2025 Book Review

It's been a few years since I did a "book year-in-review." I have some extra time today and thought that might be the place to start to get back into blogging. So, here's what I read this year!

Sunrise on the Reaping is part 2 of the prequel series to The Hunger Games. This one is especially interesting because it tells Haymitch's backstory. Remember Haymitch? He was a previous Hunger Games winner who became the drunken mentor to Katniss & Peeta. Excellently played by Woody Harrelson. When you read his story, you totally understand why he drinks and how he came to be one of the rebel leaders.

SNL, the movie about the making of Saturday Night Live, was released in 2024. It was kinda fun, kinda dumb, a just-ok movie. But it did make me curious about the visionary for the tv show - Lorne Michaels. This book was pretty dense and most of it was not all that interesting.

This is another book that inspired a two-season tv series. I think it was on Netflix and starred Nicole Kidman. It started out mysterious, strange - one of those where you wonder "what is happening here and where is this going? Is it sci-fi? Horror? Mystery?" Watch one or two episodes and you might get hooked. 

PS: this is one of those rare occasions where the show was better than the book!

 I loved this memoir by Connie Chung! Growing up, I admired her and thought she was considered a respected, top-notch reporter/anchor. I had no idea of the prejudice and struggles she endured. Not only in her career, but her family life. Born to traditional Chinese parents, she worked hard to be the kind of daughter they culturally expected, while balancing her independence as an American career woman - in an age where that was still not normally accepted. By the end, I wanted to tell her "Well done! And can we be friends?"

Ok, so in a dry-spell after the Game of Thrones series concluded, I picked up a fantasy novel by Jennifer Armentrout. The first one of the series was weird enough to catch my interest trying to figure out "What am I reading here? Who are these creatures? They seem like vampires, (not my thing) but they're not called that, and dragons, (now we're talkin') but they're called draken. What? But, by the time I finished the first lonnng novel, I had to know what happens next. 

To add to the confusion of keeping these many worlds, timelines, and characters sorted in my head, she started a multi-series prequel!! And the current time and prequel books come out in between each other! It gets SO confusing!! This next book is on hold for me at the library. Hopefully, I can remember where the story left off from the last book.

There are 4 books in the "Flesh & Fire" series. If you want to read this mess in order, start here, as it's the background of events that take place in the next series, "Blood & Ash," of which there are 6 books. 

I think her books are listed as YA (young adult) and in many passages, it certainly reads that way. Like, I cannot imagine a powerful demi-god or shape-shifting draken (dragon) speaking in modern day teenage vernacular, but in Armentrout's world, they do.

A final warning: this author seems to be obsessed with sex. It really gets ridiculous. And nooo, that is not why I'm reading them, but that's probably how she's keeping the interest of the YA crowd. I really just want to know how these beings defeat the bad guy and will Poppy & Casteel live happily ever after.

Snooooze. 
You think Trump brags on himself? You should read (no, don't) Clinton's latest.

Take a hard pass. But if you suffer from insomnia, this might help. I was disappointed. I thought Bill would write about his life after the White House, but instead he dryly recites what he considers his great accomplishments.

Speaking of Trump...
I remember this book being interesting when I read it. But now I don't remember what all was in it. So there is that.

This book is fascinating. You can count on Rick to deliver a well-researched book, so if you're curious about what led up to God saving one family from the great flood and starting over, give this one a read.

I heard Josh discussing his book and unconventional childhood on a talk show and decided to check it out (literally, like, I checked it out from the library). It was ok. I'm always curious about the lives of well-known people. Because, let's face it, they're not like us. In this case, I'm glad! His childhood and young adult life was pretty rough. 

Cher is another celebrity whose childhood and youth was totally unconventional. But her mother, the late Georgia Holt, is the one who should have written a autobiography! What a crazy life she led, which certainly impacted the choices Cher made. There's supposed to be a book 2 coming out next year. I look forward to reading it.

I saw this book at Barnes & Noble this past summer and it caught my attention. I thought I'd read everything there was to know about the Kennedys, but there was a lot of new information here and great background on some of the most historical events of his presidency. Highly recommend.

   I had the "JFK" book on hold from the library and while I was waiting my turn, I read Taraborrelli's book on Jackie. It was equally fascinating. Again, I thought I'd read everything there was to know about Jackie, but this book really gave a deep, realistic look into the very private Mrs. Kennedy Onassis. 

And finally, the book I'm currently reading. I know, I know - Charlie Sheen?? That coked-up nutcase who toured his own mental breakdown? Yelling, "Winning!" "Tiger Blood" That guy??

Yeah. I'm reading Charlie's memoir. And it's pretty good! He talks about his childhood as part of the very close Estevez family, growing up on dad's movie sets, Martin's breakdown on Apocalypse Now, and his own hellish experience on Platoon. That's as far as I've gotten, but so far, I'm enjoying his story telling. He writes pretty much the way he talks; maybe some of the language is a bit toned down, but you can hear his voice as you read.

That's all I accomplished as far as books go this year. It would appear I leaned towards memoirs and autobiographies. But people are just so darn interesting!! I still have a stack to tackle on my night stand and a "for later" list running at the library. Let's see how much reading we can get done in '26!