life. This is NOT a faith-based book, but should you choose to read it through that filter, you may find many life-applications that coincide with grace and redemption. It was definitely worth my time. It also got bonus points since it was recommended to me by my daughter. She’s a tough critic. 🙂

17. The Memory Library — Kate Storey: I have mixed emotions about this book. Overall, I liked it. It is the story of a mother and daughter and their strained relationship. When mom is in the early stages of dementia, the daughter is called home to intervene. I struggled with the disjointed “present day” time hops. It seemed like every chapter started with “present day”. I was like, “When did we go back to any other time?”  It kept me confused and questioning if I was even listening properly (I did the audio version). Overall, it was a lovely story with lots of personal application for me. The ending was one that left the reader satisfied.

18. 1984 — George Orwell: I have mixed emotions about this book. Given that it was written in the late 1940’s, it really is a brilliant piece of literature. It’s kind of the OG, as far as dystopian fiction is concerned. That said, I have read a number of books in the dystopian genre that I found more entertaining and easier to follow. Maybe I’m just becoming a lazier reader. Maybe I prefer being entertained to thinking too hard. I’m not sure what the deal is. But, from the standpoint of the entertainment appeal, 1984 is just kind of meh for me. I know, I know, it’s an unpopular opinion, for sure. Orwell really was a genius for his time. I’ve just been spoiled by the exceptional storytelling in other pieces over the years. I will say, given the recent upheaval and general distrust of the media in our country, it was a fascinating read. It brings into focus the ideology of The Big Lie — “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”. Given the time in history this was written, Orwell’s audience was certainly attuned to how dangerous The Big Lie could be. Overall, it’s a worthy read. Just expect to have to push through some of the stranger and less exciting parts.

19. Pretty Things — Janelle Brown: What a fun book! If you’re looking for some old-school entertainment this year, you might give this one a read. It gripped me from the very first chapter. This is a story about a second-generation grifter. The protagonist is strangely likable, despite the fact that she’s a liar and a thief. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you need a fast-paced, fun read that will let you escape from the ridiculousness of the world, this one will likely fit the bill.

20. Broken Country — Clare Leslie Hall: I wanted to like this book. Really, I did. But, I just didn’t. It has a bazillion great reviews and is one of Reese Witherspoon’s book club recommendations (which I typically like). So, I’m sure lots of people will enjoy it. Maybe I’m just in a weird headspace these days, but I am finding myself less and less enamored with literature that seems to glorify infidelity. I know this is a subject that is deep-seated in our culture, but I find little entertainment value in it. That said, this is a good book about the tragic consequences of infidelity, lack of communication, and ultimately, grace. If you enjoy that sort of thing, you may like this book. For me, I’m glad I read to the very end, but there were likely better works out there with which I could have filled my time.

21. The Lies They Told — Ellen Marie Wiseman: I very much enjoyed this book. 1920’s - 1930’s America (specifically, Virginia), this was a story of a young woman who immigrated to the US from Germany. Pre WWII. It told of the poverty plaguing Europe and the migration of many to America. I’ll be honest, I really did think this was a dystopian spin on that time in US history. It detailed the eugenics movement in America that was starting to seep into the culture during the early 1900’s. It pre-dated Hitler’s attempts to eradicate anyone not of his “master race”. It wasn’t until I read the author’s notes at the end that I realized this was based on actual events in the US! This book details the horrific policies the US had in place for immigrants to Ellis Island, as well as many federal laws allowing for compulsory sterilization, and immigration restrictions based on anything deemed to be “poor genetics”. This was not something I ever learned about in any US History class. You can do a deep-dive (as I did) into the US Supreme Court ruling, Buck v. Bell (1927), The Immigration Act of 1924, and the formation of The American Eugenics Society in 1926, if you want to learn more. It’s truly, truly horrifying. It also forced me to take a step back to realize the US was just a very small step from becoming its own version of Hitler’s Nazi party. Scary stuff, for sure.

