Best Books of 2025: Highlights from My Year of Reading

Something new for the new year, this is something that I have been wanting to do, a 2025 best of list.

The final count was 208—a massive personal best that destroyed my previous (116). When I first thought of 200 I was thinking to myself there is no way, but as I got closer and the number solidified the thought process changed and I knew it was attainable. The list spans a huge variety of genres, as much interests are far and wide: epic fantasy sagas, grimdark grit (my love), hard-hitting sci-fi, motivational nonfiction that actually provided personal change and creation of habits, and raw adventure tales that inspired. I expanded into Audio format, something that previously has not clicked for me. I found that taking notes is super valuable and I love ebooks for the ease to copy or make notes into my note app (Notion).

Instead of dumping the full 208-title list, I’ll recap by highlighting the standouts—the books that sparked obsession, shifted mindsets, or just delivered pure joy. These are grouped by the main categories that dominated my year: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (my heavy hitter), Nonfiction (the real game-changers), and Adventure (This is the Adventure Chronicles blog…). I will add a few words about the book as well, not a review just a short little reasoning behind why I picked it.

First, a quick monthly breakdown:

Month	Books Read
January	21
February	3
March	0
April	7
May	5
June	16
July	19
August	23
September	24
October	28
November	34
December	28

Total: 208

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Standouts

This was the year’s dominant genre—epic series, military sci-fi, litrpg fun, and multiverse mind-benders. Malazan remains my all-time favorite world, but 2025 brought fresh obsessions and long-awaited continuations – Warhammer ahem.

Pandominion Series by M.R. Carey (Infinity Gate and Echo of Worlds) — A sleeper standout that became one of my top recommendations. Carey’s multiverse-spanning story blends AI, parallel dimensions, and high-stakes action with real emotional weight. Fun, inventive, and surprisingly heartfelt—highly recommend if you want smart sci-fi that doesn’t skimp on character.
Forge of the High Mage by Ian C. Esslemont — Malazan adjacent and essential. Esslemont’s take on the empire’s shadowy corners is as immersive as Erikson’s.
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson (reread, audio) — Kicking off my full Malazan reread in audio was magical. The first book holds up incredibly.
The God is Not Willing by Steven Erikson — Another Malazan World novella that proves Erikson can do bite-sized brilliance.
The Faithful and the Fallen Series by John Gwynne — Unbelievable. This might edge out as my favorite trilogy ever—epic battles, deep characters, and stakes that feel earned. Gwynne’s prose just sings.
Tall Boys – Book 2 by Scott Moon — Fun mech combat series; perfect background listen for chores.
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton — Way better than the movie. The science, tension, and philosophy hit harder on the page—read right after a dino nonfiction binge.
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie — Grim, hilarious, brutal excellence. Abercrombie’s character work is unmatched.
The Will of the Many by James Islington — Excellent world-building and magic system. The sequel (The Strength of the Few) dropped late 2025 and delivered—can’t wait for more in this hierarchy saga.
Dungeon Crawler Carl (Books 1–2 so far) by Matt Dinniman — This litrpg series is addictive in audio—hilarious, clever, and perfect for multitasking. Carl and Princess Donut are legends; the 2025 releases kept the momentum insane.
Dreams of Dust and Steel (Books 1–2) by Michael Michel — Absolute sleeper gem. Stunning writing, characters, and world-building—grab these if you want something fresh.
Cry Havoc by Jack Carr — Tom Reece’s origin story; gritty and intense.
Siege of Terra (Books 1–4, ongoing) and Horus Heresy progress (Fulgrim, Descent of Angels, Legion, Battle for the Abyss) — Finally diving deep into Warhammer 40k’s massive lore. The action-movie feel of some entries kept me hooked; but I devoured so many audio dramas outside of the main two series.
Helsreach by Aaron Dembski-Bowden — Black Templars perfection—emotional, heroic, brutal.
Red Rising Series (Books 1–2 reread/continue) by Pierce Brown — THE most recommended series out there, and it lives up to the hype. Even reading it with my sister in our book club!

Nonfiction Highlights

These were the books that actually moved the needle—habits formed, perspectives shifted, motivation sustained.

Atomic Habits by James Clear — My undisputed #1 of the year. Habit tracking alone propelled massive progress; it lit a fire that carried me through the year. This book had the most gain for me perhaps more than anything I have come across.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson — Close second. Wisdom bombs on wealth, happiness, and leverage—I’ll reread annually.
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport — Intriguing concept that aligned perfectly with – “do less, better”
Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins — Pure motivation kick when needed.
Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari — Big-picture thinking that lingers, lot to unpack and my notes here are deep.
Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday — More Stoic gold.
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte — Fun, fresh dino science—paired perfectly with Jurassic Park.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling — Refreshing worldview reset.
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene — Tough but insightful; patience required.
The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi — Timeless classic.
Shaolin Spirit by Shi Heng Yi — Perspective and habits from Europe; his YouTube videos are gold too.
The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom — Packed with value—must-read.
Into the Magic Shop by James Doty — Blew me away; beautiful lessons on mind and heart.
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight — Nike’s wild origin story.
Breath by James Nestor — Actionable breathing insights.
Others like Think and Grow Rich, Tribe of Mentors, The 4-Hour Body (Tim Ferriss), Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter (50 Cent)—all solid additions.

Adventure Standouts

These fueled outdoor dreams and grit—real stories of endurance, nature, and human spirit.

The Emerald Mile and A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko — Gems of intense, beautiful adventure writing.
Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey — Raw perspective on wilderness.
Lost on Purpose by Patrick Taylor — Epic journey vibes.
The World Walk by Tom Turcich — Inspiring global trek.
My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner — Resilience after a near-fatal accident.
American Buffalo by Steven Rinella — Should be required reading on hunting/conservation.
The Naturalist by Darrin Lunde — Theodore Roosevelt bio—fascinating hunter-conservationist lens.
Dirtbag Billionaire by David Gelles — A company with real values—refreshing.

2025 was a banner reading year—diverse, deep, and transformative. If I had to crown one absolute favorite, it’d be Atomic Habits for impact, but The Faithful and the Fallen takes the fiction throne for my favorite story, the characters and the world was incredible. Malazan reread ongoing, Warhammer lore calling, and more sequels on deck for 2026. Here’s to another strong year—what were your standouts? Drop them below!