This year, I set out to read more intentionally mixing genres, discovering new authors, and embracing the stories that surprised me, made me feel, or completely took me out of my comfort zone. I’m a few books behind in my goal of reading 125 books for the year, but I think 52 reads so far is pretty good considering I have a wild toddler, twin babies, a full time job, and I have to sleep sometime. Whether you’re looking for your next favorite or just curious what kept me flipping pages this year, here’s the full list of what I read—plus a link to each review so you can see what I thought!

You can also find this list and others on my Amazon and Bookshop Storefronts.

Amazon Storefront | Bookshop

I hope you find something to read, but if you are still looking for something else give my Most Anticipated Lists and some of my other Favorite Lists a look.

2025 Top Ten so Far

Summer 25 Most Anticipated

spring 25 most anticipated

2024 Favorites

What I’ve Read in 2025

Reviews

The Awakening by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ruthless Fae by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl | ⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Reckoning by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Southern by Design by Grace Helena Walz | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shadow Princess by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Nowhere by Allison Gunn | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Heartwood by Amity Gaige | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Head Cases by John McMahon | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Love Haters by Katherine Center | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Passion Project by London Sperry | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter by Samantha Crewson | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Good Detective by John McMahon | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Slaying You by Michelle Gagnon | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Someone Knows by Vi Keeland | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Constituent Service by John Scalzi & Amber Benson | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

A Stolen Child by Sarah Stewart Taylor | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | REVIEW

I hope you found a book or books that you are truly excited about in this post. Let me know what books your favorite have been so far this year by commenting below or by messaging me on Instagram @speakingof_books or Tiktok @speakingof_books Don’t forget to follow me to get weekly updates and new reviews!