2025 was a transformative year for me, so much so that it’s a little difficult to really capture the magnitude of the identity shifts that I felt occurred and how they impacted every facet of my life, including reading.  

It was my first full year navigating postpartum and motherhood, and mid-way through, I also transitioned back into a demanding career. I worked really hard to physically recover from the toll that years of fertility treatments and a hard pregnancy took on my body, and I worked even harder to be the best parent that I could be while managing some of the hardest challenges to come my way yet. There were a lot of times that my life felt completely out of balance, and it took intentional effort to course correct whenever that was the case. With each correction came another shift in focus and attention that moved me a little more into a new version of me. One that had different priorities, different needs, and different goals that met the moment a little more than before. 

At the time, these shifts felt so incremental that they barely registered as noticeable, but as December comes to a close, I’m happy to say that the current version of me is the closest I’ve felt to myself in a very long time. There is no way to truly “have it all”—that notion is a fallacy that makes people feel bad about themselves. But I spent the year learning a lot about what it means to give what you can, to be as present as possible, and to give yourself grace when it feels like you’ve failed at both. If that’s all that I take into 2026, I’d still call it a win. 

Balancing so many fundamental competing priorities this year was still a struggle though, and the first thing to go from my to-do list was usually reading. There were months where I managed to read a ton of books, and stretches where I read nothing at all, so sometime through the second half of the year I decided to focus almost exclusively on books that I was confident I would love. I’ve mostly been successful at this, and looking back, I feel like 2025 was one of my strongest reading years yet, despite the total number of books being much lower than some of my past years. 

I never care to read in order of publication, so as always, I’m focusing my yearly review of books on the one’s I read in 2025, not the ones that were released in 2025. I’ll also note that my best books read of the year were all 5-star reads– impressive when you consider how many of them there are!

Here are the books that I consider to be the standouts from my reading year:

Best Books Read in 2025

• Sorrow and Starlight (The Zodiac Academy 8) by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

The eighth installment in the Zodiac series was just as unhinged as the rest, but we FINALLY got a little bit of hope, and it was exactly what I needed to forge through this book. Every story in this series has been a beast in its own way, but I get completely sucked into them, and Sorrow and Starlight was no exception. 

This is the only Zodiac Academy novel I managed this year, because to be frank, they’re so emotionally devastating. They’re also incredibly long, and books of this length tend to intimidate me, but wow, do I ever need to finish this series because this was excellent. 

My full review for Sorrow and Starlight by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti can be found here.

• Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

My first Brandon Sanderson novel and I now understand the hype! This was truly excellent high fantasy, with a very memorable story and cast focused around a band of thieves seeking to overthrow an oppressive government. It took me several reads to get through as I had to be in a high fantasy mood, but when I was, this was an excellent pick.

My full review for Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson can be found here.

• Onyx Storm (The Empyrean 3) by Rebecca Yarros

I absolutely loved this one. Where Iron Flame felt dense with a lot of necessary world building, Onyx Storm let us see the entire world and learn so much more about its peoples. Combined with the sassy dragons and a fantastically drawn-out romance, these books are compulsively readable. I’m so excited for the next one, though I know it’ll be a while as Yarros takes a much-deserved pause. 

My full review for Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros can be found here.

• The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

The premise of a UK government bureaucratically managing time travel was ridiculously entertaining in this one. I loved how Bradley explored different characters from different times, her commentary on race and colonialism, and that she managed to execute this type of narrative with as much humour as she did. I read this book early in the year and still think about it, which is always a sign of a strong story. 

My full review for The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley can be found here.

• The Song Rising, The Mask Falling, and The Dark Mirror (The Bone Season series) by Samantha Shannon

I’m combining every book I read in The Bone Season series this year because each one was a five-star read. Samantha Shannon has risen to my favourite author of all-time, and she might be the only author I’ve ever given a five-star rating to for every single book I’ve read.

The Bone Season continues to be the best dystopian-style fantasy that I’ve ever encountered. The world is so interesting and complex, built on familiar settings in uniquely magical ways, and the characters have such incredible depth that you’re fully invested in each of their stories. The Bone Season is such an immersive series for me that I completely lose myself whenever a new one comes out and only come up for air once I’m finished.

If you’re looking for a dystopian story with a wonderfully unique take on clairvoyance as a magic system, look no further. 

My reviews for The Bone Season can be found here:

1. The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon
2. The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon
3. The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon

• Beach Read by Emily Henry

This has been on my backlist for ages and I’m so glad I read it because Emily Henry never misses for me. I loved the bookish elements weaved through this book, and the romance was executed perfectly. I feel like kicking my feet just thinking about how I felt reading this one and it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a solid romcom. 

My full review for Beach Read by Emily Henry can be found here.

• Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

I picked this one up from my library because the cover was gorgeous, and it turns out you SHOULD judge books by the cover, because this was fantastic! Godkiller is a very well-designed epic fantasy with some of my favourite tropes, including a fantastic execution of found family and a cutesy (and mildly malevolent) magical creature. I’m reading the sequel to this now and can confirm that the story only gets better as it goes on. 

My full review for Godkiller by Hannah Kaner can be found here.

• The Maid and The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid series) by Nita Prose

This was a real wildcard pick for me because I never read mysteries, but wow did Molly ever capture my heart! These books are perfect cozy mysteries, and the FMC is so endearing that you can’t help but root for her. These are the perfect books to curl up with on the couch on a cold day and I can’t wait to read the next one. 

