Reading is a relaxing way to pass the time, expand your vocabulary and help maintain cognition. Piedmont Health says reading boosts health in a number of ways.
Researchers at the University of Sussex found that participants who read for just six minutes experienced reduced muscle tension and a slower heart rate. Studies have shown that regular reading may slow mental decline and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
New books inspire people to read more readily. According to Goodreads and The New York Times Best Sellers, the following are some of the best-selling books of 2025.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros: Violet Sorrengail must journey beyond the failing wards and seek allies from unfamiliar lands, a trip that will test her strength, luck and much more. This book is the third in the fantasy romance Empyrean series.
Alchemised by SenLinYu: Hope seems lost for Helena, a prisoner of war facing a dreary world of death and dark magic. In this dark fantasy, a woman with missing memories fights to survive in a war-torn world.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins: It’s the fiftieth annual Hunger Games and fear blankets Panem. In honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. This book provides an interpretation of the Reaping through the eyes of Haymitch.
107 Days by Kamala Harris: Vice President Harris answered her party’s last-minute call to enter the presidential race in 2024. She only had 107 days to prepare and make history, with an eye on the most important job in the country, if not the world. This book provides an unfiltered look at the triumphs and pressure Harris faced.
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Thoughtful and reserved, Joan Goodwin is content with her career as a physics professor. But when she sees an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join the NASA space shuttle program, suddenly Joan aspires to be one of those lucky enough to visit space.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden: The queen of suspenseful reads is at it again with a tale of a live-in housekeeper who is very much entwined in the lives of the family she serves without them really knowing much about the woman living in their attic. A mystery-thriller with a surprise twist that no one will see coming, and the first in a series.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey: An honest and unflinching memoir from one of the more popular actors of his generation. Compiled from years of diaries and stories, the book is a composition of his life thus far and offers readers many lessons.
