photo credit: Shiv Majmundar
2025 seems like one of those years that elongates in my memory. A bit like 2020—it feels like it went on for 10 years. I think we’ve been in 2025 for the past decade. Which is to say, I’m happy that it’s finally drawn to a close.
Things get better, at least for seniors. No more college apps. More free time. But with that free time, comes great responsibility.
For instance, looking back on the year and picking out, in my case, books and movies and other stuff I liked. We did one of these things back in my junior year, I think, or maybe my memory’s receding at the ripe old age of 17. Anyway, this is a year-in-review of 2025 in terms of what I read, watched, and listened to. Here we go.
BOOKS:
I’m not really sure how much I read in a year—the number of books I finish is significantly smaller than the number I start. I tend to try everything, read samples and then continue with what I like. My goal was to read more books in 2025. I will talk about three of them here.
“Annihilation” by Jeff Vandermeer: 5/5 stars
This book is a trippy, short, surreal nightmare. Told in a first-person style that brings to mind foundational sci-fi writers like Verne; this book concerns Area X, a cut-off part of a continent that is as mysterious as it is dangerous. Only a few researchers are allowed to go on expeditions to this place. Many have gone, but few come out alive. You’ll see why. Very quickly.
“The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones: 5/5 stars
If you’re not familiar with Stephen Graham Jones. . . well, to put it bluntly, you’re missing out. He’s one of the most unique, versatile and brilliant minds in modern horror. He’s written in probably every subgenre and has a vast output that will keep readers busy for several months.
I’ve read five of his books, and I’ve been blown away every time. But this novel, his latest, is his best. It’s an epistolary novel, an uncovered diary from a Lutheran pastor from 1912. The story of Good Stab, a Blackfeet Native American vampire, is told through his confession to this pastor. This book is a masterclass in voice—every character sounds distinct, authentic. Like they’re speaking directly to readers . Jones peels back layers of history, makes the past immediate, brutal, and this is my favorite book published this year. A modern classic.
“Age of Vice” by Deepti Kapoor
I’m currently reading this (almost finished) but I can comfortably put it on this list. It’s immersive, addictive and the pages fly by. A story of corruption, greed, love and an unflinching look at poverty and class in India. The balance between the personal and the political makes this tale of warring crime families in Delhi stand out.
MOVIES
Here we go. Movies I liked in ’25.
“Sinners”, directed by Ryan Coogler
It’s already a wildly praised movie (for good reason), so I’ll keep this brief. Vampires in the Jim Crow south. Divine music, bloody action and excellent performances. There’s one scene in here that’s absolutely transcendent and beautiful. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I’m talking about.
“The Thing”, directed by John Carpenter
So tense, cool and awesomely gross. I really vibed with this. I’ll rewatch it any time. Blood test scene? Dog kennels? Good luck forgetting this movie. It sticks to the walls of your brain.
“K-Pop Demon Hunters”, directed by Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang
You’re a fan. I’m a fan. We’re all fans. The song “Your Idol” is criminally underrated. It’s good to see the world united over something.
MUSIC
New category! Sort of. I think I did this last year. Not sure how. Either way, here’s some music I liked:
Favorite new album (for me): “The Valley,” by Whitechapel. This is metal that’s intense, raw, soulful and monstrous all at once. The album came out a while ago, but I’m really loving it now.
Favorite new album released this year: “Getting Killed,” by Geese. One of those bands that sounds super old and super new at the same time. I’ve been listening to them obsessively.
There’s also Nirvana and Radiohead and Def Leppard and Luke Combs and Metallica and Rage Against the Machine and Guns n’ Roses and AC/DC and Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne (rest in peace) and NIN and Johnny Cash and the soundtrack to “Saiyaara” (haven’t seen the movie, but want to) and Springsteen (haven’t seen the biopic, same for Dylan) and Arijit Singh, but there are only so many words and pages, and we’re out of time again.
