Books & Bites Podcast, Ep. 108: Must-Read Books of 2025 === Carrie: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Books and Bites podcast. Each month we bring you book recommendations and discuss the bites and beverages to pair with them. I'm Carrie Green and I'm here with my co-hosts Michael Cunningham and Jacqueline Cooper. Michael: Hello. Jacqueline: Hi everyone. Carrie: So we're saying goodbye to 2025 with this episode and with it our summer-fall bingo sheet. So how's everyone done with, with this bingo sheet? I know we were struggling a little bit. Jacqueline: I think I have five left, five squares left, so I really need to get busy to finish mine. Yeah, but the holidays coming and hopefully, I'll be able to do that. Carrie: Okay. Yeah, there's always hope. Jacqueline: Yeah. [Laughter] Carrie: Can get in some, squeak in some graphic novels over the holidays. Michael: Oh, that's a good idea. I'm gonna have to do that because [00:01:00] I got like nine. Carrie: Ooh. [Laughter] Michael: Nine squares. Jacqueline: Nine? Carrie: Really? I see some writing on there. Michael: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Nine. Carrie: Well, I'm feeling pretty good about mine now. I just have one left and it's the book that I'm reading right now, so I think I'm gonna be able to do it. Jacqueline: Yeah, it sounds like you're right on target. Carrie: But that's all right. There's always next time. [Laughter] Michael: Yep. Jacqueline: That's true. Carrie: And since we're talking about that, I guess we might as well mention that for next year, we have decided to mix it up a little bit and we're going to do four smaller bingo sheets, and they'll have nine squares, actually a total of eight, if you take away the free squares. [00:02:00] So hopefully that'll be a little bit easier for us. Michael: Yeah. Especially for those busier folk. Or don't have that much time on their hands. Carrie: Yes. Jacqueline: A little easier to keep up with too. Like sometimes I'm like, where's my bingo sheet? And then I have to start another one. 'cause I. [All laugh] So this one should be easier to keep up with. Carrie: Well, of the prompts that you read, did any of them stick out to you as your favorites so far? Jacqueline: I liked any book you want that was like, yes, I can read any book I want. Carrie: So what was the, I guess I meant maybe not for the square, or the prompt, but favorite books that you read? Michael: Oh, okay. Carrie: On the, on the bingo sheet. Jacqueline: Well, I was able to, I really liked reading The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas for the, "any book you want." And then I also read a [00:03:00] sequel, so, which sometimes I don't read the second one for the bingo sheet or for the, of course not for the podcast. So. It was kind of fun. Michael: Well, for me, Carrie, you might be familiar with this book. Probably my favorite book this year was So Far Gone by Jess Walter. [Laughter] Carrie: Yeah. Well, yeah. And actually, that is the book I'm gonna talk about today, but I think that is probably my favorite as well. So that's pretty unusual for the two of us to have the same book that was our favorite. Michael: Yeah. I don't think it's happened in the history of Books & Bites. [Laughter] Carrie: Yeah. And then what about, were there any books that you read that you probably wouldn't have read otherwise if it hadn't have been for the challenge, that like surprised you? For me, it was a book with a dragon and I don't think I would've read When Women Were Dragons [00:04:00] without that prompt. But that was a book that I really enjoyed and was glad that I read because of the prompt. Michael: I would probably say, one that I would not have read that I enjoyed was probably Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldry. Which is a feel good Dungeons and Dragons-esque story. Not very high stakes. I like my stakes a little higher. With that, but I mean, it was a good, enjoyable read. I mean, I liked it. Carrie: Mm-hmm. And you kind of said that one brought you out of a reading slump that you were in, too. Michael: Yeah. It kind of helped, I guess, kind of cleansed the palate a little bit. Carrie: Yeah. How about you, Jacqueline? Jacqueline: Yeah, I found an author because of this with the book set outside the U.S., The Guest List by Lucy Foley. And then her next book I found had a tree on the cover. So I really enjoyed this new author I found. Carrie: Uhhuh. Good. Jacqueline: It's a new author for me. Michael: That's an adult book, isn't it? Jacqueline: [00:05:00] Yeah. I don't think it's YA. Michael: Yeah. Jacqueline: Yeah. But Michael: Okay![Laughter] Jacqueline: I've kind of got out of a little bit of a slump and I've read a few adult books just to kind of-- Michael: They're pretty good, aren't they? Jacqueline: Yeah. Michael: I was kidding. I'm just kidding. [All laugh] Jacqueline: Yeah, they're pretty good. They probably have less of a formula. They're, I think they're less formulaic than a lot of the YA books tend to be. Michael: Not as many love triangles? Jacqueline: Yeah, not as many. [Laughter] Carrie: Yeah. It's easy to just get, I think