We have finally come to the last month of 2025, and oh no! You noticed that you have only a couple of days to reach your 2025 Reading Challenge Goal and are way behind in the books you need to read! Whether you are using Goodreads Reading Challenge, my challenge on the StoryGraph website, or a challenge you set for yourself, don’t worry, fellow bookworms! With a couple of days left in the year, it is still possible to achieve your mission. How, you ask? With short reads of course!
Check out these 15 books, books that came out this year, that will help win your reading challenge before the clock strikes 12 on December 31. Are you up for the challenge?
Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly
288 pages
Drawing on over one hundred interviews with industry insiders, former Spotify employees, and musicians, Mood Machine takes us to the inner workings of today’s highly consolidated record business, showing what has changed as music has become increasingly playlisted, personalized, and autoplayed.
Building on her years of wide-ranging reporting on streaming, music journalist Liz Pelly details the consequences of the Spotify model by examining both sides of what the company calls its two-sided marketplace: the listeners who pay with their dollars and data, and the musicians who provide the material powering it all. The music business is notoriously opaque, but here Pelly lifts the veil on major stories like streaming services filling popular playlists with low-cost stock music and the rise of new payola-like practices.
For all of the inequities exacerbated by streaming, Pelly also finds hope in chronicling the artist-led fight for better models, pointing toward what must be done collectively to revalue music and create sustainable systems. A timely exploration of a company that has become synonymous with music, Mood Machine will change the way you think about and listen to music. (Credit: Atria/One Signal Publishers)
Universality by Natasha Brown
176 pages
Late one night on a Yorkshire farm, in the midst of an illegal rave, a young man is nearly bludgeoned to death with a solid gold bar.
An ambitious young journalist sets out to uncover the truth surrounding the attack, connecting the dots between an amoral banker landlord, an iconoclastic newspaper columnist, and a radical anarchist movement that has taken up residence on the farm. She solves the mystery, but her viral exposé raises more questions than it answers. Through a voyeuristic lens, and with a simmering power, Universality focuses on words: what we say, how we say it, and what we really mean. (Credit: Random House)
Fair Play by Louise Hegarty
288 Pages
A group of friends gather at an Airbnb on New Year’s Eve. It is Benjamin’s birthday, and his sister Abigail is throwing him a jazz-age Murder Mystery themed party. As the night plays out, champagne is drunk, hors d’oeuvres consumed, and relationships forged, consolidated or frayed. Someone kisses the wrong person; someone else’s heart is broken.
In the morning, all of them wake up—except Benjamin.
As Abigail attempts to wrap her mind around her brother’s death, an eminent detective arrives determined to find Benjamin’s killer. In this mansion, suddenly complete with a butler, gardener and housekeeper, everyone is a suspect, and nothing is quite as it seems.
Will the culprit be revealed? And how can Abigail, now alone, piece herself back together in the wake of this loss? (Credit: Harper)
The Goldens by Lauren Wilson
304 pages
Chloe has always dreamed of becoming a bestselling writer. Then she meets Clara Holland, a prominent influencer, socialite, and model. Clara is enigmatic, dazzling, gorgeous. And at last, ordinary Chloe has something to write about.
Bonding instantly, Chloe moves into Clara’s grand family estate. They spend long afternoons together, writing Clara’s memoir, polishing social media posts, and planning sumptuous, decadent parties: fairy lights in the orangery, themed cocktails, sequined backdrops, roaring bonfires. But as Clara opens her home to more girls who want to live like her and inspire one another, the media calls them a cult.
As life becomes more claustrophobic, Chloe begins to hear unsettling rumors about Clara. When a girl goes missing after a spectacular New Year’s Eve party, the rumors take on a sinister new meaning. If she can’t escape Clara’s influence, everything Chloe holds dear may be in danger. (Credit: Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar)
In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art and Public Space by Irvin Weathersby Jr.
