2025 wasn’t a banner reading year for me, but it was a real one. Some months I tore through books; others, I struggled to focus at all. Still, reading stayed with me, even when it slowed.
My goal for the year was 100 books (as always). I didn’t hit it, but I did set some other reading goals for the year: catching up on previous bestsellers and continuing to work through series. I also had a free three-month Kindle Unlimited trial, which fueled a lot of my spring and early-summer reading.
At a Glance
This ended up being a solid, middle-of-the-road reading year for me. Fewer standouts than some years, but a lot of books that kept me company regardless.
The Shape of the Year
The clearest pattern in my reading year was when it happened. Spring and early summer carried the year.
From April through June, I read 28 books — more than half of everything I read all year. The second half slowed significantly, with many months topping out at just two or three books.
Books per Month
The slowdown later in the year didn’t frustrate me the way it used to. Reading still showed up... it just looked different.
What I Reached For
Thrillers dominated the year (20 books), followed by a surprising amount of romance (11 books). Horror also showed up consistently, especially when I wanted something fast and intense.
I didn’t expect romance to take up as much space as it did, or for literary fiction, a genre I don’t usually claim, to deliver my favorite book of the year. Apparently, I was reaching for comfort and depth at the same time.
This year, I also made a point to catch up on buzzy and well-known titles I’d somehow missed over the years. Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson), The Housemaid series (Freida McFadden), Hillbilly Elegy (J.D. Vance), Happiness for Beginners (Katherine Center), and Where the Crawdads Sing (Delia Owens) all lived on my TBR for a long time and I finally read them. It felt satisfying to close some long-open reading loops.
Most-read authors: Freida McFadden (12), Kiersten Modglin (6), Ruby Dixon (5), Jon Athan (3)
Genre Breakdown
Ratings Breakdown
A very three-star year overall, with a small handful of five-star reads that felt special because they were rare.
Favorite Books of the Year
🥇Favorite Book of the Year: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff
This one wrecked me in the best way. Beautiful, devastating, and quietly powerful. It’s rare that a book earns a permanent spot on my favorites shelf, but this one did.
🏆Other Five-Star Reads:
A small but meaningful group this year:
- The Inheritance Games (re-read) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- The Measure by Nikki Erlick
- The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
- Heartwood by Amity Gaige
- Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousens
- The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner
👎Disappointment of the Year: Wild Dark Shore Charlotte McConaghy
I didn’t get the hype. The atmosphere had moments, but the pacing dragged and the story never fully clicked for me.
Looking Ahead
The goal stays 100 books. For the new year, I’m focusing on catching up on series (again), and finishing backlist titles from authors I already love.
My kids, my mom, and I all picked up physical reading trackers too — something visual, motivating, and just competitive enough to keep us going.
The motto for 2026 is: less scrolling, more reading. Maybe this will finally be the year I hit 100.
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