especially if you read a particular genre it can be a little repetitive. Michael: Oh yeah. I know. Yeah. Jacqueline: Yeah. I think that's why, even the dragon book kind of got me in, like Dragons on Mars. I mean, I probably would not have read that book without that prompt. [All laugh] Carrie: Yeah. Well, hopefully you [00:06:00] listeners out there had a similar experience. We'd love to hear your favorite books from the Books and Bites challenge. So let us know. Either email us at podcast@jesspublib.org or share it to our Facebook group. Jacqueline: And you'll be getting one of the prompts too if you do that. Carrie: That's right. Jacqueline: I mean, squares. Carrie: Yes. Yeah, if you haven't done that so far, now's the time to do it. So today we're gonna be talking about books published in 2025. That's always a fun one because it's new books. I've read a lot of new stuff this year. Quite a few of mine were fairly new. So without further ado.[00:07:00] So, as we mentioned earlier, the book I read was So Far Gone by Jess Walter. Retired journalist Rhys Kinnick lives off the grid in the Pacific Northwest, completely disconnected from his family, the world, and the news. Seven years ago, he abruptly moved to the last of his family's remote property after getting in a fistfight with his politically conservative son-in-law, Shane, at Thanksgiving. But then a woman shows up at his door with his grandchildren, 13-year-old Leah and her younger brother Asher. She hands him a note from his daughter, Bethany, asking him to take care of the kids while she's away. Rhys has become such a hermit that he and his grandchildren barely know each other. Eventually he learns that Shane, Leah's father and Asher's stepfather, has become involved with the Christian Nationalist militia. [00:08:00] Bethany has become increasingly upset about their involvement with this church. When Shane decides to promise the underage Leah to the pastor's 19-year-old son, Bethany runs off in protest. Unfortunately, Rhys doesn't retain physical custody of the kids for long. When he and Leah take self-proclaimed chess prodigy Asher to his tournament, two militia members wait outside. Rhys remembers one of them, Dean, from his reporting days, a man he'd dubbed the Dominion Eagle Killer. Dean beats up Rhys and the two militia men kidnap his grandchildren. Rhys's search for his grandchildren pulls him back into an even more polarized and violent country than the one he'd stepped away from. He gets help from Chuck, a bipolar ex-cop who's dedicated if a bit unhinged, and Brian, Rhys's Native American [00:09:00] best friend. They search for the kids and Bethany at the church's "rampart" in rural Idaho, a psychedelic music festival in Canada, and several places in between in this high stakes, sometimes violent story. I'm a huge fan of Jess Walter, but I must admit I wasn't sure I was up to reading something so closely inspired by our current moment. However, So Far Gone proved to be exactly the book I needed. Its dark comedy and adventure echo one of my favorite novels, True Grit. But the novel still has heart. It's moving and empathetic towards people at both extremes of the political spectrum. Rather than just focus on Rhys's point of view, Walter lets you see the story from multiple perspectives: Chuck's, Bethany's, the kids', and even briefly, Shane's. Ultimately, it's about the way people often stumble [00:10:00] through their lives, even as they try to do better. It's about working to maintain relationships no matter how misguided you think the other person is. I highly recommend the audiobook, which is performed by award-winning narrator, Eduardo Ballerini, who has voiced some of Walter's other books, including Beautiful Ruins. He's fantastic throughout, but his performance of the militia members, the creepy pastor and the manic Chuck are especially good. After Rhys's initial fight with Shane, he nurses his wounds at a dive bar with a microwaved turkey pot pie, and a double Jameson's, a pretty sad way to spend the first Thanksgiving of his self-imposed exile. On the other hand, there's nothing sad about a homemade turkey pot pie, perfect for using up holiday leftovers. We'll link to a recipe from the Kitchn on our blog. And we were [00:11:00] also talking about that scene. I did find it later on, where the raccoons-- Michael: Yes. Carrie: eat all of his provisions. [All laugh] So it's like a flashback to when he first came to this homestead and he buys all of these provisions and some he brings in the house and some he buries underneath a snowbank. And these raccoons end up eating all of it. Michael: Yeah. He had to shoot one with some pellets. He did not, he went to war with those raccoons. [Laughter] Carrie: Although he didn't kill them, so. [Laughter] Michael: No, he didn't. He didn't. He just scared it away. Carrie: Yeah. But yeah, you were right. It was Snowballs. Michael: Snow--was it? Carrie: Was one of the last things that they ate. [00:12:00] Michael: That was such a good book. I just, yeah. It wasn't, it would've been real easy to be like preachy about it. And it wasn't, it was even-keeled. It was, he leveled