A 2025 Reading Wrap: The Books That Held Me (and the One That Didn’t)

The mic failed, the tea was hot, and the books were unforgettable. Come sit down with us as we reflect on a noisy 2025 and the stories that stayed: a Kyoto restaurant that recreates lost flavours to unlock memory, a graphic novel that treats young readers with uncommon respect, a middle grade marvel that made our whole family laugh and cry, a picture book that blooms like a botanical secret, and a nonfiction gem that turns lake lore into living curiosity.

Not every pick landed. We unpack why a widely recommended fantasy for children failed our suitability test and talk frankly about choosing books with care: age-appropriate, safe, respectful. Then we look ahead to 2026: kids discovering the Warriors series on their own terms, family drives with The Mysterious Benedict Society, and a small, thoughtful adult book club starting with Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Expect new segments, author conversations, and episodes that ask brave, necessary questions about how stories are made and how they shape us.

If these conversations light you up, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a good read, and leave a review to help more bookish people find us. What was your standout read of 2025?

Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder. 

Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill. 

Transcript

What Makes A Favourite Book

Kamogawa Food Detectives And Memory

How Food Heals And Remembers

YA Pick: Masks And Belonging

Middle Grade Marvel: The Undead Fox

Why This Story Should Be Everywhere

Picture Book Joy: Prunella

SPEAKER_00 0:16

Hello bookish friends, this is Natasha, and you're listening to Tea Tales and Tomes, where we are living our favorite lives, talking books and drinking hot beverages. So grab your cupper and let's talk books. Okay, so let me tell you just what just happened to me. I'm sitting here, it's the 30th of December, and because I haven't really put out an episode for a while, because of Christmas, I thought I wanna talk about my five best books of 2025. I plugged in my mic and I started recording. I had a few things written down and then realized that my mic was not the selected device on my Audacity app. So what that basically means is that I was actually just recording using my computer audio, which when I played it back to add in the music and everything, it sounded terrible. So I'm actually doing a re-recording. Um I can say is you can tell it's the holidays if I can make such a rookie error. But thank you for being here. And like I said, today I want to talk about the books that really stood out for me in 2025. And the reason why I can so easily record this again is because when I had to think about those books, it just came so easily to me. I didn't have to ponder, I didn't have to go back to my Goodreads app. I really didn't have to give this much thought, and that's a great thing. It shows me that when I'm gonna talk to you guys about my favorites, it's genuinely my favorites. I'm also gonna talk about one book that I truly hated this year, and I know hate is a really strong word, but I genuinely, genuinely didn't like it. And we're also gonna talk a little bit about what's 2026 gonna hold for our reading lives and for the podcast as well. So thanks for being here. So as this year comes to a close, I find myself doing what I always do at the end of December, particularly after Christmas and all the craziness and busyness and amazingness of Christmas, and that is taking the few days before the new year celebrations to just slow down, pour a cup of warm tea or many or a hundred, and think about the stories that stayed with me. Not just how many books I read, because it's never ever about the quantity. It's about the ones that have lingered, which stories have followed us into bedtime routines, into car rides, kitchen conversations, coffee conversations, and those quiet moments when the world felt a little too loud. And if you have been alive in 2025, I think you can agree with me that 2025 was a really loud yah. There was a lot going on in 2025, in every way, in personal lives, on a global scale. It was just loud, for lack of a better word. And today's episode is about those books that came into my mind as I sat down sipping my tea, thinking about that. The ones that have held us, the ones that have surprised us, and importantly the one that reminded me why we need to choose our books thoughtfully, especially when it comes to children. So let's just steamroll into it, considering that I've already recorded this once before, and because of my uh holiday brain, I'm doing it again. Okay, so I'm gonna start with an adult favorite of 2025. And whenever I say the word adult favorite, it always makes me think that I'm talking about a book that is a little bit too spicy, but I just mean books written for adults, right? And for me, that was the Kamagawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai. Now, this is a book that genuinely felt like you are being listened to. And also a warning: it is a book that when you read, you'd better have some really delicious snacks on hand because the descriptions of the food in the books is going to make your taste buds tingle with anticipation. So this is a story that tells of a father-daughter duo that run an inconspicuous restaurant where dishes solve mysteries of the heart and of the mind. So, what does that mean? So there's