25 In 2025 Reading Challenge

Hey everyone!
The last couple of years, I have taken part in the 23 in 2023, and 24 in 2024 reading challenges. I haven’t managed to complete the challenge in either year, but this year I am doing the 25 in 2025 challenge and hoping to complete it!

MY 25 IN 2025 TBR:

THE BOOKS:

11.22.63 by Stephen King

GoodReads Synopsis:

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. Unless…

In 2011, Jake Epping, an English teacher from Lisbon Falls, Maine, sets out on an insane — and insanely possible — mission to prevent the Kennedy assassination.

Leaving behind a world of computers and mobile phones, he goes back to a time of big American cars and diners, of Lindy Hopping, the sound of Elvis, and the taste of root beer.

In this haunting world, Jake falls in love with Sadie, a beautiful high school librarian. And, as the ominous date of 11/22/63 approaches, he encounters a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald…

A History of Britain in Ten Enemies by Terry Deary

GoodReads Synopsis:

Ah, Britain. So special. The greatest nation on earth, some say. And we did it all on our own. Didn’t we?

Well, as it happens Britannia got its name from the Romans, and for the past two centuries we have been ruled by Germans. But then, as Horrible Histories author Terry Deary argues, nations and their leaders are defined by the enemies they make.

The surprisingly sadistic Boudica would be forgotten if it weren’t for the Ninth Legion, Elizabeth I a minor royal without the Spanish Armada, and Churchill an opposition windbag without the Nazis. Britain loves its heroes so much we have been known to pickle them in brandy to keep them fresh. And after all, every nation sometimes needs a bit of unifying Blitz spirit (although in an ideal world, we wouldn’t have accidentally let Corporal Hitler go in the first place).

The British have a proud history of choosing their enemies, from the Romans to the Germans. You might even say those enemies made Britain what it is today…

A History of Britain in Ten Enemies is an entertaining gallop through history that will have you laughing as you find out what they didn’t teach you in school.

Flock Horror by Jennifer Killick

GoodReads Synopsis:

The brand new must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake . Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps . Angelo and his friends know that together they can handle any pretty much anything – including giant mutant spiders or snake-like parasites that burrow into your brain. But when a terrifying new enemy attacks from above it seems they have met their ultimate match . . . how can they defeat giant vampire birds? With summer term in full force – and sports day and prom night on the horizon – the whole school is in danger. The gang need a plan to bring safety to the skies once more…

Hansel by Annalee Adams

GoodReads Synopsis:

Locked away, beaten and broken, can Hansel survive his mothers wrath?

Hansel is a sweet young boy, innocent, until corrupted by the darkness of his mothers shadow.

Trapped and fighting for his survival, he is forced to maim and torture; developing a thirst for the righteous and the holy. As a born again soldier of God, he believes his path is guided by the Lord’s hand. But when he takes his first kill, everything changes. Is he prepared to worship his true nature, or will he spare the only girl he’s ever loved?

Find out in this bloodthirsty serial killer thriller, featuring murder, manipulation and the key to unlocking the mind of a serial killer.

Hansel… are you safe in the shadows?

HIDE by Nell Pattison

GoodReads Synopsis:

Seven friends. One killer. You can run, but you can’t hide…

The winter hike is meant to bring their nature group together.
Emily, the sister who never lets her hearing loss hold her back.
Lauren, the sister who always feels a step behind.
Morna, who doesn’t get on with Lauren.
Ben, whose feelings for Emily border on obsession.
Dan, the quiet newcomer to the group.
Kai, who isn’t just on the hike to enjoy the wildlife.
And Alec, the one who knows all their secrets.

As the sun sets, a gunshot rings out on the nature reserve.
One of the seven is dead. And one of their number killed them…

Inside Broadmoor by Jonathan Levi & Emma French

GoodReads Synopsis:

Broadmoor. Few place names in the world have such chilling resonance. For over 150 years, it has contained the UK’s most violent, dangerous and psychopathic. Since opening as an asylum for the criminally insane in 1863 it has housed the perpetrators of many of the most shocking crimes in history; including Jack the Ripper suspect James Kelly, serial killers Peter Sutcliffe (the Yorkshire Ripper), John Straffen and Kenneth Erskine, armed robber Charles Bronson, gangster Ronnie Kray, and cannibal Peter Bryan. The truth about what goes on behind the Victorian walls of the high security hospital has largely remained a mystery, but now with unprecedented access TV journalist Jonathan Levi and cultural historian Emma French paint a vivid picture of life at Broadmoor, after nearly a decade observing and speaking to those on the inside. Including interviews with the staff, its experts and the patients themselves, Inside Broadmoor is the most comprehensive study of the institution to-date. Published at the dawn of a new era for the hospital, this is the full story of Broadmoor’s past, present and future.

