This is the post that I recommend when fellow readers are looking for a book club rec. It is our ratings round up from the past year with a few thoughts thrown in.
Books are listed in the order that we read them:
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston – 4.8 (High – 5; Low – 4)
James by Percival Everette – 2.42 (High – 3; Low – 2)
One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter – 3.19 (High – 3.75; Low – 2.75)
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden – 4.15 (High – 4.875; Low – DNF/1)
North Woods by Daniel Mason – 4.28 (High – 4.5; Low – 3.25)
The Elements by John Boyne – 4.72 (High – 5; Low – 4.25)
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall – 3.5 (High – 4; Low – 2.5)
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout – 4.15 (High – 4.75; Low – 3)
The Names by Florence Knapp – 4.05 (High – 4.25; Low – 3.75)
Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks – 4.03 (High – 4.25; Low – 3)
This was a great year of reading for us, with seven books rating 4.0 or higher and two of those rating exceptionally high: Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Elements. If you’re looking for our best book club recs, start there.
This year also underscored something that we talk about frequently – marketing can lead you astray. Our score on James should tell you something (go read our notes), but also Broken Country – which got lots of buzz – was only meh for us.
Years ago we read Georgia Hunter’s first historical fiction novel We Were the Lucky Ones, so while we were hopeful about One Good Thing, it turned out to be disappointing. It was fine, but not stellar. That said, revisiting Elizabeth Strout and John Boyne have proven over and over to be worth our time.
Our discussion of Geraldine Brooks’ grief memoir Memorial Days was really good, but it is a sad book. And if it weren’t sad enough, a dog dies. So be forewarned.
The SOC 2025-2026 Superlatives
- Best Book of the Year – Their Eyes Were Watching God
- Most Polarizing – The Safekeep
- Worst Book of the Year – James
- The Consensus Award – The Names
- Perfume* Worthy – The Elements
*For years we’ve joked with new members about needing to ready Perfume to know if you’re ready for our book club. If you’ve read it, you’ll get this. So this award goes to the book that offers bizarre reading – in line with Perfume.
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