Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books On My Winter 2025-2026 T0-Read List

Hi, and welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly challenge from That Artsy Girl. This week, I’m sharing the top ten books on my winter 2025-2026 to-read list. Some of these have been on my list for a while, and a few books I started but haven’t finished yet.

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My Winter 2025-2026 To-Read List

Top Ten Books To-Read

1 – Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield tells the story of a small child carried to an inn by a wounded stranger. Hours later, the child mysteriously returns to life, leaving the local community desperate for answers. Three families come forward to claim her, but the girl cannot remember her past. Each family harbors its own secrets, and many mysteries must be unraveled before the girl’s true identity is revealed.

2 – Mansfield Park by Jane Austin. Set at Mansfield Park, this novel tells the story of Fanny Price, a quiet and principled young woman living in Regency England, as Fanny learns to respect herself and her heart and do what is right.

3 – The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson tells the story of a man who suffers a terrible car crash and is badly burned. While recovering in the hospital, he meets Marianne Engel, an unusual sculptor. She claims they were lovers in medieval Germany. As she shares stories from their supposed past, he begins to question what is possible and what is not.

4 – The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Nana Alba told her great-granddaughter, Minerva, stories about witches. These stories inspired Minerva to study scary books. She now researches Beatrice Tremblay, an unknown writer. Minerva learns that Tremblay’s most famous book, The Vanishing, is based on a real event. Long ago, Tremblay attended Minerva’s university and had a strange roommate who vanished. As Minerva reads more, she feels the same evil from the past might still be there. This reminds her of Nana Alba’s old stories. Minerva worries that the same dark force is now after her in 1990s Massachusetts. School is tough, but is dangerous when witchcraft is involved.

5 – A Quiet Madness by John Isaac Jones. This book explores the fascinating and turbulent life of Edgar Allan Poe, one of America’s most renowned poets. A loving stepmother, a brutal stepfather, and influential women such as Jane Stanard, Lenore, and his beloved wife, Virginia Clemm, all shaped Poe’s world. His life was marked by hardship and drama despite these connections.

6 – The Best American Short Stories 2025 by Celeste Ng. Guest editor Celeste Ng says, Short stories help us see what matters. The Best American Short Stories 2025 includes twenty stories that challenge our beliefs and expectations. The book features a grieving actress, people affected by a strange illness, residents of a wildlife estate, and a mother who pretends to be a celebrity. Each story takes readers to new places and shows different sides of life.

7 – Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner. This story centers on family, food, and loss. Michelle Zauner shares what it was like to grow up as one of the few Asian American kids in Eugene, Oregon. She struggled with her mother’s high expectations and found her teenage years challenging. She recalls late-night meals with her mother and grandmother in Seoul. As an adult, Michelle moved away, worked in restaurants, played music, and met her husband, but felt disconnected from her Korean roots. Michelle made an effort to reconnect with her culture and the traditions her mother had passed down after her mother’s cancer diagnosis.

8 – Extreme Ownership by Jacko Willink and Leif Babin. Combat teaches tough leadership lessons, with everything at stake. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin experienced this in Iraq as leaders of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser. Their job was to help U.S. forces take back Ramadi, a city full of danger and violence. Through stories of bravery, loss, and victory, they learned that good leadership is the key to a team’s success or failure.

9 – The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones. Jade Daniels returns to Proofrock, Idaho, after spending four years in prison for protecting her friend Letha and her family. In this story, both Jade and the town have changed a lot since she left. Proofrock still faces significant problems, including dangerous cultists and wealthy outsiders looking to reshape the town. The most considerable threat remains—the curse of the Lake Witch. With Jade back, the time has come for a showdown.

10 – Sonny Boy – by Al Pacino. By his mid-thirties, Al Pacino had already lived through many changes. He acted in New York’s theater scene and did odd jobs to support himself. After his father left, his mother and grandparents raised him. He spent much of his youth with friends in the South Bronx. A teacher recognized his talent and helped him enroll at the High School of Performing Arts. Acting always gave him a sense of purpose and community. Sonny Boy is Pacino’s honest memoir about his important roles, partnerships, and the struggle to balance art with business.

What books are on your winter reading list?