Breanna Swiech ‘26, Copy Editor
Each year is full of books that change lives. Stagnant on shelves until a reader wanders towards the titled spine, yearly reads have the potential to change how we think about the world around us, and how we choose to live our lives. Each word and sentence paint a world that we wish to delve into, whether to escape, or understand, the one in which we currently reside. So, at the very end of the year, when only a few more books can fit in the month, these are some of the reads that can make life a little more magical and change how a person may look at the world.
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid:
Taylor Jenkins Reid, known for her smash hits like Malibu Rising, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Carrie Soto Is Back, and her latest historical fiction novel, Atmosphere, demonstrates the emotional range Jenkins Reid wields in her writing. Set in 1980 Houston, Texas, readers discover Joan’s love for the stars. The astronomer becomes one of the first female scientists to join NASA, and even though she must overcome obstacles because of her gender and the ignorance of others, she meets brilliant people along the way that makes the experience worth it—including the magnetic Vanessa Ford, brutally determined Lydia Danes, and kind pilot Hank Redmond. As Joan makes a place for herself at NASA, she builds a relationship that rivals her love for the stars. Her story teaches that although there are great ambitions and scientific wonders to chase after, the most important are the ones on Earth: family and friends.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman:
Trigger warning: this book contains abuse
When people talk about reading books that change their life, this one is an excellent example. Fredrik Backman, author of A Man Called Ove, returns with a 2025 release that won Best Fiction on Goodreads 2025. The novel shifts from past to present, the past being a summer of four friends, concerned about nothing but jumping off the pier and running around town, and the present focusing on a homeless young woman, Louisa, who loves art, and comes across her favorite painting in an auction—a painting of the sea, and of the pier. Yet, none of the wealthy people in the auction see the three tiny figures in the corner, the three friends and the artist; they only see the waves. Louisa sets out to discover the story behind the painting, but as she finds her way closer to the truth, she becomes increasingly aware that it might not end happily.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood:
The Marlow Murder Club is the epitome of a classic, winter murder mystery. In the cozy, quirky town of Marlow, where growing grass might make the daily news, Judith Pott’s neighbor is murdered. Luckily, Judith knows it is a murder, but the police mistakenly rule it a suicide. Because of her older age Judith is overlooked, her thoughts cast to the side, but this headstrong amateur detective is not going to let that stop her. Teaming up with the vicar’s wife and a local dog walker, the whiskey-drinking crossword puzzler dives headfirst into the case, asking questions that hit a little too close to home. As the tension grows, so does the danger, and it becomes unclear whether Judith will solve the murder before she becomes yet another victim. Furthermore, even though Judith is an older woman, her mind is as sharp as a tack, even as she is underestimated, and she brings a different air to the novel compared to the young-adult detectives many teens are used to reading about. She has no family, yet she is content by herself, and that is inspiring because in a world where so many are constantly connected, she finds happiness in her own company. Despite being a quick read, The Marlow Murder Club demonstrates important themes such as living life to the fullest, and is definitely a book to add to next year’s reading list.
A Witch’s Guide To Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna:
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, along with Sangu Mandanna’s other novel, A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, is the perfect sprinkle of sweetness to add to winter. This book is the equivalent of a cinnamon roll: the best pastry to curl up with on a chill day. It centers around Sera Swan, former magic prodigy, before she lost her powers and was kicked out of her school. Now, she runs her great-aunt’s inn, and loves every second of it, even when she longs for her previous sorcery that gave her light. Finally, Sera decides to attempt a spell to regain her powers, but she has yet to find all the ingredients to complete it. This whimsical, warm novel is the most wonderfully light read, while also holding themes of finding magic in the mundane, and sacrificing for one’s family.
Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon:
Ariel Lawhon is a historical fiction author known for her focus on women’s stories throughout history. Although many parts of this novel are fictional, they are based on a true story, which makes Code Name Helene so inspiring. Code Name Helene centers around Nancy Wake, an Australian woman who falls in love with a Frenchman before World War II. When the Nazis occupy France, she becomes part of the resistance and acquires code names such as Helene, Lucienne Carliet, and Madame Andrée. Her character is bold, bright, and determined, and she does not back down, even when encountering terrifying fascist regimes. She teaches readers how to live in a time that is dark and to always walk with confidence. Especially in current times, when tension is rising between political powers, this piece gives hope and demonstrates the fight for good.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig:
Published in 2022, One Dark Window is one of the best contemporary fantasy books from this year’s reading list. In literature, sometimes fantasy worlds can become redundant, using many of the same creatures and retellings. One Dark Window is one of a kind. Elspeth Spindle lives in the city of Blunder, where power-hungry politicians seek magic and hunt those with magic “degradation,” like Elspeth, who has a monster living in her head that she calls Nightmare. However, when she encounters a highwayman, she has the opportunity to find the Providence cards, the magic sources that the king sanctions, and get rid of Nightmare once and for all. But, the history behind the Providence cards is not all that it seems, and as Elspeth draws nearer to the end of the quest, the Nightmare grows stronger. This novel illustrates that every person has monsters living inside of them, dark parts of themselves that they need to live with. Moreover, it demonstrates that there is much more to people than the facade they show to the public eye, and that we never know the true inner workings of a person’s mind.
I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang:
Every high school student should read I Am Not Jessica Chen. A strong statement, I know, but for teens applying for college and preparing for their futures, it is a cautionary tale not to be consumed by applications because college does not define a person. It also illustrates that a person does not have to be the best in everything to be good enough, and that comparing ourselves to others restricts our ability to become our fullest selves. In the novel, Jenna Chen is rejected from Harvard University, her dream school, and wishes desperately to be her cousin Jessica Chen, who was accepted. The next day, she wakes up in her cousin’s body. At first, she loves taking her cousin’s place, but soon she realizes that Jessica’s life is not as perfect as it seems. All the while, her friends and family are slowly forgetting Jenna Chen. Even if it seems someone is just floating effortlessly through life, everyone has obstacles to overcome, including the crippling academic pressure that comes with being a student. Eventually, Jenna enlists the help of childhood friend Aaron to reverse the wish, but it may just be too late.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini:
Trigger warning: this book contains rape and attempted suicide
Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner was by far my favorite book of the year. It is a poignant, emotional novel about the friendship of two boys, Amir and Hassan, who are socioeconomic opposites, yet so similar in the way that all kids love to run, laugh, and play. Set in Afghanistan over the course of thirty years—a country collapsing in on itself—the novel is filled with betrayal, redemption, and forgiveness. Even though the novel was published over two decades ago, the story holds its importance in today’s society. Khaled’s characters grow and change throughout the novel, and readers can see that redemption is always possible, through good actions and pure deeds. This was by far one of the best novels, not only of this year, but of a lifetime. There are parts where readers will want to cry, will want to claw their way through the pages to wrap their arms around a character and protect them, but there are also parts where readers will regain hope in humanity.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova:
Trigger warning: contains thoughts of suicide
Sometimes, a person you care for gives you their favorite book, so you flip open to the first page and read it, unbeknownst to you, it will change your life—Still Alice is that book. Alice, or Ali, Howland is a professor who teaches linguistics at Harvard. She is 50-years-old, has a husband named John, three adult children, loves to run, and is a world-travelling distinguished academic. So, when she first started forgetting things, she wrote it off as stress and menopause, but soon discovered that she has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Alice hates how this disease has ravaged her brain and is terrified that it will be passed on genetically to her children. She becomes frustrated that her husband treats her as if she is already dead, even as she tries to make the best of the time she has left and live in the moment, because she might not remember yesterday, and her tomorrows are uncharted. This novel illustrates a new way of looking at Alzheimer’s and patients, one more illuminating than pity, fear, and treating it like the elephant in the room. Additionally, it shows us to spend our time intentionally, doing things we love with those we cherish most because time runs out faster than we think. Still Alice is a remarkable novel that needs a place on 2026’s reading list.
The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on all the books read and how they have changed us, as well as adding new books to want-to-read lists for the upcoming 2026. Reading expands horizons and pushes the border of imaginations and perspective. So, if you want to enter the new year by trying a new perspective, and stepping out of your reading comfort zone, try reading a novel on this list that is different from your usual reading.
Lyon Life 