2025 Reading Wrap-Up
Here’s my reading wrap-up for 2025!
This is becoming somewhat of an annual tradition at this point. Reviews are often ephemeral, which comes across as rather paradoxical: Everything on the internet is there forever, but in the current landscape of heavy social media usage and algorithmic content feeds, review posts soon get buried. Sure they might receive a little boost when they’re initially posted, but they then fade into obscurity when the feeds move on. And I don’t think that’s good for authors whose work absolutely needs to be in the spotlight. So I think (I hope) doing these kinds of posts is helpful for you as readers, to discover new book recommendations and authors, especially in the indie space.
This year has been a bit of a car crash for my personal reading. It started really well, but around October-time it fell off a cliff and I didn’t hit the target I’d set for myself, which was basically to match last year’s 27. This year it’s down to just 21, many of them being short stories and novellas. Not a reflection on the books at all, but on my time management and mental health.
So here in this post I present to you a digest of the books I’ve read this year. Check them out below. You can click the images to go to the original reviews.
For full transparency, there was a secret 22nd book I read this year but because of its disgraceful use of generative AI on the cover, I have declined to include it on my blog at all, so it will not appear in this list.
The Silmarillion
by J.R.R. Tolkien
A first-time read for me, following very hot on the heels of reading The Lord of the Rings at the end of last year. I was utterly astounded by this book. A pure and utter masterpiece. It’s funny that I should read and review my favourite book of the year right at the start of it. I tried to read it slowly to avoid crashing out, but I couldn’t help myself and devoured it in just a few days.
Recall Order
by Dave McCreery
The second book in the mech-tastic Weight of the World trilogy and my first indie book of 2025. This is where the trilogy truly comes into its own, leaving behind the almost YA training school feel of the first book for a more mature espionage and terrorism thriller while still retaining the bombastic giant robot action. An easy recommend.
How Do You Live?
by Genzaburo Yoshino
A rare miss for me. I described How Do You Live as ‘boring, preachy, and verbose’, and time has certainly not softened my opinion of it. I am glad to have read it, as it’s supposed to be a coming-of-age classic, but I was definitely not the right audience for it.
Bookshops & Bonedust
by Travis Baldree
Sweary mice, a skeleton in a satchel, and a younger, more impetuous Viv—Great ideas for a pretty solid sequel. I enjoyed my time with it, but it did feel like a bit of a re-tread of Legends & Lattes. Consequently, I feel like most of what could be said about it I already said in my review of the first book. Cosy vibes, slick writing, but not altogether very memorable.
Leviathan Wakes
by James S.A. Corey
A dangerous space thriller mixed with detective noir, Leviathan Wakes was an excellent start for The Expanse. The pacing began to drag a little almost three-quarters of the way through, going on longer than I had expected it to, but it was a blast from start to finish and I’m looking forward to reading more in the series.
Chapterhouse Dune
by Frank Herbert
The end of my journey with the Dune Saga. A disappointing end that left me perplexed, disturbed in all the wrong ways due to all the weird sex stuff, and in want of a resolution. Heretics and Chapterhouse, represent a steep drop in quality after the magnificent height that was God Emperor. My recommendation: Read the first four books and stop there.
BestGhost
by C.J. Daley
A tight, atmospheric, and tense short ghost story. BestGhost unfolds its horror very well. The story follows a couple of amateur paranormal investigating YouTubers called BestGhost, as they come face to face with the chilling reality of a haunted mansion while trying to get more views for their ghost hunting channel. A fantastic short read, and one that I would highly recommend.
The Magic Circle
by Barry Ryerson
An excellent blend of post apocalyptic science fiction, magical urban fantasy, romance, and espionage with strong Umbrella Academy vibes. Great worldbuilding, a diverse cast of colourful characters, and spot-on pacing, there’s so much great stuff to recommend here. An excellent read that left me clamouring for more in this universe.
The Knight Saves the Dragon
by Rebecca Crunden
The Knight Saves the Dragon is one of the best short stories I’ve ever read. An exemplar of short story writing. Rebecca does so much here with so little and does it all in present-tense from a second-person perspective where you take the role of the titular knight. There’s hints of much deeper worldbuilding and complex politics and this story stabs right at the heart of them. Do yourself a favour and buy this one.
The Whisper that Replaced God
by Timothy Wolff
Hell of a title for a hell of a book. Magnificently melancholy with fantastic fourth-wall breaks, The Whisper that Replaced God utterly oozes with style. Great read, great worldbuilding, and incredible characters. I can’t give this one much higher praise.
