Ah well, 2025 seems so far away now, given how 2026 has started but there were definitely things in 2025 worth looking back; Books being one of those.

2025 had some of the most fantastic book line-ups in recent years, and it is fair to say the year lived up to the hype. A lot of terrific releases in a landscape that is changing and bending to competition. With so many books out there, getting through even a small portion of them means a lot of books. Even after reading 70+ books, one look at the Goodreads best of the year list makes you realize how under-read you are. This is not just traditional publishing; indie & self-published books have been thriving and flourishing, and it genuinely is a lot to get through. I am not complaining one bit.

There are just so many awesome books out there, and I am glad I get to pick and choose from so many options. You just have to find the books that work for you and make you happy.

The best books of 2025 provided moments of inspiration, uniqueness, and clarity while also wowing and leading to many jaw-dropping moments. These books made you laugh, cry, chortle, exclaim, swear, and throw your hands up. These books shed light on the human condition in ways that can only be described as uniquely human, even in the most fantastical of settings & more importantly to me, resulted in a lot of fun. Without further ado, my top books below…..

SERIES STARTERS/ STANDALONES

The Devils (The Devils #1) by Joe Abercrombie 

This is Abercrombie at his most accessible – A Suicide Squad team-up of supernatural creatures and agents of the church on a mission that goes wrong right from the start. Packed with typical Abercrombie witticism, snark, and black humor, The Devils is fantastically unputdownable & immensely entertaining

The Raven Scholar (Eternal Path Trilogy #1) by Antonia Hodgson 

More jaw-dropping twists than any book this year, The Raven Scholar packaged these twists with some deft storytelling, imaginative world-building, intriguing politicking, and a tantalizing murder mystery. Rich in lore, this is a lived-in world with a super interesting choice for a lead & even some fantasy-approved trials to take things up a notch

Whispers of the Storm (Song of the Damned #1) by ZB Steele 

Showcasing inspiration and imitation with some breathtaking prose, Whispers of the Storm took the indie space by storm (all pun intended). A fantastic book that plays around with existing tropes to narrate a fascinating story with a fabulous character voice, this is a story that is both spartan and luxurious

Lightfall (The Everlands Trilogy #1) by Ed Crocker 

A delicious book that will have you tearing through the pages even while you want to luxuriate in the setting of this wonderful world of vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. The cherry on the top is the setting of class revolution and rebellion that permeates this book, while having an absolutely gorgeous action setpiece choice feeding into classic tropes

The Bone Raiders (The Rakada #1) by Jackson Ford

“How to Train Your Dragon” but with fire-breathing Lizards, The Bone Raiders is a book of interesting choices, strong female agency, dynamic relationship quirks, and an electric pace

Extremity by Nicholas Binge 

My favorite novella of the year, Extremity had me with its description of a time-traveling, end-of-the-world police procedural. But what I didn’t count on was the loosely epistolary nature of the narrative through interview transcripts, which elevates this book into an exhilarating novella that is searingly undroppable, with some pointed commentary on the state of our world

Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay 

Luxurious, generous, poetic writing coupled with melancholic, imperfect, and slightly lost lead characters set in a quasi-European setting with a hint of otherworldly mysteries dealing with times of instability and change, this is a Guy Gavriel Kay experience on every page, with the focus being the richness of emotions and the character choices

SENSATIONAL SEQUELS

Dance of Shadows (The Raag of Rta #2) by Gourav Mohanty 

An absolutely gonzo batshit insane book, this is an Indian epic grimdark fantasy that is modern while built on the carcass of the Mahabharata. The book juxtaposes fantasy tropes with some truly interesting & flawed characters, dark, grim choices and some truly black humor while being intensely and intriguingly political

The Diplomacy of the Knife (Four of Mercies #2) by CM Caplan 

A glorious mess of a book that is, in parts, unhinged, chaotic, imaginative, and undeniably neurotic. CM Caplan crafts a unique, compelling, and incredibly well-written story that takes no prisoners and features one of the most inventive, chaotic, loyalty-changing combat sequences that I have ever read

The Blackfire Blade (The Last Legacy #2) by James Logan 

A sequel that leans on the adventurous strength of its predecessor while not being afraid to go dark and emotional as needed. The Blackfire Blade replaces some of the chaotic energy of the Silverblood Promise to craft a controlled novel that provides for character growth while providing a fresh direction on the overall mission of Lukan’s journey

The Strength of the Few (The Hierarchy #2) by James Islington 

A fantastically ambitious sequel that takes on a wild challenge and mostly succeeds. The triptych of storylines is set in 3 unique settings and presents different challenges. But what really makes this book work is the strong emotional core that, like its predecessor, really hits you hard and lends heft to each storyline

Whisper in the Wind (The Fetch Phillips Archive #4) by Luke Arnold 

A status quo-changing book that combines the sadistic torture of Robin Hobb’s Fitz with the themes of Godfather 3 and The Dark Knight. Whisper in the Wind is once again beautifully written, with a sense of tragedy and nostalgia permeating the atmosphere of the book that deals with loss, regret, belonging, and acceptance in a world that has seen magic disappear

Shield of the Mothership (Hybrid Helix #7) by JCM Berne 

Another fun entry is what is turning out to be a rather fun space saga. It is amazing how many plates are spinning in the air, even as the lore and mythology of this universe just keeps on expanding. The pacing is fun, the plotting is entertaining, and the stakes just keep on escalating. Also Kaijus in Space!!!!!!

FABULOUS FIERY FRENETIC FINALES

Empire of the Dawn (Empire of the Vampire #3) by Jay Kristoff 

An intoxicating song of blood and smut and tragedy, Empire of the Dawn marks the conclusion of Kristoff’s epic series in a thrilling, violent, heartbreaking, and manipulative style. A book that wildly oscillates between “Oh, Shit!!!” to “Well, Shit!!!”, interspersed with “No, Shit!!!” moments, this is a fantastically well-written book with a lead character truly worth rooting for

The Iron Road (Tales of the Plain #3) by David Wragg 

An interesting book that muses on the nature of violence, a life that has lived through that violence, and still craves it. The Iron Road, at the end of the day, is about mother-daughter relationship with a pulse-pounding second half aboard a juggernaut that plays like Mad Max: Fury Road

Vengeance of Asgard (The Army of One #3) by Baptiste Pinson Wu

An unstoppable, thrilling conclusion to the Army of One series that posits Ragnarok as a function of Prophecy. Action-packed, gritty & thrilling in equal measures, this series almost makes Gods rather human-like in their behavior. This is ultimately a book of pay-offs on the Twilight of the Gods in epic, gritty fashion

BOOK OF THE YEAR 

A Drop of Corruption (The Tainted Cup #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett 

A wickedly clever, immensely fun sequel that ups the ante further on a remarkably imaginative series. A nimble book despite leaning into some unsettling territory, this entry unspools some layers from our lead characters & provides some satisfying answers. I had billed the first book as “f*cking fantastic” and A Drop of Corruption adheres to that hype in grand style. 

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PS: Other honorable mentions for best of 2025 (in case you needed more reading)

• Outlaw Planet by MR Carey – Fantasy + Western + SF + Spinoff done so right
• Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove – AI + Dracula + Werewolf + Cutest book of the year
• Blood of the Kami by Baptiste Pinson Wu – One of the best covers of the year, with a terrific lore-filled story & a compelling protagonist 
• The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell – Suicide Squad + Angels & Demons + “I am Groot” meets Sam Jackson’s favorite swear word