M.B. Henry’s Top 10 Reads for 2025!

What the heck? Was I not just writing this piece for 2024 like… a few weeks ago? Time is just flying these days, probably because I’ve been so incredibly busy!

Indeed, “busy” seemed to be the word of the year for me as my career really started taking some interesting turns in 2025! This summer, I signed a two-book deal with my publishers at Severn House, so I’ve been plenty busy working on edits and revisions for those two stories, set to hit shelves in 2026 (click here and here to learn more about those). While I had all that going on, I was also busy penning a first draft of a completely new book, one that takes place during the dreaded Black Death, taking me pretty far outside my normal historical comfort zone and deep into the Middle Ages in Europe. A period I knew only the barest bones about before undertaking this project.

As a result, my reading list this year was pretty well stacked with research books, leaving me much less time than usual for novels. That’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable though. On the contrary, I had a simply marvelous time learning so much about a truly fascinating time in world history, and my choices for this year’s top ten definitely reflects that. And even with all the research and writing and re-writing, I still found time for a few novels, including my annual family drama pick, which you can learn more about below!

So, after another BUSY year, here are my picks for this year’s top ten, along with some honorable mentions. Listed in no particular order!

Medieval Bodies – Jack Hartnell

One of the things I had to familiarize myself with for my newest book project is medicine in the Middle Ages. And this absolutely stunning book, filled with the most beautiful illustrations, was probably the most helpful in that endeavor. Chapter by chapter, the book covers how each body part was viewed, treated, and understood in the Middle Ages in incredibly thorough detail. Not just in a medical sense, but also in a spiritual, artistic, and every day sense. Making it such an informative read that I have referred to it often, again and again, while undertaking my own writing endeavors. I was truly fortunate to be led to this wonderful book, and it is the absolute gem of my new Middle Ages collection. A special thanks to the wonderful Mr. B’s Emporium in Bath, England for recommending this title, and for their author discount!

Femina – Janina Ramirez

Another recommend from the shelves at Mr. B’s Emporium in Bath! I can’t stress enough how much fun I had shopping at this store. When I told them what I was researching and why, they were all hands on deck to help me out and hook me up with the right materials. One of these materials was Femina, a look at the Middle Ages through the strictly female lens. This book introduced me to the idea that women were not as powerless as they have been made out to be, especially in the Middle Ages. Ramirez then introduced me to several female Middle Ages power players, women that left undeniable marks on the pages of history, and women who should never be overlooked or forgotten. A great and empowering look at the lives of women in the far distant past, and how we can apply their lessons to today.

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green

Switching over (for a time haha) to the novel front, I was strolling the library large print section one day when I came across this title and realized I was LONG overdue to give it a read. So I picked it up and did just that. Wow. What a punch to the gut on so many different levels. The writing is just absolutely beautiful, and I was completely drawn in to Hazel and Augustus’s story of navigating both their illnesses and their feelings about life. Their incredible outlooks despite their struggles made me feel the feels and even got some real tears out of me. Especially the ending. I won’t spoil it here, but my God. A book I thought about for several days after reading. A book that I still think about, actually. Because it taught me to take nothing for granted! Five stars. Give it a read if you haven’t already. 

The Great Mortality – John Kelly

Aaaaand we’re back to the Middle Ages again. Told you my list would reflect a lot of research haha! But if I was going to write a book about the Black Death, then I had to do lots… and lots… and lots of reading about the Black Death. Covering all sorts of angles from the harrowing and detailed first-person accounts (rare, but there are some out there) to the medical examinations, to the more dry and tedious Epidemiological studies. This book, following the most intense years and outbreaks of the Black Death in Fourteenth century Europe, did a pretty good job combining all of those aspects. Although some of the information in it is a bit outdated and in conflict with the more modern research, this book was so good that it reminded me why I chose the Black Death as a subject matter in the first place. Kelly’s writing completely captures the intensity and overwhelming fear of the times, and shows with shockingly realistic detail what it must have been like to live through this event – one that he vividly paints as truly one of the worst natural disasters to strike out at humanity. If you’re looking to place yourself right in the epicenter of the Plague, look no further than this book.

Jackie and Maria – Gill Paul

As someone who is releasing my own book about the gleaming Kennedy administration (eeek, so excited), I took it upon myself to read other novels that examine this time period, and the people who made it so shiny. People like Jackie Kennedy, arguably the very face of what came to be known as Camelot. This novel pairs the complex story of her personal life with another shining star of the era, soprano singer Maria Callas, the long-time lover of Aristotle Onasis, a man who we all know would figure prominently in Jackie’s life as well. I enjoyed to the fullest this unique take on both of these famous women, and the crossing of their struggle-strewn paths via Onasis. A book that reminded me that no fairy tale is what it looks like from the outside, and that there were very human feelings and hurts behind those iconic faces.    

