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From nonfiction, to fiction, to age-appropriate reads for kids, here are my favorite books I read in 2025!
5. What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO by Mike Lindell. I’ve always been intrigued by Mike Lindell. The guy is everywhere advertising his pillows, and I can’t help but smile when I hear his passion for Christ. He never turns down an opportunity to share his testimony, and I got a much closer look at just how incredible that testimony is in this book. It was better than I expected it to be. Lindell has overcome countless obstacles – so many that the reader has to wonder, “What are the odds?” God has obviously protected and preserved Lindell for an important purpose, and it was interesting to get a behind-the-scenes look at everything the Lord has done in his life.
4. 31 Battle Cry Declarations: Powerful Prayers and Decrees That Release Supernatural Breakthrough by Troy A. Brewer. This was a quick 31-day devotional with declarations for each day. I read a handful of short devotionals this year, and this was my favorite!
3. Removing the Sting of Death: Experiencing New Depths of God’s Presence in Times of Pain, Grief, and Loss by Bill Johnson. Arguably the best sermon I ever heard was when Bill Johnson preached a message of faith less than a week after his wife passed away. That sort of thing sticks with a person, and that sort of faith inspires me greatly. This book is a companion to that message and carries many of the same themes.
2. Unashamed: Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom from Shame by Heather Davis Nelson. I’ve read a lot of books on shame, because it’s something I and so many others have dealt with, even in well-meaning Christian environments. This is one of the best ones. One of my few five-star reads this year.
1. The Power in a Name: A Treasure Map To Your Identity and a Road Map to Your Destiny by Bethany Hicks and Dan McCollam. I devoured this book on a flight this year. I’m so glad someone wrote about this important topic! I firmly believe names are prophetic. If you are learning how to prophesy but don’t feel any inspiration, look into the meaning of a person’s name! Look into the meaning of Biblical names. Look into the meaning of your name – you will be amazed at how intricately God knows you and knew you before you were even born, I can almost guarantee it.
8. The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury. I made plans to see the movie this book was based on and downloaded the novel beforehand when I noticed it was less than $10 on Kindle. (It’s even cheaper this week!) I haven’t read much of Kingsbury’s since the Bailey Flanigan series came to an end (and not in the way I had hoped), but this was a sweet, quick read with quirky characters and plenty of Christmas spirit. Naturally, I preferred the book over the movie! 😊 I like to support Christian films when they come to my area – go if you get the chance!
7. Sweet Boundless by Kristen Heitzmann. This older series (Diamond of the Rockies) has been on my list to read for several years and I finally checked it off. Book #2 was my favorite, but I like all of Heitzmann’s books!
6. Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. I’ve read most of Reay’s books over the past few years, and like many bookworms, I enjoy a good Austen-inspired storyline. This novel follows a former foster child through graduate school as she documents her experiences in regular letters to her anonymous sponsor, “Mr. Knightley.” It’s a mystery with a happy ending and lots of classic book references.
5. You’ll Be Mine by Rachel Hauck. I love pretty much anything Hauck writes, and this book was the second in the Heart’s Bend series. I’m looking forward to Hauck’s January release When I’m With You, which returns to the fictional Heart’s Bend, Tennessee.
4. The Red Canary by Rachel Scott McDaniel. I feel like I say this about at least one book a year, but I downloaded this one for free a couple years back and only now got around to reading it. Set in the 1920s, it was filled with mystery and kept me on the edge of my seat. As of this writing, it is free on Kindle Unlimited!
1, 2, and 3. A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin. I inherited two of these books a few years ago when my local church library closed, and I finally purchased the third from the Wings of Glory series so I could read all three together. They were so good! Historical fiction is hit-or-miss for me, and this series was a hit, set in World War II. I will be reading more of this author’s books!
I came across the Nikki Rogers collection at the Bethel bookstore this year and ordered most of them to read to my niece. I find it increasingly challenging to find books that meet my moral standards for children. (Don’t even get me started on some of the library books for “children” that I’ve seen kids reading lately!) These books were cute, Biblical, and uplifting, leading kids in their true, God-given identities. Here are the ones I enjoyed, in no particular order:
Last, but not least in the kids’ category:
That’s a wrap on 2025! Happy reading, and see you next year!
Hey! I'm Brianna and I'm a millennial. I'm also a reader, writer, God-lover, introvert, and recovering perfectionist. ☺️ I want to inspire millennials to retain their morality, hope, and faith as they transition into adulthood and full-fledged "adult."