each uh person, client, if you will, comes to the restaurant and brings a half-remembered flavor, a meal, a taste, and through expert detecting as well as culinary skills, the father-daughter duo help their clients work their way back to lost memories. It's set in Kyoto in Japan, and the wonderful descriptions of the city and the food will make you wish that you were right there having a picnic under the beautiful cherry blossom tree. So this is my favorite book, but I know that in that description that I just mentioned to you, I didn't give a very good example of why this book is so good. So, in this detective agency, now imagine for a second, it's not a great imagining, but imagine you lost your mom and your mom made a particular dish that was really, really amazing. Let's just say Brianni, for example, right? My mom makes an amazing brianni, so that's why I'm mentioning Brianni. And now your mom is no longer here, but you really wish that you could have her brianni one last time, not just because of the taste of the dish itself, but because it will take you back to your mom cutting vegetables in the kitchen, the s the smell of those delicious spices as they sizzled in her AMC pot, the feeling of the home as your mom made briani, the feeling as you ate it, knowing she was there, humming in the distance, or cleaning up the kitchen, or joining you for that meal. So the book is essentially all about the fact that food, because of taste and smell and texture, can really make us relive memories associated with that dish. Not only relive it, but sometimes engage with people that are no longer here, or help us heal trauma that we didn't even know we had, or simply just relive beautiful memories again, or heal through that meal. The book has a number of different stories, so a number of different meals, and Nagare, who's the chef and the dad, he's detecting is to such an extent that when the clients come back to eat the meal, they are genuinely transported to that moment of eating the meal all those years ago with that person, with those people in that place. And through that, they are able to heal and genuinely feel. It's just a book, I think, that reminded me that not all mysteries need urgency. Some simply need tenderness, and it stayed with me long after I closed that final page, and that's always the sign of something really, really special. So that was the Kamagawa Food Detectives, my favorite adult read of 2025. Next, we're gonna go to actually my least favorite category, which is young adult. But I read a YA book this year, which at the moment is my favorite YA book of all time, and that is Masks by Margaret Ray. It's a graphic novel and it's a book that does something that I deeply admire. It lets the visuals carry emotional weights rather than just decorate the story. It is a story about monsters, and I mention it in my Halloween episode that are sort of outcasted from society and are actually being tracked down by a bunch of people who are claiming that they need to rid the world of these monsters. But the monsters are just living their lives, they're just like you and me. And I think the book's exploration of identity and belonging and courage is just so good, it's so honest and it's so respectful of its youngest readers, and it is also so poignant, especially where we are globally with a particular orange monster that is sowing divisiveness globally at the moment. And it's an important reminder that just because people look different or come from a different place or have a different way of life, it doesn't mean that they need to be persecuted. And I think as our young adult readers read a book like this, it is going to really, you know, open their hearts, open their minds, and open doors to them, being able to understand the diversity that we have on this planet and the diversity that makes us all unique, but also very much the same, and how important it is to embrace that. So this book, it does have a little bit of swashbucklingness. It's genuinely a thrilling read, but it touches on all of these big, big issues in a way that is not didactic, and that for me is really important. I'm gonna move on now to my favorite category of books, which is middle grade, and my favorite middle grade chapter book of 2025, and possibly my favorite book of all time at the moment is The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. This is truly, truly my standout read of 2025, and I think my kids agree. We listen to this on audio, and it's one of those books that I feel I want everybody to read, but also to read through their ears. So basically, to read it on audio. It's just done so brilliantly. It is a book that balances humor, heart, and eeriness in a way that just feels so right. It just feels so, so right. I love also that this book understands that children, no matter how young they are, can handle complexity, can handle sadness and moral questions as long as they are held safely within the story. I have loved this book so much that I have written to the author just gushing about how amazingly crafted the story is. I honestly can't believe that this book is not everywhere at the moment. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest is one of those books that should be smashing charts. But because of how the publication industry is, it probably won't, you know. Uh I just hope that through this podcast I can just get it into your minds and your hearts and make you go out there and read this book because it is a life-changing read. I'm just gonna quickly read on my Goodreads app what I wrote about it, just so you can get a sense for what the book is about. I don't want, you know, I really don't like reading, writing typical reviews of books because I feel like they always oversimplify it. So this is just what I wrote very briefly in my Goodreads review. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman is an atmospheric, heartwarming, and clever tale about a fox that ushers dead forest creatures to their rightful place in the afterlife. Okay, so you see what I mean. Like, this is why I hate writing reviews. They just oversimplify beautiful stories into silly abouts that make everything sound really, really one-dimensional. But this is a story that is anything but one-dimensional. It is a tale of unlikely friendships told with humor, wit, and a kind of magical style that makes me wish I could give this book one million stars. I genuinely wish that everyone could read this book with their kids. You will laugh, you will cry, you will hold your hand to your heart, and you will smile. And ultimately, this book is a telling of how every soul gets exactly what they deserve. And if you love foxes and badges and mushroom gardens as much as I do, you will fall in love with this cottage court immediately. So please add this to your TBR. This is a book to watch out for. This is a book your kids are going to love, love, love. Again, for my littlest readers now, this is one of my favorite categories of books, picture books. A book and an author that I have fallen in love with in 2025. The book's name is Prunella, and the author is Beth Ferry. This is one of those books that feels like a warm hug disguised as a story. It's a kind of story that's going to grow alongside the child who loves it. It's essentially about a girl that is born with purple thumbs. You know, the idea of green thumbs being able to grow things. And she essentially grows to love the unloved things. So carnivorous plants like Venus flytraps, fungi, cacti, insects, but mostly strange plants that most people will steer clear of. So after reading this aloud to my kids for the first time, they instantly asked for it again and again and again. The best part is that as we were reading it aloud, my husband was at the table with us, but he was on his computer and he was working, and I saw him also stop what he was doing and get completely engrossed in the story. And that for me is really something. Not all books can do that for adults, right? Not all kids' books will make an adult stop what they're doing on their device and just listen. It is just a captivating story in every way. The illustrations are also just beautiful, and it also has really wonderfully curated botanical information. So because I am crazy about books and the authors that write them, I also sent Beth Ferry an email just gushing about how amazing this book is. And I genuinely wish that I'm going to have some of the authors that I've I've mentioned here in this episode on the show in the next year. Um, I actually feel quite confident because people who write great stories like this genuinely don't have huge chips on their shoulders, and they are very willing to talk to their readers, and I really hope that I'm going to be able to bring that to you in the next year. Beth Ferry is actually a New York Times best-selling author, so I found that out in my deep dive. So we have read almost all of the 40 books that she has put out there, and we have loved every single one of them. Her current book is called Growing Home, and it is currently on the New York Times best-selling list. It's her first chapter book, and it's also brilliant. But for me in 2025, Prunella was the book for me and the kids. My nonfiction favorites for 2025, I've mentioned this book in my nonfiction episode, and it's called Spooky Lakes by Gio Rutherford. This is a book that blends curiosity and atmosphere so beautifully, it makes learning feel like story collecting, like stepping into the mist around a lake and asking, What happened here? It's just so perfect for readers who love facts, but who also love a little wander along that factual journey. Uh, Geo Rutherford also has a YouTube channel in which she goes into more detail about the lakes, and it's just beautiful. The book is beautiful. It's it's my favorite nonfiction for 2025 for a reason. It's so good. Let's move on now to the part of this episode that I didn't really want to talk about, but I think it's important to do so, and that is my worst read of 2025. You know, it's hard because I really don't like bashing books or bashing authors, but this book was so bad that I actually have now created a segment to talk about my terrible reads. And this book is Fable Haven by Brandon Wall. Now, it genuinely shocked me, not because I went in expecting perfection, but because of content that I felt was deeply inappropriate for its intended audience. Its intended audience, according to almost every single thing that I read, every single bookish influencer that I love, was that this is a book that can be read from the smallest, youngest readers, so five-year-olds, all the way to your 95-year-olds. And so that's exactly why we started listening to it as a family on a road trip. And I want to be very clear here that this is not about canceling books or authors, and it's not about telling people what they can or cannot read. But it is about paying attention because books