Hi friends! Very long time and absolutely no see. Sorry not sorry for that; I needed the break to find my groove and love for blogging again and to get my life sorted. But with half my life kind of (not really) sorted, I realized I missed shouting to you all about my favorite reads, and there is only so much one can yell on Instagram before you hit the max characters. So here we are reunited again! Tell me everything that I’ve missed besties cause I’ve got tons to share with you–starting with me attempting yet again the 25 in 2025 challenge.
Did I absolutely fail the 2024 version of this? With only four books out of 24 read, why yes, yes I did. But I have high hopes this time around because instead of throwing random books on there, I was meticulous and chose books for all kinds of moods (not just the current one I was in like last time). We are thinking smarter and not harder in 2025.
So without further ado, grab that popcorn (Oh I’ve missed saying that!) and your coziest blankets because it’s cold as ice cream outside, and let’s see what madness I’ve cooked up for 2025!
1. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
➡I’m trash for this series and I’m excited to see what happens next with our gang of dragon riders. Romance Revelry Society Book Club on discord is hosting a readalong of the series, so I will finally be tackling Iron Flame this month! You can totally join in on all the fun by clicking here! We’re a super chill monthly book club that meets in discord!
2. The Fae King’s Dream by Jamie Schlosser
➡I love Jamie Schlosser with my entire heart, and I am determined to get deeper into her backlist this year.
3. Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
➡Do I still have other Ali Hazelwood books to finish? Yes, but this one legit called to me when she announced this on IG last year. How could I refuse?
4. The Monsters We Are by Suzanne Wright
➡Buddy reading this fun Cain retelling series with Jamsu! We love a guaranteed read in a book challenge 😉
5. A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout
➡I very much need to get back on my JLA bullshit train, because I miss her and her worlds. The last book in the Cas x Poppy storyline comes out this year, and I desperately need to catch up.
6. Mafia Virgin by Mila Finelli
➡Mila Finelli dominated my December, so naturally I have to continue the MF love fest going into 2025. I’ve been edging reading this last book in the Mafia Kings series, for the longest because I don’t want it to end, but I miss my problematic mafia babies too much to keep it on the shelf for longer.
7. Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
➡What can I say? I seriously do miss this woman.
8. Monster Pucker by Clio Evans and Ashley Bennett
➡Reviving (or continuing? Not sure) my backlist completion project for these two authors! I’m almost done with Ashley Bennett and about a quarter of the way through with Clio Evans backlist! These are short and sweet monster romances that are the best smut and smut loving girl could ask for.
9. Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
➡I am literal trash for Kerri Maniscalco. If I could kiss the ground she walks on, I probably would. This has been on my break in case of emergencies list for a while now, but I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter on this series lately on the TikTok and Gram, so I think that’s a sign from the universe I need this injected into my veins within the next 365 days.
10. Glow of the Everflame by Penn Cole
➡I started this series around my birthday last year and absolutely ADORED it, but then I saw the size of this book and the next and got super intimidated and put the series on hold–AKA reading jail. I’m hoping this year, I can help it escape and then finally find out what happens to Diem.
11. Dark City Omega by Elizabeth Stephens
➡Elizabeth Stephens is an author that I’ve grown to love on IG. Unfortunately, I haven’t read anything from her yet except some small samples here and there–but I’m hoping very much to rectify that this year as I think her writing style and vibe are just up my alley.
12. War of Hearts by S. Young
➡This was on my 24 in 2024 challenge that I just never got around to. I still really want to read this series and its part of my physically owned domination challenge as well! So, two birds with one stone!
13. Empire of Temptation by Mila Finelli
➡NEW RELEASE FROM MILA!!! I wasn’t lying to you when I said I’m obsessed. Would not be shocked if this is the first one from this list to be completed. .
14. The Beast by Katee Robert
➡I will finish this series this year even if it kills me. I own 2 different copies of this series and I’ve only made it 3 books in?? Nope, I need to finish it or yeet it off my shelves.
15. A Demon’s Guide to Wooing A Witch by Sarah Hawley
➡I really loved the first book so much (like I still think of it fondly after all this time, kind of love), so I’m pumped to have this one on the challenge so I can continue the series!
16. Flawless by Elsie Silver
➡Another 24 in 2024 Challenge redemption seeker. This will be the year I read an Elsie Silver book!
17. The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson
➡Yet another 24 in 2024 book! I own this one, so there is legit no excuse why this doesn’t get read this year.
18. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
➡I promised my brother 2 years ago that I would read this behemoth of a book, and it has sat on my shelves since. I’d like to surprise him by actually reading it since it is his favorite series at the moment.
19. Hold by Claire Kent
➡I remember this being talked about on Read Me Romance and Fated Mates a few times long ago. I’ve been meaning to read it, but completely spaced until recently when I saw it pop up on my feed when a mutual read it. So I got a bit giddy and added it to this so I wouldn’t forget again.
20. Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
➡I promised my lovely friend Julia on Instagram that I would read this series (she adores it, and she is also the one who put me onto Penn Cole so we trust her taste implicitly) and I just haven’t yet. I own it in several different formats so I can’t make any excuses this year as to why I still haven’t finished it yet.
21. Twisted Love by Ana Huang
➡I read Ana Huang for the first time last year, and really enjoyed her! I got this series as a “hey you made it through the week–treat yourself” gift to myself some time last fall, so I think it’s high time I read it, especially since I saw Jamsu @ Jamsu Dreams absolutely adored the second book in the series–and we all know I have FOMO.
22. Taken To Voraxia by Elizabeth Stephens
➡Elizabeth Stephens and aliens!! I don’t have to say anything else (unless you’d like me too which then I would ask you to refer back to #11 on this list).
23. Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh
➡Nalini is MOTHAAA. A Paranormal romance QUEEN. An Icon. An obsession in the highest order. If I don’t get farther into this series this year, something is physically wrong with me and you all should get me life alert.
24. Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score
➡Genuinely don’t remember why I put this on my 25 in 2025 challenge TBR. But its on my bookshelf so I can at least kill 2 birds with 1 stone again!
25. Wood You Marry Me? By Daphne Elliot
➡This has sat in my KU library for over a year after seeing one too many TikTok clips of ONE scene in this book that completely transfixed me. One of the girls I follow on Instagram, really loved this book as well, so I have high hopes TikTok won’t fail me with this rec. (Please keep fingers and toes crossed anyway though…just in case).
What are you planning to read this year?
Aw four isn’t that bad, you were nearly there!! I have faith you’ll do it this time! 🥳