Book Club: Great Reads for 2026
- Dr. Kristen Mitteness
- Dec 20, 2025
- 2 min read
Here are the best books I read in 2025 to launch you into 2026. Enjoy!
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - This was one of the last books I read in 2025. It is a very heartfelt book that starts with a few different story lines that end up weaving together in a way you'll eventually predict, but it took me longer than it probably should have. It really reminded me of A Man Called Ove, which Amazon also said.
The Collapse of Parenting by Leonard Sax - I learn of many authors in the parenting world from the 1000 Hours Outside podcast and, as per usual, this one did not disappoint. It does a great job of challenging parents in how they utilize their authority as a parent and decision making in the family. I'm sure it will ruffle some feathers, but if you are ready for that, it's a great reality check for anyone parenting right now.
Sythe by Neal Shusterman - I'm pretty hesitant about reading anything dystopian. I find them all kind of along the same vein, but this one challenged that. It is one of the best dystopian books I have read with a concept I haven't seen in a book, yet. I especially loved that it had both a male and female lead characters. It is an excellent book if you are trying to encourage a young male to get into reading. It is the first of a three book series. I would highly recommend the first two, but feel free to skip the third. It kind of goes off the rails.
It's Okay Not to Share by Heather Shumaker - This book did an excellent job in challenging my approach to parenting. It also taught me a lot about what "normal" behavior can look like in children. It's definitely at the top of my list when it comes to parenting books and I was SO EXCITED to see it in the lending library at my daughter's daycare.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - I love historical fiction. It's probably one of the genres I like reading the most. I have read Ariel Lawhon's work in the past and enjoyed it (Code Name Helene, I Was Anastasia). This one I really liked because it followed a midwife from the late 1700s in the US. It touched on the US becoming a country, the original court system which was still being created and life in a small town as a midwife and a doctor. It is a wonderful (and sometimes horrifying and maddening) story!
If you are interested in my favorite books from past years, here are the links:
2021 (It says "part I", turns out it was the only part - all of my favorite books were read in the first half of the year!)
I typically rent my books from the library. If you want to buy them, I really recommend checking out ABEbooks or BookOutlet. The links above take you my Amazon affiliate pages.
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