All the books I read in December – plus my favourite book of 2025.
Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurtry
This is the second instalment in the Lonesome Dove series, written by the genius of characterisation, Mr Larry McMurtry. Lonesome Dove followed Texas Rangers Call and Gus as they herded cattle from Texas to Montana to start a new life as farmers. In Streets of Laredo, many years have passed since that epic trek, and Gus, along with most of the cowboys featured in Lonesome Dove, have died. Call is still alive, older and even more crotchety than he was in the first book, but he has still ‘got it’ (for the most part) and is now a renowned bounty hunter. Much like Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo is a captivating adventure across hostile land, but this time Call has been paid to chase down a psychotic, murderous train robber across Mexico.
I adored Lonesome Dove and wasn’t sure how Streets of Laredo was going to fare in comparison, but it’s an amazing story. The characters are captivating, the pace never relents and there are so many twists and shocking revelations in every chapter that I felt exhausted by the end.
While an entertaining book, Streets of Laredo is LONG and I did put it down every few weeks to read something else, just to give myself a break from the gruelling ordeal Call and the other characters go through. I don’t know if I’m becoming a wimp in my old age, but the violence and injustices were a bit much for me at times. However, whenever I picked it back up again I knew exactly what was going on and who every character was because McMurtry was such a talented storyteller. I implore everyone to read this.
Paranormality by Richard Wiseman
This isn’t an exposé on people who claim to have paranormal powers – Paranormality delves into why some believe the unbelievable and how others manage to explain the unexplainable using science and psychology. Wiseman uses lots of famous examples of con artists and charlatans, as well as some lesser-known cases, to reveal the truth. I particularly loved reading about the experiments scientists carried out to try and prove or disprove psychic ability. Throughout the book the tone teeters on the edge of polite sarcasm, which for the most part I enjoyed, but it did sometimes stray into a Richard Dawkins level of smugness. A fun read for sceptics.
Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree
Travis Baldree is back with another cute fantasy adventure book. Brigands & Breadknives is his third book set in the Legends & Lattes world, but it’s the first in its own adjacent series. Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust followed coffee shop owner and orc, Viv, whereas Brigands & Breadknives is all about bookselling rattkin, Fern.
Brigands & Breadknives starts with Fern moving her bookshop next door to Viv’s coffee shop, but Fern’s heart isn’t really in it – she doesn’t know why, but she’s now less than enthused about her career as a bookseller. After getting incredibly drunk one night, Fern finds herself in the back of the horse cart of a famous adventuring elf, and while at first she thinks it’s a silly drunken mistake and she should make her way back to Viv and her new shop, she quickly realises she actually quite enjoys life on the road and wants to continue this unexpected adventure.
The story is all about getting the confidence to start over again later in life and challenging expectations – not just the ones other people have for you, but the ones you have for yourself. This is a very low stakes, highly emotional journey, and if you like Baldree’s other books you will love this. While I did enjoy it, I got two thirds of the way in and started to get a little bored. I had the exact same issue with Baldree’s other books as well (maybe not enough stakes?!), but the ending was lovely and won me back.
When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs
In this graphic novel a nuclear attack is imminent, but an elderly couple living in the British countryside seem unperturbed – they expect the government to handle everything and for their lives to continue as normal, even after the bomb drops.
What a heart-breaking story to end the year on. The sweet, ignorant couple are the epitome of their generation, where a cup of tea is both the highlight and the glue of their day. They believe that if they do as they are told then everything will be all right, that they will be protected, that the British are always the good guys, and that the government has their best interests at heart. I’m sure you can imagine that the book shows the opposite to be true. A fantastic and very British story. It has felt like a rock in my gut since reading the final line.
And now, for my favourite book of 2025…
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
I reviewed this book in my Substack October wrap up so I won’t go in to too much detail about it, but Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead had been firmly stuck in my head since I read it. The protagonist is unlike any other I have read – I am always looking out for female characters who are fallible but sympathetic, and this is exactly what Janina is. If you read any books in 2026, make sure this is one of them.
Thanks so much for reading, see you in 2026!
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