My 2025 Reading Year in Review
January 01, 2026
My StoryGraph year at a glance. A little chaotic. Exactly accurate.
In 2025 I leaned hard into reading. Fiction, nonfiction, cozy mysteries, speculative detours, banned books, comfort rereads. I didn’t chase a theme so much as follow curiosity, mood, and the occasional recommendation rabbit hole. The result was a stack that surprised me more than once.
Below is a snapshot-style reflection on what I read, what stuck, and the patterns I noticed looking back.
The Big Picture
This year’s reading fell into a few clear buckets:
- Mystery and crime, especially character-driven stories with a strong sense of place
- Speculative and science fiction that focused more on ideas than spectacle
- Books about books. Libraries, readers, writers, banned books, and why stories matter
- Personal growth titles that were practical and humane, not hustle-driven
I moved between genres deliberately. When one lane started to feel heavy, I switched.
Five-Star Reads
The books that earned five stars. Not perfect, just the ones that stuck.
These are the books that earned a full five stars in 2025. Not flawless, but memorable, re-readable, or genuinely useful. Each one did exactly what it set out to do.
- James by Percival Everett
- The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
- How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
- Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games by Samuel Sattin
- Tidy Up Your Life by Tyler Moore
- Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris
- Star Trek: Celebrations by IDW Publishing
- The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less by Christine Platt
- Friendshipping by Jenn Bane and Trin Garritano
- Bet on Black by Eboni K. Williams
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes
- What Cats Want by Dr. Yuki Hattori
What these have in common. Strong voice, clear intent, and zero wasted time. Even the lighter reads respected the reader.
Comfort Reads and Palette Cleansers
Not every book needs to be profound. Some existed purely to reset my brain.
Cozy mysteries, lighter novels, and familiar tropes played an important role this year. They made it easier to keep reading consistently instead of burning out.
That’s not a failure of taste. That’s maintenance.
What I Learned About My Reading Habits
Looking at the full wrap-up made a few things obvious:
- I read more consistently when I abandon guilt about unfinished books
- Shorter chapters matter more to me than overall page count
- I prefer competence-driven characters over chaos-driven plots
- Mood reading beats rigid reading goals every time
Tracking helped. Obsessing did not.
Looking Ahead
Next year I want to:
- Read more international fiction
- Keep nonfiction purposeful and limited
- Re-read favorites without apologizing for it
If nothing else, this year confirmed one thing. Reading is still how I think, rest, and recalibrate.
If you’re curious about any specific title from the wrap-up, feel free to reach out or check my StoryGraph profile.
Happy reading.