22. The Last Letter — Rebecca Yarros: I don’t really know how to review this book. The general storyline was good. The storytelling and overall writing was pretty cheesy in some places and downright terrible in others. If you like Hallmark or Lifetime movies, you will probably enjoy this book. It’s a story about love and loss. Ryan, a special forces operator in Afghanistan, convinces his sister and his best friend to begin writing to each other during their deployment. The story unfolds over several years and is a bit slow at the beginning. I almost quit a couple of times due to bad writing, but I am glad I finished it. The last 100 pages were good enough that I enjoyed the story, so there’s that. Lots of you will probably really like it. I know lots of you who will absolutely hate it. You have my permission to sit in either camp.

23. The Seven Year Slip — Ashley Poston: What a fun read! I really do love a good time-travel story. This one was a little different from most and a super fun ride. If you are looking for something light that you simply don’t want to put down, this would be a great beach or vacation read.

24. Guess Again — Charlie Donlea: Exciting, can’t-put-down read. There were so many twists and turns that this book gave me whiplash. If you like serial killer mysteries, this is a good one. This book definitely kept me engaged during multiple workouts and commutes.

25. Atlas Shrugged — Ayn Rand: I’m surprised it has taken me this long to read this work. It is constantly popping up in various “we think you would like” lists. Written in 1957, what a thought-provoking tale about socialism vs capitalism. The bulk of this work is philosophical in nature, but the characters Ayn Rand has created provide the necessary human element to the topics presented. This one took me a LONG time to get through. It is dense. It is long. It is one of those works that would require an entire semester of philosophical thought to dissect. If you fancy yourself a historian or philosopher, this should be at the top of your “must-read” list. If you have plans to ever run for public office, this should be required reading to hold that position. If you are an entrepreneur, most of this book will make you want to scream out loud. If you’re a conspiracy theorist, you will be unable to ignore current political events in the spotlight of the philosophical discourse Rand has created. This will likely be cause for you to grab that tin foil hat and start stockpiling rice and beans. I’m glad I read it, but it was a HARD read — mentally, physically, and temporally.

26. The Missing Half — Ashley Flowers: After the mental gymnastics of Atlas Shrugged, this was a nice deviation from having to think too much. A pretty basic “who-done-it” mystery, the writing felt more Young Adult fiction than classical writing. The story kept me engaged. I never predicted the ending, and it was a super easy read. If you need something for an airplane or vacation, this one’s pretty decent.

27. The Dead Romantics — Ashley Poston: This wasn’t my typical genre, but it was cute. Not overly deep, this is the story of Florence Day, daughter of a funeral home director turned big-city Ghost writer. I almost quit the book early on, as the writing is clearly geared more toward younger readers. The verbiage and syntax took a bit of getting used to. If I weren’t the parent of Gen-Zers, I probably would not have understood many of the phrases. That said, if you are looking for a very light-hearted, easy beach read, this one would fit that bill. Don’t expect anything deep, but it is cute.

Welp. . . that's a wrap, folks! 

For the list of my non-fiction reads, click here.

Cheers to all the new literary finds in 2026!

2025 Non-Fiction Reads

 Whew! 2025 was a banner year for me in the book department!  I started off the year with a re-read of "Atomic Habits". 

Wanting to jump start some healthy personal habits at the beginning of the year, "Atomic Habits" helped me set a simple yet attainable goal of reading 20 pages per day.  It's interesting how much you can read when you intentionally set a daily goal -- even one as seemingly easy as 20 pages.  All-in-all I managed to power through 67 books this year.  Yep!  I said it. . . 6-7! I feel that number was particularly fitting for 2025, given the pop cultural weirdness significance of it all.  

For ease of reading in a blog format, I have compiled my 2025 list of books (and my reviews) into 2 separate blog entries.  I have 40 books in my non-fiction reads and 27 in the fiction category. (Click here to go straight to my fiction list.)

Feel free to leave a comment at the end with suggestions for what I need to add to my 2026 reads!  I always appreciate great recommendations!

Without further adieu, here are my non-fiction reads in the order I read them, not in the order of ranking.  

1. Atomic Habits — James Clear: A very good read, especially at the beginning of a new year. Great book to help develop structured habits.

2. Outlive — the science & art of longevity — Peter Attia: This book took me several months to read. It is dense. It has a ton of technical/medical jargon. If you are serious about, not just your health, but quality of life as you age, this is a good read. Couple it with Atomic Habits and you may add a decade or more of quality to your life.

