My Best Books of 2025 (aka mostly books that made me cry)

I tried something new! I did a video post instead of a blog post. You can find the video below and recap below that (it’s not exactly a transcript but it does include all the books mentioned in the video)

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Hi, I’m Jen Cleary. I’m the person behind Craft Dance Read Repeat, and today I decided to try something new: talking to you on video. Welcome to my craft room—yes, it’s a mess. If you’re crafty, you probably recognize this kind of mess. Can we just normalize messy, definitely NOT Pinterest perfect craft rooms please?

Originally, I planned to write a blog post about my favorite books I read in 2025. But every time I try to write about books—especially explaining why someone should read them—it turns stiff and academic, and honestly, that makes me want to read the book less. So instead, here we are. A video. Take three. (Or if you’re reading this, the edited version of what I said on video which is much better than if I had just written about the books in the first place.)

I read a lot, though “a lot” means different things to different people. For me, it’s under 50 books a year. When I was choosing which books to talk about, I filtered out anything I couldn’t remember at all. I forget plots and character names constantly, but I do remember how books made me feel. So these are the ones that stayed with me in some way.

I grouped them into a few completely arbitrary categories.

Books That Made Me Cry

I love crying at books. I find it cathartic and oddly enjoyable. I’ve been choosing books that make me cry on purpose since I was a teenager, back when I was reading a lot of Lurlene McDaniel and crying all the time.

One book that really got me this year was Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. She’s usually labeled as a contemporary romance writer, and for a long time I thought I didn’t like romance—until I read her books. This one felt a little different to me. The romance is there, but the story leans heavily into family secrets and the things we don’t talk about. That theme comes up a lot in my reading, apparently. I still think Funny Story might be my favorite Emily Henry if I had to choose, but I really loved this one.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kUt3mK

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780593441299

The next book in this category was Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. I read this for a book bingo category—something that had been turned into a series. This one has multiple timelines, family secrets, people escaping old lives to build new ones. It stuck with me deeply. I haven’t watched the series yet; I usually need some distance between finishing a book and watching the adaptation so I don’t get mad about the differences.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kUt3mK

Bookshop:https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780593358351

The last book in this category was Past Tense by Sasha Mardou, a graphic novel memoir about her experience with therapy—specifically Internal Family Systems. I’m fascinated by this approach, the idea that we have different parts of ourselves all trying to be heard, and that compassion is the way forward. Her story felt deeply relatable, human, and hard in a way that really stayed with me.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ay4B77

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780593541364

Deep Feels (Adjacent to Crying)

This category isn’t that far from crying, honestly.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach surprised me. It wasn’t what I expected at all. I thought it might be lighter or more romance-adjacent, but instead it felt deeply human—about small efforts, hard moments, and learning how to be yourself while moving through difficult things. There are mental-health themes here, so check content warnings if that’s important for you.

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3OtVD2d

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9781250899576

Another book that lived in this emotional space was You Are Here by David Nicholls. It’s about working through your stuff so you can move forward and have better relationships. Quiet, thoughtful, and very human.

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4kZR7EU

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780063394063

And then there’s Wayward by Emilia Hart, which is quite different. It follows three women across three timelines and explores generational experiences, womanhood, power, and survival. It’s heavy in places but incredibly compelling.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kZR7EU

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9781250842725

Nonfiction

I read a lot of nonfiction, especially memoir, and two very different books stood out.

Disability Visibility edited by Alice Wong is a collection of essays by disabled writers. I value reading perspectives that are not my own, and this book offers a huge range of experiences and types of disability. It gave me insight without overwhelming me and made me want to keep learning.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kZR7EU

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9781984899422

The other nonfiction pick is narrative nonfiction: The Ghosts of Eden Park by Karen Abbott. It’s about Prohibition, bootlegging, and a specific moment in American history, told in a way that reads like a novel. Abbott is incredible at this style. I recently recommended her book Sin in the Second City to friends as well—she’s one of my favorites at making history feel alive.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Mty214

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780451498632

Poetry (A Return)

For a long time, I avoided poetry. My high-school English memories weren’t great, and I always felt like I “didn’t get it.” As an adult, I’ve been finding my way back in.

Two collections really stayed with me this year.