My full reviews for the Molly the Maid series can be found here:

1. The Maid by Nita Prose
2. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

• Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games prequel) by Suzanne Collins

Just when you think The Hunger Games can’t get any more savage, Collins returns to explore Haymitch’s story. 

This one was utterly devastating, made more so by the fact that as a reader, you already know how things end. Despite this, the story still managed to feel new, and I loved the opportunity to explore some of the peripheral characters of the original trilogy. There were also some clear parallels and commentary that tied directly to today’s political and societal reality, which made the entire book hit even harder.

A truly excellent work of dystopian fiction. My full review for Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins can be found here.

• The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin

This was such an incredibly unique fantasy, and I absolutely loved the way that Jemisin approached the world-building and narrative. Both unfolded slowly over time through multiple perspectives, but as the story goes on, things begin to weave together in devastating ways. I loved that this one kept me on my toes and felt like the story had so many elements that felt wholly new. 

My full review for The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin can be found here.

• The Priory of the Orange Tree, A Day of Fallen Night, and Among The Burning Flowers (Roots of Chaos series) by Samantha Shannon

This entire series is a serious feat of fantasy. The depth of the worlds and the magic, the scope of the characters and how well they’re defined and explored, and the tension and drama of the story are all second to none. They’re among some of the longest books I’ve ever read, yet I felt completely absorbed for every second that I was reading them. 

I genuinely think that Shannon’s talent knows no bounds. This now sits as my favourite epic fantasy series of all time. 

I haven’t posted my review for Among The Burning Flowers or a Day of Fallen Night just yet, but you can read my review for Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon here.

• A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

This is one of few romantasy books on my top books list this year and for me, it really helped me fall in love with the genre again. I loved the Norse setting and magic system, and the romance was a perfect slow-burn. This one had me totally hooked and I’m looking forward to picking up the sequel in 2026.

My full review for A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen can be found here.

• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

A Psalm for the Wild-Built was a wonderfully endearing and optimistic little book. It was light on plot and heavy on introspection and character development, which I loved. 

It was nearly novella-length, so I won’t go into too much detail to avoid spoilers, but you can read my full review for the book here. 

• One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

This was my first Gillig book and I loved it so much I read another too. 

One Dark Window was a super enjoyable, suspense-filled fantasy with a unique card-based magic system and some great found family elements. I also loved the literal nightmare in the MC’s head, it was such an interesting relationship to see unfold. 

I’m looking forward to picking up the sequel some time in 2026. You can read my full review for One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig here.

• Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

This book, in my opinion, was the perfect summer romance. I absolutely loved the relationship between the main characters and seeing them grow up together, and Fortune is the queen of creating an atmosphere that perfectly encapsulates a Canadian summer. I haven’t posted my full review for this one yet but it’s coming soon!

• The Foxglove King by Hannah F. Whitten

The Foxglove King was one I picked up on a whim because it was heavily discounted and I ended up completely loving it. It’s a fantasy with necromancy-based magic and probably my favourite love triangle ever. This is another book I haven’t posted a full review for yet, but it’s coming soon.

• Funny Story by Emily Henry

Another truly excellent Emily Henry novel, and probably her funniest romcom to date in my opinion. I loved the truly ridiculous premise of this one and the way that the two main characters grew from it. I’ll read anything Henry writes, but this one is a favourite among her works for me. I’ll have a full review for this one posted soon.

• Katabasis by RF Kuang

When the synopsis for this one first came out, I knew watching two scholars’ journey to hell would be an interesting ride, but in signature Kuang fashion, this book was so much more than just that. Katabasis covered a lot of heavy topics while also being infused with some truly fantastic cleverness and wit. I loved every second of this one and will continue to read anything Kuang publishes. A full review is scheduled to come for this one in the coming weeks.

• The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this book. Gillig has quickly become an auto-buy author for me this year, with The Knight and the Moth really cementing that status. This story was infused with funny magical creatures, a really unique magic system, and a beautifully executed slow burn romance. I can’t wait for the sequel of this one and will have my full review posted for this one in 2026. 

• Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross

Wild Reverence quite literally took my breath away. It was a stunning addition to the Letters of Enchantment universe, building an already gorgeous world into something intricate and robust. Ross’ writing is so beautiful that the prose really grips your heart, and the yearning in the romance at the centre of the plot could not have been more on point. This might be one of my favourite love stories I’ve ever read and it’s a book I can see myself coming back to in the future. This is another book I still need to get a full review up for, but will still endlessly recommend in the meantime.

• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

This one took me completely by surprise! I’d never read Backman before but A Man Called Ove quickly captivated me and stole my heart. It’s probably the only book that I read this year that had me ugly sobbing at the end, but in a way that was really joy-fuelled. If you’re looking for a book full of heart and loveable characters, this is an easy recommendation with a full review to come. 

Given that I only read 47 books this year, it’s pretty impressive to me how many of them were 5-stars. I’ve really honed in on what it is that I like in a book and spent much of 2025 laser focused on reading just that.

In 2026 I’m expecting to be just as busy as I am today, which means I suspect my slow reading season will continue. I’ll be focusing on books I’m confident I’ll love, with a few wildcards thrown into the mix for good measure. I’m also hoping to carve out a little more time for the blog, but more on that coming soon!

What was the best book that you read in 2025? Let me know!