3. The Anxious Generation — Johnathan Haidt: Terrifying read. I have concerns about our society in the decades ahead. This is going to present as a public health crisis in the future. If you are a parent of small children, please read this! If you are finding yourself addicted to technology, please read this.

4. The Let Them Theory — Mel Robbins: I did this in audio format. Highly recommend it, as the author is very engaging. Just a good listen, all around. It was helpful for me and my personal mental health.

5. Plays Well With Others — Eric Barker: This was my second stab at this book. It is kind of boring. The material is dry at times. Committed to 20 min of reading per day, from my new Atomic Habit, I forced myself to finish it. Overall there were many little nuggets of wisdom. Writing was actually in a style I like (riddled with sarcasm). If someone could condense the info down into a 20 page Reader’s Digest, it would actually be highly worth while.

6. How to Know A Person — David Brooks: This book took me a while to get through. Lots of real life stories/examples, peppered with a variety of research. The author divides people (relationally) into 2 categories (illuminators & diminishers). Those 2 categories mean exactly what they describe. I really enjoyed his chapters about how to phrase open ended questions. I feel he had lots of great advice on how to conversationally get to the heart of who a person is.  About halfway through, I became less enamored with the information, as some of his “facts” were just flat-out wrong (full term babies are, in fact, not born myopic. They are actually predominately hyperopic. They just have tremendous accommodative systems. How do I know this? It is what I have done professionally for the better part of 3 decades). By the end of the book he did reveal he was an opinion columnist, which made his lazy journalism and overt disdain for certain political figures a more glaring flaw. I would recommend this for folks wanting to hone their conversational style. Read with a discerning heart. Don’t assume his “facts” are truth.

7. The Caregivers Guide to Dementia — Gail Weatherill: If you are facing a future with a loved one with dementia, this book will offer many helpful tools and insights.

8. Estimated Time of Arrival — Lynn Blackwood: So, turns out my friend Lynn Blackwood wrote a new book. "Estimated Time of Arrival" is a short work (clocking in at 84 pages), but is packed with lots of helpful life lessons and advice. This is a book I wish I would have read when I was in my 20's. Now in my 50's, it's a pretty good reminder about lots of things. Nautical themed, each chapter uses a different ship-based idea to convey a broader message or word of advice. Topics are wide and range from Equipped for Your Journey, Storms, Shipwrecked, Learn to Walk on Water, and even a shout-out to the title, ETA. It's a quick little read, but with such short chapters, it would make an ideal book for a small group setting. The writing is simple and straightforward and would provide tons of talking points in a small accountability group that involves a mentoring component. If you are a small group leader of teenagers through early 30-somethings, this book will likely provide some great discussion topics for that group. Personally, I'm a tremendous advocate for two-way mentoring (IE: everyone, from teenagers up, is being mentored. Likewise, everyone from centenarians down, is providing mentorship). I am a firm believer in the value of community and accountability. This book might provide an avenue for both. Throw in a mentoring component and you have found the trifecta.

9. The World’s Largest Man — Harrison Scott Key: Whew! Where do I start with this one?! This book is really, really funny. If you are a member of Gen X, you will find it even funnier. The language is really, really bad, so beware. This is an autobiography of Harrison Scott Key’s life. It walks through every aspect of what life was like to be a kid from the Deep South growing up in the 80’s. He addresses everything from sports, to hunting, to family dysfunction as he lays out how his upbringing shaped him into the man he later became. If you want to skip all the early stuff (and most of the language) just start somewhere around chapter 19. From this point in the book he relays his thoughts on marriage and parenting. It’s incredibly funny, and if you are in your 50’s with kids, there will be many aspects you will be able to relate to. Written in the literary form of sarcasm, it’s narrated by the author. If you need a good laugh with a whole lot of meaning at the end, this is a good one. But, seriously, the language . . . it’s BAD! 😬

10. Bad Therapy, Why The Kids Aren’t Growing Up — Abigail Shrier: Very good follow up book to The Anxious Generation. I didn’t necessarily agree with everything the author discussed, but 90% of her info was spot-on for what I see, clinically, as well as being an employer of a number of Millennial & Gen Z folks. Where The Anxious Generation was research-heavy (which I love), Bad Therapy tended to deviate from evidence based medicine to the author’s anecdotal world view. I particularly disliked her broad over-generalization of public school teachers and counselors. I know a great many of these fine folks, and I feel like they do a wonderful job keeping the train on the tracks for kids. Of course, I live in a largely Conservative community where many of her suggestions on how to remedy the current cultural issues are already practiced. So, that may have ruffled my feathers unnecessarily. As with all books, I would recommend reading this one with your heart in check and your brain engaged. Don’t simply take the author’s word for things. She has a clear bias toward homeschooling and/or private Christian education, and that bias often shows in her discussions of other educational modalities.

