december 2025, another year down

I had a bad year, guys. I mean, I think we all did. The happenings around the world and within my country were horrific and continual, which made me disconnect from what the media tried to get me to care about. With every single trivial thing that occurred, I instead saw dead kids. I saw fires and floods. I saw credit card bills, brain tumors, people sleeping on the street, cancer diagnoses. I've always been like this. I'm inherently a sad person, but this year felt especially difficult. I just watched the Google "what we searched this year" video, which typically makes me sob, but this year I see right-wing bullshit all over it. I don't trust anything anymore, and I increasingly (decreasingly?) care less about celebrity, trends, and what's popular. That may be age (I'm damn near 40!), or this timeline, or a combination. Regardless, this year felt bad the whole time.

For me personally, too. My first full year of grad school wasn't necessarily challenging in the ways I thought it would be, but in stranger ways. I've never been in a worse personal financial situation, and that's saying a lot. I didn't take great care of myself this year. I hardly worked out, I drank too much, I didn't spend enough time outside. I worked too much for too little money and didn't spend nearly any time with my family or friends, including my boyfriend, with whom I literally share a home. I tried to balance, and did a bad job. I was too nice when I should have been mean and too mean when I should have been kinder. Life is hard, and this year belongs in the bin.

I'm a fan of "new year, new me," though I'm realistic about it. I enjoy getting rid of shit I don't want to take into a new year, proverbially and literally. But one thing y'all know I'll be taking with me is reading.

I don't focus super hard on goals or numbers, and though I love a book challenge, I just go with vibes for the most part, which makes challenges, well, challenging. Going into 2026, I have an undefined goal of reading everything I own and culling my book collection down to just what I'd like to own, which is also connected to "don't spend money" as I try to pretty aggressively tackle some credit card debt next year.

Here's what I read in December. And if you want a cute recap of some stand-out books I read in 2025, head to my instagram here at the link.

[books I read]

One Drop: My Father's Hidden Life-A Story of Race and Family Secrets by Bliss Broyard (2008) | Quick summary: Only on her father's deathbed did Bliss Broyard learn that he, and in turn she, is Black.
Why do I already feel like I wrote the sentence I'm about to write? I'm going to have to write about this book in a separate post. It was so deeply personal that it felt like reading my own diary. Oh, also, this had been on my TBR since 2016, so I feel very accomplished finally reading it!
[nonfiction, memoir, written by a Black-white biracial author, long read]

Checked Out by Katie Fricas (2025) | Quick summary: A graphic novel about a library worker.
An absolute delight. This book jumped out at me from the "peak picks" table at my local library, and jump I'm glad it did. A quick and delightful story about queerness, libraries, and the love of books.
[fiction, graphic novel, written by a white, queer cartoonist and comics editor, short read]

Things We Didn't Talk about When I Was a Girl by Jeannie Vanasco (2019) | Quick summary: As an adult, Jeannie Vanasco interviews the boy who raped her as a young teen.
After reading Vanasco's The Glass Eye last month, I knew I wanted to read everything she ever wrote, and I guess my library hold came in quickly, so it ended up being twice-in-a-row.
[nonfiction, sexual assault, memoir, written by a white (?) american writer and author, medium-length read]

Solidarity with Children: An Essay Against Adult Supremacy by Madeline Lane-McKinley (2025) | Quick summary: The case for anti-adult supremacy and child liberation.
I could also write a whole post about this book, and maybe I will one day, but for now I'll just say I wish I'd written it myself. I wish I had the title "child liberationist," or rather, maybe I've forever been working toward the title "child liberationist." I'm pro-kid and subscribe to nearly every single argument this beautiful book made. When I first heard of this book, I put it on my list, and even more special, I have had multiple people reach out to me about it. I even had a friend put it in my hands and say, "I think you'll like this." You're all correct, and it was one of the times I've felt most seen all year.
[nonfiction, social studies, social work, written by a white feminist writer, parent, and teacher, medium-length read]

[books I heard]

Thunder Song: Essays by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe (2024) | Quick summary: This essay collection explores Indigenous identity, stereotypes, mothers, community, family, and the Pacific Northwest.
Goddammit, I loved this book. Some of you may remember that I read Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe's Red Paint earlier this year and was completely enamored with her voice, her words, her experiences. The fact that we grew up in the same general area certainly adds to my strong sense of connection with her and her writing. Thunder Song was fantastic; as great as or maybe slightly better than her other writing I've read, or maybe it's my bias. Every time she said "Skagit Valley Co-Op," my heart skipped a beat. My mom works there!
[nonfiction, memoir, essays, written by an indigenous pacific northwest author from the upper skagit and nooksack indian tribes, medium-length listen, read by the author]

The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir by André Leon Talley (2020) | Quick summary: The memoir of style icon André Leon Talley.
I literally don't know why this book was on my list but I thoroughly enjoyed Talley's stories, and more so, his voice. I'm not at all a fashion person and am one of those people who are confused every year when the Met Gala rolls around. I don't care about Anna Wintour (and think she can go fuck herself after this memoir!) and mostly think everyone in this world is deeply racist. Regardless, my respect to Talley, who, as a big Black man, made a name for himself in the fashion world. This book had so much fatphobia that it made me sad. I hope that upon his death, Talley had a better relationship with his body. But I doubt it.
[nonfiction, memoir, written by an american fashion journalist, stylist, creative director, author, and editor-at-large of vogue, longer listen, read by the author]

Then Again by Diane Keaton (2012) | Quick summary: The memoir of actress Diane Keaton.
This is my second time reading Keaton's memoir. I read it for the first time a few years ago, and it has always been at the top of my list of celebrity memoirs, sitting alongside Sally Field and Demi Moore. As soon as it was announced that Keaton died, one of the biggest blows of the year, I put a hold on this book again. I wanted to listen to the audio version because I already miss her voice, but that wasn't an original thought. I waited six weeks for it and, in the end, it was the absolute perfect last audiobook of this year. Keaton's memoir is largely about her mother and about herself as a mother and is told through letters, journal entries, and other reflections. It hits harder now, hearing Keaton describe the end of her mother's life and all of the losses she experienced. Hearing her talk about when she's 80, an age she didn't make it to, was crushing. I thought about her kids a lot. I cried at the end. Last time I read this, I loved it, but was annoyed at how much she loves Woody Allen. This time, that bothered me less because she's dead, and I miss her.
[nonfiction, memoir, written by a white american actress, longer listen, read by the author]

[books I recommend]

• If you're biracial or have ever wanted to know what the hell goes on in our heads: One Drop: My Father's Hidden Life
• If you love good writing: Things We Didn't Talk about When I Was a Girl and Thunder Song.
• If you miss Diane Keaton: Then Again
• If you want to live in a better world: Solidarity with Children

Thank you so damn much for supporting completely booked, either free or paid, for the past six years in February! One thing I let myself boast about is my consistency with my bookletter. I hope to never let anyone down!

Next year, I have aggressive plans to pay down debt. I'd love it if you could share with a friend, renew your subscription if it expired, or simply spread the word that you enjoy reading this each month!

Next year's paid content will include lots of HelloGiggles stories, more talking shit about bad books and pop culture, and maybe some fun surprises along the way.

Happy New Year, friends. To 2026, a year that sounds fake.