{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Generations","title":"Our Year in Books: Favorites, Letdowns, and Rereads","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4134,"description":"In this episode, we wrap up the year by looking back at everything we read in 2025 — the books we loved, the ones that surprised us, and the ones that completely missed the mark. We dig deep into our shared love (and growing concerns) around Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere, celebrate standout reads like Project Hail Mary and Murderbot, and unpack why some wildly popular fantasy series just didn’t work for us. Along the way, we talk rereads, audiobooks, nonfiction that actually changed how we think, and the frustration of realizing — a little too late — that a book you just finished maybe… wasn’t very good after all.  Episode NotesWe kick things off with winter check-ins, comparing Wisconsin’s full-on frozen wonderland to Peter’s suspiciously warm, snow-light winter.End-of-year busyness hits hard, especially when holidays collide with work schedules and stolen OR days.Our main topic: books we read in 2025, including highlights, rereads, surprises, and disappointments.Aubrey walks through reading all of Brandon Sanderson’s Secret Projects, with Tress of the Emerald Sea standing out as a near-perfect recommendation for new readers.We both revisit Mistborn — rereading the original trilogy reveals new layers, but also highlights lingering concerns about prose and late-series direction.The Sunlit Man sparks mixed feelings, especially around Sigzil’s characterization and its disconnect from Wind and Truth.Peter rereads the entire Mistborn saga through The Lost Metal, praising Wax and Wayne but expressing disappointment with the finale, escalating Cosmere gods, and Kelsier’s trajectory.Both of us admit growing unease after The Lost Metal and Wind and Truth, worrying about where the Cosmere is headed.Aubrey shares thoughts on Isles of the Emberdark, Sixth of the Dusk, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and White Sand — including a strong dislike for Graphic Audio adaptations.Peter gushes about The Murderbot Diaries, praising their exploration of personhood, AI, free will, and...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Enb377CGtx0QdSV6Sh_CH31gOT-5Bbn0WUDQx1yVxWY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jMmIw/OWY3ZDYxZTlhMGJm/YmRlMzg1MTE3ZDVi/Y2ExYi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}