And just like that, the year is half over. That means it’s It’s time for a special mid-year check-in about what’s been lighting me up so far in 2025.
Life & Creativity
Despite all the heaviness and anxiety surrounding everything in the world, I’ve managed to have a pretty solid six months. I started the year without a good sense of where I wanted to go with the blog. Things took a wonderfully positive turn with my series on the Ways of the Saints for Lent, which spurred a lot of wonderful spiritual reading and personal reflection that was very helpful. And while it certainly involves a lot more difficult reading, my present series on the Parables has likewise been fulfilling both spiritually and creatively. It’s the kind of study that stretches my mind and heart in all the right ways.
I’m not one to think my life is going to be revolutionized by making purchases, but two wonderful additions to my life this year were an air fryer and stationary bike.
I’m not sure if it’s just because of the state of the world, or whether there’s a disconnect between where I’m at and where culture is at, or if it’s just a down year, but I’ve been fairly disappointed in both the new literature and new music so far.
Books
Of the books that have really struck me this year, only two have been 2025 releases (with three more having been 2025 English translations of older books):
- Victorian Psycho, by Virginia Feito
- Woodworking, by Emily St. James
- Hunchback, by Saou Ichikawa (publ. Japanese 2023)
- Strange Pictures, by Uketsu (publ. Japanese 2022)
- In the Absence of Men, by Philippe Besson (publ. French 2007)
Some backlist titles that have been great for me this year include:
- Lock In, by John Scalzi (2014)
- The Magnificent Ruins, by Nayantara Roy (2024)
- Normal People, by Sally Rooney (2018)
- Ghosts, by Dolly Alderton (2020)
- The Unseen World, by Liz Moore (2016)
- Blood Over Bright Haven, by ML Wang (2024)
- The Silence of the Girls, by Pat Barker (2018), along with The Women of Troy (2021), and The Voyage Home (2024)
- Elizabeth Rex, by Timothy Findley (2000)
Music
While I’ve largely reframed the music year as an opportunity to invest in some more under-the-radar artists in the absence of huge hit albums from major players, it’s still a noticeably down year. But here are some of my favourite albums and songs from the year so far:
Albums (Major Artists)
- MAYHEM, by Lady Gaga
- I quit, by HAIM
- Virgin, by Lorde
- Something Beautiful, by Miley Cyrus
- Addison, by Addison Rae
Albums (Smaller Artists)
- Night Driving, by Max McNown
- A6, by Lights
- Revelation, by The Knocks and Dragonette
- Going, Going, Gone, by Knox
- Michigander, by Michigander
- Getting into Heaven, by Sedona
Songs
- “Basic Being Basic,” by Djo
- “Relationships,” by HAIM
- “Garden of Eden,” by Lady Gaga
- “ALIVE AGAIN,” by Lights
- “Anxiety,” by Doechii
- “Now & Then,” by Knox
- “Heaven II,” by Julia Michaels
- “Foolish Pleasure,” by The Knocks and Dragonnete
- “Not Enough,” by Mia Wray
- “Better Me For You,” by Max McNown
Matthew Root 