On January 1, 2025, past Ariel had full intentions to write a review blog about all the books she would read that year for her book club, Adventure Awaits Book Club.
I had a phenomenal year, but things definitely changed in a way I didn’t fully expect. We have 2.5 more kids living with us than we started the year with and that has made for more time spent with the kids living the Adventure Awaits spirit! So, I definitely pushed the blog plans to the back burner.
My book club started out with regular meetings, but as my depression hit hard a few years back, the club hit a lull and hasn’t really recovered. I’m hopeful it will make a comeback in the future. So, what I’ve been doing is mostly picking books I own to save money, and in the future hopefully the club will kick back up with picking books as a joint endeavor!
I wanted to write a blog that encompasses the 12 books I picked last year. I’ll write about them in order from my least favorite to my favorite. There’s a corresponding video on my author Instagram of me ranking all 20 books I read last year, and the book club books are mixed in there. I also have pictures of all the covers there and on the book club link through my website.
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Here we go!
12. Vagabonds! By Eloghosa Osunde
This book was the August 2025 choice. I wanted to love this one. I started it in August, but I took quite a few breaks and finally finished on the last day of 2025. The back cover blurb sounded more hopeful than I felt the book made sense in my head. This book made my head hurt. I rubbed my temples way more than I would like. It was dark and sad. It was honestly quite confusing at times. I think I understood more by the end about the intent behind all the build up, but it was exhausting trying to get there. I think the depth behind this one would make a great choice for a book club, honestly. I believe everyone would get something different out of this one. The Nigerian culture aspect is one that I feel could get overlooked by those who aren’t familiar and make people think negatively. Please take my opinions with a grain of salt. It’s clear this meant a lot to the author, and I imagine if I spoke with them about it, I would have so much more insight! It’s not a bad book, it’s simply more nuanced than the information I had to process it at the time I read it!
11. The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick
This book was the January 2025 choice. I believe I finished reading this in January. Some books definitely did not get finished in the month I chose them. Honestly, the one major thing I remember about this one is a Sasquatch getting impaled. The adventure aspect in this book fully meets the spirit of the club. However, the impaling threw me off. I bought the book to find some middle grade reads for our 11 year old, and for some reason that scene startled me. It really opened my eyes to the depth middle grade books can go. I feel like our kiddo is brilliant and capable of reading complex storylines, but it also made me want to protect her a bit. Truly though, I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure these kids went on. I adored all the animals and how animals that were “extinct,” as well as supposed mythological creatures were being protected in the secret zoo found in the book. It took so many wild turns, and it kept me turning the pages eagerly. If your kiddo isn’t a reader, I imagine this book could easily spark interest for them, and it’s the first in a six book series, so you or your kiddo(s) can immerse in the world for a while!
10. Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
This book was the November 2025 choice. I didn’t realize this would be a second book based around Nigerian culture when I picked this one. I made the connection after I picked back up Vagabonds! in December and Lagos had been mentioned in both. Again, it’s not as if the book was bad. I wouldn’t even remotely suggest that, it simply challenged me emotionally. It hurt my heart. These generations of women that were bogged down by a curse and couldn’t break free. Eventually one child did, but there was so much pain along the way. It felt a little creepy at times, but in a sad way. My creepy level tolerance is much lower than most, haha! Sometimes I’m a big baby. I recommend this book genuinely, and it’s always a great idea to read diversely. I can’t speak for Nigerian culture, but the author can, and I’m grateful they shared this story!
9. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
This book was the May 2025 choice. My friend who is in my book club with me recommended this one for Mental Health Awareness month. I 100% wanted to talk to someone after reading this book. I published a blog while reading this book because it triggered so many emotions in me. A rather devastating aspect of the book is a storyline with a client called Julie. I won’t spoil it for you, but Julie and the author’s interactions lead to you reading the words, “Sometimes the only thing to do is yell, fuck.” That sentence is the title of the blog I wrote. I truly loved this book. It’s more story based and personal for the character. It didn’t have such a clinical feel that some books do when it comes to mental health. It was anything but boring and gave me some insight into my brain as well. I’m a huge proponent of therapy. I hope that anyone who needs it finds a therapist that truly cares about you like I did! I can’t guarantee you’ll get the same experience from this book, but I find it valuable in the mental health conversation!
8. Holes by Louis Sachar
This book was the December 2025 choice. Holes had everything I hoped for. I felt like they nailed the movie version of the book. The only major change I noticed was the main character in the book was described as heavier and Shai LaBeouf was definitely not heavy in the movie. Teenage Ariel loved Holes the movie, and now adult Ariel can say she loves Holes the book. I think our kids will love reading this one, and I hope to suggest it to our 11-year-old so they can get started as soon as possible! I enjoyed the ease of read. It’s clearly written with a younger audience in mind but not to the extent that it isn’t enjoyable for adults as well. The copy I have is an anniversary edition, so it was cool to see some extra bonus features at the end of the book with more insight into Stanley’s character.
7. Prince of Song and Sea by Linsey Miller
This book was the April 2025 choice. I felt like I had to buy this book when I saw it. I’m a sucker for a play on The Little Mermaid. I know it feels like there are a million versions of it, but this one holds its own. The book is a spookier version of the Disney classic. As I mentioned earlier, my creepy/spooky level tolerance is much lower than I anticipate the level of most readers. I didn’t have any issues with this book. It was a clever way for the author to add some trauma the prince had to deal with and keep it engaging. Prince Eric’s friends were charming editions to this book and brought for some entertainment that I enjoyed. I will never turn away a love story, even if it’s cheesy. (Please don’t check me on this. I imagine I haven’t read the cheesiest of cheese, but I still feel like I would enjoy it.) This one had the “cursed to only kiss their true love” trope in it, and I ate it up. There was another surprise element in it with the evil witch terrorizing families and that played out thoughtfully with some of the characters finding out more about their history. Keep in mind that the book is borrowing from a well-known storyline, so I can’t guarantee you will enjoy it, but it filled my joy meter like I hoped!
6. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
This book was the March 2025 choice. One of my favorite humans recommended me to read a few of Nicola Yoon’s books, and I’ve been properly wrecked by the ones I’ve read. This book has the typical YA feel when it comes to a teenage romance. It’s easy to speed through, the characters are charming, and there’s something trying to keep them apart. I really did not see the ending coming for this one. I thought the characters were going to fall in love and he was simply going to love her through all the complications. The bombshell twist left trauma residue on me and I’m over here reading a fictional story. I really should have seen it coming, but it threw me for a loop. I can’t remember for sure, but I imagine I most certainly cried. You can’t read about someone hurting that much to do what they did and not cry. I recommend this one, and I imagine I can safely say I recommend all books by Nicola Yoon!
5. Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall
This book was the June 2025 choice. I’m really not surprised by my top five. I love all things fantasy, with a sprinkle of romance, and books that truly encompass the adventure awaits spirit. I read a Breanne Randall book for AABC in 2024, so I felt safe choosing another in 2025. She’s only published two books so far, but the vibes have hit with both of them for me. This one specifically had such a fun cast of characters, a plotline that keeps you wanting to read, and quality involvement with magical elements. I love any type of book that involves magic. There’s something about an author taking the time to create the rules for their world that is so special. All three sisters ended up with a love interest that made my heart smile. I loved the grimoire and the surprise that involved that animated book. The grumpy love interest for the main character had the typical traumatic childhood for a grumpy character. I appreciated his bond with his sister and the bond of the three main sisters as well. Healthy sibling dynamics is always a sweet bonus in a book.
4. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
This book was the October 2025 choice. I adored this book. I can’t wait for our children to read this one. I loved the main character and the group of characters that joined his mission to help his mysterious new pal as the plotline moved forward. I cackled when an important mythical creature happened to be a tiny dragon. That dragon was too precious. I adore dragons, and while I wish there were more throughout, it still had so much adventure and amazing creatures that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. This book had much more depth than one might expect and could easily lead to introspection if you’re open and paying attention to the message. I am desperate to read the next book in this world and highly recommend everyone checking out this series as well!
3. Skyhunter by Marie Lu
This book was the July 2025 choice. Marie Lu could never disappoint me. Marie Lu may very well be my favorite author. This was the third world I felt fully enthralled by that they created. I don’t know how they manage to make such compelling stories over and over. Do you know that meme where people talk about what radicalized them? I mean this in the most respectful and honorable ways, but for me, it was probably reading Marie Lu’s books. Marie Lu clearly has no interest in tolerating a tyrannical government and I’m living for it. I read Skyhunter for book club and immediately went to the library to check out Steelstriker to finish the duology. They were both superb and heartbreaking. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past our government to do something like this if they had the technology. It’s scary waiting to see what crazy thing the US government is going to do next. There are literally terrorists roaming the streets wreaking havoc and kidnapping people and the President is acting like this is some beautiful thing he is doing for our country. (I meant ICE if you couldn’t pick up on my subtlety.) I digress… Read anything by Marie Lu. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
2. Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams
This book was the September 2025 choice. I swear I read so many phenomenal books in 2025. I believe one of the comparison titles for Blood at the Root is Harry Potter. I get it. They both have a magical school for students with magical abilities. Blood at the Root is so much deeper. Black history is intertwined throughout the story, and the characters call out the whitewashing of history in general. The cast of main characters are Black as the setting is primarily at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The author passionately advocates for the importance of getting these books in the hands of Black boys for them to see themselves and the magic they hold inside them. Obviously, the comparison is metaphorical, but truly, Black children deserve to read this incredible story and go along for the adventure in the entire series. I will say, while the comparison to Harry Potter is out there, I wouldn’t recommend this book to middle grade readers like I would Harry Potter and I don’t believe the author is presenting it as made for younger readers either. It’s more geared towards high school age youth and older. It takes place at an HBCU, so it’s logical that the characters are older and do things that older youth/adults do.
1. The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon
This book was the February 2025 choice. I don’t think I will ever find a book I love as much as this one. Phenomenal doesn’t even begin to describe it for me. Many of these books had me desperate to finish reading, but this one had so many twists I never saw coming. I spoke about the depth of a number of the middle grade books I read last year, but this one topped them all. It explores child neglect, parental loss, identity development, racism, slavery, and the complexity of relationships in general from a child’s perspective. I loved the use of the library and the decision the main character makes at the end floored me. I wouldn’t recommend this book if you are racist, homophobic, or transphobic. However, I imagine if you are, you’re likely not reading this blog. So, if you are here, I am begging you to pick this book up and read it. This book sealed the deal for me that I’ve been underestimating children. I know how brilliant children are, but I get nervous that some things are too much for them. They are so much more capable of complex thoughts than most of us give them credit for. So, yes, this is my favorite book of 2025, but it’s also my favorite book in general!
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If you read this far, thank you! It means a lot to me to have any support people are able to offer. I hope y’all are out there being kind to others, but don’t forget to be kind to yourself as well! I hope y’all will check out these books and share with me your thoughts! Also, feel free to recommend any books here or on my Instagram!
Ariel Pierce 