Diane’s review of 2025 on Goodreads > Likes and Comments

Beautiful thoughts, Diane! I wish you great reading in 2026!

Thank you Ann. Any reading year is a great one.

I loved your write-up Diane! I wish you many great reads in 2026!

I think either you or Antoinette turned me on to Thrush Green and I thank you for that anti-depressant. Happy reading, Diane.

May it be a great 2026 for you in books and all else too, Diane. You read a number of books that I had added or read this past year. Always enjoy your thoughts on books.

I read the Cazalet Chronicles for the first time this year and found them absolutely spellbinding. Those works and the Poldark books made up a good 30% of my reading and helped make 2025 my favourite year of reading to date

Thanks Karen. Judith, anti-depressant is a great description of Miss Read books.

Thanks Ron, same here, really love your thoughtful reviews.

Andy, you've read some great books too. Cazulets and Poldarks are great family sagas.

Love your summary, Diane. I share your love of The Correspondent. I pushed it into as many hands as I could! Funny, I’m so hesitant to do rereads since I have over 6500 (!!!!) books in my TBR pile, and I own over 2000 of them!! I know, that’s insane! It would take me new lifetimes to even make a dent in the pile!! So you can see why I don’t want to do rereads!! But I appreciate how comforting and fool-proof it is! Have a wonderful new year in books!

You’ve had a great reading year, Diane . The Correspondent, thanks to you is one of my favorites of the year . Wishing you a happy and healthy new year !

Sounds like a good reading year Diane. I enjoy all your reading activity here on Goodreads and owe you gratitude for urging me to read both The Correspondent and Lonesome Dove - two of my favorite books of 2025 which was a terrible year in a lot of ways (nationally and professionally for me) but a good year of reading. (I loved the Miss Read series, the Cazulet Chronicles and Pilcher and Binchy too!)

Happy New Year, Diane! I also loved The Correspondent. Great recap of 2025! What say — On to 2026!

Great write up, Diane. I think The Correspondent is my top book of the year as well. This was the year I reached for more comfort reads. It’s good to listen to one’s self, isn’t it? I value our friendship and our shared love of books. Thanks for that. Wishing you the very best in 2026! Happy reading!

I love your analysis, Diane! I relate to the certain kind of reading I just cannot stomach right now, with all that we're dealing with in real life. And I'm taking special note of what you say about series reading, something I'm just beginning to get into again after, I don't know, maybe 50 years! All the best to you in this new year!

Love reading your thoughts on books and I'm grateful for the books you bring to my attention. We concur when it comes to the Correspondent. Best wishes for the year ahead, Diane.

Great write up Diane, it's always a pleasure reading your reviews and comments - even when you do poke me very occasionally 😂😉. It's also wonderful to see that the dire state of your politics has opened one or two more doors for you - escapism is the best right? You've also reminded me to pick up The Correspondent. Maybe I can book you for a buddy read sometime in 2026 - yeah, yeah, I know. I will go through your agent!! Have a great year ahead Diane 🦘🎈🤗

Thanks Debbie. I try to schedule a few rereads through the year, that can be counted on to provide pleasure.

Angela, The Correspondent is strictly a word of mouth success. Happy New Year to you too.

Terry, reading makes any year great.

Antoinette, what can I say? And now you can look forward to revisiting childhood classics with your new granddaughter. Onward and upward!

Kathleen and Bianca, both of you are sources for good books. I listen to what you say and think. Intelligent thoughts and conversation gets more important every day.

Mark, my agent quit! She said I was too particular, whatever that means. Plus, she didn't think 10% of nothing was worth it.

Love your comments, Diane! Whatever books we choose to read, I only hope bring us happiness in their own ways.
Happy reading in 2026 - hope you find many 5-star reads!

It is funny how our tastes and/or tolerance levels change as we mature (my sister says I am not mature, just overly-ripe). I love that you have discovered some great writers that you missed and that you are visiting with some you already love. I have been doing more re-reading and I find I enjoy that far more than picking up a new contemporary book most of the time.

Have a happy and productive 2026, and continue the reading joy!

Thank you Sara. We feel the same about contemporary novels. I just put myself on the library hold list for most of those, because if I get bored after a few pages, back they go! No harm, no foul, as Alex Trebec used to say.

Agreed re: celebrity memoirs, for not feeling overly obligated, and for choosing the books that feed your soul and protect your mental health during dark times!!

Wishing you a great reading year, Diane!

It's a good plan Robin. Now if I could just get my health insurance to cover the cost of my books.........

Diane wrote: "Mark, my agent quit! She said I was too particular, whatever that means. Plus, she didn't think 10% of nothing was worth it."

........I can run through "what that means" Diane, if you have a spare hour or two 😂😉❤️

..I gave up reading suspense because the nightly news gives me knots in my stomach and I don't need more. I will not even attempt something that I know in advance will be depressing or hopeless. I don't read political books of any kind, or celebrity memoirs because, who cares?
Couldn't agree more!
Thank you for your insights; you've pointed the way to so many fine books that I would otherwise not have known about.

Same here Jim. We readers have to stick together. I take all your reviews into serious consideration.

So glad we both read and loved Janice Holt Giles. I’m getting to Hannah Fowler this year. Great write up of a great year of reading, Diane!!

Diane wrote: "It's a good plan Robin. Now if I could just get my health insurance to cover the cost of my books........."

Oh Diane, I am laughing here! If you figure this one out do share. 😂

I am glad you made the wise, for you, choice of comfort reads for this year. It is definitely better for the soul than reading the news. So many of us need a soothing balm in our lives.

Here's hoping for new possibilities in this new year.

I love the way you wrapped up your 2025 reading year, Diane, and appreciate knowing the books that were a balm for the spirit. Happy reading in 2026!

Lori, Giles was a wonderful discovery for me, I wish her books weren't mostly out of print. You are going to LOVE Hannah Fowler.

Lisa, books are good medicine, but insurance companies will never go for it. I'm always on the lookout for more of those forgotten authors.

Thanks Laysee, same to you!

A great 2025 wrap-up, Diane! I have Norah Lofts on my Thriftbooks wishlist because of you. You've also made me see Binchy and Pilcher in a new light. And for all the many wonderful reads you've led me to...way too many to list here. You have been one of my trusted GR friends for several years and it's through you that I "poached" most of my other likeminded GR friends. 😄 I always love seeing your reviews pop up on my feed. I'm so looking forward to reading your 2026 reviews!

Same here K, I take suggestions from you too. That's the beauty of GR, despite its many problems.

Diane, you had a great reading year. I recently finished Winter Solstice by Rosemunde Pilcher, I loved it! Now I want to read all of her books. I want to re-read my favorite Jane Austen's also. I have never heard of Norah Lofts. I will go take a look.

I started with Nora Lofts House trilogy, starting with The Town House. It takes you through several centuries of families who occupy the same house over the years. I'm trying to work through all Pilcher's books too. The pressure!