My Favorite Books of 2025

Once again, we have come to that time of year when book enthusiasts everywhere humblebrag about the books we enjoyed! I am, of course, no exception to this, as I’ve been sharing these sorts of round-ups for the last 15 years.

As always, my reading spans genres and mediums, so this list does not represent a single focus. Some were published before 2025. Even so, I think they’re pretty rad. Without further ado, here are my favorite books of 2025—or at least the ones that most stuck with me.

Faith and Spiritual Formation

Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel by Jared C. Wilson

This book cuts deep. I know many people who went off the rails as they chased platforms, were seduced by legalism, or neglected their own character flaws and harmed so many people as a result. I’ve felt the draw myself. Chances are, you have, too. And in this book, Wilson explores how the gospel-centered movement fell apart, and the legitimate dangers that continue to threaten evangelical churches today and cause us to drift, both to the left and the right. This book is not a tell-all; it is a needed wake-up call, one I pray we will heed.

Walking Through Deconstruction: How to Be a Companion in a Crisis of Faith by Ian Harber

It feels a bit odd to call this book a “favorite” because it’s not a particularly cheery read. After all, faith deconstruction is something that inevitably involves a great deal of grief, pain, and struggle, both for those experiencing it and those walking alongside them. Harber brings a calming presence to all this turmoil—a non-anxious presence as he describes it in the book—as he shares his personal experience walking through faith deconstruction and reconstruction, offers practical wisdom, and offers good reasons to remember that deconstruction isn’t the end of the story.

Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor by Caleb E. Campbell

Another heavy but necessary read. Christians ethics can be boiled down to two inseparable commands: Love the Lord with all of your being, and love your neighbor as yourself. Campbell puts these into practice as he explores how we ought to respond to the danger Christian Nationalism represents, and more importantly, to our neighbors who may be drawn to it. He doesn’t offer simplistic diatribes, straw men, or name-calling; he speaks the truth in love and invites his readers to do likewise.

Drawn by Beauty: Awe and Wonder in the Christian Life by Matthew Z. Capps

I typically don’t include books that are more academic in nature on this list, but this book by my friend Matt Capps is one worth reading, especially if you’ve ever wondered, “So why does beauty exist at all?” It isn’t a silly question, and beauty’s existence is not trivial. It is profound and profoundly theological. Beauty offers a glimmer and glimpse of transcendence, a reminder that there is richer, deeper, and more incredible than might realize.

Current Events, History, and Pop Culture

1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation by Andrew Ross Sorkin

Most of us are familiar with the great crash of 1929 that contributed to the Great Depression. But many of us are unfamiliar with the people involved and all the events surrounding it. Sorkin does a masterful job of bringing these events to life, helping readers understand what really happened and why—and where dangers lie in wait in our current over-inflated market.

The Uncool: A Memoir by Cameron Crowe

Cameron Crowe is one of my favorite filmmakers. This memoir explores his adventures as a teenage rock music journalist, his mission to get an interview with Gregg Allman, and his transition toward screenwriting and filmmaking in his early 20s. But most of all, this book is a love letter to his late mother. It’s hard not to feel feelings reading this book.

Steve Martin Writes the Written Word by Steve Martin

This volume collects several essays, including some never-before-published pieces, along with Martin’s novellas, Shop Girl and The Pleasure of My Company, showcasing both his comedy chops but his dramatic storytelling. Yes, you’ll laugh. You’ll be moved. You’ll occasionally be confused. But you’ll also find great sentences, pericopes, and titles throughout. That makes this worthwhile.

Books with Pictures

The New Gods: The Falling Sky by Ram V and Evan Cagle

In the 1970s, comics legend Jack Kirby briefly joined DC Comics, where he launched his Fourth World metastory. Blending Norse mythology, biblical imagery, and more, the Fourth World told story of the battle between good and evil as represented by the world of New Genesis and Apokolips. These books weren’t the runaway success DC hoped for, and Kirby was soon back at Marvel, his story left unfinished. In the years since, the characters and concepts have become mainstays, with frequent attempts to reboot and reinvent them. Ram V and Evan Cagle are the latest creators to take the reins, telling a story rooted in the current events of the DC Universe where Darkseid has died but new dangers are on the horizon as a child on earth with tremendous power may bring about the end of existence. This book is gorgeous, inventive, and well worth your time.

Absolute Batman: The Zoo by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta

Back in 2011, DC Comics rebooted their entire line and started from scratch. Dubbed “The New 52,” the results were, shall we say, mixed, with some characters receiving only minor tweaks and others being radically reinvented. The line has largely reverted in the years since. In 2024, DC decided to take another stab at reinventing their core characters—not by starting from scratch, but through the fallout of a storyline that saw Darkseid die and a new alternate universe come into existence alongside the existing DCU. Absolute Batman is the first of a new line set in this universe, and introduces us to a new and different Bruce Wayne—a Batman without the money, the mansion, and the army of allies, is still ready to take his war on crime to the criminals of Gotham City.

Gotham Central by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, and Michael Lark

Imagine “Law & Order” or “The Wire” set in Gotham City, and you’ll have a sense of what to expect with this book. Brubaker and Rucka are two of my favorite writers from this period, who masterfully blend a gritty realness with the inherently fantastical (and sometimes goofy) realm of superheroes. A high point from the early- to mid-2000s era of DC Comics, this book doesn’t just focus on the role of the police in a world filled with superheroes and supervillains. It explores the lives of those who swore to serve and protect the citizens of one of comics’ darkest cities.

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My favorites from previous years