the best books i read in 2025 (in chronological order) 📚

This one is really poignant. It is definitely one of my favorite stories or books about books.

So, I was really taken aback when I became extremely absorbed in the very first book and then promptly bought books two and then now books three as well. I felt like this one was so entertaining.

If you're looking for a coming of age book that is dreamy and lyrical and also very nostalgic, then a sky painted God definitely has to be on your summer TBR radar.

This is a non-fiction title that I loved reading at the start of last year. It was so perfect for winter.

I don't think I ended up rating it very highly. Maybe three and a half stars at most. But I ended up just I don't know this book really ends up lingering in my mind a lot.

Oh gosh, I loved this book. This one was so incredible and again, very transportive. Such a well done series and all in all a lovely wrap-up to the Emily Wild trilogy.

It's such an atmospheric, cozy exploration of the fay and academia. I almost feel like I enjoyed it more the second time around.

I'm so glad that it did because otherwise I never would have read this gem of a novel. It's structured in such a clever way and so it's one that I would definitely recommend reading physically.

The reason this one stood out to me despite it also being one of the most disappointing books of the year is because I adored what was written in this book.

I just thought it was absolutely magnificent and so many gorgeous quotes on love as well.

Oh my goodness, this book is a literary gem. I still can't stop thinking about how this book made me feel.

I feel like it was a very stunning and moving short story and I really enjoyed my time with it.

I found myself so gripped by this book, and the stakes are really high, so it's very dramatic. And yeah, I really enjoyed this one.

I enjoyed it nonetheless. I thought that for those conceptual reasons, I really enjoyed this book, even though it wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be.

This is a Japanese magical realism novel, and I just adored my time with it.

This one really stood out to me for its gorgeous artwork. I thought it was absolutely mind-blowing how incredibly Tim Robert illustrated this book.

I thought it was a really beautiful, passionate, and really heartbreaking story to read about. By the end of it I was like ready to cry.

It's a very quiet ghost story that is classic. So if you're on the lookout for a slightly creepy children's ghost story, then I do recommend Moon Dial.

I thought that it was such an atmospheric and gorgeously written book.

I feel like I've reread this book maybe three times now and every single time I just fall more and more in love with it.

I did prefer book one to book two, but it was still really interesting seeing the world expand and Emir taking us on new adventures and meeting new characters.

Honestly, it was just so cozy. It was exactly what I was looking for at that time of year.

Was it my favorite Nevermore book? Probably not. I really hated Morgan in this book.

Rereading this in April just reminded me of how much I adored this book when I was younger. It is jam-packed with politics and romance and yeah, I just loved love this one.

For some reason, it really worked for me the second time round. I felt like it was a very powerful story with very limited words.

This one really hit the spot for me. So, out of all the books I read in August, this one definitely stood out to me.

I enjoyed it just as much as the first one, if not more. The tension between L and Orion was just incredible, and the way that this book ended is just the biggest cliffhanger you'll read.

I loved the academy setting and getting to see the different classes that Ren was taking. If you're looking to dive into an epic series this year, The Poppy War is a great place to start.

I thought that it was the perfect balance between romance and magic and fay and regency. So overall, yeah, I had a really fun time with it.

This one is all about AJ, who is a grumpy bookstore owner, and I thought it was the most heartwarming and heartbreaking stories to read. So I sobbed in this one.

It's the most atmospheric and luscious and sultry book ever. I just felt like it captured summer and it captured girlhood and sweltering days and longing and childhood innocence and first love.

So, this time this year was my third time reading it and I really enjoyed it. It was definitely a lot of humor and it was a fun take on the classic fairy tale.

I found the world so incredibly magical and otherworldly. The reason why it wasn't a five-star read though is because I didn't love the love story.

So this is a graphic novel that I found extremely moving and captivating. If you're looking for a very moving and intimate graphic novel this year, then I do really recommend When Stars Are Scattered.

It was so fast-paced, so intense, and it was so razor sharp. It did get a little repetitive at the end, which is why I don't think I gave it five stars, but I had a really entertaining time with this book.