256 pages
Amid the ongoing reckoning over America’s history of anti-Black racism, scores of monuments to slaveowners and Confederate soldiers still proudly dot the country’s landscape, while schools and street signs continue to bear the names of segregationists. With poignant, lyrical prose, cultural commentator Irvin Weathersby confronts the inescapable specter of white supremacy in our open spaces and contemplates what it means to bear witness to sites of lasting racial trauma.
Weathersby takes us from the streets of his childhood in New Orleans’s Lower Ninth Ward to the Whitney Plantation; from the graffitied pedestals of Confederate statues lining Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, to the location of a racist terror attack in Charlottesville; from the site of the Wounded Knee massacre in South Dakota to a Kara Walker art installation at a former sugar factory in Brooklyn, New York. Along the way, he challenges the creation myths embedded in America’s landmarks and meets artists, curators, and city planners doing the same. Urgent and unflinchingly intimate, In Open Contempt offers a hopeful reimagining of the spaces we share in order to honor our nation’s true history, encouraging us to make room for love as a way to heal and treat each other more humanely. (Credit: Viking)
Revolutionary Algorithms: A Tiktok Manifesto by Torey Akers
128 pages
In Revolutionary Algorithms, Torey Akers approaches TikTok with a deep understanding of the app, as both a prolific creator and consumer of its content. In these essays, she interrogates how the TikTok ban and the multiple genocides happening around the world are deeply intertwined; how the app can empower creators, amplify social movements, and document abuses of power. She addresses the good, bad, and sometimes uncanny parts of maneuvering and communicating in a digital space.
As a new era of social media looms, Akers makes the case for techno-progressivism, looking toward a future where TikTok continues to connect, inspire, and create space for more intersectionality, equity, and joy. (Credit: Grand Central Publishing)
Bibliotherapy in the Bronx by Emely Rumble, LCSW
240 pages
Bibliotherapy in The Bronx by Emely Rumble, LCSW, is a groundbreaking exploration of the healing power of literature in the lives of marginalized communities. Drawing from her personal and professional experiences, Rumble masterfully intertwines storytelling with therapeutic insights to reveal how reading can be a potent tool for self-discovery, emotional transformation, and social change.
In this transformative work, Rumble offers readers an intimate glimpse into her journey as a psychotherapist in the Bronx, where she has spent over 14 years using books to help clients navigate complex emotions, heal from trauma, and find their voices. Through vivid anecdotes and real-world case studies, she demonstrates how literature can serve as a bridge between personal pain and collective healing.
Rich with practical tips, reflective exercises, and book recommendations, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the power of words to change lives. Whether you’re a therapist, educator, bibliophile, or simply someone seeking deeper understanding and growth, this book offers a compassionate, culturally affirming guide to the transformative potential of storytelling.
Rumble’s work is a testament to the enduring power of books to heal, empower, and liberate. In a time when the world feels increasingly divided, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx reminds us that the stories we tell—and the stories we read—can unite us in our shared humanity. (Credit: Row House Publishing)
Strange Houses by Uketsu
208 pages
When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious “dead space” hidden between its walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout.
What is the true purpose behind the house’s disturbing design? And what happened to the former owners who disappeared without a trace? When a body suddenly appears and a young woman reaches out about a second house, it soon becomes clear that the writer and his friend may be in over their heads. Structured around a series of chilling floorplans, with Strange Houses, mystery-horror YouTube sensation Uketsu casts readers in the role of detective, inviting them to help map out the truth hidden within these puzzling floor plans . . . and the terrifying plot behind it all. (Credit: HarperVia)
Jane Austen: The Original Romance Novelist by Janet Lewis Saidi
240 pages
Pocket Portraits: Jane Austen takes you through the moments of Jane Austen’s life—some well-known and some which may be unexpected. These are the moments that shaped her six published novels, which draw deeply on themes of family, agency, philosophy, and love. From excerpts of her swoon-worthy tales like Pride and Prejudice and Emma to insight into Austen’s social commentary and why her works still leave their mark on contemporary pop culture, this book paints a vivid portrait of the complicated woman behind the quill.