11. Who’s Pushing Your Buttons: Handling the Difficult People In Your Life — John Townsend:  This book was not really what I expected. I purchased it hoping it would provide some self-help strategies for how to cope with difficult people in my everyday life (I mean, I work in health care. It’s a daily thing). I did feel like this book was designed for more seriously dysfunctional relationships. The examples and tips the author provided seemed more geared toward borderline (and not-so-borderline) abusive relationships. I’m sure the information is really helpful to a lot of people. But, being a big fan of boundaries, my personality doesn’t lend itself to staying invested in relationships that are abusive. So, there just wasn’t a lot of usable info for me. I don’t feel like it was a waste of my time, by any means. If nothing else, it made me appreciate all of my healthy, exciting, and fun relationships. It also made me realize those relationships I look upon as “difficult” really aren’t so much.

12. Nobody Wants Your Sh*t: the art of decluttering before you die — Messie Condo: If you need a little kick in the pants with a dose of humor, this might be the book for you. Be warned, as the title conveys, the language is really, really bad in this one. Think Beth Dutton in a decluttering phase. Though I have never read any of Marie Kondo’s books, I suspect this piece might be a spoof aimed more toward the “less refined” women in society. Clocking in at 3 hrs (audio format), it was a short but effective book that encouraged me to start another round of decluttering. Listen at your peril, but the info was a much needed push off the cliff, for me.

13. People Fuel — Dr. John Townsend: Honestly, this book was kind of boring to me. Mad respect for John Townsend and his areas of relationship expertise. This book just felt very academic to me — kind of how a master’s-level book on psychology would feel. I’m more of a real-life pragmatist and need real-life examples of what this stuff looks like. I’m sure it is good info, and there were a handful of pearls (The Toyota 5 Why’s). I don’t regret reading it, but it’s not the greatest book on relationship building I have ever read.

14. The Tell — Amy Griffin: This may be one of the best books I’ve read all year. Be warned, it’s a dark story about the sexual abuse of a child. The setting was mid ‘80’s Amarillo, so the familiarity with locations and people probably resonated a lot with me. The story, all by itself, was one I simply could not stop reading. I’m always a sucker for a survival story. The resiliency of the human spirit has always been something that has appealed to me, and this is definitely that. Many amazing messages about healing, hope, and the power of “telling”.

15. The Best Place to Work — Ron Friedman, PhD: This is in the top 5 best business books I’ve ever read. I am constantly seeking out new ideas and new methods to make my office a more enjoyable place to spend my day. If you own a business or are in any type of management position, this book will definitely be worth your time to read. So many things resonated with me.

16. How To Stay Married, The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told – Harrison Scott Key: I both loved and hated this book. . . simultaneously. . . I think that was the writer's intent. This is a book about relationships (specifically marriage).  It's also a book about the Church, religion, faith, divorce, the fallen nature of human beings, and. . . grace. . . The language is a bit better (albeit, still rough in places) than Harrison Scott Key's previous works.  However, I felt most of the profanity was within the context of the raw emotion of this autobiography. 

Small spoiler alert: the foundation of the story revolves around infidelity in the author's marriage.  For 90% of the story you will want to hate the offending party.  By the end, if you are reading in an intellectually honest way, you will begin to see the analogy between marriage and our relationship with God. Think, Hosea/Gomer/Redeeming Love, for those of you familiar with those stories. My "churchy" friends are probably going to really hate most of this book.  If you get 25% of the way in and are angry, you have my permission to stop.  If you get 25% of the way in and begin to experience a bit of conviction, I would encourage you to continue reading.

