Hello and welcome to my penultimate post of 2025, my top ten(ish!) books of the year. ‘Ish’ because, as in previous years, I hope you can’t count. (I say that, but at the time of writing, I have no idea how many books are going to end up on this list! 😂🤭) What a fantastic year it’s been, for both fiction and the blog. After a *ahem* bit of a glitch last year (the TL:DR – shoulder surgery, lost blogging mojo, vanished for six months) I have managed, pretty much, to post consistently throughout the year. Please feel free to ignore the two-week break I took at the start of November to focus on writing reviews (it worked, temporarily….). Anyway, enough about the blog. You can find out what’s been happening on damppebbles in December, along with an end-of-year-wrap-up, on my first #CaseClosed post of 2026 (which should go live in the first week or so of January — it isn’t written yet 😮). Let’s focus on the books today. After all, that’s why we’re all here!
The following list is in the order I read them, starting in January and finishing in December. I’ve thought about my ‘book of the year’ so much over the last week or so and I can’t for the life of me pin it down to ‘just one book’ so I’m not going to select an overall favourite. How can I when I have so much love for these ten(ish) books??
Honeycomb by S.B. Caves
A dark and twisted tale, involving, shocking and impossible to put down for any length of time. I was drawn into the lives of the characters, their secrets and the overall deceit. An addictive, thrilling, unforgettable tale that drew me in and wouldn’t let go. Wow! Sign me up for whatever S.B. Caves writes next, please.
My Review of Honeycomb
The Grapevine by Kate Kemp
I loved everything about The Grapevine. I know I rattle on about characters a lot here on the blog but for me, the characters can make or break a novel. Kemp has created a stellar cast. A real cross-section of society with their own views and beliefs. Beautifully written with gorgeously rich characterisation, a totally enchanting and engrossing story, with a completely unexpected ending. A superb debut. Absolutely bloody LOVED IT!
My Review of The Grapevine
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
I have never read anything like this before. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter tears the reader in half. You’ll be bewitched by the beautiful storytelling but appalled by what you’re reading. The truth of it. You’ll want to devour the story in one sitting, but you’ll also want to look away, take a breather. It’s gorgeous but grotesque. There is nothing else quite like this book out there. I was completely hypnotised by the storytelling.
My Review of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
Senseless by Ronald Malfi
A dark and hypnotic story. Full of dread and menace. It puts you on edge with its palpable, building tension and I loved every second of it. No one tells a story like Ronald Malfi. The writing is sublime. The characters are truly magnificent creations, and the plot was unlike anything I’ve read previously. Three very different stories featuring their own beautifully defined characters whose paths eventually cross and it all makes the most perfect sense.
My Review of Senseless
Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey
A gorgeous, dark, evocative literary mystery. Full of emotion, full of regret and overflowing with beautifully written suspense. Gosh, I loved this book! The small-town setting comes to life on the page. Bailey’s descriptions of Jacknife and the swampland are exquisite. The setting becomes as much a part of the story as any of the characters. I loved it. Every little detail. A highly immersive, hugely compelling tale.
My Review of Our Last Wild Days
The Countdown Killer by Sam Holland
If I was going to write a novel, THIS is the novel I would want to write. The characters are believable and despite their flaws (or perhaps ‘because’ of their flaws), I have really warmed to them over the course of the four books. The plot is so immersive, completely gripping and the tension is built to palpable heights. Gruesome, relentless and highly compelling. Dark and twisted bliss.
My Review of The Countdown Killer
We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough
A beautifully creepy, dark, gothic thriller with a finely sharpened horror edge. I very much enjoyed the characters who are all exceptionally written and multi-layered. The plot moves at a compelling pace, drawing the reader into the strange world of Larkin Lodge. The setting is vivid, eerie and gets under your skin.
