December 2025 - Dr Martina Topić-Rutherford

#Books: Favourite Books of 2025

In 2025, I read across a wide variety of genres — from literary fiction and dystopian speculative novels to heart-warming contemporary stories, reflective memoir-style nonfiction, and sociological explorations. My reading journey this year was particularly shaped by character-driven narratives about personal transformation, community, and identity, alongside thoughtful nonfiction that broadened my view of society and […]

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Books

#BookReview: Golden Girls on the Run

Author: Judy Leigh In Golden Girls on the Run, a brand new book by Judey Leigh, the author once again turns her attention to women who exist outside the narrow scripts offered to them by society, through the lens of later life. Much like in her earlier novels, which I have written about (The Vintage

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Books

#BookReview: The Royal Secret (The Love Letter)

Author: Lucinda Riley Until I just finished this book, I totally forgot how much I love thrillers. I think I’ve got distracted with two book clubs and all the lovely books and genres I discovered there, albeit Lucinda Riley as an author was mentioned in my British book club because some members have recently read

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Books

#BookReview: The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

Author: Takuya Asakuro Some novels invite the reader to slow down, to notice what is usually passed over in everyday life. The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop is one such book. It centres on a small, fragile bookshop threatened by time, change, and unresolved personal histories, using this setting to reflect on memory, loss, and the

book review, Takuya Asakuro, The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

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Books

#BookReview: The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris

Author: Evie Woods I previously read Evie Woods’ book The Story Collector, which I absolutely loved. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that I read another book by this author. The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris is a story about starting over, the weight of memory, and the unexpected ways places — and people

book review, Evie Woods, The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris

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Books

#BookReview: Never Let Me Go

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro Never Let Me Go is a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, the author of Klara and the Sun I read recently. Like Klara and the Sun, Never Let Me Go is also a dystopian novel narrated through the quiet, reflective voice and written from the character’s point of view. In this case, the

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Books

#BookReview: Mr. Skeffington

Author: Elizabeth von Arnim Mr. Skeffington is a novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, who is climbing the list of my favourite authors. I previously read The Enchanted April and Love. This book continues with the same literary style, and von Arnim wrote a compelling story. The story is very similar, in its historical context, to

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