Krays: The Final Word by James Norton

GoodReads Synopsis:

The definitive account of the Krays’ world, their criminal activities, and two lives spent running the Firm. Until now books on the Krays have been subjective and incomplete—memoirs by police officers and witnesses, or whitewashing accounts and affectionate recollections by friends and family. This will be the first wholly objective look at how the twins came to power, fell, and, at least in the public eye, rose again. The book will draw together the many often conflicting versions of events—at least five reasons have been offered for the death of George Cornell—and separate fact from fiction. It will include many stories never previously disclosed, such as:

• Charlie Kray’s real position with his brothers. In recent years there have been allegations that he was both a serial molester of women and a police informer, both far from the general picture of a hail-fellow-well-met man manipulated by his younger brothers.
• The Krays’ bribing and intimidation of witnesses and their use of solicitors and the clergy to set up potential defences against police action.
• Just how many people did they kill, or were killed on their behalf? The book will examine claims that they killed up to 30, including an analysis of their possible involvement in the deaths of lawyer David Jacobs and former world champion boxer Freddie Mills.

Let Me Tell You About A Man I Knew by Susan Fletcher

GoodReads Synopsis:

No one knows the name of ‘the painter’ who comes to the asylum in St Remy in the south of France, but they see his wild, red hair and news of his savaged ear soon circulates in the village and comes to the notice of the wife of the asylum’s doctor. She feels herself drawn to him and learns that his presence is disturbing – and not just to her either. But back she goes – again and again. Until she is banned, but still she makes her way over the wall, through the garden to talk to this apparently mad and passionate man. And the consequences of her indiscretion, of what van Gogh comes to mean to her, of what it will do to her marriage, her life once she has touched danger and passion will have far reaching effects – both surprisingly catastrophic and tender.

Misery by Stephen King

GoodReads Synopsis:

Misery Chastain was dead. Paul Sheldon had just killed her – with relief, with joy. Misery had made him rich; she was the heroine of a string of bestsellers. And now he wanted to get on to some real writing.

That’s when the car accident happened, and he woke up in pain in a strange bed. But it wasn’t the hospital. Annie Wilkes had pulled him from the wreck, brought him to her remote mountain home, splinted and set his mangled legs.

The good news was that Annie was a nurse and has pain-killing drugs. The bad news was that she was Paul’s Number One Fan. And when she found out what Paul had done to Misery, she didn’t like it. She didn’t like it at all.

Rise by Siya Kolisi

GoodReads Synopsis:

His truth. His story. In his words. There have been many comments made and books written about Siya Kolisi, captain of the Springboks, and the first black man to lead his country in over 128 years of South African rugby.

But now, for the very first time, Siya Kolisi shares his story in an extraordinarily intimate memoir, charting his journey from being born into the impoverished Zwide township, to leading his proud nation to an astonishing victory at the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

However, Rise is not simply a chronology of matches played and games won; it is an exploration of a man’s race and his faith, a masterclass in attaining a positive mindset, and an inspirational reminder that it is possible to defy the odds, no matter how they are stacked against you.

In 2020, partly in response to the pandemic, Siya and his wife, Rachel, launched The Kolisi Foundation, providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers and delivering food parcels throughout South Africa.

The title Rise is inspired by Siya’s mother – Phakama – which translates to the book’s name, as well as a celebration of his Xhosa heritage.

Ruck Me by James Haskell

GoodReads Synopsis:

The side-splittingly hilarious new book from Sunday Times bestselling author, rugby icon, and stag do in human form, James Haskell. It’s 2021 and James is at a crossroads. His glittering international rugby career that took him from England to New Zealand and France – including 77 caps for England – is over. What will he do now? What is his purpose in life? In Ruck Me , James sets out on a voyage of self-discovery speaking to ex-colleagues, friends and family, reflecting on his career and diving into some of his most memorable personal anecdotes to date. But what started out as a search for understanding and meaning soon turns into a – let’s face it, sometimes warranted – chastisement opportunity with James directly in the firing line. Turns out he has a lot of work to do… As funny as it is outrageous, this brilliant book acts as a lesson on how (not) to retire gracefully and move forward. And ruck me – you won’t want to miss it.

Secrets of the Reapers by Sarah McKnight

GoodReads Synopsis:

THE REAPER CHRONICLES BOOK 3

With Steven Kelton out of the way, the afterlife at Reaper HQ can finally go back to normal. But Reaper #1632 still has something on his mind. He made a promise to Steve, and he intends to keep it – even if it means putting his job at risk.

