Tired of seeing the same titles on every "Best Of" list? In this third annual special episode, host Blaine DeSantis cuts through the noise to deliver his personal baker's dozen of the absolute best books he's read all year. If you're searching for the perfect present for the readers in your life, this list of Christmas book recommendations 2025 has something for everyone, from your spouse and parents to siblings and friends. Forget the popularity contests; these are 13 compulsively readable books, read cover-to-cover, that are guaranteed to surprise and delight.

This is the ultimate Books and Looks podcast wish list, curated to solve the overwhelming problem of choosing from over a million books published each year. Blaine dives deep into his top picks across a wide range of genres, ensuring you'll find the perfect match for any taste. We start with some of the best nonfiction books 2025 has to offer, exploring pressing geopolitical issues in America in the Arctic by Mary Thompson-Jones and getting a stunning insider's view of modern Russia with Jill Doherty's My Russia. The episode then moves into a collection of unique memoir recommendations that celebrate the human spirit, from Marie Leautey's incredible story of running a marathon every single day in Leautey's World Run to John Seabrook's fascinating and complex family history in The Spinach King, the story of the family that made frozen lima beans a household staple. We also follow Graham Broyd's journey in Backpack, Jacket, Surfboard, as he retraces his 1980 hitchhiking trip across America.

The list continues with incredible historical fiction and mystery books, including Sarah Dunant's masterful novel The Marquesa, which brings to life the first woman of the Italian Renaissance, Isabella d'Este. Blaine also highlights captivating biographies, such as Sister Aimee, Claire Hoffman's look at the spectacular rise and fall of Pentecostal preacher Aimee Semple McPherson, and Jan Gradvall's The Story of ABBA, offering an exclusive look into the lives of the iconic supergroup. We explore captivating nonfiction, from the surprisingly fascinating story of a despised bird in Starlings by Mike Stark to disappearing global traditions in Eliot Stein's Custodians of Wonder. David Krell's Do You Believe in Magic? provides a vibrant snapshot of America during the disco era of 1978. Finally, for those who love a good page-turner, Blaine recommends two compulsively readable mysteries: Danger, No Problem by Cindy F. Fariña, a thriller featuring a Filipino-American bounty hunter, and Ivory Bones by Sara Winokur, which centers on the mysterious and valuable Lewis Chessmen. These Christmas book recommendations 2025 are the best of the best from a year of reading.