that with the humor for sure. And you know, even Shane, you know, he was not a bad guy. He was just a little misguided. But they all were to some extent. So, so. [Laughter] Carrie: Yeah. And I mean even, I mean, Rhys is the main perspective. And he was very flawed. [Laughter] Michael: Oh, oh yeah. And I mean I, the whole time, I was like, man, like you said, like True Grit. And I'm just thinking of the movie, the most recent adaptation, like Jeff Bridges would be perfect for Rhys Kinnick. Carrie: Definitely. Yeah. Michael: Oh man. And I was like, where's this gonna, you know, how is it gonna end? And I was, I was not prepared for that ending. Carrie: Yeah. I wasn't either. And I have to say the violence at the [00:13:00] end really like, I mean, it was kind of, even though there had been some violence throughout the book, I felt like it was, all of a sudden, there was this big moment of violence that-- Michael: Yeah. Carrie: And I'm like, you know, driving to work and, and this happens. [Laughter] It was like, wait, whoa, wait a minute. So that was a little bit, I mean, I still loved the book and I think in some ways you could argue like there's really no other way for a book like that to end, but. Michael: Yeah. Yeah. I don't wanna say, I don't wanna spoil it. Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. Michael: I mean, I got some feelings. Carrie: We can talk about that later. Michael: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But definitely, definitely one to read if you haven't. Highly recommended from two outta three-- Carrie: That's right. Michael: co-hosts here. Jacqueline: I have not read it, but maybe I need to. Carrie: And definitely [00:14:00] the audiobook. Michael: Oh yeah. Carrie: Is just, that performer. He is, I mean, he is great. He does, Beautiful Ruins is one of my favorite books. I haven't listened to that. I have heard from other people that it's really good on audio. But I did listen to a collection of short stories, one of which I think they wrote, Eduardo Ballerini and Jess Walter, like collaborated on and that was really good too. So. Michael: His prose is really, yeah, was really good. I was very struck by his writing style and I'll definitely, have to be picking up something, some of his other works for sure. Carrie: Yeah. Jacqueline: The book I chose for a book written in 2025 is Mystery Royale by [00:15:00] Kaitlyn Cavalancia, a genre-blending fantasy-mystery full of surprises. Told from multiple points of view, it weaves intrigue and depth into every chapter. The main character, Mullory, is a 16-year-old caring for her cancer-stricken grandmother after her mother, Esther, vanished, leaving behind a burned down home and a chilly warning, "Run if the strange finds you." Soon, mysterious envelopes invite Mullory to solve the murder of billionaire Xavier, whose magical family passes powers only to their chosen heirs. Lyric, Xavier's nephew, believes he was destined to inherit those powers. When Xavier chose otherwise, Lyric felt betrayed. Instead, Xavier declared that whoever solves his murder will inherit his wealth and magic. Mullory, desperate to provide for her grandmother, reluctantly teams up with Lyric despite warnings he can't be trusted. As alliances form and deadly attacks unfold, the [00:16:00] question remains: Can they trust each other or will portrayal win the game? I recommend Mystery Royale if you enjoy the inheritance games, puzzles, and thrilling mysteries. A sequel is on the way and its themes of abandonment will resonate with many of teens. For my bite, I pick cranberry salsa from Our Best Bites, fresh cranberries over cream cheese with crackers. A sweet and savory treat. Carrie: We have a Thanksgiving meal going so far for our bites. Michael: Yeah. Jacqueline: Yeah. I know. I guess it's all on all our minds right now. Carrie: Yeah. [Laughter]. Jacqueline: Now since we're recording, before December. Carrie: Yeah. We'll have to see what you bring to the table, Michael. Michael: I think it'll round it out nicely. Carrie: Okay. Jacqueline: Oh, good. You usually do. Carrie: So did you say, is that so that one is a YA? Jacqueline: Yes. This one is a YA. For teenagers and it's very different. I was wanting to read it anyway and then I was [00:17:00] like, oh, it is a 2025. So I was pretty excited about that 'cause I was kind of struggling. Sometimes it's hard to find exactly the book you want to read for a prompt. For me. Michael: Oh yeah. When you found it, we're like, bingo! Jacqueline: Yeah. And I think she's a new author too. So. Bingo. Michael: Bingo. No, sorry. That was a dumb joke. That was a dumb joke. [All laugh] Jacqueline: Sorry. I was like, wait. Good pun on words. Michael: My 2025 release pick is When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy. Published this past April, Cassidy is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new voices in modern horror, and this novel packs a serious punch. It takes the classic werewolf [00:18:00] trope and twists it into something entirely new. For me, it was like Stephen King's Firestarter meets the Terminator: a relentless emotional, gut-wrenching