And if he should happen to uncover a deeply buried secret with the power to change everything… Well, whose fault is that?

Spooksmiths Investigate: The Cinderman by Alex Atkinson

GoodReads Synopsis:

“Spine-chilling terror and laughs on every page.” S.J. Wills, author of Bite Risk

Discover a brilliantly spooky new horror-mystery series for fans of Dread Wood, Goosebumps and Aveline Jones…

Indigo and Rusty might live in a funeral parlour, but they don’t believe in ghosts. That is, until Indigo drops an old urn, accidentally releasing the Cinderman: a terrifying ash monster, who will smother their town in ashes and turn everyone into zombies, unless they can stop him by sunset.

Using their newly awakened Spooksmith skills, Indigo and Rusty set out to enlist the help of other ghosts. But can the Blasted Banshee and Chuckles the Phantom Toddler really help them find the Cinderman’s true name and put him in his grave for good before Ashmageddon strikes?

Steve & Me by Terri Irwin

GoodReads Synopsis:

‘Steve & Me’ is a non-stop adventure, a real-life love story and a fitting tribute to a man adored by all those lives he touched, written by the woman who knew and loved him best of all.

Survivor by Sam Pivnik

GoodReads Synopsis:

In 1939, on his 13th birthday, the Nazis invaded Poland. Sam Pivnik survived the two ghettoes set up in his home town of Bedzin and six months working on the processing ramp at Auschwitz, where prisoners were either taken away for entry to the camp or gassing.

After this harrowing experience, he was sent to work at the brutal Furstengrube mining camp. He could have died on the ‘Death March’ that took him west as the Third Reich collapsed, and he managed to swim to safety when the Royal Air Force mistakenly sank the prison ship Cap Arcona in 1945.

On 14 occasions he should have been killed, yet now in his 80s, Sam tells the story of his life, a tale of survival against the most extraordinary odds.

Talking With Psychopaths: Guilty But Insane by Christopher Berry-Dee

Book Blurb:

A study of convicted murderers who have attempted to escape justice, and sometimes the death penalty, by entering a plea of insanity – and occasionally succeeded.

In Talking with Psychopaths: Guilty but Insane, criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee turns his cool, forensic eye on killers who have deployed the insanity defence at their trials for murder, whether because they were genuinely insane, or to try to avoid a harsher sentence which, in many countries, may still include the death penalty.

Among the killers – sane or otherwise – discussed in this book are: Noreen O’Connor: possessed by a demon? • Daniel M’Naghten: the M’Naghten Rule • Pedro Alonso López: ‘the Monster of the Andes’ • Paweł Alojzy Tuchlin: codenamed ‘Scorpion’ • William Chester Minor: sanity v. madness • Dr Julio Cesar Mora: a tale with a remarkable twist • Thomas Dee Huskey: ‘the Zoo Man’ • Angus Ronald True: a fractured psyche.

Of those seeking the verdicts ‘guilty but insane’ or ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’, some succeeded, to end their days in secure mental hospitals; others failed, winning only an appointment with the executioner.

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

GoodReads Synopsis:

The true story of the world’s most prolific art thief, who accumulated a collection worth over $1.4 billion. A spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, from the bestselling author of The Stranger in the Wood.

For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than 200 heists over nearly ten years – in museums and cathedrals all over Europe – Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than 300 objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.

In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser’s strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in his home, where he could admire them to his heart’s content. Possessed of a remarkable appreciation for art and an innate ability to assess practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtakingly number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop – until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down.

This is a riveting story of art, crime, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost. As a real page-turner that seems almost unbelievable in its twists and turns, The Art Thief explores the true story of the art collector who went to extreme lengths to expand his personal collection – and the thrill of the heist that kept him going.

The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone

GoodReads Synopsis:

A remote village.

A deadly secret.

An outsider who knows the truth…

‘ATMOSPHERIC AND COMPELLING, WITH SOME VERY UNEXPECTED TWISTS!’
Catherine Cooper, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalet and The Chateau

Maggie Mackay has been haunted her entire life. No matter what she does, she can’t shake the sense that something is wrong with her. And maybe something is…

When she was five years old, without proof, Maggie announced that someone in the remote village of Blairmore in the Outer Hebrides had murdered a local man, sparking a media storm.

Now, Maggie is determined to discover what really happened and what the villagers are hiding. But everyone has secrets, and some are deadly. As she gets closer to the horrifying truth, Maggie’s own life is in danger…

From the critically-acclaimed author of Mirrorland comes a darkly disturbing new thriller that will chill you to the bone.

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

GoodReads Synopsis:

Four brothers. Two missions. One explosive read. Jennifer Lynn Barnes returns to the world of her #1 bestselling Inheritance Games trilogy, and the stakes have never been higher.

