From the Front Porch | Episode 560: Best Books of the Year
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Annie Jones (A), owner of The Bookshelf, and Hunter McClendon (B), friend and book influencer
Theme: Annie and Hunter recap their favorite books of 2025, discuss the shape of their reading years, debate literary trends, and highlight both well-known and under-the-radar favorites.
Overview
In this annual special, Annie Jones and Hunter McClendon revisit their top reads of 2025, sharing illuminating insights about what makes a book stick with them. Together, they explore superlative picks, overlooked gems, and trends in the literary landscape—delving into everything from influencer-driven sales to the nuances of grief writing. Throughout, their conversation blends personal anecdotes with thoughtful book talk, offering listeners a heartfelt, honest year-in-review that’s equally about the books and the life lived around them.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
The Mood of the 2025 Reading Year
- Both Annie and Hunter reflect on how personal well-being and life events shape reading experiences.
- Hunter: "Sometimes when you're depressee you don't really think about how good books are. But in my like high moments I'm like, wow, literature has just been so good." (02:28)
- Annie: "So much is dependent upon how we, the reader are feeling... I know there were some really great books this year... But it wasn't like 2024, where I read a lot of good books, but like James to me was the best book of the year. Like, and nobody really debated it... It's a little harder, I think, for me to pick the book of 2025." (02:42)
Revisiting Midyear Favorites (July 2025)
- Both hosts recap their midyear top 10s (see below for lists).
- Some books remained, others shifted due to strong releases late in the year.
The Influence of Book Culture:
- Discussion about how books gain traction—celebrity book clubs, indie bookstores, "the zeitgeist."
- Annie: "If your book isn't chosen for a celebrity book club, Godspeed to you." (08:39)
- Hunter: (on Oprah): "She loved how I cried in front of her... Her head is so big!" (09:03 – 09:34)
Underappreciated and Unsung Books
- Both hosts highlight under-the-radar favorites that didn’t make top 10s but deserve more attention.
- Annie: The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Motley, We Love to Run
- Hunter: Ravishing by Ishani Surya, Culpability by Bruce Hulsinger, Sad Tiger by Neige Sin, A Sharp Endless Need by Marissa Crane
The Impact of Personal Circumstance
- The duo explores how books that transcend difficult seasons earn a special place.
- Hunter: "The books that managed to break through a really hard moment in your life are the ones that... stick with me." (34:39)
Defining Literary Fiction & Genre Fluidity
- Explaining “literary” to non-insiders.
- Annie: "It's like Oscar nominated films. Or an indie film..."
The 2025 Top Books Lists
Annie’s Top 10
- A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar
- The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
- Flashlight by Susan Choi
- Tilt by Emma Patty
- The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
- Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yuyun Lee
- Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks
- Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
- Life and Death and Giants by Ron Rindo
- Awake by Jen Hatmaker
Hunter’s Top 10
- Audition by Katie Kitamura
- Flashlight by Susan Choi
- Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
- Lightbreakers by Aja Gable
- Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor
- A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar
- Mothers and Sons by Adam Hayslett
- Middlespoon by Alejandro Varela
- The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
- Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
On Book Stickers and Book Influencers
- Annie: "That's where a lot of sales come from... They look at those stickers, and those stickers do matter to them. I would also like them to be removable, but it is what it is." (11:33)
Defending the Value of Accessible, Engaging Books
- Hunter: "Justice for books that air quotes aren't literary. Do you know what I mean?... Just because a book is a good time doesn't mean it's less literary." (24:34)
Friendship Insights & Supporting Each Other
- Annie: "Everybody needs somebody like Hunter. Because... you immediately assuaged that fear [of losing creativity after becoming a parent]." (36:00)
On Literary Trends and Debates
- Hunter: "Why is that responsibility put on [marginalized writers] when it's not put on, you know, especially like, white male writers? ...But the way he handles it is so good because it never feels like anyone's like a talking head." (45:03)
On the Book That Changed His Life
- Hunter, on Annie’s Ordinary Time: "It will probably go down as like, one of my top 10 books of all time." (58:08)
Top Endorsed Reads and “Read It Now” Moments
-
Annie (on Lightbreakers): "After I hang up with you, should I go back to the bookshelf and get it?"
Hunter: "Yes. [I read it in] like two days. It's also really good on audio." (54:42–54:49) -
Annie (on A Guardian and a Thief): "I was in my bathtub and I was like, Hunter, what just happened to this book? I loved it. I think the ending was bonkers. Brave." (64:21)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:01 – 04:01: Reflections on the year in reading
- 04:01 – 05:46: The hosts' July 2025 midyear top 10 lists
- 06:31 – 07:53: Unheralded picks and books they missed
- 08:52 – 11:46: Role of celebrity book clubs and influencer culture
- 12:46 – 28:34: Countdown of Annie & Hunter’s 10–8 picks (incl. Awake, Alligator Tears, Buckeye, Middlespoon)
- 34:39 – 36:00: How certain books break through personal hardships
- 40:35 – 43:40: Shared praise for A Guardian and a Thief and philosophical takes on moral tales
- 44:00 – 51:44: Mid-to-high picks and short book appreciation
- 55:22 – 57:15: Discussion of Flashlight by Susan Choi and plans for future read-alongs
- 62:16 – 68:22: Swapping recommendations from each other’s lists
- 68:46 – 69:14: Final reflections on the true joy of their annual recap
Additional Bookish Fun and Recommendations
- Memoir Standouts: Annie leaned into memoir and grief books, highlighting Things in Nature Merely Grow and Memorial Days.
- Grief as a Lived Experience: Nuanced exploration of how literature supports readers through real-life challenges.
- Epistolary Love Letter: Both hosts highlighted novels told through letters or emails (Middlespoon, The Correspondent), celebrating this "lost art."
- Cultural Touchstones: Comparisons to Little Miss Sunshine, Greta Gerwig films, and Oscar-nominated movies inform genre and style conversations.
Conclusion
Annie and Hunter’s energetic, heartfelt episode explores not just “the best” books of the year, but why and how specific works remain embedded in memory, often at the intersection of life and literature. Their top lists blend big releases with quieter gems, providing listeners with a rich, well-rounded set of recommendations. With personal stories, laughter, and the occasional bookish hot take, this is required listening—and reading!—for any book lover looking for the stories that mattered most in 2025.
Listen-Along Guide
- 00:01–04:00: Setting the stage and yearly reflection
- 04:01–07:53: Recapping the midyear and unsung favorites
- 12:46–24:58: 10th/9th/8th picks, deep dives on both lists
- 24:58–40:07: Literary fiction and readers’ emotional lives
- 40:07–54:53: Standout novels, novellas, and genre explorations
- 54:53–64:13: Top 3 selections, future reading plans
- 68:46–69:14: Wrapping up, joy in reading and friendship
For the full list of books discussed and purchase links, visit: Bookshelf Thomasville
Find the transcript at: From the Front Porch Podcast