My 2025 Reading Wrap-Up :)
I thought it would be fun to compile a list of all the books I read last year for you, with a line or two about why I liked each one. Some of these I’ve written more extensively about, and others I’m considering diving deeper into. For now, I hope my short musings are insightful, and maybe encourage you to check some of these wonderful titles out :)
Casino by Nicholas Pileggi
Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi
“I Heard You Paint Houses”: Frank “The Irishiman” Sheeran by Charles Brandt
I put the above three together because they all fell under my sudden deep dive into the history of the Italian mafia. I’ve seen all the movies based on these 3 books, and I just have to say, that reading Casino did not at all help me follow the movie any better!! Books? 10/10, each one. Casino the movie? Ask me in another year!
Piranessi by Susanna Clarke
I closed out my year with Piranessi after my partner surprised me with a copy because I’d let it sit on my list for too long. I knew nothing about the book aside from its journal entry-esque style, and it quickly became part of my top 5 for 2025. Adventurous, mysterious, hopeful, and fantastical, Susanna Clarke made magic with this one.
Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky Brothers
Another read thanks to my partner, who has been inspired by this short novel for many years. Science-fiction is woven subtly into a story of poverty, environmentalism, government failure, and the hope for a better future. A period piece that feels increasingly timeless.
High Achiever by Tiffany Jenkins
I read High Achiever on recommendation from a friend, and it was not exactly my favorite book of the year. The story was moving, heartbreaking, and had me really hopeful that our narrator was able to move on, but something about the tone threw me off. Maybe that’s just me!
The Southern Reach Series (4) by Jeff VanderMeer
This was BY FAR the best read of the year for me. Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance, and Absolution were all read as part of a very long buddy read. We got through all four books, with lots of theories and rapid discussions at the end of each. If you read any book on this list, make it all four of these.
The Vampire Chronicles (#11, 12, 13) by Anne Rice
Finally finishing The Vampire Chronicles last year had me tempted to throw myself a party. It took me 3 years, lots of breaks, and countless tears. I cannot recommend these emotional, driven, messy, and often retconned vampires enough. The journey is painfully worth it.
Never Whistle at Night by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
This book is a dark anthology that focuses on Indigenous folklore across the Americas. Each story is special, scary, and often surreal. I ate it up in 3 days, and being an anthology, it was very easy to fall into reading more than you initially planned to.
Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
I wrote about Julie and Julia last year, and I still absolutely stand by everything I said. I love this book. I loved reading it, I loved reliving the movie while reading it, and I loved rewatching the movie immediately after finishing it.
Lucifer: Princeps by Peter Grey
This book was gifted to my partner, and was an extremely insightful read! It follows the origin of the Lucifer figure in religious history, being an interesting sort of focused history book. The citations are excellent, and the journey through religious history even more so!
The Bohemian Trilogy by Dana Chamblee Carpenter
What started as unknowingly borrowing the second book out of a trilogy from the library, became a rigorous search for the rest of this spectacular story. Romantic, painful, and an extremely cathartic read. I wish Carpenter would give us more Mouse!
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Red Rising was initially recommended to me as a trilogy, and while I thought I could live with a rushed ending and continue on to two more books, once I found out it was 6, I had to give up. I enjoyed 80% of this book, but I couldn’t reconcile how quickly the ending was thrown in my face, and how much the transition in the next book (that I dnf’d) left out.
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
The start of the Mayfair Witches series was 1000 pages long. I felt that was important to mention, because I read them all, and I survived. I love Anne Rice, and I love the strange things she wrote about. Her gothic musings, themes, and taboo topics aren’t always the most pleasant to read through, but she caught me in her siren song of sadness and immortality.
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake
I had just written about Masters of Death this week, and I will say that the tonal shift towards the end destroyed my immersion. Like Red Rising, 80% of the novel was wonderful, with the last bit bursting my bubble.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Another buddy read, and such an amazing one. I know Leigh Bardugo has written many wonderful novels, and I’m so thankful that Ninth House was my introduction to her oeuvre. A mystery that I could never sus out, Ninth House had me on my toes and begging for the background slow burn to pay off.
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
The follow up to Ninth House, Hell Bent somehow turns it up to 10, and rides into the sunset with Shrek 2 as best sequel of all time. Bardugo will be releasing her third and final installment of this series later this year, and I can’t wait to consume it and share my thoughts with you!
Shout-out Storygraph for this wonderful graphic!!
