1. The Two Roberts by Damian Barr
The interwoven struggles of love and creative agency are deftly portrayed by Barr in this speculative historical fiction. Wonderfully queer, wonderfully Scottish, wonderfully loving: this was the surprise read I needed this year.

#Top12of2025

2. The Names by Florence Knapp
3 timelines connect with each other to give a full, clarifying look at a families love, mistreatment, and understanding of each other. A beautiful expression of how the seemingly small, simple decisions in a life can make a huge change.

#Top12of2025

3. Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert - Bob The Drag Queen
I devoured this in an afternoon. Sharp, incisive, a great example of 'less is more'. In such little time the characters, motivations and world were acutely expressed. Can't wait for the supposed sequel - Jesus Christ for President

#Top12of2025

4. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Going in, I had no idea this was a book about a bunch of 17th century bros and their antics. There's adventure in spades, but also humour and tension. The section about the dastardly 'Milady' and her odyssey of misdeeds is worth it alone.

#Top12of2025

5. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Clarke is exceptional at conveying a fantastic world diegetically through the eyes of a character. Grand yet intimate, this is a haunting and mysterious read that leaves you ponderous in the best ways.

#Top12of2025

6. Objects of Desire by Neil Blackmore
Yellowface by way of Ripley. This journey through 20th century queer literary history through the eyes of a charlatan author is delectable. I was hungry for each chapter and loved hating the protagonist.

#Top12of2025

7. Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar
I didn't expect to like this like I did. Though too navel-gazey, this gripped me. How it captured inescapable spiralling mental health, the search for meaning in creativity, and understanding your identity as a child of immigrants (just noticed a theme here)

#Top12of2025

8. Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Shamsie captures the anxiety of how you're perceived as a 2nd/3rd gen immigrant Muslim here. The siblings struggles expertly portray the difficulty of trying to forge your identity as a British-Asian, and the pain this can cause.

#Top12of2025

9. The Parted Earth by Anjali Enjeti
I've been drawn towards Partition era stories in recent years in an attempt to understand it more fully. Enjeti shows the ripples of that moment in history through 3 generations with great empathy, insight and lyricism.

#Top12of2025

10. Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent
My 3rd Nugent read, and I savour each one. She tantalisingly layers perspective and mystery to pull tension and intrigue throughout her books, all while maintaining a wickedly dark and sardonic sense of humour.

#Top12of2025

11. Marblehall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Horowitz does great murder mysteries, and with the Ryeland series you get 2 in 1 with each book. Horowitz knows & loves the genre and how to play with the tropes, expectations and outcomes to keep readers on their toes. Great fun each time.

#Top12of2025

12. The Rose Field by Philip Pullman
I love the HDM universe and how Pullman navigates such huge & weighty themes in imaginative, entertaining ways. This wraps up the Book of Dust trilogy, and even though it stumbles towards the end, it was still a joy to read.

#Top12of2025

All right, kids. I've procrastinated plenty today and I'm gonna do it some more by finishing off my #Top12of2025 series with my Top 12 reads.

In 2025 devoured a tonne of audiobooks, for sure.

I read 114 books
13 of which were re-reads

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1. #Pluribus S1
Watching this reminded me of how good simple, elegant story craft can be. Thoroughly rooted in its characters, we get to experience the fullness of the show's premise and all its horrors with them. Prescient yet timeless, this is essential viewing.

#Top12of2025

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2. #Severance S2
A Black Mirror premise allowed to be a real show. The world, characters and themes are built out fantastically to reflect and satirise the cult of corporate capitalism and its human cost. All while staying focussed on our core crew. A must watch.

#Top12of2025

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3. #Andor S2
Andor is the potential of the Star Wars universe realised. The facets of what war among the stars could actually mean for those living in it. Gilroy & co masterfully show the cost and effort of challenging tyranny, and why we must, with butt-clenching tension and clarity.

#Top12of2025

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4. #PokerFace S2
Story of the week TV can be so much fun, and this soaks up the joy of the format's possibilities with glee. Excellent guest cast, tricksy mysteries and brilliantly shot, this is great viewing for the non-binge audience. Bring on Dinklage for S3!

#Top12of2025

5. #BigBoys S3
Big Boys is an example of how weighty and impactful a comedy can be. I don't want to give anything away, but the series wraps up with its signature heart-rending poignancy and humour. Jack Rooke but his soul on display with this show, and I thank him for it.

#Top12of2025

6. #SomebodySomewhere S1+2
Gentle, intimate and earnest storytelling; day-to-day molehill struggles that feel like mountains are navigated with empathy and sincerity. The opposite of sensational and melodramatic. Bos & Thureen's writing is nourishment for the soul.

#Top12of2025

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7. #LongStoryShort S1
I should've known how heart piercing Raphael Bob-Waksberg's Bojack follow up would be. Funny in the silliest ways and emotionally astute in the wisest. If you wanna laugh and cry in equal measure, this is for you.

#Top12of2025

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8. #TheStudio S1
A Sorkin-esque show about idiots and how they wish to be seen. This celebrates the best & worst elements of Hollywood in equal measure but, fundamentally, always comes down to a love of movies and moviemaking. A fantastic farce.

#Top12of2025

9. #KarenPirie S2
This contemporised Val McDermid series is a top tier Scottish thriller. What could easily go into cheesy stereotypes is instead tempered and deliberate. A great reflection of what Scottish drama could be produced, if given the chance.

#Top12of2025

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10. #InterviewWithTheVampire S1+2
Not released last year but who cares? IwtV is excellently indulged queer melodrama. It seemingly deepens the themes of the source material by pointedly exploring matters like race, abuse, consent and much more.

#Top12of2025

11. #TheHack
I'm a sucker for good investigative journalism shows & films. Thorne's dramatisation of the breaking of the News of the World scandal goes to great lengths to breakdown the various POV's and jargon of the events to show the true rot of what was occurred.

#Top12of2025

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12. #Invincible S3
I always enjoy how Invincible deepens and develops its world and character perspectives. The action, and especially the power scaling, is great in how they build the tension and reveal more about the characters. "Cheap" animation be damned, this is good watching.

#Top12of2025

All right, kids! You ready for round 2? It's time for my top 12 TV watches of 2025.

In 2025 I watched 41 seasons of television
3 seasons of which were rewatches

#Top12of2025 (are hashtags still a thing? wasn't sure if they're still worth using.)

Another year comes to an end. Might as well give this show its send-off to close out 2025. The Great North with "It's a Beef-derful Life Adventure" takes the number 1 spot in the Top 12 Countdown of 2025. #Top12Countdown #Top12of2025 #TheGreatNorth

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It's the penultimate day of the year that is 2025. And coming in at number 2 of the Top 12 Countdown is Bob's Burgers with "Grand Pre-Pre-Pre-Opening taking home the silver. #Top12Countdown #Top12of2025 #BobsBurgers

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Entering the top three spots of the Top 12 Countdown of 2025, and it's Doctor Who with "Lux" taking home the bronze spot of the year. #Top12Countdown #Top12of2025 #DoctorWho

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Nine spots down, only three to go. My Hero Academia with "Izuku Midoriya: Rising" takes the number 4 spot of the Top 12 Countdown of 2025. #Top12Countdown #Top12of2025 #MyHeroAcademia

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