Much of the story is intertwined with the author, at rock bottom in life, seeking answers from the Bible and the Church. The convicting part, for me, was how often in this story those two entities seemed to be at odds with each other.  But, you should read and determine that for yourself. Many of the sections were hard to read, as the author allowed us all inside his head as he wrestled with God -- raw and unfiltered.  If I'm being honest, I have, on occasion, found myself pondering many of those same thoughts when I have wrestled with God. There's a part of me that is too scared and too respectful of the Creator of the Universe to ever say them out loud, but it doesn't mean I haven't thought many of them in my darker times. 

Several times in this book I had an almost visceral (and not in a good way) response to what the author was saying.  It was a "God, don't lump me in with him right now" kind of conversation.  But, there was also part of me that was like, "man, this guy has hit rock bottom.  God, please pick him up and show him some grace right now. Please don't smite him with fire from heaven".  While very uncomfortable for me to read many of those portions, they did remind me of the immense capacity of our Creator to forgive.  I think that may have been the point.

If you have never read Harrison Scott Key, he is very, very funny. Even amidst his pain, he still tells his story through a filter of humor. I consumed this piece in audio format, as the author provided his own narration.  It felt more like coffee with a very funny, but very broken friend. You will laugh.  You may cry.  I hope my Jesus-following friends are encouraged but also convicted about how we interact with "the least of these".  If you are married, you should probably just go ahead and read this. It will be the relational equivalent of an annual physical and consumption of a good daily multivitamin.  An ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure kind of thing. . .

In closing, this will be one of those books that stays with me for a while.  The emotions are raw, but the tale is a cautionary one. Just another good reminder of the importance of communication, boundaries, guardrails, and grace.  Please drop me a comment if/when you have read this one.  This is a book that demands a conversation afterwards.

17. Start With Why — Simon Sinek: I’m not sure why it took me so long to read this book. It’s been on my “to read” shelf for years. It’s a little bit of a dry read, but there’s just enough insight peppered within the pages to provide tons of insight for anyone in leadership. Since I was a kid, I have always been that “why” person. I wanted to know "why", way before I got to the "how" part of the conversation. This book helped articulate a lot of what I picked up along the way in life. Concisely packaged into just over 200 pages, it was well worth the time I spent reading it, even if it required some discipline to get through.

18. The No Complaining Rule — Jon Gordon: The title of this book was the first thing to grab me. Don’t we all want to work in a complaint-free environment? I regularly chuckle about how hard it is to keep my day free of complaints when the very first thing on my medical record is literally a patient’s “Chief Complaint”. That said, the first half of this book was a little bit cheesy. The back half was super helpful, though. Practical how-to steps on creating a healthy work environment, whether you work in an office of one (and you’re the chief complainer) or you work for a Fortune 500 company. The cool thing about this book is, it really does start with me. “Be the change you wish to see in others”, kind of a thing. This book is very, very short. 136 pages with super large print. It took me less than 2 hours, start to finish and was well worth the time invested. If you lead a team or are simply tired of all the negative being infused into your life, you might give this guy a read.

19. The Energy Bus — Jon Gordon: Are you tired of working in an environment that sucks the life out of you? Does Monday morning send you into a mental tailspin every week? Are you tired of all the negativity in your life? This book might be for you. Told in the format of a cute story, this 3 hour (audio version) provided tons of insight for me. Told through a series of “rules for the bus”, it highlights all the different aspects of how our attitudes, environment, direction, and outlook can either sap us of energy or send us flying. Rule #1: You’re the driver of your bus. The other 9 rules are just as awesome, but if all you remember is #1, you’re off to a good start. 10 out of 10 recommend!

20. The Ideal Team Player — Patrick Lencioni: What an amazing book! If you’ve ever read any Patrick Lencioni, you know how he loves to get his point across through an allegorical writing style. It’s never been my preferred style, but it’s his thing. That said, with this book, once he finishes his allegory, he puts all the good stuff into a handful of simple chapters at the back. You have my permission to just start there—especially if you just need the info quickly and concisely. Through the entire book I found myself having “ah ha” moments about myself over the years and the many teammates I have had in my 29 years in private practice. If you own a business, work in a business, rely on teammates to function, or simply need a book that helps you be more inquisitive and self-aware, I would give this one a go. The post-it note version is this. The 3 qualities you need to be an ideal team member are: humble, hungry, and smart. That’s it. Tumble that one over in your brain and then let this book expand on it.

