I read 130+ books this year and these 15 were my favorites! I curated this list by choosing a favorite book from each month plus 3 honorable mentions. ๐ (I couldn’t stop at 12, LOL) I’m a mood reader who’s always here for the vibes, not necessarily the writing. However, I can confidently say that these books truly stood out to me this year!
Yes, most of them fall into a Romance or Fantasy category so if you’re not into those, feel free to just skim or check out my blog from last year! I typically read many different genres, but I think I was just craving happily ever after’s and different worlds this year ๐๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ
Winter
JANUARY: ‘The House in the Cerulean Sea‘ by TJ Klune || This was without a doubt my #1 book of this year! And it just so happens it was the 3rd book I read in 2025; I peaked early, ha! Yes, it’s fantasy, but the overall message of the book is one that everyone needs a reminder of. It made my heart burst – I laughed, I cried, I genuinely will never stop recommending this book!
FEBRUARY: ‘Is She Really Going Out With Him?‘ by Sophie Cousens || This was a first of this author for me and I enjoyed it immensely! A recently single mom has her kids pick her dates… what could go wrong?! ๐คช If you prefer ‘closed door romance’ (aka when you don’t see any of the spice), this would be a great read for 2026!
MARCH: ‘How To End A Love Story‘ by Yulin Kuang || This didn’t feel like a debut novel to me at all! After getting past what I considered a kind of weird backstory between the main characters, I loved the way their romance grew.
Spring
APRIL: ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes‘ by Allison Ashley || The meet-cute between these two main characters was so unique to me! I also loved their banter which is something that is very important to me in books. I read a few more by Allison this year and I find it really cool that one of her main characters will always be in the medical field because she herself is an oncology pharmacist. Love when people write about what they know!
MAY: ‘Shield of Sparrows‘ by Devney Perry || Devney Perry is typically a romance author, but this debut fantasy novel was TOP NOTCH! I could not put it down; it had such a unique magic system and I was hooked from the start. It’s the first book of an unfinished series (I believe there will be 3 books) so just be aware that you’ll have to wait!
JUNE: ‘One Golden Summer‘ by Carley Fortune || There can’t be a ‘favorite books list’ without my girl Carley Fortune on it! I love that her books are set in Canada and it was so fun that the MMC (male main character) was a side character in her first book, ‘Every Summer After.’ We love interconnected stand alone romance books ๐๐ผ
Summer
JULY: ‘Before I Let Go‘ by Kennedy Ryan || I cannot say enough good things about this book! It was such a beautifully well written story of grief + love. As someone who has experienced a miscarriage, I felt for the FMC (female main character) so deeply and thought the way Kennedy wrote of her healing journey was very accurate. Also, I love a book that shows how important therapy is and not just for the main character!
AUGUST: ‘Knight and the Moth‘ by Rachel Gillig || Okay this might be my favorite Romantasy book of the year. Rachel Gillig wrote ‘The Shepherd King’ duology that I devoured last year and this was truly just as amazing. She is the queen of creating unique magic systems and I would’ve given this book 6 stars if I could! It is the first of a duology with the second book expected in September 2026. (Can’t come soon enough IMO ๐๐ผ)
*FUN FACT: Rachel is also an artist and she wanted to make sure her cover wouldn’t be AI so this is a real photo that she took of a real person.
SEPTEMBER: ‘Battle of the Bookstores‘ by Ali Brady || If you love a good rom-com then add this to your list for 2026! It’s a retelling of ‘You’ve Got Mail’ and I thought it was just the cutest, bookish book. I also thought it was a little eye opening; it gives a glimpse into what it’s like to be an independent bookstore owner in this economy.
Fall
OCTOBER: ‘Project Hail Mary‘ by Andy Weir || Sci-fi is not one of my go-to genres. In fact, I don’t think I’ve read a sci-fi book before this, but MAN did it change my mind! This was easily my second favorite book of the year. I didn’t think the science was too much/took away from the story and I’m honestly just in awe of Weir’s creativity. This story is so unique and smart and such a surprise!
NOVEMBER: ‘And Then There Was the One‘ by Martha Waters || This was my first ‘cozy mystery’ and I absolutely loved it! A ‘cozy mystery’ means that you don’t see the murders happen and there’s usually other plot lines in addition to the mystery- like a romance. This book also takes place in the 1930’s so we got a historical fiction vibe, too. This book was gifted to our attendees for our October retreat and I’m so glad because it was a first of this author me. Definitely not the last ๐๐ผ
DECEMBER: ‘From Blood and Ash‘ by Jennifer Armentrout || This is the first book of a very long series, but I really loved it! The world building was excellent and as it goes I’m more and more intrigued by the magic system. I’m currently on the third book and some things are starting to annoy me now ๐คฃ but that’s normal in a fantasy series. Definitely recommend to those who love fantasy/romantasy!
Honorable Mentions
‘A Girl Called Samson‘ by Amy Harmon || My grandma loves to read and apparently this has been her favorite book of the last few years! So much so that she finishes the book and then immediately starts reading it again ๐ I started reading it becasue she loved it and gave me a copy- I didn’t think I’d like it a ton, but felt obligated, lol. But I was surprised how much I enjoyed it! If you love historical fiction about the Revolutionary War, check it out.
‘The Favorites‘ by Layne Fargo || I had the opportunity to talk to Layne about this book when she attended our October bookยทcation for our book discussion. (I still can’t believe that happened!) We got to talk all about her characters, her writing process, and got to know her more as not just an author. These characters are infuriating and toxic, but it sucks you in! I don’t think I’ve ever felt the full spectrum of emotions quite like this book had me doing. It was addicting!
‘Four Weekends and a Funeral‘ by Ellie Palmer || I love supporting + reading Midwest authors! Ellie is from Minnesota and writes about us midwesterners so well; it always has me laughing! However, my favorite part of this book was the story line about the FMC’s mastectomy. I’ve never read a book about a character who has experienced that and it was really eye opening and I haven’t stopped recommending it!
I want to hear your favorite books of 2025! Make sure to share them below ๐๐ผ and if you’re thinking to yourself, “wow, I’d love to talk to you about these more, Mallory” or “where can I talk about my favs of the year?” I have the place for you ๐ Join us in 2026 at one of our upcoming reading retreats! We’re all about relaxing, reading, and connection.
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