My Review of We Live Here Now
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
This book deserves the hype it’s received, and I hope it continues to grab readers’ attention for many years to come. A sublime literary mystery where the characters are flawed and nuanced, the plot is instantly absorbing, and the setting comes to life on the page. The writing is engaging and compelling. Once you’ve made a start on the book, you HAVE to know what happened to Bear and just how much danger Barbara is in. I was fully invested in the story. An ultimately satisfying, engrossing gem of a book.
My Review of The God of the Woods
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
A triumph of a book. A thrilling, gripping, highly compulsive read where the characters are unforgettable, the plot is action-packed, and the thrills are non-stop. There’s a true warmth to the storytelling that is impossible to ignore. It’s like a giant hug but with dead bodies and guns! I loved it and I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
My Review of We Solve Murders
59 Minutes by Holly Seddon
A terrifying, gripping, immersive, and unforgettable book. What an experience! The characters’ fear leaps off the page at you. It’s heartbreaking, emotional and thought-provoking. Brilliantly written from start to finish, with all threads being neatly, if shockingly, tied off as the end of the book approaches. Cleverly written tale with fascinating characters and bucketloads of heart. Nerve-racking in the best way possible, and nigh-on impossible to put down.
My Review of 59 Minutes
The Final Vow by M.W. Craven
A blisteringly good, thrilling addition to a series that *somehow* keeps surpassing itself. The concept is so clever, so imaginative that I decided against ‘adulting’ for a bit and threw myself into Craven’s superb storytelling. So, so good! Everything I had hoped it would be plus so much more. Pure perfection. Tense, shocking and totally engrossing. I truly loved every single second of this book.
My Review of The Final Vow
Darker Days by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
A suspense-filled horror delight. The premise is utterly irresistible. Olde Heuvelt delivers a superb story with stand-out characters, a perfect setting and a twisty storyline that will get under your skin from the moment you pick this book up. I loved it! Every dark and devilish detail had me rapt. I cannot wait for more from this author.
My Review of Darker Days
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
I LOVE this book. I LOVE these characters. I love the charm and the humour. I love how quintessentially British it all is. How utterly charming, heartwarming and completely engaging from the very first word to the very last. Glorious, lovable characters who feel real to the reader, great pace with plenty of twists and turns and a strong mystery aspect. Characters you really connect with. It feels like meeting up with friends after you haven’t seen each other for a few months. I am well and truly smitten.
My Review of The Impossible Fortune
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
An exquisite horror tale. The tension, the inescapable menace and the threat of the unknown are always present. Brilliantly written and totally engrossing. I loved every single second of this chilling, dark, heart-wrenching, and traumatic story. With a superb sense of place, characters that are completely captivating, and with a tangible feeling of dread throughout, I devoured this book with glee.
My Review of The Place Where They Buried Your Heart
The Othello Club by J.D. Pennington
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent with The Othello Club. A dark and engaging revenge thriller that kept me captivated from start to finish. I really enjoyed the fast pace of the book, with something always happening. The twists and turns were shocking, and I certainly wasn’t able to guess who was behind it all. The reveal was drenched in tension, and the denouement was beautifully cinematic.
My Review of The Othello Club
Lashings of gorgeousness books in one glorious post (even if I do say so myself 🤣). It’s a darn fine looking bunch of novels. Ten (😳) truly amazing books which you should do everything in your power to get hold of.
If you’re a regular visitor to damppebbles then you may be aware that I tend to call every ‘top books of the year list’ my top ten(ish!). It’s a running joke (I use that term loosely!) that I can’t seem to break (🤭). Never though, in all my years of writing a top books of the year list, have I ended up with fifteen books. Eleven books, yes! Twelve even, at a push. Never FIFTEEN, which is what I have this year. Just goes to show that I have read some cracking books during 2025.
Have a peaceful and safe New Year, bookish pals, and I will see you on the other side. Providing I can remove myself from my post-Christmas cheese-induced haze, I will be sharing my first review of the New Year with you tomorrow (Thursday 1st). Thank you for your support over the last year. You are AMAZING! Stay safe, stay bookish and keep reading. Lots of love x
damppebbles.com 