From the Depths
by B.S.H. Garcia
This was a strange one for me. Strikingly well-written, From the Depths is a fantastic dark pirate adventure set as a prequel to the author’s wider Heart of Quinaria series. With compelling character, hefty worldbuilding, and an engaging action, there’s a lot to love for those looking for more in the series. You’ll certainly have an outstanding time with it. I don’t think it works too well as a standalone, though.
Bailuchien
by Rebecca Crunden
A deliciously creepy, yet cathartic dark fairy tale for those itching for a horrifying witch-in-the-woods fix that absolutely has you rooting for the antihero protagonists as their carry out their violent contract with the forest spirit, Bailuchien. Extremely short, but absolutely worth your time.
On Demon Wrangling…
by Rebecca Crunden
Another fantastic short story from Rebecca Crunden. This one carries strong Buffy vibes with complex interpersonal relationships between two weary immortals (hey, that’s in the title) as they spend their long lifespans hunting demons. Immediately investing and very satisfying.
Moral Laundry
by Conrad Altmann
Carrying on the great tradition of some of the best works of classic science fiction, Moral Laundry is scarily prescient in its social commentary and near-future extrapolations of present technology. It’s a collection of seven incisive short stories that hit really hard, taking aim at generative AI and striking it right between the eyes. Excellent work that should not be slept on.
The Wishing Stone
by Adam Holcombe
I loved A Necromancer Called Gam Gam. It was one of my favourite books I read last year. The Wishing Stone tops it in every way. It’s a great sequel with fantastic character development for Mina, Gam Gam, and even Nugget the skeletal cat. It ups the stakes from the first book in the perfect way while remaining delightfully cosy. If you know how the first Mistborn book ends: This is what it looks like when that whole sequence is actually done well.
Origins: The Secret Agent
by Barry Ryerson
An action-packed short story prequel to The Magic Circle following the spy/assassin character Yevgeny as he goes on his first mission. It was great to get more backstory for this stellar character. The writing is vivid and enjoyable, and the story was intriguing. However, like From the Depths above, it’s definitely one to read after you’re already familiar with the main story. That’s the context in which it hits the hardest.
Origins: The Hacker
by Barry Ryerson
The second short story prequel to The Magic Circle. Rather unlike The Secret Agent, this one absolutely does work as a standalone and it is absolutely brilliant for it. This one goes even further back in time and follows the main antagonist of the novel as he kicks off the events that form the backdrop to the story. It gets really dark as we explore the Wikus’s complex family dynamics, and the plot is tight and immersive. The ending was marvellous, too.
The Secret of the Sapphire Sentinel
by J. Dianne Dotson
A solid and enjoyable sequel to The Inn at the Amethyst Lantern, which I read last year. A fun YA romp through a beautifully realised, immersive lunarpunk world. I’d absolutely recommend this for anyone looking for climate change sci-fantasy in the YA space, or just generally for a whimsical fantasy adventure.
Gilgamesh
A New English Version by Stephen Mitchell
Coming in out of left-field for this year is the oldest story in the world, the Epic of Gilgamesh, translated beautifully into English poetic verse by Stephen Mitchell. There is a hell of a lot to unpack about this book that I cannot possibly summarise here, so definitely click on the book cover to go to the full review. It suffices to say, however, that I had a great time reading this and I learned a lot about ancient storytelling in the process.
The Black Hole
by Alan Dean Foster
A great fun novelisation of the much-maligned 1979 Disney movie, with some surprisingly hard science in it (for the time) and a really intriguing ending that differs substantially from the film. It’s essentially 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in space, and what more could you want than that? Commander Reinhardt and Maximillian make for a fantastic pair of villains. A pleasantly surprising find in a National Trust second-hand bookshop.
A Farewell to Humanity
by Stuart Tudor
A strong sci-fi horror short story that, for me, brought to mind Doctor Who’s Cybermen baddies, but placed them in a bleak, post-apocalyptic setting that you might find in something like Metro 2033. Body horror and nightmarish bureaucracy collide in this story about the state AI, Athena, who only wants happiness for humanity. And you know she’s telling the truth, and that’s horrifying.
CURRENTLY READING
Books I’m reading but haven’t had time to finish by the end of the year. Watch out for their reviews to appear on the blog in 2026. Happy New Year!
Children of Memory
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The third, but apparently by no means final, book in the astounding Children of Time series, this one is off to a strong start. I’m only about a quarter of the way through, but I’m enjoying it immensely when I find the time and headspace to do any reading. This might be the first review of 2026, but my brain might make me jump to something else first. So… watch this space.
