"The renowned television critic's debut novel upends everything you'd expect from a trans-in-a-small-town story through the unlikely friendship at its center: There's Abigail, the only out trans girl in her high school and a quick-witted rebel worthy of a classic teen movie, and her English teacher, Erica, who's still coming to terms with her identity when she seeks out Abigail for guidance - a role Abigail is not exactly thrilled to play."
"I may be biased because she's a friend, but I couldn't put down Odell's juicy biography of Gwyneth Paltrow, which promptly spawned headlines when it was released over the summer. And mining new territory when it came to the Oscar winner was no easy feat: The Goop founder and high priestess of woo-woo wellness didn't participate in the book, yet Odell persisted, rigorously researching and reading everything there was to know about Paltrow and conducting more than 200 interviews with friends, colleagues, and Hollywood insiders."
The list highlights favorite books of 2025 across memoir, fantasy, new releases, and contemporary classics that lingered with readers. Woodworking centers on an unlikely friendship between Abigail, an out trans high-school girl, and Erica, an English teacher navigating her own identity, using alternating perspectives and inventive narration to deliver a surprising third act. Gwyneth is a rigorously researched biography of Gwyneth Paltrow compiled from over 200 interviews despite Paltrow's nonparticipation, offering an intimate look at her acting career, relationships, and transformation into a business figure with public fascination. Additional notable reads round out the selection.
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