 

Isola – Allegra Goodman

I picked up this book because I was looking to read other novels that take place during the Middle Ages. And although this takes place a little later than that, I figured it was close enough. This book follows the story of Marguerite de la Rocque, a 16^th Century French noblewoman who was unceremoniously abandoned on an island with her lover and her aging maid, after her affair with said-lover is discovered while en-route to the New World. With nothing but a single trunk of possessions, the three must forge their own survival on a completely unsettled spit of land, with not even a hope of rescue. A cast-away story of the Renaissance, and a very dramatic tale that was inspired by true events, I really enjoyed both the story and the writing, and I found myself rooting for the very strong Marguerite every step of the way. Who never gives up, even when everything around her goes wrong.   

Demon of Unrest – Erik Larson

Will all the Civil War buffs please stand up? As a big buff myself, I’m pretty keen on any book that comes out about this era. But when I found out one of my long-time favorite authors, Mr. Erik Larson, was releasing his own take on the events and political upheaval leading up to the fateful battle at Fort Sumter, I practically went rabid waiting to get my hands on a copy. As he always does, Larson captures the feel of the era with sheer, fast-paced brilliance that seems more like reading a novel than a historical book. He introduces us to all the key players of the time, highlighting all of it from their shining triumphs to their… well, not so shining moments. To top it all off, Larson does a good job paralleling their struggles with our own political divisions here in the present. Informative as well as entertaining, Erik Larson has done it again and I highly recommend giving this a read.

Dream State – Eric Puchner

I’ve said time and again that I’m a huge sucker for a good family drama novel, and one makes this list every year. This year’s annual pick is “Dream State” – a story that opens with Cece and her coming wedding to Montana native and brilliant doctor Charlie. She folds into his family, his old peaceful homestead, and the Montana wilds like she’s always been there, and everything is coming up roses. Until Cece, just weeks after the wedding, leaves Charlie for his best friend and wedding officiant, Garrett. The scandal! The story then unfolds to show us the complexities of human lives and navigating love, friendship, and family, with the deteriorating Montana climate as a stunning (and sometimes chilling) backdrop, whispering in our ears the entire time about the dangers of Climate Change. A truly excellent read, this book definitely scratched my itch for family dramas! 

The Poppy Fields – Nikki Erlick

I’m not going to lie to you. In this case, I judged a book by its cover! I picked it up from the library because it looked pretty! I’m happy to say that in this case, it paid off. I really enjoyed the book’s unique concept of a clinic in California that, for the right patient, will help you sleep away your grief. Literally putting you in a coma so you can skip over the most painful parts of losing a loved one or dealing with other life traumas. Which sounds like a “dream,” except, of course, for the side effect that leaves one in four patients completely numb when they wake up. In the beginning of the story, we meet three different people who are each hell bent on getting to this clinic for their own reasons, and after some unexpected travel disruptions, they all end up sharing a car and making the drive to California – where their secrets and desires don’t stay hidden for long. I really enjoyed both the concept and the road trip aspects to this story, and the way certain random people and story points ended up coming together quite neatly in the end. A great read – proving that real beauty is indeed on the inside! 

All the Colors of the Dark – Chris Whitaker

I gravitated towards a lot more suspense and murder mystery books than usual this year, and I picked this one up on the recommendation of a friend. It’s definitely a slow-burn read, taking place over decades, but the writing was just incredible, and I enjoyed every word on every page. The story opens with “Patch” (so-called because of the patch he wears over his blind eye) and Saint – two misfit kids who find comfort and friendship in each other after no one else will accept them. They live mostly normal lives in a normal town – until Patch saves a local girl from being abducted, and winds up getting abducted in her place. What follows is a long but incredible story of overcoming challenges, never giving up, and making what you can of life, all while taking up the trail of a vicious serial killer and kidnapper over several decades of turmoil. This was one of those books that was so good that I was almost sad when I finished it! I’ll definitely be exploring more by this author.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

— South to America – Imani Perry

I think this book is pretty well summed up by its subtitle – “a journey below the Mason-Dixon to understand the soul of a nation.” While it was tough to get through at times, Perry’s study and commentary of life in the South, especially pertaining to Black people, gave me a lot to think about, and introduced me to a lot of history that I didn’t know before.

— The It Girl – Ruth Ware

Another one of those murder mystery/suspense books that I gravitated towards this year, and my first read by Ware. When Oxford popular girl April is murdered, her best friend Hannah gives testimony that puts her killer away for good. But did she ID the wrong man? A story with the perfect amount of suspense and college drama, I was hooked from page one.

— The Family Experiment – Johnathan Marrs

Marrs made my list last year with “the One,” so I figured I would enjoy this book, set in the same universe and following select families as they try to raise a virtual child before an audience of millions, just as much. The story definitely opens with a bang, and the punches keep on coming until you close the book at the end! Two thumbs way up!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

“That’s all Folks!” I’ll be taking a break from posting and blogging until 2026! I want to wish all of you a wonderful, healthy, and happy holiday season!

And speaking of 2026, it will be another busy year for me! My new book, “Hold On To Tomorrow,” releases on April 7 and pre-order links are already live! Click here to learn more! Stay tuned for more updates! 

See my Top 10 Lists from other years:

• 2024
• 2023
• 2022
• 2021