My goals for 2025—did I meet them?
I had three main goals for my reading in 2025. First is to read 50 books and/or 17,500 pages (based on an estimated average of 350 pages per book for 50 books). I did meet this goal as I read 57 books total. I’m a little surprised I could finish that many, but it doesn’t beat my all-time record of 64. I exceeded my page goal of 17,500.
My second goal was to read one fiction and one nonfiction from my physical TBR shelf per month. I did better at this than I thought I would. I completed it for January until August, but in September is where I started missing a nonfiction book, but still read a fiction book from my pile. December I did the opposite, reading a nonfiction but not a fiction. However, I still read 36 total books from the pile, so still met the goal of at least two a month.
My last goal was read more diverse genres beyond fantasy and romance. These two were still my top two genres, but I do think the genre breakdown in the PDF below is more diverse than in 2024, so mission partially accomplished.
Stats Breakdown
In 2025, my two biggest genres were still fantasy and romance, by quite a big margin. I suppose I should just accept that those are my two biggest genres, but I still want to try to expand my genre exploration as much as possible in the new year.
I still read more in the first half of the year than in the second half, with my two biggest months being January and February. I usually start the year strong because it’s the quietest time for me, both personally and professionally, which allows me to meet my reading goals even when months get hectic.
Most of the books I read were from my physical TBR (27 hardback and 9 paperback), so I did make some progress with that! I’m sure I added to the pile more than that, but still, progress is progress.
I did still read a lot from the library or Kindle Unlimited, and thus saved some money. I read 11 physical books from the library as well as 3 ebooks, and 4 books from Kindle Unlimited, saving around $173 for the year.
I had an even split between 5-star and 4-star reads with both coming in at 20 books, and there were 4 rated 2 stars. I don’t usually finish 2-star reads, but I think those were pretty short books, so it was still easy to finish even if I ended up not liking it that much.
Looking at books by type, 39 were fiction, 15 were nonfiction, and 3 were poetry collections. This is a pretty typical spread for me, but I would like to read a bit more nonfiction in the new year.
My 5-star reads of 2025
- We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
- On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
- The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M. Eden
- The Queen and the Knave by Sarah M. Eden
- Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
- Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark
- Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
- Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
- In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
- Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
- Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
- The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
- Tilt by Emma Pattee
- Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo
- The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Cañas
- Discontent by Beatriz Serrano
- Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon
- Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
- Choosing Theo by Victoria Aveline
Yearly Survey
How many books did you read?
57 books
Most read genre?
Fantasy
Longest and shortest books you read.
Shortest: On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder- 127 pgs (read my summary)
Longest: Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson- 1344 pgs (read my review)
Favorite book published in 2025?
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
Favorite debut book in 2025?
The Sun was Electric light by Rachel Morton (read my review)
Favorite book not published in 2025?
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (read my review)
A book that lived up to the hype.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
A book that did NOT live up to the hype.
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
Book that felt like the biggest accomplishment?
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson. This was the longest book I read by far for the year, and this book coming out in 2025 was the reason I read all of The Stormlight Archive books in 2024 to prepare.
Favorite character.
Kaladin from Stormlight Archives
Least favorite character.
Mickey7’s girlfriend from Mickey7, she was awful. She’s tolerable in the movie at least.
Read my book vs. movie comparison
Most shocking book/moment.
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer. Just the whole book is absolutely insane in the best way. (Read my review)
Favorite couple/OTP.
Either Shallan and Adolin in The Stormlight Archive or Emily and Wendell in the Emily Wilde series.
The best written book you read this year.
Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar—I’m not sure about the best written, but definitely the most uniquely written that I read this year. It’s really engaging and sucks you in. (read my review)
Favorite book cover of the year.
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary M. Pearson (read my review) or Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven (read my review)
What book made you cry the most?
Tilt by Emma Pattee (read my review) or Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo
What book made you laugh the most?
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming—books don’t often make me laugh so there’s not much to choose from, but this one was just so ridiculous.
A new favorite author you discovered this year.
Robert Jackson Bennett: author of The Tainted Cup
Guilty pleasure read of the year.
Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver (read my review) or Bend Him, Break Him by M.N. Bennet
What is the best non-fiction book you read this year?
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder. Everyone should read this book!
Were you happy with your reading year?
Yes, I’m glad I read past my reading goal.
2026 Reading Goals
- I want to stretch a bit, so I’ll make my new goal 60 books
- More nonfiction. 2025 was around 25% nonfiction, so maybe 30% for next year
- More diverse genre exposure beyond fantasy and romance
Notes from the Shelf 
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