21. Leaders Eat Last — Simon Sinek: This is a dense read, but it is packed with tons of helpful advice. If you are a leader, in any capacity, this should probably be required reading. Definitely worth the time it took me to digest it, which was substantial.

22. Difficult Conversations Don’t Have to Be Difficult — Jon Gordon & Amy Kelly: Given the depth and breadth of reading I have been doing this year, this book was very, very rudimentary and oversimplified. The title had a lot of promise. The actual meat of the material fell pretty flat for me. In Texas this would be referred to as “all hat, no cattle”.

23. The 8 Paradoxes of Great Leadership — Tim Elmore: This book may go into my top 10 best books for leaders. It’s a nice addition to many of the other workplace culture books I have read this year. The chapter titles speak for themselves:

• Uncommon leaders balance both confidence and humility

• Uncommon leaders leverage both their vision and their blind spots

• Uncommon leaders embrace both visibility and invisibility

• Uncommon leaders are both stubborn and open-minded

• Uncommon leaders are both deeply personal and inherently collective

• Uncommon leaders are both teachers and learners

• Uncommon leaders model both high standards and gracious forgiveness

• Uncommon leaders are both timely and timeless

24. Start, Stay, or Leave — Trey Gowdy: Not gonna lie, I was expecting something different from this book. I didn’t realize the author was a politician until I was several pages in. I’m not a fan of politicians, as a general rule. I’m certainly not drawn to the books they write. This one was fine. As far as the topic, I still think Die With Zero tackles the subject matter, much, much better. If you like politics, and politicians don’t make you want to gouge your eyes out, this book is probably fine. It wasn’t bad, for sure. I just formulated a bias in the first chapter.

25. Silos, Politics, & Turf Wars — Patrick Lencioni: Short but sweet (4 hrs in audio version) this is a pretty typical Patrick Lencioni book. Written in his standard “parable” form, this book tackles the destructive nature of silos and turf wars in the work place. It provides lots of cautionary advice on how to break down those barriers to create a better spirit of team play. This theme has been a recurring topic for me this year. Operating a small business in a post-COVID world has had its challenges. This piece was helpful in that front, as are most of Lencioni’s books.

26. Servant Leadership Roadmap — Cara Bramlett: Very good, very short, and very concise read. If you need a pamphlet-style, bullet point type of instructional manual this is it! If you need to get to the meat of “how to do” servant leadership this will be a very economical use of your time. If you are a leader, in any capacity, it might be worth the hour and a half of your to read this.

27. What If (Serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions)— Randall Munroe: This is what happens when inquisitive middle school boys grow up to obtain PhD’s in chemistry and or physics. Super funny book, written by an incredibly nerdy guy. If you like math/physics/chemistry and are entertained by nerdy sarcasm, this might be the book for you. For reference, I loved it!

28. The Gospel Comes With A House Key — Rosaria Butterfield: This is a book that both encouraged and inspired me. If you need a little kick in the pants with what it looks like to “love your neighbor”, this would be a good use of 6 hours of your life. The most profound statement of the entire book, for me, was this: “The world can produce evil dictators, but only the church can grow a Judas. Dictators intend to control; they start as hypocrites. Not so, Judases. How could something as commonplace as the love of the world turn a disciple into a monster? It happened slowly, step by step, getting close enough to Jesus to feel intrigued by his teaching but never being broken by it, never really knowing the God-man Shepherd, never dying to self and being remade by his soon-to-be-cross-punctured hands.” That’s the kind of statement that will ruminate with me for a while. It’s an intentional discipline for me to be broken, daily, by the teachings of Jesus.

29. Love Lives Here — Maria Goff: What a great follow up to “The Gospel Comes With A House Key”! Maria Goff, wife of Bob Goff (author of “Love Does”, “Everybody Always”, and many more) wrote a wonderful book about what it looks like to love — others and yourself. Her personal story, Maria touches on a little bit of everything here, with an emphasis on marriage and parenting. Coming in at 5 hours in audio format, it’s a nice, quick read (or listen) and will both warm your soul and challenge you to be better.

