What I'm Reading in 2025
- @authorwaterman
- Feb 24
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 10
If you're like me, you’ve fallen in love with countless books, only to realize later that you can’t quite remember what they were about. You recall the way they made you feel—the heartache, the excitement, the sense of wonder—but the details? Gone. If you’re an avid reader, you’ve probably experienced it too. In 2025, I’m using this blog to document the books I’ve read and loved, along with key details to help me remember why they resonated with me. With my leisure reading time limited this year due to active research for my second book, I have even more reason to slow down and savor my favorites.
June 2025
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
One of my most favorite authors! I am in awe of this story-teller who can use the same the same writing style and create completely different stories! This one had all the feels with characters I'll be thinking about for a long time. While I do think it dragged a bit and could have been shorter, it will likely make my Top 10 list for 2025. Highly recommend!
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Oprah calls this "one of the best written books she has ever read! I wanted so badly to love this, but had a hard time getting into it. On one hand, the poetic writing is brilliant and captures the raw and vulnerable emotions of loneliness. On the other hand, it was depressing and didn't move me as much as I had hoped.
Love and Paklava by Alyssa Jarrett
When a romantic comedy starts with a reader discretion warning for swearing and explicit sex - buckle up. Add in a dedication from the Armenian author to her Papa, "the biggest esh (jackass) of all," and you know you're in for an exciting ride. If you're looking for a well-written, scorching hot and spicy modern romance with Armenian references on nearly every page, this one's for you.
Book Review in The Armenian Weekly
May 2025
The Unlocked Path by Janis Robinson Daly
This is my first winning book from a Goodreads contest! If you're a fan of well-researched historical fiction with multiple female-empowering plots, "The Unlocked Path" by Janis Robinson Day is for you! Set against historical backdrops like World War 1 and the 1918 fly pandemic, Eliza's journey highlights her commitment to medical care, women's rights, and forging and independent life. Highly recommend.
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
Great characters, charming story, well written magic realism. With stories woven in of Bronte sisters and Sylvia Beach - founder of Shakespeare & Co, and more it felt like several books within a book. If you're like me and delight in stories of books set in bookish places, readers, and writers - you will love this!
The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper
What a brilliant idea - creating dollhouses with secrets hidden in plain sight to memorialize true portraits of lives. Though it was beautifully written, I was a bit distracted by the relations surrounding the main characters. I'm still not sure how they were all connected. Overall, I do recommend and would love your thoughts.
The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis
Dual story told through a pair of mysterious old books that were discovered with curious imprints and without author names. Sometimes, happily ever after comes from forgiveness. I adored this story and recommend!
April 2025
Loving Father, Bitter Son by Asbed Pogarian
An unforgettable family saga that spans from 1970's Ethiopia to decades later in California. Love, betrayal, secrets, and redemption unfold through the eyes of Alex Doorian as he seeks the truth behind a life-altering betrayal. I picked this up to learn more about Ethiopian Armenians and couldn't put t down. Highly recommend.
Book Review in The Armenian Weekly
The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton
I chose this book with the intention of reading a historical fiction novel set in Miami in the 1920's and was pleasantly surprised that it read more like a murder-mystery. It kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more novels by this author and highly recommend to readers who enjoy a combination of historical fiction and mystery.
March 2025
The Jackal's Mistress by Chris Bohjalian
The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian is a meticulously researched and beautifully written historical fiction novel set during the Civil War.
At its heart is Libby Steadman, a courageous woman who saves the life of a Northern soldier, hoping someone would do the same for her husband, a Southern soldier. Her devoted employees, Sally and Joseph, remain fiercely loyal, even at great personal risk. And then there’s Jubilee, her spirited 11-year-old niece—my favorite character.
While the story includes a romance, it never overshadows the harsh realities and profound consequences of war. I highly recommend this compelling read.
Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck
Before visiting France, I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLean which explores life with Ernest Hemingway in Paris through the eyes of his first wife, Hadley. Now, traveling to Key West, I turned to Hemingway's Girls by Erika Robuck, to learn about his time there with his second wife, Pauline. I highly recommend both to fans of historical fiction, Hemingway, and Paris or Key West tourists.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
I also read this to enhance an upcoming visit to Key West and a visit to the Hemingway House. It's about an old fisherman who embarks on a fishing journey and caught a giant marlin. It's beautifully written and is a great story of perseverance and human's relationship with nature and each other. I highly recommend and can see why it won the esteemed Pulitzer Prize.
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes
I think it was intended to be a light story about a dysfunctional family, but it was too far-fetched. Personally, I can't find humor in a deadbeat prodigal dad seeking to sponge off his adult daughters. This is my least favorite by one of my favorite authors.
February 2025
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh Ripped from the headlines that are often buried! This is an important read about the lives of Syrians and the cruelty they have endured for years from their own leaders. Innovative character development of Salama; Khawf, her imagined companion manifested from fear; and Layla, her sister-in-law and housemate, and Kenan. Powerful, heartbreaking and heartwarming, relatable that includes an unexpected twist at the end. Plus, Syria hits close to home with so much from Who She Left Behind taking place in Aleppo.
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
How I love books set in bookish settings where the author creates an atmosphere where the reader can touch and smell the book pages, see the bright colors of pencils and stationery, simply linger on the book category signs in the shop, and relax in a safe haven of words and prose. The Stationery Shop takes place over 3 generations of shop owners and highlights the struggles with Iranian life in Tehran and the tensions of keeping Iranian culture alive as an immigrant in the U.S. I fell in love with Roya, sister Zari, courageous Bahman, and Mr. Fakhri.
January 2025
The Many Lives & Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahall
I had never heard of Hazel Lavery or her role in the history of the Anglo-Irish Treaty until now. She was truly ahead of her time in the early 1920's - a captivating and remarkable figure. The story blends equal parts juicy romance, meticulous research, and themes of love and loss. I'm always a sucker for reading about a strong woman who knows how to negotiate, collaborate, or manage relationships with positive outcomes. I enjoyed the historical research and multiple locations in US, England, Ireland, and especially France where I reminisced of my visit.
How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
I loved everything about it - redemption & character development, all the emotions, but mostly heartwarming. Bonus - set in Portland, Maine where I can envision the hilly street where this could have been located. Favorite Characters: Harriet Larson, a retired teacher who starts a book club at a women's prison. Violet, released from prison and working in a parrot lab. Frank, the maintenance man at the bookstore and grieving husband of his late wife who was killed by one of the inmates. Plus, all the inmates in the book club and the parrots, especially Ollie with a big personality. Highly recommend this heartwarming and entertaining read that is filled with a theme of second chances.
Here’s a little glimpse into my bookish world.
When I’m not reading... I’m writing, promoting my debut novel, researching my next book, reading to our grandsons, sharing bookish thoughts on social media, and piecing together jigsaw puzzles—usually with a book theme.
📚 Monthly Columnist – Victoria’s Voice for The Armenian Weekly
📖 Author – Who She Left Behind, a 5-star, award-winning historical fiction novel inspired by my family’s story of survival during the Armenian Genocide and their journey of rebuilding in the United States.
✉️ Creator of HerSTORYian Tales – A free monthly newsletter dedicated to the art of storytelling through reading, writing, and speaking. We spotlight female protagonists, celebrate Armenian culture, and dive into the captivating world of Who She Left Behind. Click here to sign up and you will automatically receive a monthly update of books I've read.
Check back each month for updates, and feel free to share your thoughts—I’d love to hear from you. Let’s journey through the pages together!
Read On! Victoria
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