While 2025 was marked significantly by stress and exams for me, it was also made meaningful by moments spent with family and friends. While the year was overall extremely hectic, I still found time to enjoy some of my favorite hobbies during my downtime, including reading.
Although it was difficult to select which novels I enjoyed the most, I worked hard to curate a strong list of novels that truly stuck out to me this year.
- “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath
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Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” unravels the story of Esther Greenwood, who serves as an unreliable and sometimes unlikable narrator. Set against the backdrop of 1950s New York City, we follow Esther as she embarks on a magazine internship, only to quickly feel disillusioned by the unhealthy standards imposed on women within the industry.
As Esther navigates her experiences, we witness a gradual decline in her mental health. Esther feels increasingly confused, given the different expectations placed upon her, and grapples with the dilemma of whether to pursue her career aspirations or settle down and start a family.
Esther reflects on her life choices through an analogy: “I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.” Yet, standing at the crossroads, she finds herself unable to choose just one fig. Instead, these once promising opportunities begin to wither away in front of her while she stands aimlessly.
I truly enjoyed this novel as Esther’s overwhelming experience with all of the potential paths laid out before her is something I believe resonates with many students today. As a current student at Penn State, I saw parallels in my own life. While the opportunities offered here are numerous, sometimes it can feel overwhelming as a student, and you can feel aimless.
In both Esther’s story and my own experience, the struggle to find one’s path amidst overwhelming choices is a deeply relatable theme, making this book a relevant read despite being released decades ago.
- “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn
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Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl” centers on the disappearance of Amy Dunne, a seemingly perfect wife, homemaker and Harvard-educated genius. Her husband, Nick Dunne, quickly becomes the prime suspect as both planted evidence and his own suspicious behavior make the police wary.
However, as the investigation unfolds and the case’s structure begins to crumble, readers are drawn behind the scenes of this “mysterious disappearance:” a crumbling marriage, exacerbated by Amy’s discovery of the infidelity Nick had been engaging in behind her back.
As the story immerses you further, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine whether or not this disappearance is the result of foul play or something far more sinister.
In my opinion, this novel is the ultimate example of an unhinged female antagonist – and I loved it. It is both eerie and fascinating to be transported into the mind of the sociopathic Amy Dunne and to uncover the true mystery behind her disappearance. As much as you may want to hate her, I feel that it is impossible not to silently root for her meticulously executed plan of revenge.
- “Jackal” by Erin E. Adams
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I definitely found myself going on a spree of reading mystery novels this year, and I found Adams’ “Jackal” to be especially eerie. The novel is set in the middle of Pennsylvania and focuses on a disturbing trend: young Black girls randomly going missing, with little to no effort being made to stop these supposed kidnappings.
The story follows Liz Rocher, who returns home for her best friend’s wedding. At the reception, Liz, tasked with watching the bride-to-be’s child, looks away for just a moment, only to find that the little girl has been taken. By what? That remains unclear. From the white supremacists who lurk beneath the town’s gilded surface to a strange supernatural energy emanating from the nearby woods, Adams keeps the reader on edge for the entirety of the novel.
What really stood out to me about this book was how it combined a mystery with the tragic reality that racism and bigotry are still rampant in America. The story highlights a chilling truth: dozens of girls could go missing, and in some communities, nobody would seem to notice or care because of their race.
Overall, “Jackal” was not only a compelling read but also a truly eye-opening experience, exposing the underlying ignorance present in many American towns.
- “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
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Walker’s “The Color Purple” is probably the saddest book I have ever read, but also one of the most empowering. Celie is the novel’s central protagonist, and she grows up poor, uneducated and abused at the hands of her father, Alphonso. Celie’s father is an extremely violent and horrible man, and he beats and assaults Celie regularly.
Celie is fortunately not completely alone in her suffering and has a very close bond with her younger sister Nettie. However, it is found that a man only referred to as “Mr. ____” has taken an interest in Nettie. Wanting to marry Celie’s sister, Alphonso actually refuses his request, stating that Nettie is much too young to marry, instead offering Celie’s hand. While this arrangement is not ideal for Mr. ____, as Celie is notably considered the “uglier” sister, the two wed regardless.
Celie is forced into a loveless marriage with Mr. ____, and at only around the age of 14 is entrusted to overtake the maternal responsibilities for the children Mr. ____ has already had. Mr. ____ still harbors intense interest for a past lover he had named Shug Avery, a travelling singer whose photo fascinates Celie.
The themes of this story fixate primarily on the resilience of its female characters in the face of intense adversity. The central protagonists face racism, sexism, manipulation, assault, and violence, and are able to rise above these cruelties, and we find ourselves rooting for Celie, who learns to become indifferent towards the abuse thrown her way, all while trying to get back into connection with her sister and best friend, Nettie.
I found this book to be very sad, but also extremely powerful, as we really are able to see through the rawness of Walker’s writing, viewing how these women are able to collect the courage to rise above the misfortune and violence set toward them.
- “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah
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I first encountered Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale” while browsing at Target, intrigued but unfamiliar with its plot or details. The novel follows two sisters: Vianne and Isabelle Rossignol, whose lives are upended by the start of WWII.
Vianne, a mother living in the French countryside, finds her life shattered when her husband Antoine, is conscripted into the army. Left to fend for herself with her young daughter, Sophie, Vianne’s world is further destabilized when Nazi officers are billeted in her home.
Isabelle, Vianne’s younger sister, provides a striking contrast; being loud, outspoken and firmly set in her own beliefs, Isabelle makes her hatred for the Nazi’s well-known. Despite their strained relationship and the loss of their family, Isabelle reappears in Vianne’s life during these tumultuous times.
Driven by a fierce opposition towards the Nazi regime, Isabelle’s bold and reckless behavior puts Vianne and Sophie at risk, leading her to leave the country and to take on a crucial role in the French resistance.
Hannah’s novel excels in portraying the sisters’ contrasting yet complementary journeys. Vianne’s struggle to protect her family amid overwhelming odds and Isabelle’s daring resistance work highlight the different forms of courage that emerged in the face of tyranny.
“The Nightingale” is not just a tale of survival but a testament to the strength of sisterhood. As someone with sisters myself, I found it particularly nostalgic to witness the small feuds that characterize their relationship, knowing that despite their differences, they ultimately value and love each other greatly.
In my opinion, more than just a historical account, “The Nightingale” is a tribute to the indomitable will of those who fought against unimaginable darkness. If you’re looking for a book that combines amazing writing with emotionally charged chapters, Hannah’s “The Nightingale” is an essential addition to your reading list.
I know it can be hard to find the time to set aside your laptop or phone, but I hope that this list inspires you to take out a few moments from your day to find some new books to add to your reading list!