Evermore by Jessica Jocelyn is about privacy and motherhood, and it spoke to me immediately. This is what poetry feels like at its best—something that moves you and makes you feel less alone.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aLZ7EN

The second is If My Body Could Speak by Blythe Baird. This one is hard and deals with difficult topics around the body. Poetry, for me, can hold these subjects in a way that prose can’t, and this collection did that beautifully.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4qSQvCe

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9781943735471

For Funsies

These are the books that were just fun to read—though some of them still made me cry.

The New One by Mike Birbiglia was funny, self-deprecating, and touching. I saw his show when I was pregnant with my oldest, and reading it later felt like revisiting something familiar.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4qSQvCe

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9781538701522

I also loved Back After This by Linda Holmes. It’s set in the podcasting world and blends romance with humor. I’ll always love Linda Holmes for introducing me to Eleanor & Park years ago, and I’ve really enjoyed her novels.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4s4JjUv

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780593599259

Then there’s The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. I was very late to this one. For some reason, I thought it involved vampires? It does not. I loved it. And yes, I cried.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cIbUKL

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780593336823

Another fun favorite was Love You Mean It by Jillian Gagnon. I once shared a coworking space with her years ago, and I think it’s incredibly cool to read books by people you’ve met, even briefly. The book was fun and heartfelt, and I’d absolutely recommend it.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tOVu9A

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/10712/9780593722961

A Final Note: The Ramona Books

Lastly, I want to mention the Ramona. I read some of them as a kid, but listening to them with my own children was a completely different experience. They are so funny. They sound exactly like the way kids think at each age, and they hold up beautifully. We listened to the audiobooks, and I would absolutely listen to them again.

That’s my best of 2025. My craft room is still a mess, but that’s okay. Maybe it will be better in the next video.

I'm skipping this in 2026

I’m not doing it this year.

It’s January 6 and every time I hop online i’m inundated with new year new you, the resolution you NEED this year, goals goals goals…

Every year for as long as I can remember, I have spent the days up to new years brainstorming all the things i want to DO in the upcoming year.  Setting goal after lofty goal.  On the surface it looks like me, aspiring to be my best self.  But underneath it’s always been about something else.  

Achieve.

Prove your worth.

Accomplish or you are a failure.

The pressure to be endlessly more productive has always felt like it came from within. But did it start that way?  Was I born this way?

This fall, on a distinctly summery day in early october I attended a wellness retreat with one of my favorite facilitators, Heather Fraelick.  It was called Radiant Transitions and over the course of the day we practiced healing movement modalities and processed ways to embrace the upcoming seasons.

This is not in my usual nature of go-go-go-do-do-do regardless of time of year, time of my cycle, or time of day.

But by the end of the day I was ready to try something different.

I decided to spend the winter slowing down.  

It’s kind of wild that in a season when the earth turns inward and rests, when the daylight is in short supply, and the temperature demands snuggling under blankets seeking comfort that it’s basically counter-cultural to do the same.  To resist the demands of endless productivity.  To not set goals.  To seek an entirely different experience of transformation.  

And so (just typing this has my heart squeezing tight and my tear ducts at the ready):

I am not setting goals this January.

And the more I think about it, the more I wonder how any of us can.

Autumn is bursting with holidays and family time and celebrations.  Personally I went from Thanksgiving travel to Christmas preparations to an untimely stomach bug (are those ever timely?) to full on family time.  The new year arrived in a wave of gratitude and exhaustion and complete lack of routine. 

Who can set goals in that state of being?

How is it possible to be in tune with my actual desires for the future in the wake of so much dysregulation?

Don’t get me wrong.  I felt the pull.

I’ve seen people making crafty goal oriented punch cards and designing gorgeous bullet journal pages and it is tempting!

When I couldn’t shake the drive to MAKE A PLAN for 2026, I opened my journal and started writing down all the goal-ish ideas.  Let them wash over me.  And decided that January 1 was not a starting line.

As a person who always desires progress while simultaneously attempting to recover from perfectionism, I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.  But more and more I want my accomplishments to be for myself instead of the respect or admiration or praise I might receive from others.  And rushing into a checklist for 2026 isn’t it.

Instead I’d like to spend the next few months testing out new ideas, minus the pressure of success.

I want to rest and create and share on my own timelines.

I want to reflect on some cool things I’ve seen over the last months and consider how I could incorporate them into my own life in a way that suits me.  And if they don’t, I want to toss those ideas out the window, trusting they aren’t for me.

Most importantly, I want to enter this new year gently.

The Biggest Challenges to Living a Creative Life (and How to Overcome Them) 🎨✨

What’s Your Biggest Challenge in Expressing Your Creativity? 🎨✨

Ever feel like creativity is just out of reach? Like you have ideas bubbling under the surface, but something always gets in the way?

