Of the fifteen books I read in 2025, only four stood out to me as five-star reads. If you are struggling to pick up reading as a hobby and get off your phone, these are the books for you.

I mainly get recommendations for books from my mom, Goodreads, or social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram. The books I chose dabble into a wide range of genres such as romance, fiction, mystery, coming of age, and historical fiction.

These are books I think anyone would like, specifically high schoolers. The books that I chose are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Some Kind of Perfect by Krista and Becca Richie, The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill, and Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh.

Number 1: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a heartwarming and occasionally melancholy coming-of-age story about Francie Nolan growing up in the slums of Williamsburg, New York City. As Francie navigates growing up impoverished, she faces hardships but also finds the small joys in life. She receives an education and finds a job, but she struggles to escape the shackles of Brooklyn and the prejudices people have against her. Although there were no twists and turns, I loved the character development of Francie and watching her overcome tragic life obstacles.

Number 2: Some Kind of Perfect by Krista and Becca Richie

Some Kind of Perfect is the last book in a long series called the Addicted/Calloway Sisters Series. The series is about a famous friend group navigating addictions and relationships. This book is about the friend group's journey to peace, and beginning to build families of their own. Ryke and Daisy are the free spirits; Connor and Rose are the competitive academics; Lily and Lo are two addicts who have to navigate their way through a healthy relationship and balanced life, and Ryke and Daisy are the free spirits. All the characters are best friends who learn how to be famous and have a sense of privacy in their work and relationships. This is my favorite book in the series because each chapter is written from the perspective of different characters in the friend group, which was the perfect way to enjoy their personalities. The book is the perfect ending to the series, and an introduction to a new series of books about the characters’ children.

Number 3: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

This story begins in the Reading Room in the Boston Public Library. Four people are sitting at a table when they hear a blood-curdling scream. They name themselves the “Boston Public Library Four.” As they realize a murder took place in the library, they also try to uncover who the killer is, one of whom may be among the four of them. The chapters alternate between being within a book that one of The Four was writing and emails back and forth between two characters. The book is filled with tiny plot twists, all leading up to the final uncovering of the murder. The main reason why this book stands out to me is that the final plot twist was something I genuinely could not have predicted. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, antsy to reach and antsy to get to the finish line.

Number 4: Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh

Saving 6 is part of the Boys of Tommen book series and takes place in Cork, Ireland. The book is a romance between two childhood best friends, Aofie Molloy and Joey Lynch, who were constantly separated by circumstances in theirbecause of different circumstances in both characters’ lives. Joey grows up in terrible familial conditions and grapples with addiction while trying to protect his siblings. Aofie, on the other hand, navigates her high school experience and is constantly missing opportunities to be with Joey. While wanting to be with Aofie, Joey is always preoccupied with family issues. I loved the book because it is a slow-burn that had me rooting for both characters to be together, while including a found family trope to add some warmth to an otherwise sad book.