are so powerful. And when we are choosing books for children, we have a responsibility to look beyond popularity, nostalgia, or glowing recommendations from your favorite bookish influences and actually ask: is it age-appropriate, is it safe, and is it respectful to our young readers? And I'm gonna be doing an episode on this, like I said, as a warning to what I found in this book, because I feel that these kinds of conversations are very important. The best part is that my husband will be joining me in this episode because Fable Haven is actually a series of books. So after that first book, and we making eyes at each other as the content unfolded, my husband went on to read the rest of the books by himself, uh, without the kids and without me. Um and he his mind changed about the author and the books as the series progressed. So I really want to do an episode that is very balanced in my assessment of the book, while also making sure that we realize that choosing books is not neutral, it is actually an act of care. Okay, let's leave the heaviness there. Let's look ahead, guys. Looking ahead to the new here, there is just so much that I am so thrilled about. I'm going to tell you now about one of my favorite moments this year, which happened yesterday actually. My youngest, who's now six, pulled out the Warriors series by Erin Hunter off the shelf and he just started reading. Now, he hasn't really ventured into chapter books, and he finished the first chapter of The Warriors, came and started telling me everything about it, and also that he wants to read this series. Immediately, he loved it so much. I don't know much about The Warriors. I do know that it is one of those epic fantasy series centered around fictional fantasy cats and prophecy, and there's tons of arcs, almost like how Terry Pratchett has all these arcs in his Discworld series. So I'm really looking forward to that. So that's one of my looking ahead to 2026 because I just loved that it was something that Jazz chose with no prompting, no assignment, just curiosity, and that is a moment I want to hold on to forever. Kai and I and Jazz are also planning on listening to the Mysterious Benedict Society on audio. As you would have known, that the last couple of years we have been listening to The Vanderbeekers by Karina Jan Glaser, the seven books in that series on repeats. We will definitely still be reading it because we love it so much. But I think we're going to be slowly introducing a new chapter book series to listen to on our drives, and that is the Mysterious Benedict Society. Um, and yeah, that's going to be the two main things, and obviously there's going to be a ton of other books that I will be reading too, which you will also be hearing about as the podcast unfolds in 2026. My adult reading plans. So for the first time ever in my life, we are going to be starting a book club. Something that's small, something intentional, deeply thoughtful, but tons of fun, and that does not feel like homework, an adult book club with my closest reading buddies. And we are likely going to be starting with Eleanor Olyfant is completely fine because, really, who doesn't love an unreliable narrator? And who doesn't enjoy a story that slowly teaches us empathy, patience, and the importance of truly seeing one another? We chose Book because a friend of mine bought it recently. It's a book that I already had on my shelf, and we're just going to figure out how to run this book club in a way that doesn't feel like work. And you will also be hearing how that goes in 2026. In terms of the podcast, looking ahead, like I mentioned already, we've got a ton of new segments. I'm hoping to get some international authors that I love on the show, especially to talk about how they create that magic, how stories take shape, and what it means to write with care. And I've already recorded a few very controversial episodes, which I'm very excited about. And you'll be hearing all about that in 2026. A parting shot, how about bookish New Year traditions? You know, I very, very strongly believe that as we welcome the new year, we're doing something very important. It might be quite arbitrary, you know, it is just another day. But I always believe that how we start the 1st of January sets the tone for how the new year is going to be. So, you know, in Hindu culture, we will light a lamp, Adhia, as the clock strikes 12. We will do a small prayer, and it has to be very light and very f love-filled with the hope that that's how you go into the new year. I was just thinking that, you know, if people are reading stories in the new year, I feel like in January, sorry, I'm I'm taking a long time to compose this thought because I don't want it to sound judgy. But I just feel like if we're going to be reading in the new year, you know, especially in January, I think that we should be keeping it stories that are filled with hope, stories that are light and airy, stories that make us feel like better versions of ourselves. Essentially, if you're reading Depressing Stephen King horror, maybe put that down for January. I guess what I'm trying to say is that as you step into this new year, I hope that it's with stories that hold you gently, challenge you wisely, and remind you that reading, reading is always, always, always an act of hope. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening, and I will be seeing you in the next chapter. Don't forget to join us next time for more Vokishwanda.