30. The Stress Paradox -- Why you need stress to live longer, healthier, and happier — Sharon Horesh Bergquist, MD: What an interesting spin on health and wellness related to everyday stressors. Much of medicine revolves around the need to reduce stress in our daily lives. Dr. Bergquist lays out a detailed and coherent explanation of why we need good stressors — physical, emotional, and dietary. She seems to lean heavily toward a plant-based diet, but her suggestions about plant based proteins have been widely accepted by the medical community overall. If you are looking for practical suggestions (and even recipes) about how to add healthy stress into your daily routine, this is a pretty helpful read. Overall, the take-home message seems to be that quality of life matters.

31. Dare to Lead —  Brene’ Brown: This was a good book, that gave practical application to many of the leadership principles taught in most books about organizational leadership. The language is coarse in several places, but the overall message was good. This is a nice adjunct to many of the other books I have read in this genre.

32. Crucial Conversations — Kerry Patterson, Et al: This book was densely packed with a ton of info. I “read” it in audio format, but it probably deserves a printed version. Lots of helpful tips on productive communication techniques. I would recommend this to anyone who manages others, is married, has children, or has to interact with other humans on a regular basis . . . Basically, anyone who desires healthier relationships will benefit from the information. I may need to circle back and re-read a printed version with a highlighter in my hand.

33. Think Again — Adam Grant: What a fascinating book! Have you ever desired the ability to be a better conversationalist? Have you ever wondered why you tend to gravitate toward people who think and act like you? Have you ever just wanted everyone to get along and enjoy the art of discussing different ideas in a civil manner? Well, this book might be for you! Lots and lots of great observations about human behavior in this book. The author provided tons of different stories and examples of how our cognitive bias often gets the best of us. My favorite idea/quote from this book revolved around the idea that more information, more voices, and more dialogue should equate to better compromises between ideological camps. IE: the internet age SHOULD have made us more equipped to reach middle ground due to the vast amount of data. What studies have shown, however, was quite the opposite. “Presenting two extremes isn’t the solution; it’s part of the polarization problem”. On the topic of our 2-Party political system, this particular section was insightful: “Polls show that Democrats underestimate the number of Republicans who recognize the prevalence of racism and sexism—and Republicans underestimate the number of Democrats who are proud to be Americans and oppose open borders.” I have said it before, and I will keep saying it, “There is more that unites us than divides us”. I kind of feel like this should be required reading prior to being allowed access to social media. It should definitely be required reading for all seated members of Congress. Please read with an open mind and an attitude of wanting to be better and do better.

34. Revenge of the Tipping Point — Malcolm Gladwell: What a fascinating read! In this latest work by Gladwell, he highlights real-life examples of tipping points in American society. He draws fascinating lines between racial demographics in communities, the epidemiological trends in super spreaders gleaned from COVID research, social engineering studies, and the opioid crisis. I would have never linked many of these topics, but he paints a compelling picture of how social media and social engineering have impacted how we live and how we view our world in the last several decades. It’s both intriguing and terrifying how the general masses have been manipulated. Definitely worth your time to read.

35. The Anxious Generation Goes to Church — Thom S. Rainer: Excellent read for anyone who espouses faith as part of their identity. A tangential spin off of Jonathan Haidt’s, “The Anxious Generation”, this book addresses the impact of the neurological and social rewiring of Gen Z and Gen Alpha on organized religion. It addresses many of the same concerns as the original book from Haidt, but with much broader eternal consequences. If you are a church-going Christian, you need to read this book. If you are in vocational ministry, you REALLY need to read this book. The very lives of the people you are trying to reach may depend on it.

36. Emotional Intelligence — Russell Strong: This was a very short and concise book. It is more of a booklet, really. If you want a quick, 45 min read that will outline some simple how-to’s for the workplace, this is about as quick as you could do it. Not to be confused with the litany of EQ books out there, this book is a simple instruction manual for how to be a better teammate in a work environment. If you are the parent (or grandparent) of a Gen Z or Gen Alpha kiddo who is struggling to find a healthy work environment, this would be a good suggested read for them. If you are a Millenial or Gen Xer and are feeling like every job you’ve had is a bastion of toxicity, the answer might be found both in the mirror and in this book. As an employer, I wish I could mandate this to every member of my team. Workplace drama would be significantly reduced if we all practiced even half of the suggested methods the author has outlined.