ride. We follow Jess, an aspiring actress working the late shift at a diner in Los Angeles. She's having a rough night already. She just learned that her father, who walked out on her and her mother years ago, has died alone in a cabin in the Pennsylvania woods. After a disturbing experience while cleaning the restroom, she goes home only to find a terrified five-year-old boy hiding outside, and he's being hunted. Well, what follows is a violent confrontation with the boy's father that sends Jess and the child racing east across the country, leaving a bloody trail behind as the father pursues them. Along the way, Jess learns the boy has a terrifying ability. He can manifest his fears into physical form. As they travel, the two develop a powerful bond, and Jess decides she'll do whatever it takes to protect him. No one is safe, and the ending left me absolutely reeling. Cassidy takes the werewolf story and reinvents it [00:19:00] in a new way that feels raw, modern, and emotionally devastating. The characters are wonderfully written, making their final act hit that much harder. The novel wrestles with heavy themes: fear, parenting, abandonment, and generational trauma, and does so with both humanity and horror. This will almost certainly go down as one of the standout books of the year. For me, it's easily one of my favorites. To pair with this fresh take on the werewolf story, I chose a vintage cocktail called the Harvest Moon, a drink that first rose to popularity in the 1930s with a recipe from diffordsguide.com. The updated version uses rye whiskey, aromatized wine, applejack, green Chartreuse, and bitters. With its apple and autumn spice notes, it's a perfect cocktail to sip on during the fall or Thanksgiving. Carrie: Yeah. That sounds good. Jacqueline: The book sounds really interesting. Carrie: It sounds like you got back into your horror Michael: little bit Carrie: with this one. [Laughter] Michael: Easing it back into it a little bit.[00:20:00] Yeah, it had some Stephen King-esque stories from like, definitely from like Firestarter. But then you got this Terminator aspect, which is really cool because this is relentless pursuit from the father. And there's some like government backstory elements that were interesting. Jacqueline: So a lot of action. Michael: There was. Very, very violent. There was a scene that stood out. And the boy's been sheltered his entire life and she has to go somewhere and leaves him in a hotel and he turns on the TV. He's never really had much experience with TV and he finds Who Framed Roger Rabbit? And he's watching this, like one of the first things he's ever watched. And it absolutely terrifies him. So what happens, the two weasels and the, I can't remember the bad guy's name from--have you ever seen that movie? Carrie: I have, but it's been too long. Michael: Yeah, I remember the two weasels and there and, Christopher. Oh man, what's his name? He was in Back to the Future. Carrie: Oh [00:21:00] yeah. What is his name? Michael: Oh my gosh. I feel terrible. Blanking on his name, but his bad-guy character, well, he manifests them and it just Carrie: Oh wow. Michael: But they're two dimensional and everything, and it is just like, just kind of hallucinatory, violent episode. Carrie: Man. That's the talent you wouldn't really wanna have. Michael: No. Yeah. Yeah. Carrie: Is it a talent if you don't want it? Michael: Yeah. So she's like wrestling with this, like, what do I do? Do I drop him off? Do I keep him, like, you know. And the father's pursuing him and what's he gonna do? Like it's, yeah. It's a very, it is a very heavy book too. So. Jacqueline: Werewolf books are usually pretty violent. Michael: There's not, there's not that many of them. In adult there's not. Jacqueline: I've had teens come in and ask me for werewolf books and we, yeah. There's only like a few in there. Michael: Yeah. I can only think of maybe like three in the adult section that, Carrie: well, unless you want like a paranormal romance. Aren't there a lot of [Laughter] Michael: Yes, that's about, yes. Yes, Outside [00:22:00] of that, there's not much. Yeah, there's a lot of werewolves and fae and vampires. Jacqueline: Yeah, there are a lot of vampires too. Michael: Not my jam Jacqueline: Vampires are really popular in YA. Carrie: Again, they're popular again? Jacqueline: It goes in waves. Carrie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did you, did you listen to that on audio or did you read it? Michael: I listened to it and this was interesting. It was read by one narrator, but the author also kind of made a little, what do you call, cameo in it, which is interesting. Like he narrated like a letter, a letter from the father. Carrie: Oh, okay. Michael: Which was a little different, not, you know. But yeah. Carrie: Well, cool. Well, thank you to everyone for playing along with us this year, and we hope you'll join us next year. Thanks for listening to the Books and Bites podcast. Our theme music [00:23:00] is The Breakers from the album in Close Quarters with the Enemy by Scott Whiddon. You can learn more about Scott and his music at his website, adoorforadesk.com.