This beautifully curated book is both an inspiring biography and a celebration of literary brilliance. Whether you’re a longtime admirer of Austen or just beginning your literary adventure, Pocket Portraits: Jane Austen will leave you fascinated, inspired, and longing for more. (Credit: Adams Media)
Remember…comics and graphic novels count as reading! Here are a few suggestions that will help make your goal:
Huda F Wants To Know? by Huda Fahmy
224 pages
Huda Fahmy is ready for junior year. She’s got a plan to join all the clubs, volunteer everywhere, ace the ACTs, write the most awe-inspiring essay for her scholarship applications. Easy.
But then Mama and Baba announce the most unthinkable news: they’re getting a divorce.
Huda is devastated. She worries about what this will mean for her family, their place in the Muslim community, and her future. Her grades start tanking, she has a big fight with her best friend, and everything feels out of control. Will her life ever feel normal again? Huda F wants to know. (Credit: Dial Books)
Speak Up, Santiago! by Julio Anta and illustrated by Gabi Mendez
224 pages
How can you speak up if you don’t have the words?
Santi is excited to spend the summer in Hillside Valley, meeting the local kids, eating his Abuela’s delicious food, exploring! There’s just one problem—Santi doesn’t speak Spanish that well and it feels like everyone he meets in Hillside does. There’s Sol (she’s a soccer player who really loves books), Willie, (the artist), Alejandro (Santi’s unofficial tour guide!), and Nico (Alejandro’s brother and blue belt in karate). In between all of their adventures in Hillside, Santi can’t help but worry about his Spanish-what if he can’t keep up?! Does that mean he’s not Colombian enough? Will Santi find his confidence and his voice? Or will his worries cost him his new friendships…and the chance to play in Hillside’s summer soccer tournament?! (Credit: Random House Graphic)
Family Force V: Volume 1 by Matt Braly and Ainsworth Lin
232 pages
Fighting alien kaiju with your family on a Friday night is a totally normal part of being a teenager…right?
Well, it is for Maise who, despite her protests, continues the family legacy of keeping the world safe, all while trying to get good grades, impress her crush, and balance extracurriculars.
But growing up in this family means Maise must live up to the expectations of those she’s destined to protect while not losing herself in the process.(Credit: Image Comics)
My Perfectly Imperfect Body by Debbie Tung
208 pages
Debbie Tung has a simple and gentle message: your body is worthy of being treated with kindness and love at any size.
Illustrated in her unique personal style, Tung shares the experiences of her teenage years and how growing into a mature body combined with teenage angst, vulnerability, and the pressure on girls to be thin and pretty spiraled her into disordered eating. She became obsessed with exercising and dieting, but no matter how much weight she lost, it was never enough. She spent the next few years trying to heal her eating habits, learning about self-love, and finally making peace with her body. (Credit: Andrews McMeel Publishing)
Want to close out 2025 with a timeless classic? Try the following!
Lady Susan by Jane Austen
128 pages
Recently widowed, the unscrupulous and beautiful Lady Susan Vernon is determined to scheme her way through high society in the hope of a profitable new match – all while trying to marry off her unfortunate daughter. Ambitious and manipulative, Lady Susan is unlike any Jane Austen heroine you’ve read about before. Told through a series of letters, Jane Austen’s magnificent first novella is as subversive as it is charming. (Credit: Penguin Classics)
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley
288 pages
The original 1818 text of Frankenstein preserves the hard-hitting and politically-charged aspects of Shelley’s original writing, as well as her unflinching wit and strong female voice. This edition also emphasizes Shelley’s relationship with her mother—trailblazing feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who penned A Vindication of the Rights of Woman—and demonstrates her commitment to carrying forward her mother’s ideals, placing her in the context of a feminist legacy rather than the sole female in the company of male poets, including Percy Shelley and Lord Byron. (Credit: Penguin Classics)
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