When my oldest was born, I was swept up in the newborn phase, hyperfocused on being a mom, covered in spit up, with every other aspect of my identity on hold.  There were no dance classes for me to teach, my knitting projects felt overwhelming (I mean, I was knitting, just very very very slowly), and even getting dressed felt like an uninspired blur of nursing friendly clothes.  Yet, pretty quickly I felt a deep craving for creativity.  A need to express myself somehow.  So I started writing.  During the moments where I got a break (and probably should’ve immediately taken a nap), I would go to a room by myself and write.  And it felt so damn good. 

That experience taught me something important—creativity isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. And when we don’t have an outlet for it, we feel it deep in our bones.

Creativity doesn’t always flow freely, and roadblocks can make it hard to express ourselves the way we want to. But I believe creative expression is an integral part of the human experience and it’s important to our wellbeing to find ways to let our creativity shine.

So, what’s getting in the way of your creativity right now? Let’s explore some common obstacles and ideas for how to transform them into creative opportunities.

1. "I Want to, But Life is Busy!" – The Time Struggle 🕰️

Between work, family, and the never-ending to-do list, creativity often gets pushed to the bottom of our priorities. It’s easy to tell ourselves that we’ll “get to it later,” but later never seems to come.

Try this: Start small! Set a timer for 10 minutes and create something—anything. Doodle, dance, write a few lines, or play with a new idea. Treat it like an appointment with yourself. Creativity doesn’t require hours of free time; it just needs a little intention. Remember - even a one-minute dance party in your kitchen, putting together an outfit that sparks joy, or doodling an encouraging message on a post-it counts as creative expression!

2. "I Struggle to Stay Inspired." – The Motivation Challenge ⚡

Some days, creativity flows like a river. Other days, it feels like a dried-up well. Lack of motivation can stem from burnout, self-doubt, or simply feeling stuck in a routine.

Try this: Change things up! Experiment with a new medium, take a different route on your daily walk, visit a museum, or listen to a podcast about creativity. Surrounding yourself with inspiration can help reignite that spark. You could even spend some time looking at the world like you were just born yesterday—like Bandit in that Bluey episode where he pretends he doesn’t know anything and ends up in awe of a single leaf. Approach creativity with that same curiosity. What if you let go of expectations and just explored?"

3. "I’m Not Sure How to Start." – The Knowledge Gap 🧠

Ever feel like you don’t know enough to begin? Maybe you’ve wanted to try painting, making jewelry, or writing a story, but you’re intimidated by where to start. This fear of the unknown can keep us from even trying.

Try this: Embrace being a beginner. No one is an expert on day one! Look for beginner-friendly tutorials, take an online class, or join a community of learners. 

And for the love of it, give yourself permission to suck—seriously, make something awful. Who said it has to be good to count? Sometimes, just starting is the hardest part. Remember, every great artist, writer, or dancer started somewhere—why not start today?

4. "I Don’t Have the Right Tools or Space." – The Resource Dilemma 🛠️

Not having the “perfect” setup can feel like a major barrier. Maybe you don’t have an art studio, expensive materials, or the exact tools you think you need. But creativity isn’t about perfection—it’s about making the most of what you have.

Try this: Get resourceful! Use what’s available to you—try digital tools instead of physical ones, repurpose materials, or create in small spaces. Many great works of art were made in tiny apartments, kitchen tables, and notebooks carried in backpacks. Creativity thrives in unexpected places!

Breaking Through Creative Blocks

No matter what’s holding you back, there’s always a way forward. The key is to start where you are, use what you have, and trust the process. Here are a few small steps you can take today:
✅ Set aside just 10 minutes for creativity.
✅ Try something new to spark inspiration.
✅ Embrace being a beginner—just start!
✅ Make do with the resources you have.
✅ Think outside the box—small creative acts like a fun outfit, a quick doodle, or an impromptu dance count too!

Remember, creativity isn’t about being perfect—it’s about expressing yourself and finding joy in the process.

Join the Conversation!

What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to expressing your creativity? Drop a comment below and share a specific creative challenge or a creative success you’ve had recently! Let’s support each other and make creative expression a habit!

Want more ideas on how to add creativity to your life? Sign up for my email newsletter and I'll pop into your inbox with creativity boosts, joyful inspiration, and a little soul fuel—because your creative life deserves some love. 💗✨