Grayson Hawthorne was raised as the heir apparent to his billionaire grandfather, taught from the cradle to put family first. Now the great Tobias Hawthorne is dead and his family disinherited, but some lessons linger. When Grayson’s half-sisters find themselves in trouble, he swoops in to do what he does best: take care of the problem—efficiently, effectively, mercilessly. And without getting bogged down in emotional entanglements.

Jameson Hawthorne is a risk-taker, a sensation-seeker, a player of games. When his mysterious father appears and asks for a favor, Jameson can’t resist the challenge. Now he must infiltrate London’s most exclusive underground gambling club, which caters to the rich, the powerful, and the aristocratic, and win an impossible game of greatest stakes. Luckily, Jameson Hawthorne lives for impossible.

Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, Grayson and Jameson—with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.

The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby: Unleashed by Alex Payne, James Haskell, and Mike Tindall

GoodReads Synopsis:

The long-awaited book from rugby stars Alex Payne, James Haskell and Mike Tindall

Rugby megastars James Haskell, Mike Tindall and Alex Payne get together to discuss the highs and lows of their podcast, friendship and rugby.

Among the key questions

What happened when Mike took their shambles of a podcast inside the walls of Windsor Castle to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales and The Princess Royal?

How did Haskell end up nearly killing himself on the way to a DJ set, find himself forced to save Payno from Tins and get confronted by irate fans?

How did Alex’s broadcasting career fall to such depressing depths? And will it ever recover? (Spoiler alert – it won’t.)

In one, no-holds-barred book, they will go behind the scenes of the hugely successful podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby to pull back the curtain on some of their most outrageous antics on tour – the ups, the downs and the sideways – and leave no story untold. All will be unleashed.

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly

GoodReads Synopsis:

THIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART…

Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family’s insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried – gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore’s pelvis remained hidden.

The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.

But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.

From the bestselling author of He Said/She Said and Watch Her Fall, this is a taut, mesmerising novel about a daughter haunted by her father’s legacy…

The Woman Who Went Over Niagara Falls in a Barrel by Caroline Cauchi

GoodReads Synopsis:

School teacher. Widow. Legend.

Meet the courageous Mrs Annie Edson Taylor. The bravest woman you’ve never heard of and the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel – over a decade before any male daredevil had the balls to do the same!

From the author of the bestselling Heather’s Picks title Mrs Van Gogh, comes a gripping new historical novel inspired by a true story.

Turtle Moon by Hannah Gold

GoodReads Synopsis:

Journey to the heart of the jungle in this unforgettable adventure from the author of bestselling and prize-winning The Last Bear. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, this is perfect for readers 8+.

Silver Trevelon’s parents aren’t happy. They haven’t been happy since the nursery they decorated started gathering cobwebs, waiting for the baby brother or sister that never came. So when Silver’s dad is invited to paint at a turtle rescue centre in Costa Rica, she hopes it’ll be just the adventure the family needs.

Under the hot tropical sun, Silver settles into life at the animal centre. She even witnesses a rare sighting of a leatherback turtle nesting on the beach. But when the turtle’s eggs are stolen, events take a dark and dangerous turn. Can Silver and her new friends track them down before it’s too late? It’ll mean journeying into the heart of the jungle and uncovering long-buried secrets…

Ushers by Joe Hill

GoodReads Synopsis:

A young man who has improbably escaped death twice reveals his secret in a spine-tingling short story by New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Martin Lorensen is a twenty-three-year-old counselor for disturbed teenagers. He’s bright, compassionate, attractive, and outgoing. He’s also—and this is the most interesting thing—not dead. Martin has improbably survived not one but two deadly disasters that claimed dozens of lives. The kid is riding one hell of a lucky streak. Two federal agents think there is something darker at play. Now that they’ve arranged to interview Martin, they want answers. Martin is ready to share everything he knows. One thing is for certain: when it comes to escaping death, luck doesn’t figure into it at all.

Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

GoodReads Synopsis:

Ruby Johnson is a nanny and maid to wealthy families in Manhattan’s West 74th Street.
She knows their routines. Their secrets.
One night, on her way home, Ruby witnesses a neighbour’s murder.

She knows the victim. She knows the killer.
She makes an anonymous call to the police and names the murderer.
But Ruby didn’t tell the truth…
Because there’s something wrong with Ruby Johnson.

Eddie Flynn, conman turned trial lawyer, must defend an innocent man accused of this terrible crime.
As Ruby’s deadly game begins, one thing is certain.
It won’t be the last murder this witness is involved in…

Have you read any of these books?
If yes, what did you think?

Let me know in the comments!