37. Team of Teams – General Stanley McCrystal:  Wow!! What a tremendous book!! If you are interested in leadership books with an emphasis on teams, if you enjoy military strategy, if you are enamored with the US Military and our Special Forces, or if you are simply in a reading slump and don’t even know what you are looking for, this book may fit the bill! General McCrystal was in command of JSOC in the years following 9/11. His command has been credited with the elimination of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.  This book details the command structure mistakes and problem-solving that have led to better communication within the US Intelligence System over the last 20 years.  He uses real-life examples of the SEAL teams, as well as real-life examples within corporate America.  The book reads like a Tom Clancy novel and is sprinkled with tons of leadership wisdom for anyone in charge of any size of team.  If you only read one leadership book in the next year, this one should probably be it.

38. Buy Back Your Time — Dan Martell: This book was a bit of a slog for me to get through. I pride myself on being very, very good at time management. So, most of what this book referenced, I naturally do . . . and have, for years. If you are overwhelmed, disorganized, burning the candle at both ends, or approaching burnout, this book will probably lend you a lot of insight. You will have to be disciplined to get through it though. In order to implement most of the strategies, you will need to force yourself to make this the interactive read the author intended it to be. The most helpful part for me was the last few chapters. The author’s recommendations for calendering your “big rocks” was not something I have ever really thought much about. I tend to plan my life out in 6 month increments, but actually blocking time on my calendar, a year ahead of time, was a welcome addition for me. I am happy to say I now have every vacation on my calendar for all of 2026. This book was definitely worth the read. It just took a lot more discipline for me to finish than is typical for me with a good book. 

39. Purposeful Retirement — Hyrum W. Smith: I really loved this book. My profession has afforded me a front row seat to the aging process. For 3 decades I have engaged with, quizzed, and walked through what it looks like to age gracefully and not-so-gracefully in America. I have been given the gift of daily wisdom and encouragement from my elderly patients over the years. One recurrent piece of advice seems to always be: “when you retire, make sure you have a plan.” That, along with “Don’t wait so long to retire that you are never able to enjoy those years”. This book hits on those themes, and so many more. The writing style is conversational with lots of anecdotal stories peppered in—both cautionary and inspirational. The author provides lots of viable options for staying active and mentally fit in retirement. I’m a big fan of exercising lots of those tips BEFORE retirement. I think anyone over the age of 50 should be preparing, mentally and physically, for the next stage of life. This book is a good place to start. You don’t have to be on the precipice of retirement to read this one. If you are already retired, you need to download this book TODAY!! You don’t have to spend the last third of your life in doctor’s offices, or wasting away in your recliner. There is a better way. If you’re not dead, then you’re not done!

40. Blue Ocean Strategy — W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne: This book was SUPER BORING! I think it had the potential to be an interesting read, but it was so esoteric in its approach and overly technical in its presentation that I wanted to quit reading a dozen different times. I do admit to skimming much of the “filler” and dry technical passages, but I’m claiming this as a completed read for the year anyway. That said, I  did appreciate the reminders of some of the really great companies who have used approaches like Blue Ocean Strategy. The cautionary tale of Napster vs iTunes was a good one — just because you did it first, doesn’t mean you did it right. I appreciated the creative genius behind Cirque du Soleil and Intuit’s Quicken. Both companies created massive market share within their respective industries. Of course, no book on the Goliaths of industry would be complete without a full dissection of Apple. Though not specifically mentioned, I think Amazon could also be easily listed as a huge player in the Blue Ocean. Ironically, the authors repeatedly used Southwest Airlines as their shining-star example of great blue ocean strategy. In reading this book it was painfully evident how SWA has begun to venture pretty far from their original business model. It might be a good exercise for SWA leadership to read this book, if only to regain perspective into what made them such a massive player in the travel industry in the early 2000’s. If you’re into super nerdy, dry, technical business books, this one is not without merit. It just wasn’t really my cup of tea.

That's it for 2025! I hope you found a book or two in my list that strikes a chord. If not, my non-fiction reads will be posted soon! Make sure to check back in a day or so.

Happy New Year!